When I was in vet school many moons ago, they taught us that shaking insulin could inactivate the particles. We were taught to gently roll the bottle between our hands to suspend the particles. The story has changed a bit since. The package insert for Vetsulin now actually recommends shaking the bottle. This wording was new […]
This morning after Shavasana, which is the final relaxation phase of a yoga class where you are to clear your mind of everything and just relax, I started thinking about anxiety. A client expressed to me the other day how anxious he was when I had anesthetized his pet. Anxiety is a crummy aspect of caring. […]
Recently the topic of diarrhea came up with a dear human friend. It’s not something folks typically discuss in polite company, unless you are a veterinarian. We veterinarians deal with the issue of diarrhea on a daily basis with our patients. Of course I teased my friend with the problem, “Did you get into the trash […]
I love getting emails from our readers. Sometimes they are so good I share them. Let’s jump right into three recent email interactions I’ve had as you may have had similar questions yourself.
I’ve been using the glucose log book that came with my glucose meter starter kit, but it is now full. How do you suggest […]
I get some great questions from clients. They inspire me with article ideas and keep me in tune with diabetic pet owners. I enjoy interacting with our readers, and sometimes the questions are worthy of a newsletter. I bet if one person has this question and takes the time to write me, there are likely lots […]
I recently got a letter asking me to help choose the best insulin syringe for a pet. So today I’ll first explain the goofy lingo we use to describe insulin syringes and then discuss needles and pens and syringe volume. It’s really quite simple once you break it down. Some of it is critical to […]
A reader recently asked me what I thought of health insurance for pets. As the owner of a veterinary practice, I can tell you I have insurance out the wazoo, but I’m ambivalent about pet health insurance. I usually mention health insurance to new pet owners on their first exam. I do like it when […]
Today we are going to discuss how we evaluate kidney function in pets. A pet can become dehydrated from a variety of causes. Diabetics need to drink extra just to stay hydrated when the blood glucose is elevated. […]
Some of the questions I get are worth sharing. These are real life questions from our readers. Your emails are the inspiration for most of my articles and certainly the “Ask Dr. Joi” series. Keep ’em coming! Today we’ll discuss home blood glucose monitoring. […]
As a veterinarian, my job is to help pets live healthy, comfortable and happy lives. I thought I might toss out a few simple, yet sometimes forgotten, New Year’s resolutions that can improve your diabetic pet’s life. […]