Dr. Larry's Pet Health Updates
Keeping you up-to-date on the latest advances in veterinary medicine. (Archives)

We certainly live in incredible times. For example, at this very moment we're using dozens of powerful computers to communicate via the internet. New technologies have improved our lives in countless ways. And this is especially true when it comes to taking care of our pets. The advances in medicine for companion animals has paralleled that of humans, with discoveries in animals often leading the way to breakthroughs for people and vice versa. It is a very exciting time to be a veterinarian.

The challenge is this: how do we, as veterinarians, communicate all this information to you, the pet owner, and help you to make informed decisions about the health care of your pet? That is the essence of this section and in fact, the essence of this website as a whole. In thinking about the development of this site, my primary goal has always been to reach out to each and every one of you and provide you with a clear, concise and friendly forum where you can learn more about what veterinary medicine has to offer you and your pets. It is not an easy task and my team and I are still in the process of learning how to accomplish this goal, so your comments are always welcome.

There have been hundreds of new developments in veterinary medicine in the last decade; continued discoveries of new antibiotics, routine usage of CT scanners ("cat scans") and MRI's, total hip replacements, feline kidney transplants, corneal transplants, open heart surgeries, in-depth cancer treatments, laser surgery, telemedicine... the list goes on and on. Things that once seemed impossible are now routine. Only five years ago we still had tremendous battles with fleas and ticks. Now there is no reason for any of our pets to be burdened with these pesky little bugs. Our medical knowledge is estimated to double every six months (a number that is hard to fathom in and of itself). But I guess that makes sense as kilobytes turn into megabytes and become gigabytes before our very eyes.

This world of great innovation certainly comes with a price. An ultrasound of your cat's heart may cost $300. A new hip for your arthritic Golden Retriever may run you $3,000 per side. To have a kidney replaced, you need to fly to one of the universities in the Midwest. And some of the newer antibiotics can cost hundreds of dollars in the very large breeds, for something as routine as a skin infection. So deciding what care to offer our pets is not as simple as it is in human medicine, where tests are done without a second thought and bills are sent to third party insurers. Each decision we make comes with a cost that we must consider, often making decisions that are much more complicated. Each day I have to help clients make decisions that have emotional, medical and financial implications for their families.

My goal is to try and bring the world of veterinary medicine to you in a way that is easy to understand. It is impossible for your veterinarian to supply you with all the information that is out there in a 15-minute office visit. That is one reason why the Internet has become such a terrific tool. It allows you to research and understand; to discuss and decide; to interact and commiserate; it is an outlet for your intellect and your emotions. I want to help you on that interactive journey. Through the articles that I will supply here, and by answering your concerns via our personal e-mail system, I hope to be able to bring a deeper understanding of the complicated new world of veterinary medicine right into your living room. So pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee, turn the television off, grab your mouse and click away.

If there is a particular area of veterinary medicine that you would like to know more about, or have a specific question, please contact me directly. We pledge to respond to your e-mail within twenty-four hours.

As always, I'm happy to help your pets...and their people, too.

Dr. Larry