Say Cheese!

What is in a name? A cat by any other name is just a cat, right? Wrong!!!! We see all kinds of names- funny names, silly names, names you're not sure should be said in close company and names that leave you to wonder.....? Human names are becoming more popular for pets. We see a lot of dogs named Jake.  You can almost always bet when you are scheduling an appointment for a cat named "Pumpkin", it is orange and "Shadow" is almost always black. From Carrie Bradshaw (love this name) to a dog named "CAT" the names often say a lot about the client. 

Let's say for a minute you have a new orange kitten and you want to steer clear of the more common names like, Garfield, Pumpkin, Mango (very popular). What is a new pet owner to do? Well, we looked to our life style for inspiration and we actually contemplated naming our new kitten "WORK"!!! Our kids did not think that was a good name. We thought "Rotten" might be a good name and our daughter suggested "Orange Cat" (simple is good). I thought we should stick with our travel theme, Pikes Peak, Rome, so maybe Spain....which got me thinking. This is always a scary proposition in the Head household and usually spells TROUBLE! 

You see, if you asked Dr. Head what his favorite food in the world is, he would tell you cheese- mild, smelly, creamy, it doesn't matter, he loves it all. I, being allergic to dairy, stand by jealously watching my family eat cheese in great quantity. There are never less then 5 different types of cheese in our house at any given time. Our family can always agree on two things without any dicusion at all and those are cheese and bacon. Combine the two and you may just have the perfect food. I know,  I know, Dr. Atkins would be so proud. 

 As we sat around thinking of a name, we established a theme- Cheddar, Gouda, Swiss, Cheeto, Dorito, Carrot (okay, that has nothing to do with cheese but you get the idea). My children got very cleaver with "Sunset" and "Cream-sicle". I thought of Carmel, Dolce and then I remembered he was... well... a he. Pizza was up there for a bit as were Pepperoni and Salami. We are a very food-motivated family, can you tell? Finally, it came to me. It was so simple; I can't believe the creative process had taken so long. I almost wondered if my brain wasn't so busy digesting the delightful food we were naming it forgot to actually be objective..... We should name the kitten, BACON!!!! NO, not really, I just really like bacon, crispy, greesy, so bad for you, BACON!!! Like cheese is to Dr. Head, bacon is to me. If I had to choose between chocolate and bacon, I wouldn't. I would dip the bacon in the chocolate and enjoy. 

Seriously though, the kitten did get a name and it is a food, or to be more correct an entire food group. We named him "Queso Gato" or cheese cat. We think it describes him perfectly- creamy and soft, a little sharp, mixes well, adds flavor to anything, pungent, portable, and most importantly, dairy free. Who says there is no good dairy-free cheese out there? He is also the perfect combination of sweet and zesty. This ah ha moment was like that scene from Castaway when Tom Hanks is jumping around intoxicated by his ability to make fire (another good name). We were giddy with our ability to give our new family member a proper moniker. As we sat there watching him explore his new house and his new family, I thought we should take a picture of our newest member, on the count of three, everyone smile and say cheese. Ready? 1, 2, 3, QUESO!!!!  

YOU saw the stop light... didn't you?

Suggestion: by definition means 

1. The act of suggesting. 

2. Something suggested: We ordered the shrimp, a suggestion of the waiter.

3. The sequential process by which one thought or mental image leads to another.

Yeah yeah, I had to look it up, but it seems to be a hot topic right now so I thought I would get in on the conversation.

Everyday I hear the staff suggest this or that to clients. Truth be told, these would be recommendations from my dad but... there must be something about suggesting it vs. recommending it that helps people understand it. For instance, SMILE, it makes people wonder what you’re up to. It also puts people at ease and, if you practice it often, you may even notice yourself wanting to smile.

Now, for clarification, this is not the same as a definitive. Like a stop sign or a yield sign or a stop light- those are definitive. You know what to do and you observe the practice right? Or, is this too just a suggestion...? Thank God for me being a fan of the floor board of the car, unlike my brother who got to hit the back of Mom’s seat. DISCLAIMER: Anyone willing to pull out into traffic at the light onto the highway from Pua Pua Anui be warned, even after the light turns green, you must wait before you turn. Drivers run the light all the time. My mom always waits until cars come to a complete stop on the highway even if the light is already green be- fore she pulls out. Green means Go, right? NO!! Wait! I would recommend stopping, yielding as a adjunct in the course of self preservation, but it is up to you. Anyway, my mom hit the brakes (thank you Boris, Aka, and Rocko) and my brother hit the seat.

When we got to work, Mom was upset. My brother was sore, poor Rome. It was a good thing Mom had already put the window up or Rome may have been taking in the morning in a whole new way. I am certain his brief encounter with the seat as gravity lost control and inertia took over was enough physics lessons for a lifetime. Mom said, “news flash to all: apparently road signs and stop lights are merely suggestions.” Rome being her case in point.

Well, this got me thinking about veterinary stuff. Flea medications, heartworm medication and, for some,tick medication. These products are necessities for pets here in Hawaii, as are vaccines and annual check ups. These are like the road signs and the stop lights. While the staff may make suggestions as to the type of product that is right for your pet, these recommenda- tions are not optional. They are just giving you all the options. I know this gets confusing.

I was also thinking about other suggestions I hear made all the time, like which pet foods to feed and, more importantly, how much. We all know too much of a good thing is bad, right? (Okay, so I have not quite got this one down yet.) After all, history tells us if you put too much in, it has to go somewhere, right? My somewhere is usually the carpet in the hall, but for a lot of others it turns them into four-legged ottomans. Did you know you should be able to feel your pet’s ribs easily under their fur? It is true. While every pet is built differently and every breed is different, this rule is the same for all. Cats, small dogs, long dogs, big dogs, tall dogs, even super hot slim dogs like me have to watch their weight. Now I know what your thinking... trust me, I am actually a mind reader. What are the parents of the fur set supposed to do?

First, get your pet to the vet once a year. Don’t wait to see if Fluffy, Honey, Lucky and all the others will start eating and drinking after 4 days of vomiting, they won’t. Animals need yearly vaccines- yes, even adult dogs. Pets are not done after their puppy or kitten shots. Most importantly, every dog needs a heartworm test every year and to be on medication for heart- worm prevention (one tablet, once a month). The new stats are out and they are alarming. There are 6 to 25 cases of heartworm per clinic, per year in our region. Want more information about heartworm? Talk to our staff. Just so you know, CATS GET HEARTWORM TOO!! They are rarely treated, as they usually have a respiratory crisis and succum to the disease before you know they are sick. Why wait? There is a preventative available- oral medication for dogs and topical medication for cats. Has your pet missed a few doses? When is the last time you took your pet to the vet? For around .37 cents a day you can prevent heartworm. Heartworm cost hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars to treat, just so you have a perspective.

Lastly, my dear readers, I would like to make one last suggestion to everyone. I am going out on a limb here, but I am confident I will land on my feet (my dad will fix the broken bones, I am sure), but can we all try and spread happiness instead of doom and gloom? Animals pick up on the negative vibes out there and I can’t help but notice when a pet’s Mom and Dad come in and are frazzled and upset about life, their pets come in grumpy, nervous, and upset too. When you pull into the parking lot, take a deep breath, look out at the ocean view, get here a little early and stroll around the yard if you can. Enjoy a hot cup of coffee, a soda, or water and a magazine while you wait and remember, we are here to help. Come give me a rub (may I suggest my neck and under my chin). I will help lower your blood pressure and make you smile.

One more suggestion before I forget... Mom, are you reading this? BUY ROME A SEAT BELT!!! I actually really like him and would hate to see him damaged. Lucky for me, he can’t read so my secret is safe. RUFF!

Things that make me go BOOM!!!

Sometimes I go bump in the day. As you all know I am not a fan of loud noises and a holiday that is punctuated over several days of booms, cracks and bangs is not good at all. My family sympathetic to my plight have realized more is less, as in more medication equals a less neurotic dog.

 

I thought I could handle the onslaught on my senses, but I was wrong what can I say. I tried to fit myself under the couch and remembering my afore chronicled experience, I chose to stuff myself beneath the chair instead. I was not aware that a set of furniture constitutes equal proportions, fact noted, the bump on head I got from the chair a good reminder. Then I decide to forget the down stairs all together and went upstairs to my mom and dads room, where I tried to curl up underneath the bed where my parents store my sisters old crib. Well one caught foot and another bump on the head from the footboard while I beat a hasty retreat solidified this was not the place for me. 

 

Now, I know better then to get on the bed, I do, but with all the solid surfaces in our house conspiring against me I thought I would lie down on my sisters bed and sleep off the day. Well then there was a bang and a boom and I found my body catapulting it self off the bed landing on my sisters rocking horse. My mom walking by as I became airborne got to witness my best attempt of being a cowboy. Embarrassed by my 3-second ride, I turned tail to run and hit the dresser completing my hat trick of bumps in just under an hour. I felt like I had accomplished a lot for the day, considering my state of well being I was handling it all pretty well. Mom seeing that I was in desperate need of some medicinal courage to get through the day, offered me a little something to take the edge off.  I am going to blame being over stimulated on the effect said medication had on me. Lets put it this way I didn't have any edges to take off, I was the equivalent of  Jell-O with out the advantage of being refrigerated. 

 

When my friend Olive arrived for the 4th of July celebration I was doing my best impression of a slack key guitar and let me tell you I could really shake that thing. Sadly, I didn't really have control of the swing I was doing. I must say for once I was grateful that Rome is a leaner. I didn't feel so bad about leaning on our guests, since they are already used to Rome using them as a leaning post. I was also glad Olive was in a pretty chill state after spending 2 days at the beach and her dietary adventure from the day before. This was the positive reinforcement I needed to not feel bad about not being the life of the party. 

 

As the night wore on and the noise increased I retreated and headed as near to the largest inanimate object in our house (the sofa) as I could. The sofa and I soon became friends agreeing to call a stale mate until I was back in my true form and not the drooling medicated mess I had become (I wasn't really drooling, at least I don't think I was). I tried to get excited about the pretty lights in the sky but all I could see was the intro to a James Bond flick, how any one lived through the psychedelic 60's is beyond me. After the festivities had end and our guest had gone home I made my way up the stairs climbed into my soft round bed and slept off my adventure. The next morning I was right as rain and ready to go to work and sleep. Until next time things decide to BOOM!!! RUFF!!!

Tony =Trouble

Well, I was just chatting with my mom in Minnesota. She was telling me about her dog, Tony, chasing the prairie dogs all over their property. They own 160 acres so there is no end to the mischief that Tony can get into. I was chatting with my mom as she was working out in her yard she began to laugh. When I asked what was so funny, she said, "just her silly little dog."

You see, Tony was a gift to my mom from her husband. When she came to visit us in Hawaii last year, she returned home with gifts of Aloha and received a gift herself at the airport in the form of a new puppy that she could fit in the palm of her hand. Fast forward a year and a few months and Tony is now an 8 pound, 1.5 year-old full-grown Yorkie Terrier. He is bigger and bossier than a lot of other yorkie terriers we know. He loves cats and he would love them better if he could catch them.  He spends his time chasing them and loving them on the farm. He occasionally spends time at my sister's house with her two cats, Sassy and Charlie, who would both rather he never came over again. He chases them around the house barking and trying his best to catch them. He is a very vocal little chap and never seems to know when to be quiet. Oddly, he loves to be outside even in the dead of Minnesota winters. My mom is always worried that coyotes and birds will get him. Imagining my poor mom outside waiting and keeping a watchful eye on him as he disappears into the snow drifts, doing his best impression of a snowshoe hare rather than an eight-pound puppy, freezing his toes off in 30-below weather, makes me shiver. He is her faithful companion. He lays on the edge of her big, Roman tub while she takes her bath at night, barking at the bubbles. He loves his treats and eats like it is his last meal. He travels all over with my mom as she shuttles back and forth to Montana to visit my Grandmother and over to visit my sister and my little nieces. He goes out to feed the chickens and the geese with my mom and helps round up the farm cats out in the shed, barking at them, letting him know who is in charge. It is never a dull day with Tony around.

When my mom started laughing about her silly dog today, I wasn't surprised. She usually has a story to tell me about some crazy adventure Tony has had. Today's was prairie dogs. Tony was chasing them around the field and then realized that they live in a little hole in the ground. Well, being true to his breed, he began to dig, and dig and dig. My mom said she looked over and she just saw mounds of dirt flying in all directions as Tony attempted to dig out the prairie dog that had eluded him all morning. He was not aware that the prairie dog also dug and could dig itself an exit should this very thing happen. Tony, not understanding the ways of the prairie dog, was convinced he was going to dig him out. Then, he saw another one pop up out of a different hole and he ran over and began excavation on the new hole. My mom, having watched this for awhile, decided to give poor Tony a break and filled the two holes with water. Well, guess what happens when you add water to dirt?  Yep, that's right, you get mud! Tony doesn't mind getting dirty so he began to dig in the sloppy mess and then, not realizing he is not equipped with a built-in snorkel, began sticking his head under the water trying to check on his progress.  My mom didn't know if she should laugh or worry. She pulled him out of the muddy mess and headed for the wash sink. Tony, not yet done with his adventures, ran off, caked in mud. When my mom caught up with him, she took his picture and text it to me. I thought I would share it with you. Behold, Tony the Mud Puppy! 

Mom said it took her the better part of the day to catch him and get him washed and dried. Knowing my mom, I am sure she will be out in the garden chasing after Tony again before the week is over. Let's hope she watches out for all those prairie dog holes. Thank goodness for deep farm sinks and that my mom doesn't mind getting dirty. Let's hope she has many more years of chasing after Tony. Maybe as he gets older, he will let her catch him. 

1st annual survey results

The results of our 1st-ever practice survey are in...

We made it through May and are skipping right on through June. We have completed our 1st annual survey of our clients and what we found is astonishing. While most clients agree that we are doing a great job, there are several who are excited about our clean lobby and and even more people were very excited about the coffee that we serve. We have a large open- air lobby in our hospital and we have found that clients feel very comfortable and relaxed when they come into the office. Often because the Hospital doesn’t smell like an animal hospital, animals feel like they are going to visit a friend’s house instead of going to the vet. We try and encourage clients to bring their pets in several times a year just to get a cookie so that every time they come in, it is not just for a physical exam. We had clients excited about the soda machine and a few were tickled that we have “engaging” magazines to read while they wait.

Almost every client that took the survey liked the constant education that we give to our clients. They like hearing about new products and what makes us different from other area hospitals. We have several clients that are “ proud” to bring their furry family members to a hospital that is accredited by AHAA. This organization is the only accrediting agency for veterinary hospitals in North American and, with only 15% of all veterinary hospitals being accredited, we are certainly glad to be one of them. We are the only AHAA accredited hospital on the BIg Island. We had countless clients who came to us as referrals from their regular veterinarians for surgeries or procedures that are not available anywhere else on the Big Island. Dr. Head is happy to help all pets, regular visitors or not, get back on the road to being happy and healthy. It is nice when other doctors refer your hospital for additional care. When your peers send their patients to you,that is a very telling marker in terms of quality of care.

Several of our surveys revealed that we have the nicest staff on the island. According to our clients, they like that our staff smiles at them and is always kind and gentle with their loved ones. That our staff remembers them by name when they come in and always calls them back after a visit. Every client gets a call back the next day by one of our staff to check in on their pets and make sure any questions regarding their visit are answered. We also call all of our clients the day before their pets’ appointments and, for a select few who, by request, need a call the day of, we make sure to remind them of their pet’s appointment in the morning, bright and early.

We’ve had numerous clients express their excitement about the yard around the Hospital and they keep telling us to keep it up that it looks great. All of our clients love PIKE’S Market. We have a small area where we put out fruit and veggies to share with clients. Clients can often pick up a star fruit or oranges and avocados when the season is right. We usually have bananas and we have clients who will take the raw ingredients and bring us back delicious treats. We also have clients who drop off extra fruit and veggies they have and we let our staff choose a few items and then we put out the rest for our clients.

Apparently, having fresh water available for the four-legged set is a big deal and we agree. Numerous clients remarked that they were so glad that the water was available for their pets. We have a set of dog bowls set out and filled several times daily for those pets in need of a drink. We also have water in the lobby for clients instead of coffee or soda if they would like. One of the features our clients really like is the bulletin board filled with all the latest news. From news of what is happening in the Hospital to photos of lost pets and pets in need of a good home, our bulletin board is featured prominently as you come in, and it is a hit. We asked clients how they heard about us and while the newspaper and the radio came in close for 2nd and 3rd, the number one way clients heard about us is from other clients. This put a smile on my face and a spring in my step. Thank you to everyone for the great referrals!

We also had clients tell us ways we could improve. While I am not sure the espresso machine and a barista in the lobby idea is going to happen, we had a lot of very positive ideas on ways to improve. Our favorite and something we have already implemented is doing dentals and small soft tissue surgeries on Saturdays instead of just Monday - Friday. We have a lot of clients who work all week and can’t get in for these things any other time. This has increased compliance and we have clients already singing their praise about this new improvement to our services. We also offer a drop-off appointment for our established clients. Instead of a scheduled office visit where the client stays and waits for the doctor to look at their pet, clients can schedule a drop-off appointment and pick their pet up at the end of the day. For those clients with little time, this allows them to take great care of their pet and still get their annual or other wellness visits done. We also had clients who would like to see us hire an additional veterinarian. At first I was not sure what to make of this so I called a client up who left her name on her survey and asked. She said, “well, you both work so much and with three children to raise, it would be nice if you had a day off.” Well, this gave me a warm-fuzzy and I was delighted to tell her, after a year-long search, I think we are very close.

Overall I think our first survey went very well. We learned how we can improve and we learned that we are doing a lot of things exceptionally well. My favorite client response out of the hundreds of surveys was one that said, “please don’t change a thing. I love coming in and can not imagine ever taking my pet somewhere else.” This client’s only suggestion to us was take day off and enjoy Hawaii. After four years and countless sleepless nights, that is a suggestion I think we will look forward to making happen.