Hello, fellow pet people. My name is Dr. Bob Barnes of Mt. Comfort Animal Hospital (MCAH) in western Hancock county and I have been asked to contribute on a routine basis to the Daily Reporter on veterinary medicine and pet care. I am honored to oblige with this request.
First, a few things about myself. I was born in Shelbyville, and a graduate of Shelbyville High School. I went to Purdue University for further education, and obtained my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree there.
My family has been involved in the standardbred race horse industry in the Midwest for many years, and this is where my love of animals started. We always had a stable of several horses and of course a few dogs and barn cats as well.
Surrounded by this environment, it’s no wonder I gravitated towards this career. I have been at MCAH for over 20 years as the owner and practitioner, but I have lived in Hancock County for 30.
There are common conditions that all of us as pet owners encounter: flea questions, nutritional issues, general health concerns, behavioral concerns and training tips are all common questions that pet owners ask when at the office. You would be amazed to find out that another pet owner has the exact concern that you do. There is a commonality to the ownership and care of dogs and cats. The hope I might help or give insight to these common concerns that most pet parents have.
The bond between humans and pets is a very deep one, and with most of us spending more time at home over the past 18 months with our pets, this bond has become even more pronounced. Health conditions that may have gone unnoticed in the past are now being diagnosed and treated earlier with better outcomes from treatment.
There was a client of ours a few months ago that was concerned that her 11 year old cat was not acting like she should; no real signs or symptoms, just not acting normally. The owner was a frequent traveller, away from home for a few days a week on business, every week. When she was forced off the road, the time with her cat had grown tremendously. Initially, the owner thought the cat was being odd due to the change in schedule. However after a month or so, when she brought in the cat for an exam, we noted that there was a significant amount of weight loss in a short period of time. Results of laboratory testing of blood gave us a diagnosis of a hyper-active thyroid gland. Medication was started, and within a few weeks, the patient had responded very well. The weight came back and the cat was back to being a normal happy pet.
Without the recognition by the owner of the change in character of her pet, this may have progressed to a point that the outcome may not have been so good. We know our pet better than anyone else.
Again, I am truly honored to be asked to contribute and hope I can be of service to readers.
Dr. Bob
