January 1, 2016 by drbenjamino

What’s Your New Year’s Resolve??

Ah New Year’s day! The day the gyms are packed with high aspirations, the day that we “turn over a new leaf”, start dieting, develop new relationships, try to find love, etc. We have been at this juncture last year and every January 1st before; many times we were met with the same outcome – disappointment. Not that our “resolutions” weren’t admirable, but we were never quite able to carry them out for a week, month, or let alone a whole year.

I hope this is not the normal New Year’s Day post. As we embark on a new year, we do have a clean slate and can start fresh. While we can restart on any day of the year, January 1st has become the day to reset. I hope everyone can do things differently and better in 2016. This can range from improvement to our health, personal relationships, business relationships, and more. Let’s make our New Year’s resolution one in which we follow out our new found goals! While a common definition of a New Year’s resolution is “a tradition in which a person makes a promise to do an act of self-improvement or something nice”. Wouldn’t it be better if we took a different approach and made goals for the new year and use our “resolve” to accomplish the goal.

A recent definition of the word resolve is “firm determination to do something”. Wow that is powerful, it almost sounds like we WILL accomplish that goal if we show resolve! When making goals we not only need to define what it is we want to achieve, but we need to define the “why we want to achieve it” and the “how we are going to achieve our goal”. The why and the how will fuel and power our resolve. If we never define these important components of our goals, they become mere resolutions and dreams – they are admirable and lofty, but there is no power behind them!

When choosing goals for the new year (or at any part of the year), remember to chose goals that are reachable, defined, and are dependent on you and your actions. I also want world peace, but I also realize there are many factors that go into that dream. Another thought is to WRITE down your goal(s)! Unfortunately, this is a lost art – writing in a journal or notebook. This can be one of the most inexpensive tools, yet one of the most effective tools we can employ. The ability to see our goals in writing can make an immense impact on us and be a constant reminder. Lastly, share your goals with someone you trust and someone that can provide encouragement. Accountability is an essential tool that can power your resolve. For some this may be a spouse, significant other, employer, colleague, parent, etc., whomever this is for you, this can make or break success. You may be thinking that this is a lot of work and you would be correct, reaching goals requires dedication and discipline.

Throughout this new year, let’s continue to make new goals and power them with resolve to follow them out to completion. Remember as we enter a new year, we can put last year behind us, with all the doubts, concerns, and failures – DON’T dwell on the past! Make goals that will better your life and the lives of those around you, both on a personal level and in your business life!

Remember these 4 points:

Write down your goal
Define your why
Define your how
Tell someone

Happy New Year and attack this year with RESOLVE!!!

Kevin Benjamino DVM, DACVS
- Copyright January 1, 2016

October 27, 2014 by drbenjamino

Top 5 List for a Safer Holiday Season

As Halloween and the upcoming holidays are rapidly approaching, we are often wrapped up in family gathering, parties, and other activities and forget about the well being of our beloved pets. I tried compiling a short list to help keep our pets healthy and out of trouble this holiday season. This should ensure that everyone has a happy holiday season and may save you and your pet from needing emergency trips to veterinarian or emergency clinic.

1. Keep candy away from pets, in particular chocolate and candies made with xylitol and other sweeteners. While these taste good, they can have very harmful effects on your pet, ranging from liver failure, seizures, and as severe as death. If you suspect your pet has consumed any of these, seek veterinary care immediately.

2. Keep a close on the whereabouts of your pets. With all the excitement and increased visitors during this time, make sure your pets are accounted for and haven’t run off. Missing pets and subsequent trauma, such as being hit by a vehicle is an all to common occurrence during this time. Make sure your pets are in a safe place when company is over.

3. Keep pets out of the garbage and from grabbing food off the table. Bones and fatty meats can cause illness in our pets, especially dogs. Bones can cause a lot of irritation and in some cases puncture the gastrointestinal tracts. Fatty foods are not good for our pets and can cause pancreatitis and other gastrointestinal issues. Pancreatitis can range in severity and needs to be treated by your veterinarian.

4. Keep cords and electrical wiring away from your pets. Both cats and dogs can find wires enticing. Electrocution injury can be very severe and cause death in some cases. If you believe your pet to have be electrocuted, have them evaluated by your veterinarian immediately.

5. Keep easily ingestible objects away from your pets. Objects that can be easily swallowed can cause gastrointestinal irritation and obstruction. Some objects that can become obstructive are clothes, small toys, tinsel, etc. Gastrointestinal obstructions demand immediate veterinary care. There are times when the object can pass, but most of the time your pet will need surgery to relieve the obstruction, Surgery can range from a single incision in the stomach to removal of a segment of intestine. In extreme cases this condition can be fatal.

December 15, 2013 by drbenjamino

Frankie’s Journey

I want to share this story of Frankie with everyone, as it will be an ongoing story for the next year or so as we continue to help him though this hard time. Frankie was seen by me about two months ago when he was six months old. He is a Golden Retriever that presented for lameness in all legs. He had been enrolled in a service dog program when his owners started to realize that he was having trouble walking. He was referred to me after being evaluated by a local neurologist, who couldn’t diagnose a neurologic issue.

On presentation, Frankie had lameness (limping) in all four limbs. He had pain on manipulation of both elbows, especially when pressure was placed on the inside of the elbows. He had a shortened stride to both hind limbs and was painful on hyperflexion and hyperextension of both hips. Another interesting finding, was that both hips could be felt subluxating on exam (positive ortolani test). This means that you could feel the femoral head rub and partially come out of joint.

Radiographs (x-rays) were taken of all joints and a diagnosis of bilateral elbow dysplasia (osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) and fragmented coronoid process) and bilateral hip dysplasia was made. Unfortunately, Frankie’s career as a service dogs had to abruptly end. Because of the extensive orthopedic work that would be needed (both elbows and both hips) he was in need of a new home to care for his special needs. My wife and I may be a glutton for punishment, but we thought long and hard about this decision and decided to open our home and give this Golden puppy a second chance.

So my intention for this “Featured Article” segment is to follow the course of Frankie’s treatment including surgery, recovery, physical therapy, and final outcome. I feel that other owners may be in similar circumstances and this may help encourage some and educate others. This will also give a forum to discuss congenital issues such as elbow dysplasia and hip dysplasia. Going through these issues on our own pet, has been an eye-opening experience for us and me professionally. I can now relate to my patients and clients on a much more personal level.

In future segments (soon to follow) we will go through diagnosis, diagnostic test (radiographs and CT scan) and surgeries. So far, Frankie has had surgery on one elbow and is recovering well from that, we will go into more specifics as we go. The plan will be for the other elbow in the near future and then total hip replacements.

Also, please do not ask to donate financially to Frankie, I am not trying to raise money. I am just trying to educate others. There are so many generous people out there and there are many charitable animal organizations that can benefit from your generosity, as it is always appreciated!