u/DrKateVet

​
EDIT: I have to run for now, but I hate leaving questions unanswered. I will be popping back into this thread over the next day or two to reply to the rest of these. Feel free to keep dropping questions!

Hi Reddit! I'm Dr. Kate Elden, DVM, Chief Medical Officer at Dutch. I went to vet school at UC Davis and trained in equine medicine before moving to small animal care. I worked my way up from associate vet to medical director and opened a new hospital during the pandemic, which is where I got deep into telemedicine.

Why I do this: I grew up with a sibling with special needs, and the service dog that came into our lives changed things for my whole family. That's a big part of why I became a vet. What I didn't expect was how many pets would go without care entirely, not because their people didn't care, but because the visit cost too much, the clinic was too far, or work and life just didn't allow for it. That's most of what I think about now.

I still see patients, and a lot of those visits happen over video, which means I'm meeting pets in their own homes instead of on a cold steel table. You notice different things that way.

Let's dig into all things pet health. Anything is fair game, but here's what I get asked most: the itchy dog nobody can figure out (and the ear infections that follow), fleas and ticks, senior cats hiding illness until it's advanced, anxiety, dental, nutrition, grain-free vs. raw, and seasonal stuff like blue-green algae in ponds or why you shouldn't shave your husky in July.

The thing I could talk about all day is longevity, and the honest answer is that the boring stuff wins. Keep them lean. Move them every day, since consistent walks beat the big weekend hike. Take care of their teeth. Treat pain early, because pain stops movement and movement is what keeps an older pet going. Supplements support the plan, they shouldn't become the plan.And old is not a disease. When a senior dog starts "acting stubborn" on walks or a senior cat gets "lazy," they're usually hurting or confused, and there's almost always something we can do.

I'll be here Wednesday, August 26, starting at 9am PT / 12pm ET, answering questions for about 2 hours. Whether it's a dog who won't stop scratching, a senior cat who's slowing down, or something you've been meaning to ask a vet for months, ask away. Bring me your ruffest questions. I'm all ears.

Joining me in the photo: Molly (lab) and Alex (cat), who tolerated exactly one take.

The information I share here is general education only. I can't diagnose conditions or give specific medical advice without examining your pet. If something feels urgent, please get your pet seen right away.