Loomis Basin Doctors' Journal

by Erin Shehane, LBVC client since 1997

Ty, LBVC patient since 2003

In 2004 our Elkhound was bitten by a rattlesnake. It was horrifying. My dog’s face swelled up to three times its normal size.  I rushed Ty to Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic. Although Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic was 20 minutes away, I did not even consider any other clinic. After a day or so in the hospital, he was fine. Sometime later, our Border Terrier, Killerbea, was bitten.  The drill was repeated.  I felt like years were knocked off my life, as my dogs are my children.
Shortly thereafter, the vaccine became known to us.  We did not hesitate to have them vaccinated and sure enough, our dogs were bitten again. However, the effect was nowhere near as bad.  Yes, I still had to rush my dogs to Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic, but the reaction was not as bad.  My dogs have been vaccinated every year since the vaccine was made available to us.  Regrettably, they may suffer a bit of a reaction from the shot, BUT, my dogs patrol my yard and make it safe for my kids.  Although my dogs are my children, I really have to put it in perspective… I would rather a snake bite my dog that has been vaccinated than an unprotected child.

My puppies get their vaccination booster yearly.  I take no chances. When we have had antivenin and hospitalization, we have always been happy with the rapid response and expert care at Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic.  Not all clinics have the vaccination or antivenin readily available, which is an important distinction. We have always been very happy with the care and attention our dogs have received when needing emergency rattlesnake services. Hopefully this info can save someone heartache.
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the rattlesnake vaccine.

By Dr. Olivia Petrunich

For many of us in modern times, the web serves as a convenient, immediate source of information, whether it be for a word definition or synonym, a lost recipe, or medical information. Although accurate veterinary medical information is available on the web, please be aware that misinformation also abounds. Please watch for these red flags:

1. Sensationalized content: Is the information on the site presented in an alarmist tone? Is it loaded with scary stories and extreme outcomes? Are the issues presented in terms of black and white, with no shades of gray? If the answer to any of these questions is “Yes,” the author may have an ax to grind. Suspect the accuracy of the information.

2. No author credentials: The author or authors of material on the Web site should clearly, and visibly, present their credentials—that is, their education and training, their title, and where they work. If they do not, it is impossible to judge their expertise.

3. No sources: When physicians scrutinize an article or study, they make it a point to check the list of sources at the end, to ensure that it contains legitimate information, such as reports from a medical journal or government publication. A Web site that presents detailed medical information without providing links to the references or comparable detail about the sources of that information is highly suspect.

4. No date: This may seem like a minor problem, but the world of pet health care moves swiftly. Treatments and approaches that are reliable one day can be discredited in the blink of an eye. If the site does not date its content, or indicate when it was last updated, you have no way of knowing how current it is. Move on!

5.For sale sign: If you can’t easily tell the difference between the medical content and products for sale, move along. Even when products don’t appear prominently, chances are that the bottom line of the Web site is profit, not education.

6. Conflict of interest: Most reputable health sites not only provide information from experts, they list any so-called potential conflicts of interest that those experts may have. Articles and presentations at scientific meetings require these disclosures for a reason: Financial ties can produce bias.

Here at Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic, we strive to provide reliable and useful pet healthcare information via our website. However, even in the digital age, we would still like to remind you that no Internet search or website resource can take the place of a one-on-one consultation with your veterinarian about your pet’s health. Also, if you don’t find what you are looking for in your search, please call us. We are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions.

Learn more about Dr. Olivia Petrunich