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Pet Press KALISPELL
MAY 2022
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WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY FAVORITE TEACHERS BEST IN CLASS
There’s a reason I’m not a teacher — I honestly just don’t have the patience. It’s not a trait I’m proud of, but it’s true. Even in my personal life, I try to avoid teaching because I don’t like getting into arguments because I’m impatient. There’s no surer way to start a fight than trying to teach your kid how to play piano or your spouse how to drive. But the fact that I don’t have what it takes only makes me respect teachers even more. May 3 is National Teacher Day, and I can’t think of many professions more worthy of celebration. My wife is a teacher, as is most of my extended family, so I get a close-up view of what they go through. Plus, I love learning, and several of my teachers taught me important lessons about a lot more than just the curriculum. I always tended to gravitate toward challenging teachers. Though many kids dreaded their classes, I enjoyed and learned a lot from the discipline. They weren’t mean; they just had high expectations. They knew what we were capable of, and they demanded we show it in our work. Ms. McKenzy taught my AP English class in ninth grade, and entering her class was a rude but necessary awakening. Up until that point, I didn’t have to work very hard to get good grades. When I started taking her class, it dawned on me that I actually have to pay attention and do the reading! I didn’t like the idea of disappointing her,
so I worked harder than I ever had at my studies up until that point. She got us ready for high school, college, and beyond. Another teacher who taught me a lot was Dr. Colva, my calculus instructor. At one point, he assigned us a large section of homework on a topic that we didn’t go over in class. It was confusing, and none of us really understood it very well. Shortly after, he told us that we were having a test and asked everyone if they had questions about anything. No one spoke up — a big mistake. There were several questions from that section on the test, and most of us completely bombed. Straight-A students felt reduced to tears over their first C or D. Dr. Cole had no sympathy for us. “You said you didn’t have any questions,” he explained, “so I assumed you understood it.” Then and there, I learned that it was my job to take responsibility for my own learning — no one would hold my hand or force me to do the work. The final teacher who stands out was Dr. Issac, who taught me immunology as an undergrad. He held his class daily for an hour each day over two semesters, so it was automatically a whole lot of work. Back then, we didn’t use computers, and you had to visit the campus bookstore to buy the class notes. Each semester’s notes took up about a ream of paper, and the teacher expected you to know it all, front to back.
It scared everyone because he could ask you anything at all on one of his tests. He’d do multiple choice questions, but it was no simple A–D list of answers. Your options were more like A–X. Answer H might say, “Always answer B, but sometimes answer F” — and the entire test was like that! It felt very far from easy, but that class is where I learned to study. It prepared me for veterinary school and taught me how to be more efficient and effective at my learning. I’m grateful I received the lesson when I did. As much as I learned from those tough classes, I’m also grateful that we have nurturing teachers like my wife, who teaches reading for grades 6–8. Younger kids need support, and in the end, I think any good teacher wants to see kids succeed. These days, we ask so much of teachers beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic with little time and fewer resources. It’s unfortunate, but school is all some kids have, and teachers can be a lifeline. They help produce responsible young people and teach all kinds of lessons you can’t always learn from just reading a book. For being role models, mentors, and advisors, teachers deserve our gratitude every day of the year. They certainly have mine!
– Dr. Jevon Clark
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Ahead
3 YouTube Channels to Watch With Your Kids YOU’LL BE THE ‘COOL PARENT’ IN NO TIME According to TechCrunch, kids between 4 and 15 spend about an hour and 25 minutes every day watching YouTube. That means unless you’re a screen-free family, your kids are probably spending a big chunk of their time obsessing over stars like Mr. Beast and Jenna Marbles — so why not make it a bonding activity? There are definitely YouTube channels you don’t want to watch with your kids, but there are also plenty of fun, educational options that folks of all ages can enjoy. To win extra “cool parent” points, try watching one of these the next time you’re together.
Dr. Clark and our Executive Director Andrea Dutter clicked immediately. “From the get-go, we were already on the same wavelength,” she says. “We make a dynamic duo, and our
styles blend really well together.”
GOOD MYTHICAL MORNNG (YOUTUBE.COM/GOODMYTHICALMORNING) This channel is a daytime talk show that has been running on YouTube for 10 years and has more than 17 million subscribers. Comedians Rhett and Link post a mix of crazy food challenges, DIY experiments, and funny guest episodes. You can watch them taste discontinued snacks, try to turn fried chicken into ice cream cake, and feed Terry Crews tiny food, among other things. Episodes go up daily when the show is in season. (Best for ages 10+.) REACT (YOUTUBE.COM/FINEBROS) Run by two brothers, these weekly videos cover a range of topics and have kids and adults “react” to them on camera. The topics range from funny (“7 Weirdest Sports You Won’t Believe Exist”) to serious (“Adults React to 4 Shocking Unsolved Robberies”). You’ll find celebrity content, fun facts, and challenge episodes like “Try Not to Smile” sprinkled into the mix. (Best for ages 10+.) MINUTEPHYSICS (YOUTUBE.COM/MINUTEPHYSICS) If your kid is interested in science or just endlessly curious, MinutePhysics is the channel for you. In 10 minutes or less, its hand-drawn videos easily explain tough concepts like photons and cosmic time. The creators also dive into questions like “Why do mirrors flip left and right, but not up and down?” and “Why do compressed air cans get cold?” (Best for ages 7+.) Pro parent tip : If your kids say they already watch one of the channels you suggest, ask them to show you their favorite video. Before you know it, you could be watching every new post together.
Andrea began her career in management at age 17, working in the cleaning, restaurant, and retirement
industries before joining us in the veterinary world five years ago. She now oversees all of our hospital operations, handling human resources, financials, and staffing.
As much as Andrea loves the pets, they are not her favorite part of the job. “They’re a perk,” she says. What keeps her passionate is the clinic’s team environment. “I get to work with the people who make the magic happen. They are the ones that change and touch lives, and I get to build the culture and find the best people for our team.” One of her main goals is to keep the staff energized and satisfied. “If my staff is happy, they’ll make the clients happy,”
Gourmet Cat Salmon Patties No pet loves fish quite as much as cats. This salmon concoction will have your feline friend purring with delight. Inspired by Petsmont.com
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THE MORE
d of the Pack
MEET OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR!
WHY DR. CLARK LOVES CONTINUING EDUCATION It’s Dr. Clark here again, and I’m not done talking about education yet! I recently returned from Las Vegas for the 94th annual Western Veterinary Conference, which draws around 15,000 attendees every year. There are so many veterinary professionals in one place that I often wonder who’s taking care of the animals! But I particularly love this event because of the quality and variety of the sessions. There are hundreds of lectures to choose from, featuring the best researchers and clinicians. YOU KNOW
she says. “And that’s important in any business, but specifically in one that has this unique kind of intimacy with our clients.”
Andrea is married with two children in middle school, and her family loves spending time outdoors. “We love hiking, camping, and paddleboarding,” she says. “We also have a good network
of friends, and we have a pack of dogs. The dogs always have a blast together, and we have a blast with our friends.”
Andrea’s dogs are Freya, a Labrador Retriever, and Duke, a German Shepherd. She explains that “both dogs came to us via clients” after they needed to be rehomed. “Freya is my pride and joy,” she says. “She’s the best dog I’ve ever had.” For Duke’s part, she says, “I fell in love with him when he was here for a visit. He’s the most chill German Shepherd in the world.” She also has a cat named Beryl, who she adopted as a kitten. “She sleeps in my arms all night, every night.” Of her work, Andrea says, “The puppies and kittens and other animals are great to see, but it’s the people who make it really wonderful. We also have great clients.” Joining the clinic “has been the best decision,” she adds. “This is where I was meant to be, and I can see myself retiring in this industry.”
I think it’s fun to learn in a giant room full of people — and it’s extra fun to identify a medical mystery being presented before the big reveal. I’ve been practicing for many years now, and I try to make a point of learning from every new experience I have with an animal. A first-time diagnosis always goes in a file cabinet in my brain. Those experiences can be invaluable when I’m trying to figure out why an animal is showing abnormal symptoms or not responding to treatment as expected. It’s just as important that I don’t get stuck in my old ways, and the conference reminds me that medicine is a continuum. It would be great if every disease presented the same way every time and was always effectively treated with the same medication, but that’s not how it works. It’s frustrating to both my clients and me, but it’s much worse if I’m stuck in a rote pattern. The conference reminds me of all the assumptions I make and the drugs I regularly rely on, and it makes me question whether I’m serving animals in the best way possible. Further, medicine never stops changing. We follow the research, institute what we think are best practices, then find out years later that maybe what we thought was wrong. Sometimes, those changes happen after decades. I have to keep up and ensure I’m working from the best information. Often, I’ll attend lectures about medical conditions I continually see, just to confirm I’m current. I always return from the conference fired up to practice better medicine. I get to reset my assumptions, talk to other people who are passionate about animal health, and learn a little something along the way. Education is a lifelong process. You can’t improve without learning, and I never want to stop getting better at what I do.
Ingredients
• •
1 4-oz fresh salmon fillet
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2 large eggs
1/4 cup oats
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. On a foil-lined baking sheet, place raw salmon and bake for approximately 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145 F. 3. In the refrigerator, allow salmon to cool completely. 4. Using a food processor, grind oats into a fine flour. 5. With 2 forks, shred cooled salmon into small pieces. 6. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, oat flour, and salmon meat. 7. Using your hands, form salmon mixture into 1-inch patties. 8. On a foil-lined baking sheet, cook patties for approximately 12–15 minutes at 350 F. Patties should be golden brown. 9. Allow the patties to cool completely before giving them to your cat. Store leftover patties in the refrigerator or freezer.
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406.755.6886 WWW.KALISPELLVET.COM 1408 AIRPORT ROAD KALISPELL, MT 59901
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Inside
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The Teachers Who Influenced Dr. Clark
2 The Secret to Being the ‘Cool Parent’
2 Meet Andrea Dutter!
2 Gourmet Cat Salmon Patties
3 There’s Always More to Learn in Veterinary Medicine 4
Cat Saves 83-Year-Old From Potentially Fatal Tumble
Black Magic
HOW ONE CAT SAVED HIS OWNER’S LIFE
Black cats can have it rough. People associate them with Halloween and bad luck, they can be tricky to photograph, and they make up a full third of all cats surrendered to animal shelters. But one special black feline named Piran proved his worth when he led rescuers to his 83-year-old owner after she fell down a ravine.
cat’s noises and heard a faint response. Piran had staked out his position where his owner had fallen — 70 feet down a ravine located at the edge of a cornfield. According to Longmuir, “She had gone through the barbed wire and was laying in the stream — we think she had been in there for hours.” Emergency services were called and quickly rescued the woman. “Without the cat waiting at the gate to that field,” Longmuir added, “it could have been hours later that I or anyone else would have checked in there.” The injured woman was taken to the hospital in good spirits and stable condition, avoiding a potential tragedy. Meanwhile, the police posted a photograph of Piran’s handsome black face on social media and declared him a hero. Though he reportedly received many treats, Piran’s real reward was a job well done. “The cat is very attached to her,” Longmuir said. Cats may not generally be known for their loyalty, but maybe it’s time for the stereotype to get an update. Clearly, Piran the black cat was anything but bad luck. He proved it with the grandest act possible — saving his human’s life.
In August 2021, the woman went for a walk near her home in Cornwall, England. When she didn’t return, her neighbors started to worry. They formed a search operation, but there was a lot of ground to cover in their rural surroundings. They had little luck in their investigation until they heeded the advice of her cat. While the search crew worked, Piran refused to move from one specific spot, and he meowed incessantly. That wasn’t like him, so eventually, Tamar Longmuir, a neighbor assisting in the search, decided to find out the reason for all the racket. Longmuir called to the woman while investigating the
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