Ask Dr. Kaia
June 4, 2008Q: What do you think about a veterinarian that wants to ride the client's horse? Is that nutty?
A: Not at all! When I was in veterinary school, we had a professor who is quite famous, and he LOVED to get on client horses! He would gallop any racehorse that had a mysterious lameness or breathing problem, or just about anything! He learned a lot that way and I think that showed his great horsemanship.
I don't think it is all that common, but is a very positive thing! I think that it is unusual, but if your vet is an accomplished horseman, or woman, it really helps a lot to ride that client's horse. Some stiffness is easier to feel than to see. It really isn't any different than a clinician riding your horse at a clinic. It also shows that your vet really is interested in finding out what is going on with your horse.
Not all problems are physical: some are rider or training related, and a good sports medicine vet that is also a rider can figure out problems that others can't.
So, while not part of most examinations, I am all for it~!
Regards,
Kaia
Naches Veterinary Services and Cuddles Doggie Salon
Send your questions to:countryclassicsnaches@hotmail.com
Kaia Sorem, DVM
WSU 1984
Equine Sports Medicine &
General Veterinary Practice
203 Naches Avenue
P O Box 112
Naches WA 98937
1-509-653-2108Past Dr. Kaia columns:
June 4, 2008 Vet Riding Client's Horse - What's Up?
May 28, 2008 Fat Dog Needs To Stop Eating So Much!
May 21, 2008 Internet Pet Meds Are They Really Cheaper?
May 14, 2008 Activator Devise On Horses?
May 7, 2008 Equine Sports Medicine - Separate VET?
April 30, 2008 Horse Bleeding From NoseAt Races
April 23, 2008 Does Micro Chipping Cause Cancer?
April 16, 2008 Treating Stifles with Internal Blister
April 9, 2008 Floating Horse Tooth Will Power or Hand Tool
April 2, 2008 Off To The Races - Literally
March 26, 2008 How Do I Keep Dog From Going Into Heat?
March 19, 2008 Must I "Float" My Horses Teeth?
March 12, 2008 Overweght Dog - LOSE Weight!
March 5, 2008 Castrated Horse Continues To Show Male Behavior
February 27, 2008 Preventing Mare From Going Into Heat
February 20, 2008 My Dog Just Bit>>>>What Do I Do?
February 13, 2008 Salmon Poisoning in Dogs
February 6, 2008 Pet Eats POOP!
January 30, 2008 Pet Dog Will PROTECT Me On Walks?
January 23, 2008 Effect of Music on Dairy Cows
January 16, 2008 Abandoned & Injured Pet, Who Foots The Bill?
January 9, 2008 Pet Faking Limp For Sympathy
January 2, 2008 Mommy Cat With HUGE Cow-Like "Udder"
December 19 , 2007 Vitamin Supplement For Nervous Pets
December 12 , 2007 What If My Pet MisBehaves At Christmas Party?
December 5 , 2007 Pet Christmas Party & Micro-chipping
November 28, 2007 Upcoming Doggie Christmas Party
November 21, 2007 Litter-Train Your Dog?
November 14, 2007 Pet Microchips Are They Like "On-Star"?
November 7, 2007 Can Cat Ride In Carrier Or Free In Car?
October 31, 2007 Dog's Stitches Did Not Heal Properly
October 24, 2007 Mare Went "Bovine" And Acts Dull Like A Cow
October 17, 2007 Cat Caught Up In Fish Hooks!
October 10, 2007 Picky Eater - Pet Bird
October 3, 2007 Bee Stings & Rattlesnake Bites
September 26, 2007 Bleeding Clipped Dog Nails
September 19, 2007 DewClaws To Remove Or Not Remove
September 12, 2007 Must Inside Pets Be Treated For Fleas All Year?
September 5, 2007 Kennel Cough Vaccine Twice Yearly
August 29, 2007 Pigeon Fever In Horses?
August 22, 2007 Lameness In Horse's Foot VS Navicular Syndrome
August 15, 2007 Do Pets Mourn?
August 8, 2007 Cats Riding In Cars?
August 1, 2007 Neighbor Dog Attacked My Dog-Recourse?
July 25, 2007 Refusual To Dispense Meds Without Diagnosis
July 18, 2007 Adequan For Arthritis Symptoms
July 11, 2007 Leadership Role, Train Dog With Collar and Leash
July 4, 2007 Antibiotics Are Not Given For Horse Foot Ailments
June 27, 2007 Picked Up Abandoned Dog, Now What Do I Do?
June 20, 2007 Thankless People Whose Missing Pets Are Found
June 13, 2007 Rattlesnake Vaccine Reduces Chance Of Death
June 6, 2007 Rattler Bit My Dog!
May 30, 2007 Kennel Cough Can Be Caught Without Pet Contact
May 23, 2007 "Found" Pet Do's And Don'ts
May 16, 2007 Jealous Cat Pees And Claws At New Hubby
May 9, 2007 Herbal Veterinary Medicine
May 2, 2007 My Vet Sent ME To An Emergency Clinic
April 25, 2007 Horse "Chiropractor" A Fake
April 18, 2007 Moldy Hay Causes Colic Causes Dead Horse
April 11, 2007 Wandering Horses Create Havok At My House
April 4, 2007 Tainted National Pet Food Supply - Help!
March 28, 2007 Please "Reverse" The Spay-Job On My Animal
March 21, 2007 Soak My Horse's Bum Foot In Epsom Salts?
March 14, 2007 FAT Dog Needs A Diet
March 7, 2007 Chickens As INDOOR Pets
February 28, 2007 Can My Dog Really Know What I Am Thinking?
February 21, 2007 Cat With PEE Problem
February 14, 2007 OOPS! Dog Ate Valentine Candy
February 7, 2007 Doom And Gloom Attitudes About Vet Visits
January 31, 2007 Cows Purchased From Auction For Herd - Expect Trouble
January 24, 2007 Client Queries Why Vet Took Horse Reins
January 17, 2007 Dog Suddenly Having Trouble Moving 'Round In Cold Weather
January 10, 2007 Prescribed Meds For Your Animal Must Be Completed
January 3, 2007 You NEED To Take Your Dog To Obedience School
December 20, 2006 Critter Anxiety Starts With Your Own
December 13, 2006 Doggy Christmas Party-All Are Welcome
December 6, 2006 Be Careful In Winter, Horses May Not Eat Due To Poor Water Supply
November 29, 2006 What Is The Connection Between Cold Water And Colic In Horses?
November 22, 2006 Why Did Vets I Called Not Want To Come Help My Horse?
November 15, 2006 Only Tiny Wet Spot In Litter After Cat Pee's, What's Wrong?
November 8, 2006 Emergency Vet Call Rounds Up Stray Boa Constrictor!
November 1, 2006 Is Chocolate Really All That Bad For My Pet?
October 25, 2006 Do Chondroiton And Glucosamine Really Work For Pet Arthritis Pain?
October 18, 2006 Will My Horse Founder On Grass Hay?
October 11, 2006 Does My Horse Need Shelter During The Cold Months?
October 4, 2006 Can I Medicate My Horse For Colic Before Calling My Vet?
September 27, 2006 Must I Vaccinate My Dog Twice Yearly For Kennel Cough?
September 20, 2006 Do I Really Need to Vaccinate My Horse For West Nile Virus?
September 13, 2006 Why Should I Micro-Chip My Pet? Does It Really Work?
September 6, 2006 What Can I Do About All Those Stray Cats In My Town?
August 30, 2006 Why Should I Let My Puppy Cry In His Kennel?
August 23, 2006 Can I Keep This Dog I Found Wearing A Tag With Phone Number?
August16, 2006 How to Decide When to Put Your Pet Down
August 9, 2006 Can I Use D-Con Around My House?
August 2, 2006 Nail/Debri Inside Horse's Foot
July 26, 2006 Do It Yourself Veterinary Care
July 19, 2006 Off Hours/Emergency Vet Availability
July 12, 2006 Horse Chiropractor?
July 5, 2006 Still Using Rattlesnake Vaccine?
June 28, 2006 Horse Flips Over Backwards
June 21, 2006 Treat Pit Bulls Normally and They're Normal Good Dogs
June 14, 2006 Dog Behavior Modification
June 7, 2006 Over-The-Counter Flea & Tick Products?
May 31, 2006 Since When Do Horses Run The Show?
May 24, 2006 Since When Do Dogs Run The Show?
May 17, 2006 Can I Have The Spay Reversed?
May 10, 2006 Why Do We Float Horses' Teeth In The Spring
May 3, 2006 My Neighbor Shot My Dog
Apr. 26, 2006 My Cat Is Throwing Up All The Time
Apr. 19, 2006 My Pregnant Animal Is Past Her Due Date
Apr. 12, 2006 Why Are Emergency Calls So Expensive?
Apr. 5, 2006 Still Vaccinate For West Nile?
Mar. 22, 2006 Horse Has "Splint"
Mar. 15, 2006 Cat Losing Weight But Eating Lots of Food
Mar. 8, 2006 Chintzy Cat Food Causes "Pee-Less" Cat
Mar. 1, 2006 Kaia Chases a Cow
Feb. 22, 2006 Kaia Now Must Work On Those Difficult Cows
Feb. 15, 2006 Cat Fat and Smelly Equals Hypothyroidism
Feb. 8, 2006 The "Dog Whisperer."
Feb. 1, 2006 What Is A Mutt-rosexual?
Jan. 25, 2006 What Can You Do For A Horse That's Down?
Jan. 18, 2006 Cat In Heat Earlier Than Usual
Jan. 11, 2006 Do Horses Need Blankets in Winter?
Jan. 4, 2006 Will My Female Dog Need Hormones After Spaying?
Dec. 21, 2005 Can You Come Do Vet Work On My Untamed Cow?
Dec. 14, 2005 Do Pit Bulls Have Locking Jaws or Any Other Bad Traits?
Dec. 7, 2005 Older Cat Getting Thin May Have Over-active Thyroid
Nov. 30, 2005 Horses' "Wolf" Teeth
Nov. 23, 2005 Female Cat Yowling
Nov. 16, 2005 Yakima Shelter Adopting Out Dogs During Distemper Outbreak!
Nov. 9, 2005 Still Worried About West Nile Virus?
Nov. 2, 2005 Dog Ate Chocolate Candy
Oct. 26, 2005 Dog Had Seizure
Oct. 19, 2005 Isn't Storing Food for Survival Going Overboard?
Oct. 12, 2005 Need We Worry About Avian Flu?
Oct. 5, 2005 Pet Microchips Must Include Their Subscriptions
Sept. 28, 2005 Leave Horse's Shoes On Through Winter?
Sept. 21, 2005 Does Microchipping Dogs Find Lost Dogs?
Sept. 14, 2005 Donate to Save Pets Orphaned by Katrina
Sept. 7, 2005 Dog Poisoned by a Rodenticide like D-Con
Aug. 31, 2005 Alsike Clover- the Poison Clover
Aug. 24, 2005 Effective Treatment for Cat with Arthritis
Aug. 17, 2005 Goldfish Make Lots of Babies
Aug. 10, 2005 Is Cat Urine Odor Permanent?
Aug. 3, 2005 Is My Horse Navicular?
July 27, 2005 Rabbit Leaks Urine And Is In Pain
July 20, 2005 Too Many Lost Dogs
July 13, 2005 Horse Blanket in Summer?
July 6, 2005 Protecting Your Dog During Fireworks
June 29, 2005 Testicular Implants
June 22, 2005 Dogs In Cars In Hot Weather
June 15, 2005 Stallion Owners Require Uterine Culture Before Breeding My Mare by Ariticial Insemination
June 8, 2005 Care For Injured Horse While Waiting For Vet
June 1, 2005 Mange
May 25, 2005 Tick Paralysis
May 18, 2005 Dogs' Ears: Smells, Mites, Infections, Foreign Objects
May 11, 2005 Dangers in Horse Falling Over Backwards
May 4, 2005 More Ticks This Year
Apr. 27, 2005 Can the New Snake Bite Vaccine Fail to Save the Dog?
Apr. 20, 2005 Finding a Dog and Searching for Its Owner
Apr. 13, 2005 Microchip ID Tags Implanted in Dogs
Mar. 30 & Repeated on Apr. 6, 2005 A Dog Mauled by Coyotes
Mar. 23, 2005 Why Is My Mare In Heat For Two Weeks
Mar. 16, 2005 Light Winter Brings More Fleas and Ticks
Mar. 9, 2005 Does Early Spring Make Mares Ready to Breed Early?
Mar. 2, 2005 Holistic Medicine
Feb. 23, 2005 Alternative Medicine II- Human Nutritional Supplements for Pets
Feb. 16, 2005 Alternative Medicine
Feb. 9, 2005 How Big Will A Kitten Get?
Feb. 2, 2005 Animals Can Die Unexpectedly During Surgery
Jan. 26, 2005 Horse Colic in Winter Caused by Cold Water
Jan. 19, 2005 Blanket Horses in Winter?
Jan. 12, 2005 New Rattlesnake Vaccine Available
Jan. 5, 2005 Dog Christmas Party and Feeding Bones to Dogs
Dec. 22, 2004 Correct Age for Neutering Dog
Dec. 15, 2004 Dog Bites Are Very Serious In Many Ways
Dec. 8, 2004 Decorations Hazardous to Pets
Dec. 1, 2004 Does a Horse Need a Barn, and How Big?
Nov. 24, 2004 Dogs Scratching Because of Allergies
Nov. 17, 2004 Rescuing Injured Wild Animals
Nov. 10, 2004 Use ALL of Every Antibiotic Prescription
Nov. 3, 2004 Causing Mare to Foal Early Using Light in Stall
Oct. 27, 2004 Horse Rubbing Mane and Tail
Oct. 20, 2004 What is Mangosteen?
Oct. 13, 2004 Will Neutering Stop Male Cat From Spraying?
Oct. 6, 2004 Care of Animals During Volcanic Eruption
Sept. 29, 2004 Dog Scratching Ear and Shaking Head
Sept. 22, 2004 Dog Dementia
Sept. 15, 2004 Treating Dog's Arthritis Can Prolong It's Life
Sept. 8, 2004 Dog Drinking and Urinating More Than Normal: Diabetes
Sept. 1, 2004 Dogs Scratching with Flea Bites
Aug. 25, 2004 Dogs Sore with Arthritis in Hips
Aug. 18, 2004 Dogs Left in Cars in Hot Weather May Be Released by Good Samaritans
Aug. 11, 2004 Microchipping Your Dog
Aug. 4, 2004 Dogs Lose Appetite in Hot Weather
July 28, 2004 Fish Oil for Dogs
July 21, 2004 Dog Bitten by Wild Animal
July 14, 2004 Talking Birds- Some Understand The Words
July 7, 2004 Importance of Ultrasounding Pregnant Mare
June 30, 2004 Cleaning Dogs' Teeth
June 23, 2004 Male Cats Spraying in the House
June 16, 2004 Horse Chiropractors
June 9, 2004 Cats Disappearing in Spring
June 2, 2004 Vaccination to Protect from Snakebite?
May 26, 2004 Older Female Dog Leaking Urine
May 12 & 19, 2004 Having a New Horse Checked and a Dog Who Has Become Dominant and Biting Toward Humans
May 5, 2004 Satellite Veterinary Clinic in Naches
Apr. 28, 2004 May 1 Too Early to Shave a Dog?
Apr. 21, 2004 Ticks Are Especially Bad This Year
Apr. 14, 2004 Breeding a Mare with Transported Semen-- repeat
Apr. 7, 2004 Horse Racing Alive and Well in Kennewick
Mar. 31, 2004 Floating Horses' Teeth
Mar. 24, 2004 Swelling in Horse's Hock Serious?
Mar. 17, 2004 How Long Do Puppy Shots Last?
Mar. 10, 2004 Breeding a Mare with Transported Semen
Mar. 3, 2004 What is Doggie Day Care?
Feb. 25, 2004 Old Dog Uncomfortable, Trouble Getting Up
Feb. 18, 2004 Cat Urinating Blood or Not Urinating
Feb. 11, 2004 High Carbohydrate Hay Content Causing Foundering
Feb. 4, 2004 Cushing's Disease and Metabolic Syndrome
Jan. 28, 2004 Leaving Horses Shod in Winter Causes Sore Feet
Jan. 21, 2004 Feeding Elk in Winter
Jan. 14, 2004 Why So Much Colic At This Time of Year?
Jan. 7, 2004 Mad Cow Disease Threat is Very Serious
Dec. 24, 2003 Warts on Horse's Muzzle
Dec. 17, 2003 Horse with a "Gravel" Lame Foot
Dec. 10, 2003 Dogs Have Fleas in Winter?
Dec. 3, 2003 Cats and Christmas Decorations
Nov. 26, 2003 Pigeon Fever in Horses
Nov. 19, 2003 Dogs with Signs of Lethargy or Intoxication
Nov. 12, 2003 Groom Dog Less in Winter?
Nov. 5, 2003 Dogs Eating From Cat Litter Box
Oct. 29, 2003 Dog Bad Breath
Oct. 22, 2003 Ultrasonic Teeth Cleaning for Dogs
Oct. 15, 2003 Navicular vs. Caudal Heel Syndrome
Oct. 8, 2003 Ambulatory Veterinary Practice
Oct. 1, 2003 Acupuncture for Animals
Sept. 24, 2003 Winter Care for Horses
Sept. 17, 2003 Found Sickly Puppy
Sept. 10, 2003 Horse Not Conditioned Properly
Aug. 27, 2003 Barrel Horse Anxious and Unwilling
Aug. 20, 2003 Cats Get Tumors From Vaccines?
Aug. 13, 2003 Horse Unshod All Year?