These situations happen to our vets every week!

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What makes a great vet?

The final tally is in!

In 2016 Best Friends Animal Hospital donated over $24,000 in goods and services to animal shelters and humane societies located in Pulaski County. Supporting those pets who don't have a voice is important us and we urge all to become involved.

If you are interested, please contact:

     1.  Waynesville Animal Shelter – http://www.waynesvillemo.org/shelter.htm
    
     2.  Pulaski County Humane Society – http://lovingpawsadoptioncenter.com/
    
     3.  Kitten Division Adoption Center – http://kittendivision.com/

Financial support and donations of goods or time are always appreciated.

Allergic reactions are common in our pets, just as in us.  Dr. Lee's article is a great resource if your pet has any allergic reactions.

Dr. Hackworth

A Quick Guide To Allergic Reactions

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best Friends Animal Hospital

573-336-3759

hospital@bestfriendsah.com

Fear Free Veterinary Care Now Available for Pulaski County Pets

Local veterinarian earns certification to ease pets’ fear, anxiety during visits

Saint Robert, Missouri. – Can you imagine telling your dog, “Let’s go to the vet!” and seeing her tail wag? How about getting out your cat’s carrier and seeing him come running?

Local pet owners won’t need to imagine it if they visit Dr. Jim Hackworth in Saint Robert. That’s because he is part of a new initiative sweeping veterinary medicine designed to ease the stress, fear, and anxiety so many pets experience while at the veterinarian.

Known as Fear Free^SM, the training and certification program helps veterinarians modify their procedures, handling, and facilities to help pets feel safe and comfortable while receiving the medical care they need.

Dr Hackworth said, “The Fear Free^SM training interested me greatly after learning about it.  If you’ve ever taken a child to a pediatric dentist or a children’s hospital, you may have seen their approach to removing fear from a child’s stressful situation.  It’s made FUN!  I knew there had to be some kind of training for veterinarians, and Fear Free^SM is it!”

Founded by veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, the Fear Free training program was developed by board-certified veterinary behaviorists, veterinary technician behavior specialists, board-certified veterinary anesthetists, well-known veterinary practice management experts, and boarded veterinary practitioners experienced in Fear Free methods.

 “Providing veterinarians with the tools they need to ease this burden of fear and anxiety or our patients is the pinnacle of my 37-year veterinary career,” said Dr. Becker, who was dubbed “America’s Veterinarian” by Dr. Oz and appeared on “Good Morning America” for 17 years. “Veterinary professionals are hungry for this information. Animals and their humans need and deserve it. And now it’s here!”

To become certified, veterinarians and veterinary staff are required to complete a comprehensive, 8-part educational course and exam. They also have to take continuing education to remain certified.

“Anyone visiting our hospital in the past few weeks may have noticed we take a different approach  to our patients than other veterinary hospitals….minimal restraint, lots of treats, pain free (or pain reduced procedures), and sometimes requesting premedication to reduce fear, anxiety and stress.  We have many dogs RUN into the hospital – they have so much fun!  Cats may sit there calmly and purr and others like to play with us.  We’re trying very hard to make a visit as stress free as possible.  One thing we are asking our clients is to bring their pets in hungry….no breakfast.  They take our treats easier.  Sometime we’ll have folks bring in their pet’s favorite treat or toy or bedding/blanket.  Anything to help their pet not have as much “white coat anxiety,” Dr Hackworth stated.

Pet owners who would like their pets to experience the Fear Free difference can schedule an appointment by calling 573-336-3759.

About Dr. Jim Hackworth

Originally from Oklahoma, Dr. Hackworth began a lifelong love affair with pets as a child with his own family's pets.  He saw how much a pet could impact his family's personal life and how much love and affection we can share with our pets.  He became interested in veterinary medicine in high school and began working at a hospital at the age of 16.  He even met his wife at a veterinary hospital (she was 16 and he was 17!).  He graduated from Oklahoma State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and immediately entered the U.S. Army's Veterinary Corps, and served with soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines at multiple sites throughout the world before settling down in Pulaski County with his wife and children.  And if anyone asks, GO ARMY!

Dr Hackworth is passionate about pets being part of our lives and wants them to be part of our lives in a happy, healthy and enriching way.  With over 30 years as a veterinarian, he still feels he has the best job in the world.

Dr Hackworth and his wife have four daughters and five grandchildren.  His pets include two cats, one who enjoys chewing on his toes at 2 AM.  He also has three granddogs and two grandcats.

His email is drhackworth@bestfriendsah.com

Learn more at www.bestfriendsah.com

About Fear Free

Developed by “America’s Veterinarian,” Dr. Marty Becker, the Fear Free^SM initiative aims to “take the ‘pet’ out of ‘petrified’” and get pets back for veterinary visits by promoting considerate approach and gentle control techniques used in calming environments. Utilization of Fear Free methods and protocols leads to reduction or removal of anxiety triggers, which creates an experience that is rewarding and safer for all involved including pets, their owners, and veterinary health care teams. Learn more at www.fearfreepets.com.

We have seen a tremendous number of Kennel Cough Patients in the past couple of weeks.  Dogs are having a harsh dry hacking cough and will gag at the end of the coughing.  It sounds as if there is something caught in their throat (which is rather uncommon in dogs).  Some dogs will also have some sneezing.  Wildlife such as foxes and coyotes may carry the infection and spread it.  Also stray dogs or free-roaming pets may spread the infection

The vaccine is effective, but it does not protect against all causes of Kennel Cough, so even with the vaccine, dogs may get the infection.

For the next month, I suggest keeping your dogs away from dog parks, public areas such of parks or playgrounds or other dogs.

This article may help answer any questions.  If your dog has not been vaccinated, or you want to check on vaccination status, please call us at 573-336-3759

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/how-to-protect-your-dog-from-kennel-cough

As many of you know, I have recently started what I like to call “the medical merry-go-round,” seeing many different specialists in the past few weeks and more in the coming weeks.  I had to have surgery a few weeks ago which went very well, but as usual for a guy my age, more medical issues have arrived.

I’ve learned a lot of lessons the past few weeks and being able to compare my health care with the veterinary care we offer, all I can say is:

Do any living, breathing people work at insurance companies?  I have called mine several times, usually while on their website looking for answers.  Usually buried on page 67 of the website I find my answer before someone answers.  And the on-hold messages are actually looped, bringing you back to the same menu with no answers available.  You ought to check that.

When checking to see if your health care provider is in your insurance network, guessing is the best option.  The health care provider will tell you to call your insurance provider (see above) and the website may not list them but has a disclaimer at the bottom saying all approved health care providers may not be listed and to contact your health care provider…..another never-ending loop.

Why is everyone so interested in my birthday? I know for a fact that I was not the only person born on that date?  What if I don’t remember my birthday?  No health care?  It’s also listed on my driver’s license…see below.

Do you really need to copy my driver’s license and insurance card every time I have an appointment?  Why do you not believe me when I tell you once again that nothing has changed?  You greeted me when I came in by my name!

Eight pages of new client forms, some front and back?  Really?  Some would be able to be completed if only you would read my driver’s license and insurance card.

Price shopping for flea and tick medications prior to performing surgery on me did not endear me to you. 

Asking me about your cat who is urinating outside the litter box was a really nice conversation, but why don’t you focus on why my oxygen saturation level was low?  And take your cat to your vet!

And speaking of nurse anesthetists, that story about one of your friends performing a surgical procedure on a cat while using succinylcholine only…. I can only hope this was just an acquaintance and not a peer or a mentor.  You know and I know, that cat felt every bit of pain during that surgery but the succinylcholine did not allow him to move or respond.  He was paralyzed, not anesthetized.  He was awake during the entire process.  No wonder he died.  Your friend is a sadistic jerk that should have his license pulled.  I should have fired your sorry butt and demanded another anesthetist.  I was stunned someone with your knowledge would think that was comical.

  Recovery nurses, you rock!

 Physicians, get your exam rooms cleaned better.  You have dust bunnies multiplying under your hydraulic exam tables.  Just raise them and look.  I did.

Physicians, it really isn’t a physical exam when the only part of me you touch is my hand when you shake it.  Reviewing someone else’s medical notes isn’t a physical.  What if they were inaccurate?  It will be interesting to get that bill.  Then I'll be able to know how much a hand shake is worth.

Nurses -- By the way, those crackers you gave me post-op to see if I could keep them down?  Didn’t work…..lost them somewhere on I-44 on the way home.  Thanks for the memory.

No wonder so many of my clients say I take better care of their pets than their own physicians.

Dr. Hackworth