Blog: Welcome!

We are so very excited to be launching the SouthPaw Animal Clinic Blog. As you all know, the field of medicine is a science and an art that is continually growing and evolving. Veterinary Medicine is no exception to this rule. New information and new treatments become available while older methods of doing things fall by the wayside. I am so glad to be practicing in a time when animals are seen as more than “just an animal”. When we open our homes to a pet, we share our lives with animals that become our companions, friends, and family members. Ownership of animals is seen by many as a privilege and the care of those animals is a responsibility. This shift in our idea of what animals mean for people has allowed for a shift in the care they receive and a deeper understanding of what our pets feel (emotionally and physically). For the people like us who love animals as if they were our equals, this is a wonderful thing. We are able to help them enjoy lives full of love and compassion and we get so much back from them in return. In addition to being able to offer better health care, we should also strive to offer better emotional care. When I began my career in the veterinary field, I watched other veterinarians and caretakers work. I questioned why animals fearing the veterinarian was the “norm”, and I vowed to change that approach to pet care in my own practice. As a veterinarian, I went into medicine because I loved animals. I did not want them to be afraid of entering the clinic or look at me in fear. I was supposed to help them stay healthy and ease their suffering. It didn’t seem right that they should not enjoy me as much as I enjoyed them. After treating my own pets, and many of my own patients, I learned that a trusting relationship could be built and animals could actually enjoy coming to the doctor. While they may not love every aspect of the veterinary visit, we can at least help make those parts more tolerable, and thus make the entire experience more enjoyable. Thankfully, no longer are the days where animals are expected to be afraid at the doctor, because I have a practice where we work to change that. Even better, more and more veterinarians are starting to incorporate a similar approach in their practices. Just like we strive to educate pet owners in our practice, we hope to be able to use this blog to educate pet owners about common pet ailments and diseases, common household dangers, and frequently asked questions on pet care. You will no doubt see some very interesting, and maybe even thought provoking, information in the upcoming blogs. We hope that you learn something new along the way and we welcome suggestions on topics that you might be interested in learning more about. Join us for our weekly posts and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out. It is our passion to help our animal friends and the families they live with.  So, in an effort to help educate our pet parents and provide the best lives possible for our pets…here we go!