UDSKRIFT 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:12.160
I'm gonna tell you the truth, and speaking as somebody with over over thirty-five years in small animal practice, I'm gonna tell you that small animal veterinary medicine, as seen right now, is broken.
00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:17.280
And it breaks my heart to say that because I'm very much a relationship builder.
00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:27.280
I will confide in you that over those thirty-six plus years in in actual practice, I may not have been the world's best veterinarian, but I cared.
00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:36.880
I I when you came in with your dogs, I would give you a hug, we'd sit on the floor, talk about life for 10 or 15 minutes, and then get around eventually to your pet's care.
00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:40.719
And that relationship building, I think, has been lost.
00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:50.640
If healthcare has ever left you feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or stuck, then go it's for you.
00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:58.719
Welcome to Get Stabby, the mystified healthcare weekly podcast, where we take complicated healthcare topics and make some topics.
00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:30.079
What could you accomplish if you could gain five or even ten hours every week?
00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:33.439
And bonus, are you looking for a new podcast?
00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:38.319
Well, if you haven't heard, I do have a second podcast called Playbook AI Partners.
00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:40.719
Yes, it's that AI topic.
00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:50.159
But here's the thing: I believe that AI should make your life easier, not leave you buried in confusing tools, technical jargon, and endless tutorials.
00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:58.079
As always, I am doing what I do best, and that is demystifying those confusing topics and making them simple.
00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:12.159
At Playbook AI Partners, I deliver practical conversations, expert insights, and simple AI knowledge nuggets that you can put to work in your business or personal goals right away without becoming a technology expert.
00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:29.520
And if you're ready to go from listening to doing, Playbook AI Partners also offers the AI Mini Solution Locker that's going to give you that focused, easy-to-follow solutions designed to help you solve a specific problem and accomplish a real goal in 20 minutes or less.
00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:33.680
And if the topic of AI gives you overwhelmed, guess what?
00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:35.199
You don't have to do it alone.
00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:37.360
We also have a community called the Huddle.
00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:43.919
It is a group of business owners and professionals learning how to use AI with greater clarity and confidence.
00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:46.560
I don't know about you, but that sounds good to me.
00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:50.479
Stop spending those hours trying to understand AI on your own.
00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:52.879
Start using it to get your hours back.
00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:58.800
Check out Playbook AI Partners Podcast, the AI Solution Locker, and join us in the Huddle.
00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:00.159
I'll drop a link to it.
00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:01.840
Check it out in the show notes.
00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:04.800
Let's demystify AI together.
00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:06.479
And now on with the show.
00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:10.000
Everyone, and welcome to the show Navigating Health for Your Pets.
00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:13.199
More tail wags and empowered pet parents.
00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:20.400
Navigating our healthcare system and making health insurance choices is challenging enough, but what about our family fur members?
00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:25.439
What if navigating health care for your pet didn't have to feel overwhelming or confusing?
00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:32.400
In this episode, we're talking about how to help your pets live healthier lives with more tail wags and less guesswork.
00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:34.319
To help us get into this topic, I have Dr.
00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:35.759
Kevin Tomen on the show.
00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:36.159
Dr.
00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:42.000
Kevin has over 30 years of veterinary practice and special interest in orthopedic and cancer care.
00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:45.680
He has devoted his professional life to helping pets live longer.
00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:46.159
Dr.
00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:52.560
Kevin takes great pride in being a healer and a teacher and would love to partner with you in the holistic care of your pet.
00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:53.759
Welcome to the show, Dr.
00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:54.319
Kevin.
00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:56.400
Well, thank you very much, Sandy.
00:03:56.719 --> 00:03:58.800
Appreciate the opportunity to be on your show.
00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:03.039
And I also appreciate all the work you put into your podcast.
00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:12.240
I know exactly how much how much labor it is to have a daily, a weekly podcast, and you're doing a tremendous service for your listeners.
00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:13.840
So thank you very much for your work.
00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:15.439
Oh, you made my day.
00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:16.560
Thank you for saying that.
00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:17.600
It is a lot of work.
00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:18.399
I appreciate it.
00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:21.519
Well, let's talk about you and all the great things that you're doing.
00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:26.879
So why don't you start by telling us your story and how it has led you on the journey you are on today?
00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:29.120
Well, my name is Dr.
00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:33.519
Kevin Thoman, and I live on the central coast of California.
00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:40.160
And as Sandeek suggested, I've been a veterinarian for almost 40 years at this point in time.
00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:44.720
And I graduated back in 1986 from University of California at Davis.
00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:53.199
And during the vast majority of that time, I was in small animal practice treating pets just like yours in California and in Colorado.
Load full transcript
00:04:53.439 --> 00:05:02.399
But about 10 years or so ago, plus or minus, I found myself, had veterinary medicine runs in cycles, Sandy.
00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:08.240
And so in one week, I saw three or four different patients come in.
00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:13.839
These were older dogs, older cats, who had lost, who they'd been orphaned, so to speak.
00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.399
They had lost their human caregiver.
00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:18.720
In three cases, the people died.
00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:24.000
In one case, a woman went from living alone to being into assisted living.
00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:31.279
And so in all four of these cases, the pets were effectively orphaned as senior pets.
00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:35.439
And it just broke my heart because older pets have enough to deal with.
00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:39.360
Just like, you know, I'm 66 at this point, and you know, I get a little creaky.
00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:44.959
And so these older pets have cancer issues, they have chronic pain issues, they have kidney problems or heart problems.
00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:50.480
The last thing they needed on top of that was the emotional loss of losing their caregiver.
00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:57.920
And so it really started me thinking about how best to help senior pets as they navigate the last years of their life.
00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:11.279
And that led to an interest in longevity medicine as practiced on the human side, but uh much of what we know about longevity medicine can be applied very directly to the patients in our care.
00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:28.560
So I use a combination of consults to help spread the knowledge that I have, learn about the mistakes that I've made during that 40 years of veterinary practice, proven supplements, and prescription longevity drugs like rapamycin, acarbos, and metformin to help your pet live their longest life.
00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:37.279
Well, well, thank you for doing that in all your years of service, helping um our fur babies, fur family members.
00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:39.519
I mean, they really are part of the family.
00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:42.560
But let's get into talking with your years of experience.
00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:45.279
I would like to talk about traditional vet care.
00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:57.759
Because today, I may think especially after COVID, we've seen um personally we uh as we have two pets, uh, two a golden doodle, golden retriever, and a and a spicy cat that she thinks she's a dog.
00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:03.680
But um, we have taken our pets to vet care and we have seen the prices just rise.
00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:12.959
We have seen our corner vet place that was owned by a lovely doctor that we just loved and trusted sell to a large corporation.
00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:28.480
Um I feel like every time I go in, and I'm not trying to be condescending to the care received, it's oh, well, what if you also got this or what if you got that, or join the care club, or and now you're paying$175 per pet, and we're just incredibly overwhelmed.
00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:32.959
And I guess my question to you is what is going on with traditional vet care?
00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:35.439
What's working and what's not?
00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:39.360
Well, the what's working part.
00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:45.199
Yeah, the what's working part, Sandy, may be a short conversation.
00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:47.759
So I'm gonna tell you the truth.
00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:58.480
And speaking as somebody with over over 35 years in small animal practice, I'm gonna tell you that small animal veterinary medicine, as seen right now, is broken.
00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:03.600
And it breaks my heart to say that because I'm very much a relationship builder.
00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:13.040
I will confide in you that over those 36 plus years in in actual practice, I may not have been the world's best veterinarian, but I cared.
00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:22.639
I I when you came in with your dogs, I would give you a hug, we'd sit on the floor, talk about life for 10 or 15 minutes, and then get around eventually to your pet's care.
00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:26.399
And that relationship building, I think, has been lost.
00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:42.480
And I do believe that the the entry of corporate uh veterinary medicine into what traditionally was a uh mom and pop uh business is in large part to blame for that, because these veterinarians are many times coming fresh out of school.
00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:47.440
There's a huge shortage, Sandy, of veterinarians across the United States.
00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:58.639
And so there's immense competition for the new graduates, and in all candor, corporate uh veterinary medicine can can pay them more than a Schmo like me.
00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:12.399
And so what you have is inexperienced veterinarians that have very seldom have relationship building skills, and they are compensated as a percentage of what they charge of the of the billings that they do.
00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:16.960
And so somewhere along the way, veterinary medicine has lost the moorings.
00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:21.600
It's it's we have lost the connection to pet parents.
00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:26.799
And uh there's there's an innate conflict of interest in there, and it makes me sad.
00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:44.639
Oh, my heart hurts on that because as I think about that, where I went in my head was and I we mentioned pr in pre-talk, we just taken our pets in for teeth cleaning, and after you know it was done, or during the and under anesthesia, oh what maybe we offer this shot, or maybe we do this seal it for their teeth or whatever.
00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:48.720
And there's a part of me that feels like, okay, do I trust in this case it was Dr.
00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:49.279
Davis?
00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:50.159
Do I trust Dr.
00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:50.639
Davis?
00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:54.240
She's nice, she's kind, um, but do I trust her?
00:09:54.399 -->
00:10:03.279
And and and I do, but right, but I'm struggling in some way too, because is that an upcharge that's needed, or is it an upcharge because it's beneficial to her?
00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:04.559
And I hate to say that.
00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:05.919
That's how I feel.
00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:06.480
Yeah.
00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.879
It's a leg it it's a legitimate question.
00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:17.600
And so a large part of my daily practice these days, Sandy, to be honest with you, is counseling people as they go through some of these more involved procedures.
00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:38.159
Or if your pet um is running into chronic pain or a disease like kidney or heart problems, uh many times it's important to have somebody on the outside look in, especially somebody who has made those mistakes, who has those years of experience, and guide you because this test can is very important, but this test may not be.
00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:40.240
This can be a secondary priority for us.
00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:44.159
But here's where we're at, here's here's our goal with these diagnostics.
00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:50.720
These are very important things to understand before you walk in the front door of a veterinary clinic.
00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:53.440
And unfortunately, there are very few resources.
00:10:53.759 --> 00:11:01.759
AI can give you the nuts and the bolts of it, but AI lacks the experience and the ability to prioritize your pet's health care.
00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:06.320
So I I fully agree with everything that you just spoken about.
00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:13.519
And unfortunately, you're very much at the mercy, so to speak, of the veterinarian that you are seeing.
00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:22.639
Thinking about what you just said is that um I think also about I'm an insurance broker as well, finding my words today, but I'm a health insurance broker.
00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:29.360
So I think about um the clients that I talk to when they're getting insurance, which is challenging as well, but it does segue into this.
00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:32.879
But the point is that people are saying, wow, it's too expensive.
00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:34.240
I've got to find another way.
00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:43.120
And a lot of my human clients are focusing on that integrated, that holistic option or uh concierge direct primary care.
00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:49.440
They're saying, I just can't, you know, be into this system anymore where I don't feel valued, I feel like a number.
00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:56.000
But I would also say that is also very similar to pet parents and and you know, trying to provide the best care for our pets.
00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:03.039
So, with that, is there alternative care out there to someone who says I just don't trust this traditional vet care system anymore?
00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:08.159
What can I do to be a better pet pet parent to increase the longevity of my pet's life?
00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:11.279
Well, I think there
are a number of different approaches to this.
00:12:11.440 --> 00:12:15.440
And the framework around longevity that I've built has four different pillars in it.
00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:17.679
We can talk about that in just one moment.
00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:32.399
But I guess what I would suggest is that we take a step back and think, well, gosh, from a longevity perspective, Sandy, uh the current thought on longevity is that inflammation causes aging, and that aging, of course, eventually causes death.
00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:42.080
Aging itself is not a disease, but whatever you and I can do to minimize the underlying inflammation will be a huge help in extending our pets' lives.
00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:44.399
Now that can take many different forms.
00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:53.279
In small dogs under 25 pounds and in cats, the primary concern that you have in extending a pet's life is actually the dental care that you spoke about.
00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:56.000
And I'm happy to go into that in more detail.
00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:10.080
In larger breed dogs, most commonly it's allergies or orthopedics, and you and I need to do whatever we can to minimize orthopedic pain or the chronic itch of allergies early in a pet's life so that they can live longer.
00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:24.559
Now, in direct answer to your question, I would tell you that the four pillars of my longevity program for pets involve diet and lifestyle, and you and I can talk at length about any one of these, so feel free to interrupt, Sandy, whenever you like.
00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:32.000
First pillar is diet and lifestyle, things that you can absolutely work with and in some cases save money on at home.
00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:41.519
The second is the local veterinarian, and for from them we rely upon the dental care that I've spoken about and accurate diagnostic tests.
00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:46.480
The third uh the third leg of that chair is proven supplements.
00:13:46.559 --> 00:14:00.000
And these are things that you can buy online, but let's look for ones that actually have science on them, because I would tell you candidly that there's a lot of baloney, a lot of misinformation out there in both human and veterinary supplements.
00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:06.720
And then the fourth component to my veterinary framework for longevity is the use of prescription longevity drugs.
00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:14.799
And these can get expensive, but these are cutting-edge drugs that have been proven to increase your pet's lifespan by up to 14 percent.
00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:16.799
And so these it's important.
00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:18.639
That's over a year for most pets.
00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:21.200
So lots of different things to talk about.
00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:25.440
And we can certainly start at the basics and work up wherever you'd like to go, Sandy.
00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:26.879
I'm open to that discussion.
00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:28.000
I appreciate that.
00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:32.639
So if it's possible, maybe let's focus on the pillar about supplements.
00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:37.279
We'll certainly leave your information because I it's amazing stuff that you you're talking about here.
00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:43.919
But I want to talk about the supplements for a moment because I think we're always thinking, for instance, we go into Costco, right, wrong, or indifferent.
00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:45.120
I hope I don't make you cringe.
00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:48.559
But um our dogs are seven and eight years old.
00:14:48.799 --> 00:15:02.159
And we we hear all the time about the supplements of Cosaquin or Dasquin or whatever it is, because we you know we have Goldens, so you know, they're bigger dogs, and so we always think about that orthopedic issue as they get older.
00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:15.039
Um so we think of the right thing because as humans, we probably take a multivitamin or take a vitamin C or we take our little supplements, but you know, I know what we get our dogs is Cosaquin because we think that's the best thing to do.
00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:17.600
But you talked about supplements and longevity.
00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:22.879
You know, uh, you know, going into traditional vet, I don't really trust necessarily what I'm getting.
00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:34.559
So I'm asking you what are things that we can do out there that are that are supplement-wise, that can that are really safe, as you stated, scientific base that are going to really be helpful to our pets.
00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:36.159
Maybe we could focus on that.
00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:37.440
Absolutely.
00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:49.759
And so what I'd like to do, though, is back up and look at Savannah, for instance, as uh as a perfect case uh because she as a golden is prone to a couple different concerns.
00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:54.080
Really, she's prone to orthopedic disease and she unfortunately is prone to cancer.
00:15:54.320 --> 00:16:05.360
Your golden retriever and my little puppy Annabelle that you saw wandering the streets a little bit earlier here are both four and a half times more likely to get cancer over their life than the average breed is.
00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:08.080
And so you and I have to pay attention to that risk.
00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:15.279
But speaking very directly to orthopedics, I would tell you that this is in fact where diet comes in.
00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:23.919
Because there are studies that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that uh feeding our dogs less will increase their lifespan.
00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:28.879
That's the one mechanism, that's the one lever you and I have to pull in every species.
00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:37.360
Uh if you want your dog to live longer, your cat to live longer, if you and I want to live longer, the first thing is to make yourself as slim as possible, you know?
00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:45.360
Um and then when I when I mentioned lifestyle a little bit earlier, and I know we're headed to supplements, but hear me out.
00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:45.919
No, yeah.
00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:48.399
Because I know you're thinking about moving.
00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:55.519
And so if you're building a house or if you're buying a house for Savannah, I'm going to suggest to you that that should be a one-level house.
00:16:55.759 --> 00:17:04.000
Every time she goes up and down a set of stairs, she is incrementally damaging her elbows going down and her and her hips or her knees going up.
00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:08.000
That should be a house with wall-to-wall carpeting in a perfect world.
00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:10.079
And I understand those don't exist very often.
00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:20.720
But every time she slips and falls, when you and your husband get home and she's coming around the corner to uh at full speed to see you, every time she slips and falls, she's hurting herself.
00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:29.359
And so floors with better traction or throw rugs with with rubber packs, these can make all the difference for those golden retrievers as they age.
00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:37.279
Now, uh you asked about supplements, I'm going to tell you about supplements, but here's where you and I may rank uh may disagree.
00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:45.759
May we may have to agree to disagree because I sold Cosaquin and Dasaquin for many years, for over two decades in my veterinary practice.
00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:50.799
Unfortunately, over the last five years, there have been study after study, Sandy, that shows they don't work.
00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:57.839
Glucosamine and chondroitin products simply don't work in either humans or pets to reduce joint inflammation.
00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:00.319
They work no better than placebos.
00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:12.079
And so, as you suggested, you and I could go to the nearest Costco, we'd walk down the aisle and see bottle after bottle, a whole Costco aisle that's devoted to glucosamine and chondroitin.
00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:17.839
But the unfortunate truth is that that is a marketing supplement as opposed to a science supplement.
00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:36.000
And so when we speak very directly to the orthopedics of a golden retriever or any other large breed dog, I'm going to suggest that unless your dogs think of these products as a treat, that you stop their use and substitute instead, there's a product called undenatured type 2 collagen.
00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:37.200
Big long phrase.
00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:40.000
You can think of it just by UC2.
00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:45.359
And it's a particular form of collagen that only affect that only helps the joints.
00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:50.079
Doesn't do anything for your hair, doesn't do anything for your skin, it just works on joints.
00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:56.880
But here's the deal it's been proven much more effective than glucosamine and chondroitin in study after study.
00:18:57.039 --> 00:19:04.559
And in one human study, they found that it was as effective as non-steroidal
painkillers in reducing knee pain.
00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:14.880
And so it is really the first and foremost supplement that you and I should think about to naturally reduce the joint pain and inflammation an older golden retriever runs into.
00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:17.519
Then there are a couple of other things that we should understand.
00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:21.039
One is fish oil, just our old friend fish oil, works well.
00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:28.079
Fish oil alone is the basis for the Purina orthopedic management diet, the OM diet that they have.
00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:31.839
And you don't have to pay extra for a prescription diet.
00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:36.799
All you have to do is buy a good quality fish oil, and you'll achieve much the same goal.
00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:41.200
The third component is a funny thing called green lip muscle.
00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:47.519
It's the shell of a particular mollusk that has been proven to have anti-inflammatory capabilities.
00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:52.319
And number four on the list, and then I'm going to shut up, is our friend CBD.
00:19:53.200 --> 00:20:02.240
But CBD, and you live in Colorado, I live in California, and so we can find CBD on every corner and every gas station and convenience store.
00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:04.480
But here's the thing we have to understand.
00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:17.119
There was just a study done, and uh a group, a nonprofit group, ordered 17 different CBD products off the web, and they found only three actually had C B D in them.
00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:31.440
And so if you're gonna use C B D, and it listen, I mean, there's a lot of uh baloney out there around C B D, but it is proven to help skin problems, it's been proven to help dogs who seizure, and it's been proven to help orthopedic pains.
00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:37.599
If you're gonna do it uh for your pet by the L of that, E-L-L-E, V-E-T brand.
00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:48.160
I have no affiliation with them whatsoever, but they do study after study on purity and benefits of their products, and so that is the one product I'd recommend.
00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:56.240
Well, you had me at marketing supplement versus I'll may I miss the other one, beneficial versus science supplement.
00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:56.480
Yeah.
00:20:56.799 --> 00:21:06.160
Science supplement, yeah, because I think, you know, I go into Costco, I'm getting my paper towels, I'm getting my toilet paper, I'm getting my, you know, a snack on the way, whatever it is.
00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:08.880
I got my Costco run going on, and I'm feeling good.
00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:11.200
My husband's like, honey, do we need the Cosaquin?
00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:20.240
And I'm feeling good because I feel like I'm really doing right by my uh by Savannah and Gloria in my case, my two pets, but I don't know what I don't know.
00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:23.200
And so I really no, I I don't disagree with you.
00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:27.839
In fact, I just say thank you for
the wisdom because I don't want to waste time giving them another treat.
00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:34.880
I want to give them something that's going to be beneficial because I'm starting to see that slower walk, that that type of thing.
00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:40.000
And you know, everything you mention about diet and even your house, or some of those are simple things that you can do.
00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:45.599
Not for me because I'm one of those pet moms who who think, oh, honey, you need another treat.
00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:46.480
I'm gonna own it.
00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:47.680
I'm gonna own it, Dr.
00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.559
Kevin.
00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:50.960
Listen, I am the same guy.
00:21:51.039 --> 00:22:05.839
So I I would tell you uh and you mentioned uh uh Glory, I think it was Glory Gloria coming in, wanting to hold your hand, and my little Puppy Annabelle, I mean, she's she's another golden retriever, she's 18 months old, and we've gotten into the habit.
00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:08.079
She paws at me when we're driving.
00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:13.839
And so I reach over and she's in the passenger seat and I hold her hand as we drive.
00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:18.079
And she's just as happy as a clam, if I as long as I hold her hand.
00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:22.240
So I know exactly what you mean when it comes to spoiling your pets, Sandy.
00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:32.960
And you know, we can talk about healthy treats versus unhealthy treats, too, because every time I get back from from going any place, Annabelle expects a treat.
00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:37.920
Now I don't know why, how this spoiling occurred, but it had certainly occurred.
00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:40.240
And so I know exactly what you're talking about.
00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:40.960
Yeah.
00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:42.079
Oh my goodness.
00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:51.680
Well, what I would like to do, this is like one of been one of the most invigorating conversations and and so much that I got I could learn from on this piece of it.
00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:54.880
But I tell us more about your services.
00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:56.720
If somebody says, man, I've got to learn more.
00:22:56.880 --> 00:22:59.519
I mean, there's only so much we can cover, of course, in a podcast.
00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:04.720
But what I always love to do in the podcast is whet the appetite, so to speak, of, oh my gosh, I need to learn more.
00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:10.240
Tell us more about the services and how people work with you to learn more.
00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:11.680
Well, thank you very much.
00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:17.200
And I'm going to set that table by saying that uh I appreciate everything you do for your listeners.
00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:24.000
And so I've created a little website called www.freevetcall, sandy.com.
00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:27.119
So www.frevetcall.com.
00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:38.799
And if any of your listeners have any question at all, whether it be about the dental care that you've spoken about, vaccines, lifestyle, supplements, please go to freevetcall.com.
00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:40.400
It's just a link to my calendar.
00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:45.440
There's no charge for a 10 or 15-minute consult, and I would be honored to help you guys.
00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:55.279
But taking a step back from that, my day-to-day business is helping trying to help our pets live longer, the pet longevity business.
00:23:55.519 --> 00:24:02.640
And so I use a combination of consults to spread the knowledge, spread the mistakes that I have made over 40 years in veterinary practice.
00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:10.559
I use the proven supplements that Sandy has spoken about, and I use prescription longevity drugs like rapamycin, acarbos, and formin.
00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:12.960
I have a deep passion for older pets.
00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:15.839
I spent a lot of time talking about cancer care.
00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:20.480
I spent an awful lot of time talking about heart care, especially in cats.
00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:26.319
I spend an awful lot of time talking about chronic pain in large breed dogs.
00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:28.160
And these are things that I love.
00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:32.640
I want to do the very best job I can to help you and your pet live longer.
00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:40.960
And so if I I work with people across the United States, into the UK, into Canada, and every once in a while in the EU.
00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:44.640
So if you have a question as a pet parent, reach out to me.
00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:48.559
www.helpingpetslivelonger.com is my real job.
00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:52.880
www.freevetcall.com is the easy way to get in touch with me.
00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:55.200
And I will help you if I can.
00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:57.119
Oh, I appreciate that.
00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:58.079
That is awesome.
00:24:58.240 --> 00:25:07.440
Now we didn't even get just one sidebar question, we didn't even get to the the supplements that you are recommending that are on your website because I did some research on that.
00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:26.400
But you as a former having spent 40 years as a veterinarian doctor, then you these are supplements that you have studied, that you have spent time of that on that you would recommend based on your the studies that you have and the confidence that you you have in these.
00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:33.039
If somebody's looking at your website and says, yeah, I'm not so sure, but these are scientific-based supplements, if you will.
00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:34.400
Is that a fair statement?
00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:36.240
Yeah, absolutely, Sandy.
00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:40.079
And so what I would tell you is that there are we only carry about 17 supplements.
00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:46.400
And that's in comparison with the aisle after aisle in in uh Costco or the page after page in Chewy.
00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:53.440
But I can tell you exactly why we carry each one of those supplements and whether it
would help your pet or not.
00:25:53.839 --> 00:26:08.559
And to take a step backwards, I would tell you that my journey with integrative medicine began when at the age of about 45 in southwestern Colorado, I was tentatively diagnosed with cancer, a particular fatal form of cancer called myeloma.
00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:18.319
And that was done on the basis of some blood tests, and I ended up referring myself down to the mayo clinic in Scottsdale, where we did a bunch of extra tests.
00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:27.440
And by the way, Sandy, here is the the if you're if your pet parents, if your listeners take home nothing but this, here's the tip for the day.
00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:32.640
If they ever have to go through a bone marrow biopsy, take the general anesthesia.
00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:36.160
Do not think that local anesthesia is adequate.
00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:39.519
Take the general anesthesia for a bone marrow biopsy.
00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:47.680
But the relative good news is that my bone marrow biopsy came back with a pre-malignant condition instead of the malignancy known as myeloma.
00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:58.240
And so logic would tell both you and me that the goal, one of the goals every day for the rest of my life will be to prevent that transformation from a pre-malignancy into cancer.
00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:07.519
So I did all the research back in the day, Sandy, and there was not one pharmaceutical drug that could slow that malignant transformation from occurring.
00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:15.279
But there was a spice called curcumin that has been documented to prevent that transformation from occurring.
00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:23.519
So that knowledge right there began my quest into integrative therapy for myself and for the patients in my care.
00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:25.279
So you're damn right.
00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:34.000
I have a vested interest in making sure every product that I carry is the very best I can find, not only for your use, but also for mine.
00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:39.519
Oh well, I'm I'm glad that you're doing better, and thank you for sharing that heartfelt story.
00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:41.839
And I know it will resonate with uh listeners.
00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:42.559
Well, Dr.
00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:44.559
Kevin, it has been a pleasure having you on today.
00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:49.119
I know we could uh probably my listeners are like, wait a minute, why didn't you ask this question or keep talking?
00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:53.519
But again, we will list um all the links there so people can reach out to you.
00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:58.559
I can't thank you enough for your heartfelt and informative message today.
00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:01.119
Um I know that people will greatly benefit from it.
00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:02.079
So thank you.
00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:04.000
Well, thank you very much, Sandy.
00:28:04.079 --> 00:28:06.000
And again, I appreciate everything you do.
00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:15.359
The healthcare industry on the human side is it's just getting more complex and a bigger it's very frustrating for a consumer like me.
00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:19.440
And so to have somebody like you to guide us, I mean, it's just the best thing in the world.
00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:22.880
So thank you for all you do for us typical healthcare consumers.
00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:24.559
I really appreciate your work.
00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:25.680
Thank you.
00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:27.759
I enjoyed having Dr.
00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:28.799
Kevin on the show.
00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:40.880
As I stated in the beginning, navigating healthcare is challenging enough for us, but when we combine that with taking care of our fur pets in the traditional vet system, that is also challenging.
00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:42.960
So some great words of wisdom from Dr.
00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:43.519
Kevin.
00:28:43.599 --> 00:28:52.160
And make sure and check out his free vet call to get information should you have some concerns or just would like to have a conversation in general.
00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:54.480
I'm certain you will greatly benefit.
00:28:55.039 --> 00:28:57.599
That link is in the show notes, so check it out.
00:28:57.839 --> 00:29:08.640
In our next episode, we're talking about when dementia, serious illness, grief, or caregiving enters your life, the emotional weight can feel overwhelming and isolating.
00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:10.799
What do you do for your loved one?
00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:14.799
How can you support them and make sure they get the care they deserve?
00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:18.640
To get into this discussion, I am bringing Kay Adams on the show.
00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:30.720
Kay is a licensed clinical social worker with over 30 years of experience counseling and coaching individuals and families around a broad array of complex emotional and health-related challenges.
00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:39.359
She has worked extensively in the fields of geriatrics, hospice, palliative care, and mental health counseling over the course of her career.
00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:54.000
She has a strong passion and expertise for supporting, educating, coaching, and training personal and professional caregivers around issues relating to life-limiting illnesses, grief and loss, and the disease of dementia.
00:29:54.160 --> 00:29:56.400
I hope you'll join us on the next show.
00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:58.960
Until next time, get savvy.