Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
That's check out vet dot com. An amazingly convenient clinic
that's great for you, great for your pets, and of
course easy to get to. Right at twenty seven to
ten Prairie Lakes Drive in sun Prairie Rite off the interstate,
right off the highway near the inner State There, don't
forget checkout Veterinary that first visit. It is free. That
exam is free. You can learn all about it online
the website checkout vets dot com. That's checkout vet dot com.
(00:22):
Join this morning by doctor Marty Greer, recognized as Veterinarian
of the Year from the Westminster Kennel Club.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Doctor Greer, great to have you back in studio.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Thanks, it's great to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
You are a busy, busy doctor, you get to I
know you love what you do, and one of the
things you love doing is getting more knowledge and sharing
knowledge as well. So I know you've been out talking
with people and attending some conferences, so it's.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Great to have you back in studio.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
This week, we're going to talk about life in the
Facts of Life, the truth for everybody. Birth, you know,
and then ultimately death is part of life. We're going
to talk about how that is all those aspects are
handled in pet healthcare. But real quick before we get
started on this week's conversation, I know you've got a
big event coming up Sunday, May fourth, and at the clinic,
(01:12):
and for folks that haven't had a chance to check
it out, you're opening the doors and saying come on in.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Let's let's meet exactly from three to five on Sunday afternoon,
May the fourth, Like May the fourth be with you,
you are welcome to come over and visit us. We're
going to have a little open house. We're going to
do this again, but this is going to be our
first in a very long time.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
We started doing this.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Before COVID, and then well there was COVID, so we
didn't do it for a while. So we'll have an
opportunity for you to come in and if you want
to bring your pet, great, but we're not doing any
exams or any vaccines or anything during that three to
five o'clock two hour period, so you could just come
in see the facility, meet the staff, meet the doctor,
have a chance to talk to me, you know, just
(01:52):
come in and say hi and look around and kind
of get an idea of what it feels like to
come to this because it's a whole different experience than
what you've ever had before for a vet clinic.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
It's a really great design and it's a really great
opportunity as well. Again, that's going to be coming up
May fourth, Sunday, May fourth, from three until five. Of course,
you get all the details so well online at checkout
vet dot com.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
That's checkout vet dot com. Speaking of the uniqueness of.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
The clinic, I know the website does a really good
job explaining how it works, but nothing beats just kind
of stopping and I know, I know folks would love
to love to see you as well.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
You got to see it, you got to feel it.
I mean, drive in and let your dog walk around.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Cats, you know, when we did our reindeer event, we
actually had somebody that bought some cats. I was kind
of surprised by that. If your cat wants to go
for a ride, that's fine, but you know, cats don't
like the car quite the same as dogs.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah, it's a little bit.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
I had one cat that loved riding and then every
other cat I've ever owned, it's a it's.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
A struggle for the time. Yeah, really good perspective. Don't
forget us.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I mentioned the website checkout vet dot com. They're telephone
number six oh eight three one eight sixty seven hundred.
That's six eight three one eight sixty seven hundred. Great
day to start that relationship at checkout veterinary and doctor.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I know.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
One of the great things that you get to do
is get to see new new pets come into this world.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
And uh, that's such a that's such a really really.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Got to be a fantastic experience, and you know, all
the all the happiness and hope of that for for
little puppies and little kiddies. What's kind of that that
first we kind of work through life stage is that
first VET appointment, that first visit.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
It's a really really important one, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Oh yeah, And we can make or break the experience
at that first visit. So we do a lot in
our practice to offer the kittens and the puppies, not
just the puppies, but the kittens too, an opportunity to
feel comfortable in the environment with them, come out of
their carrier, with them, wander around the room. If we
have them in the garage, they can wander the whole space.
We just keep the doors down so that they don't
(03:44):
wander away, and we offer chicken baby food or squeeze
cheese or marshmallow cream or you know, whatever their preferences.
If you know that they like something that we're not
going to have bring it along because we want them
to have a really fun time. And we try to
do the vaccines, the microchip, the exam, so I'm not
(04:05):
sure exactly what we're to use, but so carefully that
we don't really startle them or let them know that
we wanted to think they're at a restaurant the whole time. Yeah,
like you just came to a restaurant. Oh, we do
happen to get vaccines, but you might not notice because
you're busy eating chicken baby food or peanut butter, and
you don't really notice that we just vaccinated.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
A stealth like manner and maybe the way Ninja doctor. Yes,
And that's a.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Real skill and creating that environment, and I know with
the clinic itself, that was an important part of the design.
I mean, for folks that don't know, check out. Veterinarting
was designed from the ground up. This is not a repurpose.
This was not previously a Culver's This is you sat
down and worked with an architect and worked really hard
to put this together.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
To make that all, we worked for years with a
couple of architects because the architect I was originally using
move to Australia, so we jumped ship and said, well,
we'll use the local guy who I do at my
first building with back in eighty eight. So I've worked
with this architect for many many years.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Oh that is great.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
And as we are working many many years, I know,
getting the opportunity to see pets grow and see them
kind of you know, find their perfect family and for
perfect life. So obviously the initial employment, as you point out,
is a super important one, establishing the comfort that the
pet knows and as you point out, you want them
to feel like they're at that a fine restaurant getting
(05:26):
all their favorite foods, and to tell them, yes, exactly
keep the secret. And then and then like the first
few years too, and I know you've talked about this before,
and especially with cats, like people are pretty good the
first few years, and then things kind of drop off,
don't they.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
It shouldn't be that way.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
No cats should come in once a year at least
sometimes when they become seniors, they need to come twice
a year so that we can keep them up to
date on all the care that they need. That maybe
dental cleaning, set, may be doing routine blood work. And
we see three very common diseases in older cats. We
see older cats with hyperthyridism so rid works too much,
they lose weight. We see cats with kidney disease. And
(06:03):
a cat with kidney disease diagnosed and treated correctly may
live three years or more with it, but if you
ignore it, it's going to advance more quickly. And then
of course diabetes not as common, and cancer is always
listed on the list, but we don't see nearly as
much cancer as we do by red disease and kidney failure.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
So with those kind of like that that middle area
through that people I know, you know, whant to think of,
like dogs, for example, is you know, I think people
are really should be and I think most people I've
ever met are very diligent about getting their dog in
for their annual exam and getting those you know, getting
their heartworm preventative and flee and tick again and and
(06:42):
and when those go on, it's also a great opportunity
I know, for for you as a vet, to to
explore maybe other things. Maybe sometimes obviously people say, oh,
well maybe here she's been eating a little or drinking
a little bit more or not eating as much, or
oh I noticed I was. I was rubbing his belly
the other day and there's there's like a little lump there.
Those having that regular annual physical in that checkup, it's
(07:06):
a great place and great time that those things come
out in conversation, don't they.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Right, We can address lumps when they are still small
enough to be removed, and a lot of people say, well,
it's just a lump. I'm going to watch it. Well,
I can tell you what it's going to do. When
you watch it, it's going to get bigger, and sometimes
it gets big enough to cause some really serious health problems.
So take them off when they're small, do your dental
care when the pets are still healthy, when they still
can keep all their teeth, when they still have good
heart function, good kidney function, because advanced dental disease not
(07:34):
only causes a loss of teeth, but it causes the
loss of other health as well. Just for us as
the same you know your kidneys, your heart, they're not
going to be benefited by the bacterial shower that happens
every time you chew. If there's an early sign of
kidney disease, we can address that. If there's early liver disease,
all those things can be addressed much more effectively if
we can catch it early. Sometimes it's just managing their weight,
(07:55):
or it's managing their arthritis. And a lot of people
don't identify the arthritis that their pets have, especially cats,
but dogs too. They're like, well, he doesn't cry, so
I don't think he's in any pain. Oh no, no, no, no,
they don't cry unless they've slipped a disc or they've
had some really serious trauma. Minor things that you may
think are minor but are advancing. Arthritis can just lead
(08:16):
a very gradual change in your pet's activity. They may
just not get up and run around with the other
dogs like they used to, or the cat may not
go up the stairs anymore, and you're like, oh, he's
just old. No, age is not a disease.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
And evolutionarily that was. That's for reasons.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Obviously, if you're an injured cat or an injured dog,
you know, historically there wasn't a person there to take
him into the clinic. That was it was you're going
to become part of that, Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah. So we have a lot of options that we
can give clients for daily pain medication. We have injectables
that are given once a month that are monoclonal a
anibody that controls ourthritis pain. There's some really tremendous breakthroughs
that have happened. Are allergy medications. Oh my gosh, we've
come so far with those. There's so many things we
can do now. So if you haven't really been engaged
(09:02):
in your pets care, this is an opportunity to jump
in and say, Okay, what can we do to improve
his or her quality of life?
Speaker 1 (09:09):
What are some of the things that people start as
we talked this morning with doctor Marty Greer of check
Out Veterinary, what are some of the things that do
get people to start bringing their pets in more routinely,
obviously as the slower things. Confusion?
Speaker 2 (09:22):
What are some of the things that you see often
that people are saying starting to bring their pets in
a little bit more frequently.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Yeah, Confusion is really interesting because dogs do have and
now we're starting to identify in cats as well, some dementia.
It's not quite the same as Alzheimer's, but it certainly
is a concern. A lot of times people don't even
think to mention anything. They come in for their annual
visit and they're like, oh, by the way, and you
realize that there's something really significant that's happening, and that
was an opportunity. So if we don't see your cat
(09:49):
from the time they are a year old until they're seventeen,
we've missed sixteen opportunities to improve your cat's quality of life,
length of life, health, all those things. Dogs we tend
to see once a year because they need their heart tests,
they need their vaccines, so people are a little more diligent.
But their cat doesn't go outside, so their perception is
that they don't need vaccines, and their perception is they
don't need veterinary careen. That's a huge mistake on the
(10:10):
part of the owners, not because they mean to, but
they just don't really understand what we can offer the
old what's.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
The screak, squeaky wheel gets the grease kind of thing.
Got to teach the cats to speak up.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah, they don't.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
No, no pet owners, Yeah, it's such an important thing.
As we talked this morning with doctor Marty Greer of
Checkout Veterinary. The website check out vet dot com. That's
all one word, checkout vet dot com.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Wepe.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
You have a chance to check it out. You can
schedule an appointment online. You can also learn more about
how Checkout Veterinary works, and of course about the clinic
of course, open nine am until five pm Monday through
Wednesday and Friday through Sunday. Of course they've got you
covered on Thursday. Saying what about thursdays. Oh, they've got
the check in Vet and soon to be checkout Vet
as well, open seven days week, but they're open on
weekends and seven days a week between the two clinks.
(10:56):
And with that too, is just real quick. I was
going to ask you, and I think we mentioned the
other week you do have more doctors coming on board
and you're about to go seven days a week at
checkout Bett as well too.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
We have doctor Ingelbert who worked for us before in
Lamira and she's back. We're very happy to have her back.
She's a great surgeon, does a super job with the
client education. We have doctor Denny who's a newer graduate
she's been with us since January. Doctor Dave has been
in the field for forty years and so we're pleased
to have him. And doctor Johnson has moved over to
Marshall with doctor Mayaki, and of course doctor Maybe and
(11:29):
doctor Larson are still at check out and check in,
but doctor Johnson's over at Marshall, so don't forget. We
have a location in Marshall Monday through Friday as well.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Great clinic there and that was a great story and
if folks want to listen, I know there's a podcast
we've got up talking about that at WIBA dot com.
That's a great, great thing to keep those clinics in
the communities as well. We're going to see you work
conversation with doctor Reyer. We'll get to the conversation of
as pets get older, just like people, there is eventually
a time where life passes, and we'll talk a little
(11:58):
bit about as the as. I think the term they
use now is the rainbow bridge, planning, how that, how
that happens, and really getting I also want to kind
of get it from a vet's perspective as well, what
that what that is like. We'll talk with doctor Greer
about that and so much more than meantime you've been
to the website yet, head on over to check out
vet dot com. That's checkout vet dot com. More of
(12:19):
our conversation with doctor Marty Greer next as ask the
experts with Checkout Veterinary continues right here.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Thirteen ten wiv.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
A eight fifty five asked the experts with check Out
Veterinary and clinic and studio with doctor.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Marty Greer of Checkout Veterinary. Come to the clinic.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
We should do the show from the I'll come, we
should come in and just do the show.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
One of these I would love to.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Let's I'm going to jot that down because that would
be so much fun to do do a show right
from the right from the clinic and talk about the
clinic too, very convenient. Twenty seven to ten Prairie Lakes
Drive in sun Prairie. I'll have a great opportunity also
have if you haven't had a chance yet to check
out Checkout Veterinary.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
They've got a great event coming up. Meet the Vet
event May.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
The four That Sunday, May the fourth, from three until
five at the clinic right in sun Prairie. So great
opportunity there for you and if you want to bring
your pet along, show them around, let them see the
see the see the place. A great, great day to
do that again. You can start a relationship now at
check out vet, I gotta pick up pone game to
call six O eight three one eight sixty seven hundred.
That's six eight three one eight sixty seven hundred and doctor.
(13:21):
It's inevitable part of life as as we age, we
get closer and closer to death. And pets we you know,
we love them. They are members of our family. And
there's a decision that often has to be made about
when do when When is it, you know, we don't
want the pet and pain we're reaching that that stage
of life. It's a hard decision, but if done right,
(13:45):
it can really make make everything better for the pet.
And and I sometimes think we forget that is you
know really about that is is taking the time to care.
I've had I've had a number of pets that we
you know that that I've had had to be put down, to.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Put down, put to sleep.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Is there a I almost feel like put down is like, yeah,
like an art word.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
It is. And if you stay put to sleep sometimes
that confuses children. So we try to use the word
euthanasia just because it's really clear. Put to sleep, maybe
inn anesthesia. You know, there's some things that can be
confusing in the vernacular, so we want to be really clear.
So Yes, and Laura and I Laura Reeves and I
on the Marty and Laura Show did an entire segment
on this, So if anybody's looking, that's a good place
(14:27):
to go for another podcast. Because we spent a little
bit of time with a grief counselor that on that
program as well. We try really hard at our practice
to start introducing that to people when it becomes clear
that that's the trajectory that their pet is on, so
that you have the support of your veterinary team to
help you make those decisions. A lot of people feel
like they're quote unquote playing God, or they may just
(14:49):
want to come home and find that their pet fell
asleep one day and didn't ever wake up. For me,
that's not my preference. I would like to be there
for my pet and not just find them, because I
won't know how it was for them at the end.
We do have a book called Promises to My Pet.
It's written by a grief counselor. It's a very good
book to help you through the process. We've also got
some books Your Pet has Cancer, so it can walk
(15:10):
you through some of those things. There's some really good
resources out there. There's children's books as well. Mister Rogers
has one One is a Tenth Good Thing, The Tenth
Good Thing about Barney. There's some good books out there,
so use those resources. Grief counselors can be very helpful
if you're in a position that you're really struggling emotionally,
so don't hesitate to reach out to people that can
give you those help that help.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
It's interesting we talk about I think sometimes we externally
obviously if it's our pet, we think, you know, we
know their importance, but sometimes we forget, like you have
friends or co workers that lose a pet as.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Well, and being supportive of it.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
That's that's a hard I still remember one of my
pets that I lost, and you walk that first aid,
like walk in the house and like you're expecting it's like,
it's very very difficult.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
What is it for? Doc?
Speaker 1 (15:57):
And I know as doctors it's it can be very
hard as well as of course you've spent years and
years oftentimes with these pets seeing them regularly, you know
the family. It's not easy on doctors either, is.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
No, it's not. Last Saturday, I euthanized a seventeen year
old dog that I was the only veterinarian she ever saw,
and I saw her at least twice a year for
her seventeen years. And the client lived in Milwaukee and
would drive to Lamira. So we had a long investment
emotionally together with this pet. So I think it's important
that you realize that the veterinary team is there to
(16:31):
help you. That the veterinary team may also feel a
loss because you've worked really hard, and a lot of
times the people that have the greatest loss of the
ones that have invested a lot of time and effort
in keeping that pet going for as long as possible.
And then it does completely change your routine because you've
structured your whole life around getting up in the night
and giving medication four times a day and all the
(16:52):
things that may go with it. So it can be
a really difficult challenge. So please reach out to people
if you need help, and if you are helping somebody
through this. The words to never say are it's just
a cat. Yeah, no, no, that it's pretty insensitive. You
can get another one. No, those aren't the things to say.
You know, you need to say, I understand how you feel,
let me you know, let me be there for you.
(17:13):
Sometimes you just have to quietly listen to them. But
be supportive of friends that have lost. And it might
be a jurabile, but it's still an emotional attachment, So
don't disregard the importance of that.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
And one final thing I was going to ask too,
is with with the clinic. They and we were talking
earlier about the you know, the fun and like and
like making it a lower stress I've got a guess
for pets that that have been to the clinic and
have been there for years, when it comes to that point,
you certainly don't want their you know, their their final
moments being stressful and those type of things. It's really
(17:45):
conducive to Again, it's it's there's there's nothing great about
what's going on, but making it as comfortable and as
as as overall I don't say overall positive, but overall
an experience, you know, not a sad experience. Having that
comfort level has got to be very important as well.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Right, And being able to do it in the drive through. Oftentimes,
the bigger dogs that have mobility issues, we don't have
to get them out of the car and jostle them
around one more time. They can have the euthanasia done
right where they are, so I think that's an important thing.
There are some house call services that do this as well.
We don't provide that, but there are house called services.
So there's a lot of things we can do to
ease this. We can sedate them. There's many options that
(18:24):
you have, and this needs to be just like anything else,
needs to be your experience, so that you tell us
how you need it to go, so that we can
make it as comfortable as possible. The biggest thank you
is we ever get from clients are for euthanasias, not
for great surgeries and great life saving things that we do,
but for letting their pet and quietly leave this world comfortably.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Doctor, Thank you so much for talking with this morning,
all that you do and to talk about something that's
going to be great.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
May the fourth, it's to make it great. Check out
the clinic, get on it.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
If you haven't checked out the website, check out vet
dot com. That's check out vet dot com transparent pricing
also good. A lot of great information about the clinic. Again,
great day to make that appointment and start a relationship
at checkout Veterinary Doctor. It's always great to see you have
a fantastic day.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Vicky mc kinn has your chance to win a thousand
dollars next year on thirteen ten dollar will you ib
a
That's check out vet dot com. An amazingly convenient clinic
that's great for you, great for your pets, and of
course easy to get to. Right at twenty seven to
ten Prairie Lakes Drive in sun Prairie Rite off the interstate,
right off the highway near the inner State There, don't
forget checkout Veterinary that first visit. It is free. That
exam is free. You can learn all about it online
the website checkout vets dot com. That's checkout vet dot com.
(00:22):
Join this morning by doctor Marty Greer, recognized as Veterinarian
of the Year from the Westminster Kennel Club.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Doctor Greer, great to have you back in studio.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Thanks, it's great to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
You are a busy, busy doctor, you get to I
know you love what you do, and one of the
things you love doing is getting more knowledge and sharing
knowledge as well. So I know you've been out talking
with people and attending some conferences, so it's.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Great to have you back in studio.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
This week, we're going to talk about life in the
Facts of Life, the truth for everybody. Birth, you know,
and then ultimately death is part of life. We're going
to talk about how that is all those aspects are
handled in pet healthcare. But real quick before we get
started on this week's conversation, I know you've got a
big event coming up Sunday, May fourth, and at the clinic,
(01:12):
and for folks that haven't had a chance to check
it out, you're opening the doors and saying come on in.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Let's let's meet exactly from three to five on Sunday afternoon,
May the fourth, Like May the fourth be with you,
you are welcome to come over and visit us. We're
going to have a little open house. We're going to
do this again, but this is going to be our
first in a very long time.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
We started doing this.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Before COVID, and then well there was COVID, so we
didn't do it for a while. So we'll have an
opportunity for you to come in and if you want
to bring your pet, great, but we're not doing any
exams or any vaccines or anything during that three to
five o'clock two hour period, so you could just come
in see the facility, meet the staff, meet the doctor,
have a chance to talk to me, you know, just
(01:52):
come in and say hi and look around and kind
of get an idea of what it feels like to
come to this because it's a whole different experience than
what you've ever had before for a vet clinic.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
It's a really great design and it's a really great
opportunity as well. Again, that's going to be coming up
May fourth, Sunday, May fourth, from three until five. Of course,
you get all the details so well online at checkout
vet dot com.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
That's checkout vet dot com. Speaking of the uniqueness of.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
The clinic, I know the website does a really good
job explaining how it works, but nothing beats just kind
of stopping and I know, I know folks would love
to love to see you as well.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
You got to see it, you got to feel it.
I mean, drive in and let your dog walk around.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Cats, you know, when we did our reindeer event, we
actually had somebody that bought some cats. I was kind
of surprised by that. If your cat wants to go
for a ride, that's fine, but you know, cats don't
like the car quite the same as dogs.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah, it's a little bit.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
I had one cat that loved riding and then every
other cat I've ever owned, it's a it's.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
A struggle for the time. Yeah, really good perspective. Don't
forget us.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I mentioned the website checkout vet dot com. They're telephone
number six oh eight three one eight sixty seven hundred.
That's six eight three one eight sixty seven hundred. Great
day to start that relationship at checkout veterinary and doctor.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I know.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
One of the great things that you get to do
is get to see new new pets come into this world.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
And uh, that's such a that's such a really really.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Got to be a fantastic experience, and you know, all
the all the happiness and hope of that for for
little puppies and little kiddies. What's kind of that that
first we kind of work through life stage is that
first VET appointment, that first visit.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
It's a really really important one, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Oh yeah, And we can make or break the experience
at that first visit. So we do a lot in
our practice to offer the kittens and the puppies, not
just the puppies, but the kittens too, an opportunity to
feel comfortable in the environment with them, come out of
their carrier, with them, wander around the room. If we
have them in the garage, they can wander the whole space.
We just keep the doors down so that they don't
(03:44):
wander away, and we offer chicken baby food or squeeze
cheese or marshmallow cream or you know, whatever their preferences.
If you know that they like something that we're not
going to have bring it along because we want them
to have a really fun time. And we try to
do the vaccines, the microchip, the exam, so I'm not
(04:05):
sure exactly what we're to use, but so carefully that
we don't really startle them or let them know that
we wanted to think they're at a restaurant the whole time. Yeah,
like you just came to a restaurant. Oh, we do
happen to get vaccines, but you might not notice because
you're busy eating chicken baby food or peanut butter, and
you don't really notice that we just vaccinated.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
A stealth like manner and maybe the way Ninja doctor. Yes,
And that's a.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Real skill and creating that environment, and I know with
the clinic itself, that was an important part of the design.
I mean, for folks that don't know, check out. Veterinarting
was designed from the ground up. This is not a repurpose.
This was not previously a Culver's This is you sat
down and worked with an architect and worked really hard
to put this together.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
To make that all, we worked for years with a
couple of architects because the architect I was originally using
move to Australia, so we jumped ship and said, well,
we'll use the local guy who I do at my
first building with back in eighty eight. So I've worked
with this architect for many many years.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Oh that is great.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
And as we are working many many years, I know,
getting the opportunity to see pets grow and see them
kind of you know, find their perfect family and for
perfect life. So obviously the initial employment, as you point out,
is a super important one, establishing the comfort that the
pet knows and as you point out, you want them
to feel like they're at that a fine restaurant getting
(05:26):
all their favorite foods, and to tell them, yes, exactly
keep the secret. And then and then like the first
few years too, and I know you've talked about this before,
and especially with cats, like people are pretty good the
first few years, and then things kind of drop off,
don't they.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
It shouldn't be that way.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
No cats should come in once a year at least
sometimes when they become seniors, they need to come twice
a year so that we can keep them up to
date on all the care that they need. That maybe
dental cleaning, set, may be doing routine blood work. And
we see three very common diseases in older cats. We
see older cats with hyperthyridism so rid works too much,
they lose weight. We see cats with kidney disease. And
(06:03):
a cat with kidney disease diagnosed and treated correctly may
live three years or more with it, but if you
ignore it, it's going to advance more quickly. And then
of course diabetes not as common, and cancer is always
listed on the list, but we don't see nearly as
much cancer as we do by red disease and kidney failure.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
So with those kind of like that that middle area
through that people I know, you know, whant to think of,
like dogs, for example, is you know, I think people
are really should be and I think most people I've
ever met are very diligent about getting their dog in
for their annual exam and getting those you know, getting
their heartworm preventative and flee and tick again and and
(06:42):
and when those go on, it's also a great opportunity
I know, for for you as a vet, to to
explore maybe other things. Maybe sometimes obviously people say, oh,
well maybe here she's been eating a little or drinking
a little bit more or not eating as much, or
oh I noticed I was. I was rubbing his belly
the other day and there's there's like a little lump there.
Those having that regular annual physical in that checkup, it's
(07:06):
a great place and great time that those things come
out in conversation, don't they.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Right, We can address lumps when they are still small
enough to be removed, and a lot of people say, well,
it's just a lump. I'm going to watch it. Well,
I can tell you what it's going to do. When
you watch it, it's going to get bigger, and sometimes
it gets big enough to cause some really serious health problems.
So take them off when they're small, do your dental
care when the pets are still healthy, when they still
can keep all their teeth, when they still have good
heart function, good kidney function, because advanced dental disease not
(07:34):
only causes a loss of teeth, but it causes the
loss of other health as well. Just for us as
the same you know your kidneys, your heart, they're not
going to be benefited by the bacterial shower that happens
every time you chew. If there's an early sign of
kidney disease, we can address that. If there's early liver disease,
all those things can be addressed much more effectively if
we can catch it early. Sometimes it's just managing their weight,
(07:55):
or it's managing their arthritis. And a lot of people
don't identify the arthritis that their pets have, especially cats,
but dogs too. They're like, well, he doesn't cry, so
I don't think he's in any pain. Oh no, no, no, no,
they don't cry unless they've slipped a disc or they've
had some really serious trauma. Minor things that you may
think are minor but are advancing. Arthritis can just lead
(08:16):
a very gradual change in your pet's activity. They may
just not get up and run around with the other
dogs like they used to, or the cat may not
go up the stairs anymore, and you're like, oh, he's
just old. No, age is not a disease.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
And evolutionarily that was. That's for reasons.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Obviously, if you're an injured cat or an injured dog,
you know, historically there wasn't a person there to take
him into the clinic. That was it was you're going
to become part of that, Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah. So we have a lot of options that we
can give clients for daily pain medication. We have injectables
that are given once a month that are monoclonal a
anibody that controls ourthritis pain. There's some really tremendous breakthroughs
that have happened. Are allergy medications. Oh my gosh, we've
come so far with those. There's so many things we
can do now. So if you haven't really been engaged
(09:02):
in your pets care, this is an opportunity to jump
in and say, Okay, what can we do to improve
his or her quality of life?
Speaker 1 (09:09):
What are some of the things that people start as
we talked this morning with doctor Marty Greer of check
Out Veterinary, what are some of the things that do
get people to start bringing their pets in more routinely,
obviously as the slower things. Confusion?
Speaker 2 (09:22):
What are some of the things that you see often
that people are saying starting to bring their pets in
a little bit more frequently.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Yeah, Confusion is really interesting because dogs do have and
now we're starting to identify in cats as well, some dementia.
It's not quite the same as Alzheimer's, but it certainly
is a concern. A lot of times people don't even
think to mention anything. They come in for their annual
visit and they're like, oh, by the way, and you
realize that there's something really significant that's happening, and that
was an opportunity. So if we don't see your cat
(09:49):
from the time they are a year old until they're seventeen,
we've missed sixteen opportunities to improve your cat's quality of life,
length of life, health, all those things. Dogs we tend
to see once a year because they need their heart tests,
they need their vaccines, so people are a little more diligent.
But their cat doesn't go outside, so their perception is
that they don't need vaccines, and their perception is they
don't need veterinary careen. That's a huge mistake on the
(10:10):
part of the owners, not because they mean to, but
they just don't really understand what we can offer the
old what's.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
The screak, squeaky wheel gets the grease kind of thing.
Got to teach the cats to speak up.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah, they don't.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
No, no pet owners, Yeah, it's such an important thing.
As we talked this morning with doctor Marty Greer of
Checkout Veterinary. The website check out vet dot com. That's
all one word, checkout vet dot com.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Wepe.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
You have a chance to check it out. You can
schedule an appointment online. You can also learn more about
how Checkout Veterinary works, and of course about the clinic
of course, open nine am until five pm Monday through
Wednesday and Friday through Sunday. Of course they've got you
covered on Thursday. Saying what about thursdays. Oh, they've got
the check in Vet and soon to be checkout Vet
as well, open seven days week, but they're open on
weekends and seven days a week between the two clinks.
(10:56):
And with that too, is just real quick. I was
going to ask you, and I think we mentioned the
other week you do have more doctors coming on board
and you're about to go seven days a week at
checkout Bett as well too.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
We have doctor Ingelbert who worked for us before in
Lamira and she's back. We're very happy to have her back.
She's a great surgeon, does a super job with the
client education. We have doctor Denny who's a newer graduate
she's been with us since January. Doctor Dave has been
in the field for forty years and so we're pleased
to have him. And doctor Johnson has moved over to
Marshall with doctor Mayaki, and of course doctor Maybe and
(11:29):
doctor Larson are still at check out and check in,
but doctor Johnson's over at Marshall, so don't forget. We
have a location in Marshall Monday through Friday as well.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Great clinic there and that was a great story and
if folks want to listen, I know there's a podcast
we've got up talking about that at WIBA dot com.
That's a great, great thing to keep those clinics in
the communities as well. We're going to see you work
conversation with doctor Reyer. We'll get to the conversation of
as pets get older, just like people, there is eventually
a time where life passes, and we'll talk a little
(11:58):
bit about as the as. I think the term they
use now is the rainbow bridge, planning, how that, how
that happens, and really getting I also want to kind
of get it from a vet's perspective as well, what
that what that is like. We'll talk with doctor Greer
about that and so much more than meantime you've been
to the website yet, head on over to check out
vet dot com. That's checkout vet dot com. More of
(12:19):
our conversation with doctor Marty Greer next as ask the
experts with Checkout Veterinary continues right here.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Thirteen ten wiv.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
A eight fifty five asked the experts with check Out
Veterinary and clinic and studio with doctor.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Marty Greer of Checkout Veterinary. Come to the clinic.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
We should do the show from the I'll come, we
should come in and just do the show.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
One of these I would love to.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Let's I'm going to jot that down because that would
be so much fun to do do a show right
from the right from the clinic and talk about the
clinic too, very convenient. Twenty seven to ten Prairie Lakes
Drive in sun Prairie. I'll have a great opportunity also
have if you haven't had a chance yet to check
out Checkout Veterinary.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
They've got a great event coming up. Meet the Vet
event May.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
The four That Sunday, May the fourth, from three until
five at the clinic right in sun Prairie. So great
opportunity there for you and if you want to bring
your pet along, show them around, let them see the
see the see the place. A great, great day to
do that again. You can start a relationship now at
check out vet, I gotta pick up pone game to
call six O eight three one eight sixty seven hundred.
That's six eight three one eight sixty seven hundred and doctor.
(13:21):
It's inevitable part of life as as we age, we
get closer and closer to death. And pets we you know,
we love them. They are members of our family. And
there's a decision that often has to be made about
when do when When is it, you know, we don't
want the pet and pain we're reaching that that stage
of life. It's a hard decision, but if done right,
(13:45):
it can really make make everything better for the pet.
And and I sometimes think we forget that is you
know really about that is is taking the time to care.
I've had I've had a number of pets that we
you know that that I've had had to be put down, to.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Put down, put to sleep.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Is there a I almost feel like put down is like, yeah,
like an art word.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
It is. And if you stay put to sleep sometimes
that confuses children. So we try to use the word
euthanasia just because it's really clear. Put to sleep, maybe
inn anesthesia. You know, there's some things that can be
confusing in the vernacular, so we want to be really clear.
So Yes, and Laura and I Laura Reeves and I
on the Marty and Laura Show did an entire segment
on this, So if anybody's looking, that's a good place
(14:27):
to go for another podcast. Because we spent a little
bit of time with a grief counselor that on that
program as well. We try really hard at our practice
to start introducing that to people when it becomes clear
that that's the trajectory that their pet is on, so
that you have the support of your veterinary team to
help you make those decisions. A lot of people feel
like they're quote unquote playing God, or they may just
(14:49):
want to come home and find that their pet fell
asleep one day and didn't ever wake up. For me,
that's not my preference. I would like to be there
for my pet and not just find them, because I
won't know how it was for them at the end.
We do have a book called Promises to My Pet.
It's written by a grief counselor. It's a very good
book to help you through the process. We've also got
some books Your Pet has Cancer, so it can walk
(15:10):
you through some of those things. There's some really good
resources out there. There's children's books as well. Mister Rogers
has one One is a Tenth Good Thing, The Tenth
Good Thing about Barney. There's some good books out there,
so use those resources. Grief counselors can be very helpful
if you're in a position that you're really struggling emotionally,
so don't hesitate to reach out to people that can
give you those help that help.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
It's interesting we talk about I think sometimes we externally
obviously if it's our pet, we think, you know, we
know their importance, but sometimes we forget, like you have
friends or co workers that lose a pet as.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Well, and being supportive of it.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
That's that's a hard I still remember one of my
pets that I lost, and you walk that first aid,
like walk in the house and like you're expecting it's like,
it's very very difficult.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
What is it for? Doc?
Speaker 1 (15:57):
And I know as doctors it's it can be very
hard as well as of course you've spent years and
years oftentimes with these pets seeing them regularly, you know
the family. It's not easy on doctors either, is.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
No, it's not. Last Saturday, I euthanized a seventeen year
old dog that I was the only veterinarian she ever saw,
and I saw her at least twice a year for
her seventeen years. And the client lived in Milwaukee and
would drive to Lamira. So we had a long investment
emotionally together with this pet. So I think it's important
that you realize that the veterinary team is there to
(16:31):
help you. That the veterinary team may also feel a
loss because you've worked really hard, and a lot of
times the people that have the greatest loss of the
ones that have invested a lot of time and effort
in keeping that pet going for as long as possible.
And then it does completely change your routine because you've
structured your whole life around getting up in the night
and giving medication four times a day and all the
(16:52):
things that may go with it. So it can be
a really difficult challenge. So please reach out to people
if you need help, and if you are helping somebody
through this. The words to never say are it's just
a cat. Yeah, no, no, that it's pretty insensitive. You
can get another one. No, those aren't the things to say.
You know, you need to say, I understand how you feel,
let me you know, let me be there for you.
(17:13):
Sometimes you just have to quietly listen to them. But
be supportive of friends that have lost. And it might
be a jurabile, but it's still an emotional attachment, So
don't disregard the importance of that.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
And one final thing I was going to ask too,
is with with the clinic. They and we were talking
earlier about the you know, the fun and like and
like making it a lower stress I've got a guess
for pets that that have been to the clinic and
have been there for years, when it comes to that point,
you certainly don't want their you know, their their final
moments being stressful and those type of things. It's really
(17:45):
conducive to Again, it's it's there's there's nothing great about
what's going on, but making it as comfortable and as
as as overall I don't say overall positive, but overall
an experience, you know, not a sad experience. Having that
comfort level has got to be very important as well.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Right, And being able to do it in the drive through. Oftentimes,
the bigger dogs that have mobility issues, we don't have
to get them out of the car and jostle them
around one more time. They can have the euthanasia done
right where they are, so I think that's an important thing.
There are some house call services that do this as well.
We don't provide that, but there are house called services.
So there's a lot of things we can do to
ease this. We can sedate them. There's many options that
(18:24):
you have, and this needs to be just like anything else,
needs to be your experience, so that you tell us
how you need it to go, so that we can
make it as comfortable as possible. The biggest thank you
is we ever get from clients are for euthanasias, not
for great surgeries and great life saving things that we do,
but for letting their pet and quietly leave this world comfortably.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Doctor, Thank you so much for talking with this morning,
all that you do and to talk about something that's
going to be great.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
May the fourth, it's to make it great. Check out
the clinic, get on it.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
If you haven't checked out the website, check out vet
dot com. That's check out vet dot com transparent pricing
also good. A lot of great information about the clinic. Again,
great day to make that appointment and start a relationship
at checkout Veterinary Doctor. It's always great to see you have
a fantastic day.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
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dollars next year on thirteen ten dollar will you ib
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