The top 10 client handouts of 2017

You spend all day educating pet owners at your practice, so let us give you a hand. Here are the 10 most downloaded client handouts of 2017.

10. Fight ear infection fiction

Here are some things some folks (maybe your own veterinary clients?) believe about recurring ear problems:

> "All ear infections are the same, so I can use the same medicine that worked the last time."

> "If I pluck the hairs out of my dog's ear, my dog will never get another ear infection."

> "My dog has an ear infection, because he caught it from another animal."

> "My dog scratches, licks or chews because he's bored, grooming himself or imitating the family cat."

> "My dog's ears will be cured so he'll never get another infection."

Help them see past some misconceptions to the truth with this handout.

9. Creating a tick-free zone in the backyard

Ticks are carriers of nasty diseases that can infect your patients-and their owners. Help them create a tick-unfriendly zone in their yard using these tips from the University of Rhode Island's Tick Encounter Resource Center to keep pets free from these pests.

8. Help kids say goodbye to their pets

Euthanasia offers a unique opportunity to help children understand and process death-perhaps for the first time. And while it's true that parents are the ultimate experts on their children, if they approach you for advice on what to tell their kids, telling clients to say "whatever feels right" misses the boat. If these clients knew what was "right," they wouldn't be asking you!

Give clients something more concrete (or in this case, paper). This handout, featuring the expertise of Drs. Jessica Vogelsang, and Dani McVety, offers age-appropriate advice to guide parents through the euthanasia discussion with their kids.

(Heads up: The handout encourages parents to reach out to their veterinarian if they are unable to have the discussion on their own, so be ready to provide support. This article can help.)

7. Tick removal handout

For those veterinary clients who want to remove their pets' ticks at home, tada-here's a handout to give them with information from CAPC.

It's got all the greatest hits for tick-tackling tips: don't try to torch them with matches ... don't pop them before you get them out ... and, most important, put removed ticks in a bottle of alcohol in case they need a tick-borne disease test for themselves or their pet after all.

6. An FAQ about those horrible hot spots

Hot spots. Ouch! Download this PDF, with information from Kathryn Primm, DVM, to educate your veterinary clients about how to handle these painful problems in their dogs with allergies and other dermatologic issues and how to prevent future ouchiness.

5. How to win the barking dog battle

Are your clients suffering from yappy Yorkies, woofing Weimaraners and baying beagles?

This printable handout from Sherrie Yuschak, RVT, VTS (behavior), KPA-CTP, can help pet owners identify and modify triggers to help bury barking. Above all, Yuschak encourages clients to stay calm and promote peace through positive reinforcement in order to avoid causing dogs more stress and anxiety.

4. Where fleas really live

About 95 percent of fleas in the house aren't on the pet. (If you're not itching yet, just wait until you've read the handout!) Teach pet owners the importance of managing the home environment with this free client tool that features infromation from the CDC. Bonus: We've added a poster version you can post in your exam rooms to trigger pet owners to ask about parasite prevention. (You're welcome.)

3. “Is my dog playing … or fighting?”

Oh, they're just playing … right?

It can be tough to discern the difference between dogs having fun and dogs having a fight-especially if one dog is much larger and stronger than the other. This client handout by Lisa Radosta, DVM, DACVB, can help clients spot the signs of normal play. It also details causes for concern and what to do when things get aggressive.

2. 4 reasons why your dog needs a yearly heartworm test

Pet owners who faithfully give their dogs heartworm preventives every month may scoff at your suggestion of an annual heartworm check, but perhaps they just need one good reason to invest in the test.

This printable handout by Kathryn Primm, DVM, gives four: protection limitations, testing limitations, resistance and insurance.

1. Top 10 human medications poisonous to pets

A striking statistic starts out this veterinary client handout: Nearly 50% of the poisoning cases managed by Pet Poison Helpline involve human medications-both over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

It's happening! And pet owners may be none the wiser of the harm that can come from their pets ingesting these human drugs. Pass on this handout from veterinary toxicologist Dr. Ahna Brutlag STAT-and save a pet!