Veterinary Care Plans

Shortly after I saw a couple of my veterinary friends announcing this service, our vet informed us about this opportunity with his clinic as well. Very cool.

What is a veterinary care plan?

It might come under different labels, our plan is called FVH Family Plans for Your Pet's Health. Veterinary care plans are managed care plans versus the conventional fee for service models.

Crudely put, it is a subscription type of thing to veterinary services.

It is especially valuable for dogs with chronic health issues, such as Jasmine.

It is a way to spread out the expense of basic health care over a year. It permits more visits for a predictable cost, without economics driving the decision whether you can take your dog to a vet or not.

Often enough I've seen people putting off a vet visit for financial reasons.

Neglecting health checks exams, or having a symptom looked into, can result in serious health problems and substantially larger expense later on. Skimping on vet visits just isn't a good idea.

Veterinary care plan allows you to do right by your dog without the financial pressure.

Our vet is offering two plans.

A primary plan includes per year

• up to 12 visits
• monthly roundworm prevention
• webstore access
• 4 urine health screening tests
• vaccinations

A premier plan includes per year

• up to 12 visits
• monthly roundworm prevention
• webstore access
• 4 urine health screening tests
• vaccinations
• anemia/leukemia blood tests
• kidney tests
• liver tests
• diabetes tests
• 50% discount on spay/neuter or alternatively teeth cleaning and oral prophylaxis

Did we get on the veterinary care plan wagon?

We certainly did. We chose the premier plan. I think it is well worth it, particularly with Jasmine who, I am sure, will use up all of the 12 included visits (I'm just hoping she doesn't manage to use them all up in one month!)

The plan allows to pay for the entire year up front and get one month free, or monthly billing. The monthly billing works best for us but I was surprised how many people actually opted for the up front payment.

What's the point of so many visits included in the plan?

Did you ever wait too long to take your dog to the vet with a minor issue which then turned into a big problem? Sometimes even a simple infection can get quite bad quite quickly.

Early detection and management of problems of a chronic nature such as obesity have been shown conclusively to prolong and improve the quality of life. Some problems, such as arthritis, diabetes, cognitive degeneration are best detected early and may require several visits to get the best balance of medications and supplements because dogs do respond as individuals.

Since the paperwork for our plan emphasizes this repeatedly, I should probably as well: this is not an insurance, it is really a subscription sort of thing to routine health care for your dog.

Is it worth it? I definitely think so.

Does your vet offer a veterinary care plan?

Veterinary Highlights: Stem Cell Treatments For Paralyzed Dogs

Having experience with stem cell therapy ourselves, related research is of a great interest to me. Jasmine has benefited greatly from her past treatments, and the benefits of her latest injections are unfolding.

A new clinical trial at NC State explores the promise of stem-cell therapy for treating paralyzed dogs.

Neurologist Dr. Natasha Olby with the College of Veterinary Medicine is working to restore some mobility to dogs who lost the use of their hind legs because of a herniated disc.

Although Tobi will never fully regain the use of his legs, he has benefited from a clinical trial involving stem cell transplantation in dogs that is currently underway at North Carolina State University.

According to Dr. Olby, even in the case of severe spinal cord injury all may not be lost in terms of spinal cord function – there may still be salvageable, living nerves and nerve fibers, or axons, bridging the site of the injury that could still transmit signals if they had a little help.

Source articles:
Stem Cell Therapies for Paralyzed Pooches
Back on Their Feet

Race, Housing & Community by Harris Beider - Book review

Race, Housing and Community

Perspectives on Policy and Practice

By: Harris Beider

Published: March 20, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
ISBN-10: 1405196963
ISBN-13: 978-1405196963
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell













"Housing has been a key metaphor for race and community cohesion. Indeed, housing publications have illuminated the discourse on race and more latterly, community cohesion. Policy analysts have generated research, guidance and impact measures on race and community cohesion", writes Professor in Community Cohesion at Coventry University, Harris Beider, in his research based and policy oriented book Race, Housing and Community: Perspectives on Policy and Practice. The author describes the dynamics of race, housing, and community cohesion through a systematic approach to stimulate discussion and debate on these topics.

Harris Beider understands that the intertwined topics of race, housing and community cohesion are not simply esoteric and theoretical issues for the exclusive consideration by academics. Instead, the author proposes finding common ground for discussion between both the academic community and policy makers. Harris Beider considers this fusion of ideas and worldviews to form a foundation, for developing a new agenda, for a more full discussion. To create context, the author provides a background to how contributions from academics contributed to public policy decisions; and the limitations of that former approach to the topics.



Harris Beider (photo left) provides an overview and analysis of the key trends taking place in housing and race that are taking place in contemporary society. The book focuses on race and housing. The author presents evidence to recommend the necessity of developing a new framework for discussion and policy making. The latter part of the book offers an alternative framework, but prior to discussing a new approach, the author considers it important to understand the failings of the existing concepts.

Harris Beider describes the shortcomings of the existing paradigms that exist in the current literature on the subjects. He points out that these typologies have created the basis for legislation and other public policy formulation. The existing frameworks include:

* Passive culturalism
* Social conflict,politics, and power
* Choice and constraint
* Cultural resistance

For me the power of the book is how Harris Beider creates a fresh approach to creating policy alternatives for addressing race, housing, and community cohesion. The author demonstrates the limitations of the previous approaches to the topics, and how they were all failures in very fundamental ways. The author also recognizes the shifting demographics of the different groups and cultures, rendering much of the previous paradigm outdated and ineffective. Harris Beider offers the idea of opening dialogue between academics, policy makers, and the communities.

While not prescribing specific policy measures, the author places his emphasis on creating an effective process of creating a fusion and synthesis of ideas and approaches. Out of this cross pollination of ideas from different sectors, new and effective solutions, policies, and programs are the expected result. Even if those concepts have limitations, the dialogue remains to discover even more effective ideas and policies in the future.

I highly recommend the systematic and framework focused book Race, Housing and Community: Perspectives on Policy and Practice by Harris Beider, to anyone in academia, students of race and housing, public policy makers, business leaders, and community organizers who are seeking a workable framework approach to the topics of race, housing, and community cohesion. This book will open the dialogue to creating a fusion of ideas to further the conversation to create stronger community relations and cohesion.

Tags: Race, Housing and Community: Perspectives on Policy and Practice, Harris Beider, urban planning and practice, public policy book reviews

Primer On Collapsing Trachea In Dogs

Written and reviewed by John A. Bukowski, DVM, MPH, PhD
and Susan E. Aiello, DVM, ELS 

Collapsing trachea is seen mostly in small breeds of dogs, such as Toy Poodles, Yorkies, and Pomeranians. It often shows up in puppies or young dogs and tends to worsen with age because secondary inflammation narrows the trachea, making it even more difficult to breathe in air.

The trachea is the windpipe that carries the air that your dog breathes from its nose (or mouth) through smaller and smaller airways to the lungs. 

It is made up of rings of cartilage connected by fibrous tissue. The cartilage rings give the trachea its round, tube shape. In some dogs, the cartilage rings are weaker than normal, so when air is breathed in and the pressure inside the trachea increases, the rings tend to collapse and the trachea flattens.

1.Normal Tracheal Ring
2.Collapsed Tracheal Ring
3.Collapsed Trachea
Image Camboro Veterinary Hospital

This makes it more difficult to breathe, resulting in a honking cough, especially during excitement or exercise.

Mildly affected dogs have the characteristic honking cough, and they may tire more easily during play or exercise. Severely affected dogs can collapse and even pass out because of breathing problems, which is an emergency situation.

In most cases, diagnosis is based on physical examination and your description of the problem. 

However, your veterinarian may need to take an x-ray or to examine the inside of the trachea with an endoscope, which is a long, lighted flexible tube that can be passed inside the body for viewing internal structures.

All dogs with collapsing trachea should be kept fit and trim, because obesity makes it more difficult to breathe. 

Mildly affected dogs often do fine with very little therapy, so long as they are at a healthy weight. However, severely affected dogs may need specialized surgery to reinforce the cartilage rings. This procedure is technically difficult, so your vet may refer you to a specialist or veterinary teaching hospital.

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Visit WebVet for a wealth of information about the health and well-being of pets. All content is rev

Dog Cartoon Of The Week: Look At You!

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Dog Cartoon of the Week is brought to you by Andertoons. Check out the website for more great cartoons.


Cartoonist Mark Anderson lives in the Chicago area with his wife, their children, two cats, a dog and several dust bunnies. You might have seen his cartoons in a number of publications including Reader's Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Good Housekeeping, Forbes, Barrons, Woman's World, Harvard Business Review, Saturday Evening Post, American Legion Magazine, Funny Times.

The Shopper Economy by Liz Crawford - Book review

The Shopper Economy

The New Way to Achieve Marketplace Success by Turning Behavior into Currency

By: Liz Crawford

Published: March 20, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
ISBN-10: 0071787178
ISBN-13: 978-0071787178
Publisher: McGraw-Hill











"Looking at how consumers were trading their time, attention, and behavior was a way of studying a new kind of economy: the shopper economy", writes analyst and contributing writer for the Path to Purchase Institute, Liz Crawford, in her groundbreaking and thought provoking book The Shopper Economy: The New Way to Achieve Marketplace Success by Turning Behavior into Currency. The author describes the transformation of the consumer into a shopper, trading in their new currency of behavior, forming the base of the new shopper economy.

Liz Crawford recognizes the power of technology in the shift from consumer to shopper. The access to readily available technology for price comparison removed the power from the advertising agencies, and even from the brands themselves. Along with the ability to compare price, shoppers became able to read peer reviews, and even discover levels of available inventory. With these technological advances, brands and marketers found the need to get timely messages to their customers. The result was shopper marketing, where buyers are treated as shoppers on a road to purchase, and became essential for the success of marketing and brands.



Liz Crawford (photo left) understands that shopper behavior has a real and tangible value in the shopper economy. The author points out that the behavior is indeed a currency, and that behavior even has an exchange rate. Shoppers expend time and energy, evaluated the value of the return on their time, and became part of the exchange process.

Liz Crawford describes four types behavior that form the basis of the exchange:

* Attention
* Participation
* Advocacy
* Loyalty

Each of these behaviors is a currency that earns digital currency that the author refers to as shopper currency. Any form of this digital currency that can redeemed for virtual or real world goods and services is described as virtual currency. The entire concept of shopper marketing provides a framework, for putting these behaviors to work for the brand, through an understanding the behavior of the shopper.

For me, the power of the book is how Liz Crawford provides a fresh paradigm of the shopper economy, based on the concept of shopper behavior. At the same time, the author also demonstrates that the behavior is also measurable as a form of currency. Liz Crawford points out as well, that far from being a problem for brands, the new shopper economy model provides brands with a powerful marketing opportunity. The newly informed and empowered customer does much of the marketing work on behalf of the brand, based on their active behavior.

Liz Crawford shows brand marketers how to assess and measure the activities of shoppers effectively through the use of real and virtual rewards. The result is better return on investment, and less wasted activity on the part of both the customer and the brand. Every action of the shopper becomes part of the ongoing pathway to a buying transaction.

I highly recommend the innovative and insightful book The Shopper Economy: The New Way to Achieve Marketplace Success by Turning Behavior into Currency by Liz Crawford, to any business decision makers, brand managers, marketers, and entrepreneurs who are seeking a description of the evolving marketplace and how to create opportunities through those changes. This book will change the way you think about brands, customers, and how the entire shopping experience takes place in the new shopper economy.

Tags: The Shopper Economy: The New Way to Achieve Marketplace Success by Turning Behavior into Currency, Liz Crawford, brands and marketing, business book reviews

Laney's Battle With Oral Melanoma

by Lisa Freeman

Laney came to me about 6 years ago through a friend who bred Pekingese. I had lost a 17 year old dog earlier that year and my friend knew I had an empty place in my heart... so since she had 3 other Pekingese, she graciously gave me Laney.. and oh did we bond on the very first day!

This little girl is my heart and soul. 

Each day a joy, to wake up by being licked on the nose, and then seeing that cute little face, knowing all she wants is to be snuggled. What a gift she has been to me. She is the one constant in my life that keeps me grounded.

In January I noticed a small lump in her mouth, on the upper side, so I took her to our vet. 

She was having little trouble eating and she was yawning a lot, like trying to stretch her jaws..

The vet determined that this could be cancer so they opted to remove the mass. When they got into the mouth and saw where it was attached, they also noticed deterioration of teeth and a little bone. So they took out 12 teeth.

The outcome looked fairly good. 

Laney bounced back in a few short days and started acting her old (she is only 9) self again.. running and jumping and enjoying life...

Then, a few weeks ago I noticed that her eye was starting to bulge out and that she had started her yawing again, only this time she was tilting her head way over to the side.

I checked her mouth, and the tumor had come back. 

I immediately took her to the vet again, who sent me to an oncologist in a different town, who basically gave Laney no chance of a future and said to take her home and make her comfortable. Not a chance!

So I asked for a referral and drove to yet another town the same day to see a second oncologist. She not only gave me hope, she worked up a plan of action.

So, a week later Laney went back into surgery with a diagnosis of aggressive oral melanoma and right eye protrusion. 

We knew there was a secondary infection behind the eye and thought that was why the eye was now starting to tilt and that the tumor was localized in the mouth, but the surgeon called me once he got Laney under, and explained her situation, which was the melanoma in the mouth, but it had progressed behind the eye, and the eye was shot.

I thought my baby was going to go in and have a tumor removed from her mouth, but what the oncologist was telling me was that if she had any chance at all, they would have to do the radical surgery to take her right eye and also her right upper jaw bone.

I asked him to give me about 10 min., I needed to think about this choice... so... as nutty as it may sound, I closed my eyes, focused on Laney and connected with her on a spiritual level, like you do in prayer, and I asked her what she wanted to do... and you know that little voice we all have in our head? Mine said she wanted to live.

So I called her surgeon back and asked a few more questions to get my mind wrapped around what was happening, and then I gave the go for the completion of the surgery. 

They kept Laney 5 days because of the extent of the surgery, and each day someone from that animal hospital called me to tell me how amazing Laney was doing! With her being out of town and a 2 hour drive one way, I was not able to make that trip back and forth.. so I waited until the day I could go bring her home.

I was mentally prepared for what I would see...

.. we are never as emotionally strong as we would like to be, however, I did not allow myself to pass on a sad emotion to Laney. 

Animals are so very energy sensitive... I brought her home, knowing that she would be better every single day, but that now we were looking at very expensive chemo injections to rid her of all the cancer.

The surgeon gave her a 98% clean margin, but said that 2% dirty margin could be a problem. 

Laney and I have not come this far to quit now. I will find the funding to pay for her medical expenses. She is my baby. She truly is my inspiration. She has been with me through my brother dying, my being laid off, and my being hit by a drunk driver, all in the past 2 years. I am 53 years YOUNG because of her!

She is my rock and she is my best friend. 

I will not fail her. I am going to give her every opportunity to beat this thing! Laney is quickly becoming a Facebook icon ...she has so many prayers coming her direction ... and she and I are truly blessed but ...

I have used all of my own funds and have hit the bottom of my piggy bank.

As per a request from someone on Facebook, I have put up a Little Laney Fund donation button on my personal website, and I am hoping that people will help her... because she loves life so much, and I need her.

Laney is doing very, very well at this point but in order to get her totally clean, she is going to have to follow up this surgery with a chemo type injection, 6 times. 

I am assured this is not painful and will add to the longevity of her life. This is very expensive and we need some help so Laney can continue on her journey and get this treatment. Any form of donation would be greatly appreciated, by Laney and by me.... and we both thank you in advance for your help in giving her quality and quantity of life!

In light, Lisa