Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life Book

Contents Acknowledgments....................ix
Foreword....................xi
Introduction....................1
Note to the Reader....................2
(1) Medical Advocacy 101....................7
Why Your Dog Needs a Medical Advocate....................9
Why the Advocate Needs to Be You....................13
Advocacy Starts Early....................14
(2) Medical Decision-Making You and Your Dog Can Live With....................25
How to Make Choices....................25
Your Dog's Best Interest....................28
What Best Serves Your Peace of Mind?....................32
(3) Finding Dr. Wonderful and Your Mutt's Mayo Clinic....................39
Getting Started....................41
In Search of the Ideal Veterinarian....................43
The Importance of Communication....................45
Time to Pay a Visit....................48
Finding Your Mutt's Mayo Clinic....................53
(4) The Office Visit: What You Can Do to Help Your Dog ... and Your Vet....................59
What to Expect During a Routine Visit....................59
The 10 Commandments of Veterinary Office Visits....................65
(5) Wow, I Didn't Know You Could Do That on Dogs!....................77
Veterinary Specialists....................79
Ultrasound....................81
CT and MRI Scans....................83
Digital Radiography....................84
Nuclear Medicine....................85
Fluoroscopy....................87
Interventional Cardiac Procedures....................88
Endoscopy....................89
Laparoscopy, Thoracoscopy, and Arthroscopy....................91
Chemotherapy....................92
Radiation Therapy....................92
Cancer Vaccine....................93
Blood Transfusions....................94
Amazing Surgical Procedures....................95
Lithotripsy....................96
Pain Management....................96
Physical Rehabilitation....................98
Advanced Dental Procedures....................99
Prescription Diets....................100
Dialysis....................100
Stem Cell Therapy....................101
The Wave of the Future....................104
(6) The Vaccination Conundrum....................107
Vaccinating in the 21st Century....................107
AAHA Vaccination Recommendations....................109
Available Vaccines....................110
Vaccination Adverse Reactions....................119
Vaccination Clinics....................127
Vaccinating Your Own Dog....................128
(7) Important Questions to Ask Your Vet ... and How to Ask Them....................131
General Recommendations....................133
Universal Questions....................135
Questions on General Topics....................139
(8) When the Diagnosis Is Cancer....................165
What Causes Cancer?....................168
Cancer Lingo....................170
Preparing to Make Decisions about Your Dog's Cancer....................173
The Three Levels of Decision-Making....................176
Final Words of Wisdom....................199
(9) A Second Opinion Is Always Okay....................207
The Courage to Talk to Another Doc....................207
When to Get a Second Opinion....................211
Where to Get a Second Opinion....................214
Second Opinion Etiquette....................217
(10) Money Matters....................225
Money Talk....................226
Price Shopping....................227
Cost Estimates....................229
Financing Your Dog's Veterinary Care....................230
The Money-Savvy Advocate....................243
(11) Euthanasia: Making the Best of a Difficult Situation....................245
Who Should Make the Decision?....................245
When Is the Right Time?....................247
"Closure Time"....................249
Choices to Consider....................250
What Actually Happens When a Dog Is Euthanized....................254
Alternatives to Euthanasia....................255
Appendix I: Common Symptoms and Questions Your Vet Will Ask about Them....................259
Appendix II: Common Diseases and Questions You Should Ask Your Vet about Them....................283
Resources....................373
Monitoring Your Dog's Vital Parameters....................373
Toxic Substances....................374
Recommended Reading....................376
Forms and Charts....................376
Illustration and Photo Credits....................377
Index....................378