I like Nicaragua, so do Cait and Emily. It is not like Massachusettes. It is not like the US. It is not like Mongolia. I guess it is like its own little country. I hope I haven’t lost you yet. I don’t want to get too technical this early in a blog.

It was Sunday here today, just like back home. It is supposed to be the day of rest, but that is easier said than done. It kind of started last night with the noise, the party with the music where you recognize the tune but not the words (like rap – I don’t understand any of that either), or the trucks that for some reason honk their horns as they slow down in front of us as they near the intersection, or the cat fights, or the dogs barking all night (they keep them tied up all day then let them loose all night to roam and bark and congregate next to my cabin), or that rooster that thinks he’s supposed to crow for 2 hours straight right next to my cabin (those dogs need to take him out to dinner), or to top it off that woodpecker that likes to peck on the roof of the cabin, and its not even wood, he must not be able to read the labels. So it was not quiet, not like the double dead end road we live on in sleepy quiet Ashburnham, where the only noise is my snoring, but I never hear that anyway. I may need those noise canceling head sets tonight, or maybe I will just snore louder and give them a taste of their own medicine.

We spent the morning helping the kids at their Sunday school classes. There are about 300 kids that meet in 24 homes around Catarina, so we split up and helped out. Or at least Cait and Em did. I tried to help and be good, but when it came to making those paper lions I am afraid I did not do so well. I tried to make them scary looking, but the girls just shook there heads and the boys just laughed and talked very quickly in Spanish all the while glancing at me and smirking; I wish I knew the language so I could straighten them out, kind of like how the bruins teach the rangers a thing or two. Or maybe I will just tell them to behave “or else”, except I still don’t know what that means.

We spent the afternoon going thru the inventory and organizing the drugs and supplies for our work. Then we all went swimming as it was hot and muggy, and the water felt great. We tried to play some volleyball where we just hit the ball around and try to keep it in the air as long as possible, but we are not very good at it. It would have been better on frozen water with a rubber puck, but they don’t have much of that around here. Next time maybe we will just play kill the guy with the ball and keep it simple. In the evening we went to the church for service. Oscar gave the sermon, and Tamy interpreted for us and there was lots of singing and happy faces and an alter call. It is always great to worship God no matter where you are or what language you speak, and thankfully Jesus always understands us.

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, but probably not before that special needs rooster starts yacking, we will be up and out for another adventure. We will be going on a 3 hour journey into the countryside where we will be working for 3 days. We will not have electricity, running water, beds or even food and water ( ok I made that one up), so we really will be roughing it. It will be great, and hopefully my daughters will be ok without those umbilical cords they text on all day, although I am pretty sure they will like it too, although not the part about missing the bruins game.

We also will not have any wifi, so you won’t have to read any of my blogs for a couple of days, but like I said before, don’t blame me for you reading this, it is your fault. But if you want, I will write when I get back, and maybe then there will be some of that gross stuff you’ve been waiting for. I just hope it isn’t me so I will have to remember not to drink the water.

Blessings from Catarina
Dr Mike

You never know what to expect when you travel overseas (technically over gulf but let’s not get too technical) so when your trip goes according to plan and schedule you are almost surprised. It was uneventful, except for the dive bombing bats at the pool, however Oscar assured us they were friendly bats, but that did not make our Oklahoma vet students feel any better. Yes I did say pool, and yes we actually have these nice little cabins that sleep 2 or 3 people, and they are poolside. When you expect to be roughing it and come to find out they have really nice accommodations and fried chicken and beans and rice and this fruit juice made from cantelope and watermelon and cane sugar, well surprise, surprise. Now I still am not counting this as vacation, but I guess I can’t claim to be roughing it out, like Mongolia, or Ashburnham, or tough places like that. But when you have 2daughters on the trip, I can at least claim that it was best for them, and be all noble like that. And if you remember I was almost knighted last year in Mongolia, so I am almost noble.

Our hosts, Oscar and Tamy, are wonderful ambassadors who have built up the “cabana” to help host guests to the country. Oscar is a pastor of a church he founded here in Catarina and now has about 450 people. Tomorrow morning we will help with a children’s ministry, and tomorrow evening at 6:00 is the church service, so we are looking forward to that. Caitlin and Emily are really good with children so they will be in their element. I tend to scare kids (it started when I would give tours of the animal hospital and wanted to show them the “dog freezer”, but I could always hear Nancy telling me to behave or else, so I tried to be good, but I think the kids could still sense that I was up to no good), but I promise to try and behave, or else you know what will happen. Actually I never know what the “what else” is, it just sounds really bad when it comes from your wife so some things just are not worth pushing. Someday I may find the “what else”, and if I survive I will tell you about it. And if there are any guys out there who know what the “what else” is, please send me an anonymous email, after all there is no reason we all should suffer; us guys need to stick together more, as girls do it all the time like its some kind of pack mentality survival instinct thing. I hope not too many girls are reading this. If so then I will let you know “what else” is sooner than later.

Well we lost 2 hours due to the time zone thing so I am a bit tired, but I don’t think it has affected my writing any as I am still focused like a laser and never go off track. So I am going to cabana cabin bed, alone, that’s right, I have my own cabin. Maybe our hosts like me, or maybe they are just worried about me, but either way, I have some privacy. I hope they aren’t planning on any surprises, or else…..

Blessings from Catarina
Dr Mike

It has been a year since I last blogged, so I guess I am not a blogaphelic however I would also not say I am blogaphobic, I just usually don’t have much to write about, unless you like to hear gross stuff, which my wife tells me I should not share, so that’s why you have not heard a bloody pussy peep from me. But here I am again, and here you are again reading this, so don’t blame me.

I am off on another mission trip tomorrow, this year it is Nicaragua. The trip is again sponsored by Christian Veterinary Missions, and they do 2 to 3 trips per year to this country, as well as have 2 long term veterinarians that minister there. Our group has 11 people, including 3 veterinarians, 5 vet students, 1MD, and 2 student/assistants. I am especially blessed that 2 of my daughters, Caitlin and Emily, are joining us. This is Emily’s first mission trip, and Caitlin’s and my second trip. Now some people may think that this is a vacation, a nice break from work, but it actually will be work. I really do like my job, and the entire team at GACC, and they must like me because they put up with me and they have not fired me yet (although Kim has probably fired me 1000 times in her mind, but since I can’t read women’s minds – and I have tried but things get weird in there – it does not really bother me). Besides, if they fired me they would not have anyone to nag and make fun of. But the main reason I don’t consider this a vacation is that I don’t really like hot, and this country is hot and humid, like a lobster pot coming to a boil, but without the lobster and butter; it’s like 97 and humid and rains every day. Now my girls like hot weather so this counts as a vacation for them, but if I had to pick, it would be the mountains in winter for skiing and playing, but that is a different trip. So anyway, I just wanted to clarify that this is work so I don’t want to hear any “how was your vacation” stuff when I get back.

So this is just my practice blog so I can get back to writing and get you used to reading me, kind of like building up mental callouses so you can tolerate my blogging, but as I said, don’t blame me because you chose to read this, no one forced you to, and you will be back, kind of like rubber necking at an accident scene, not because you want to, but because deep down, you really like the gross stuff.

I did some exotic animal practice for this trip, so I figured I would show you:

Well I think I am ready now, so time to go pack. I will try to write everyday to let you know how it is going. And if you are gross enough to come back, well don’t blame me.

Blessings
Dr Mike

Springtime is here and pet owners are starting to watch their pets lose their winter weight.  Did you know our pets are in the middle of a disastrous epidemic and sadly, many owners are not even aware of this situation.  Veterinarians are reporting increasing numbers of overweight and obese pets.  So, what’s the cure for this nationwide problem?

Veterinarians have estimated that more than 88 million pets are far too heavy and this tendency towards chubbiness is causing injuries, illnesses and even shortening life spans.  Unfortunately, there is a serious disconnection between what veterinarians tell owners and what the owners see in their pets.

The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) surveys veterinarians and owners each year to find just how overweight our pets are.  Recent surveys have shown that veterinarians classify 53% of dogs and 55% of cats as overweight or obese, but 15 to 22% of owners see those same pets as normal weight!  In the words of APOP founder, Dr. Ernie Ward, pet owners have now normalized obesity and made fat pets the new normal.

What’s even worse is that despite veterinarians’ warnings, the numbers of obese pets continues to grow.  In recent years, pets classified as obese (greater than 30% above normal body weight) have increased after each survey.  This means that more and more pets are at higher risk for a variety of weight related problems.

Carrying excess pounds can cause pets to develop breathing problems, kidney disease and aggravate arthritis.  Cats are extremely prone to acquiring Type 2 diabetes when they are overweight and any anesthetic procedure for your pet is automatically a greater risk due to increased body fat.

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No matter if it’s a brand new puppy or a senior citizen dog, pet owners love to spoil their canine friends with bones.  After all, what’s more natural than a dog with a bone?  But veterinarians warn that feeding bones is a gamble that could end up creating a very unnatural veterinary bill!

We have all seen the cartoons and commercials depicting dogs burying bones and stashing them away for later.  Unfortunately, most pet owners are completely unaware of the significant risks and problems that are associated with feeding these treats.  The situation has gotten so bad that even the FDA has warned consumers to avoid giving bones to their dogs.

Advocates of raw pet foods and other so-called “natural diets” claim that, given properly, bones are a great way to clean your pet’s teeth and provide an instinctive means of stress relief. Some even state that bones provide important nutrients and should be included in your pet’s daily routine.

So, is it okay to give a dog a bone?

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For several decades now, pet owners have been encouraged to be “responsible” and spay or neuter their pets.  We all know that these surgeries can reduce the numbers of unwanted puppies and kittens.  But, there is a deeper meaning to being a responsible pet owner.  How else can we reduce shelter populations, save more animals and even enrich the lives of our pets at home?  I will often use the analogy, “Our pets are the kids that never leave home.  They rely on us to take care of them their entire life.”

Pets are important, cherished parts of our family lives.  After all, where else can a person find such unconditional love and affection as well as the scientifically proven emotional connection we call the human-animal bond?  Yet, despite this powerful relationship, animal shelters and rescues are still inundated annually with millions of dogs, cats and other pets that are relinquished for a wide variety of reasons.  So, how can we help make sure pets find a “forever home”?

Most people can understand that our animal friends need an appropriate diet, fresh water and necessary veterinary care.  But, many fail to see that there are other, less tangible needs that should be addressed if our pets are going to remain in our homes.

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February is National Pet Dental Health Month.  Beyond the bad breath, dental disease in our pets can have some severe consequences, not the least of which is the PAIN.  Yes, pets with dental disease are uncomfortable and so it’s important for all pet owners to understand the need for a proper dental cleaning…done by a veterinarian!

Did you know that pets suffer from dental disease just like people do?  One of the worst things about dental disease is the pain.  Dogs and cats don’t always show how uncomfortable they are. Pets can have very serious dental problems, such as infected teeth, jawbone abscesses or fractured teeth and never say, “ouch” or hold their paw to their jaw, but they do hurt!  Many times, when these problems are corrected, a pet’s entire personality can change.  They often become more social, interactive and playful because they are no longer in pain.

So, how do you check for dental disease in your pet?  First, look for yellow or brown color of the teeth, not just in the front teeth, but also the back part of the mouth.  While this sounds very simple, most pet owners never lift their pet’s lip and look inside the mouth, so… Lift The Lip!  Next, just smell the breath.  It may not be minty fresh but it should not be foul smelling.  If it is, bad bacteria have already set up and are working on infecting the gum and even loosening the attachment of the teeth to the jawbone.  This means that dental disease has been progressing for months or years without you knowing.

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The pet food industry has spent billions of marketing dollars motivating pet owners to buy their brand of food.  That does not always mean that these brands are good for your pets.  Let’s look at some key features in pet food marketing that will make you a smarter consumer and your pets healthier.

We all want to find the freshest ingredients and highest quality foods when preparing meals for our families.  It’s also likely that we want the best food for our pets too.

You’ve probably heard the terms “natural”, “organic” or even “human-grade” when referring to pet food.  But what do they actually mean?

The pet food market has become extremely competitive and very confusing.  More than 3,000 different brands of food sit on store shelves and highly paid, successful ad agencies are often recruited to find ways to convince pet owners that their particular brand is the very best.

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This is a discussion we have with our clients everyday. It’s been said that along with genetics and environment, nutrition plays a crucial role in the overall health of your pets. But, whether it’s due to excessive marketing or simply confusion, most pet owners don’t give much thought to that bag of pet food they purchase from the grocery store or pet store. Are there ways to find better food for our four-legged friends?

Our pets depend on us to keep them properly fed and in the best health. But for most pet owners, the overabundance of different types of pet foods as well as the enormous number of brand names is often overwhelming. Then, Internet chat rooms and forums are simply full of a wide variety of opinions on what is the “best” pet food. How can the average pet owner make the best decision when it comes to feeding their pets?

Thankfully, there are experts in the area of pet nutrition. Diplomates from the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (acvn.org) are specialists whose focus is the advancement of veterinary nutrition. Put another way, these knowledgeable veterinarians know what makes a good pet food!

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