What Zit All About?  Dr. K talks about skin care for the urban jungle on San Diego's Channel 6!

Click HERE to watch the news segment!  Ignore the ad that plays 10 seconds before the news piece; it comes embedded with the video and we are unable to delete it.

Own the same Saddleback Leather Company briefcase that Dr. K carries in the field!

The classic briefcase in "dark coffee brown" is the first Saddleback Leather Company product I ever ordered.  It is also the company's most popular one.

I call mine "The Beast!" It's massive, sturdy, and commands attention upon entering a room.  It is made of thick leather, tough stitching, and manly buckles.  No whimpy zippers on the thing at all!

Personally, I have found that leather acts as an excellent insulator for keeping field medications at a more constant temperature.  The flipside is that the bag itself is heavier than other bags its size, but I dig getting a workout hauling "The Beast" around town and country.

With Saddleback's famous 100-year warranty, I can safely say that this might just be the last briefcase I ever need!

As always, share your knowledge with others in the field and remember:  When you're out there...Be there!

Your exposure to the sun may be doing more than causing acute sunburn, sun-induced skin aging, and possible skin cancers...

In addition to all of that, the sun may also be slowly damaging the corneas, lenses, and retinas of your eyes.  The good news?  You CAN take precautions to protect your “baby blues” (or greens, browns, etc.)!

To protect your priceless vision, you need to wear sunglasses every time you are outdoors.  Regardless of your outdoor activity — running, walking, fishing, golfing, biking, even swimming — you should get accustomed to wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes from the damaging effects of blue light and the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.  And that potential damage is much greater than you might imagine.  Snow, cement, grass, and sand reflecting the sun’s rays thereby increasing the ocular hazards for all golfers, skiers, fishermen, beachgoers, and water-sports enthusiasts.  Over time, UV radiation causes cataracts and has been linked to macular degeneration, a treatable but incurable condition that can lead to blindness.  It can also cause pterygium and pingueculum — small growths on the sclera (the whites of your eyes) — as well as photokeratitis (a sort of conjunctival sunburn).  There are also increasing reports of eyelid skin cancers and accelerated "crowsfeet" wrinkling, which may bother you enough to want to prevent it in the first place.

Cataract

Pterygium

Crowsfeet

Sunlight’s damage to your vision is cumulative just as it is on your skin, so the lesson here is simple:  Wear sunglasses whenever outdoors and start using them early, correctly, and all the time.  Picking good sunglasses need not be difficult or expensive.  Brand names like Oakley, Ray-Ban, Nike, Sundog, Callaway, SunBuster, and Adidas can be found all over.  Other sunglasses are available that are every bit as good - sometimes even better! - and usually less expensive.  Standard prescription eyeglasses can be treated with a material that provides UV protection while retaining a clear, nontinted appearance. In fact, a friend of mine dipped sunglass lenses as a side business through high school, and he revealed that the chemical that is used costs less than $1 per pair of sunglasses!  That is a huge mark-up but your eyes are worth it!

Here are some tips for choosing the right pair to keep your eyes sun-safe:

• Look for glasses labeled with “Blocks 99-100% UVA and UVB rays."  Pass on any sunglasses that do not meet these criteria; they are not worth whatever price is being asked, and you are buying a false sense of eye-security!  Simply wearing dark, non-protective glasses is probably worse than wearing none at all since they would cause your pupils to dilate (widen) and allow more damaging UVB rays to enter your eyes, pass through your lenses, and hit your retinas.   
• Polarized lenses reduce glare but can make it harder to read cell-phones, GPS, and other liquid crystal displays.  Unless they are specifically treated with UV coating, polarized lenses don't offer UV protection.
• Photochromic lenses that darken with light exposure can reduce glare and help maintain clarity, although they may take time to adjust to different light conditions. Not all photochromic lenses offer adequate UV protection, so be sure to check the product label.
• Colored lenses may be helpful.  Glasses tinted amber, grey, or green, can help minimize color distortion—an advantage to, say, golfers and sailors because they can make distant objects easier to see, especially in low light.  Blue-blocking plastic lenses may make it difficult to discriminate the hues in traffic lights, however, and not all blue-blocking lenses offer adequate UV protection.
• Mirror-coated lenses help block visible light, but they don't necessarily block UV radiation.  Sorry, Magnum PI!
• Wrap-around lens and wide-body aviator-type lenses are more protective.  Because sunlight gets reflected, it can get to our eyes from all directions.  The more your lenses fully encase your eyes, the less UV rays that will get inside. 
• Make sure your sunglasses are comfortable and stay in place without rubbing or pinching.  You may wish to use a drawstring to keep them in place.
• Some contact lenses also offer UV protection, but because contact lenses don't cover the entire eye it's still important to wear sunglasses for UV protection when you're outdoors.

There is much in the way of new sunglass technology.  Some of the claims are real, and some are mostly hype.  The bottom-line is that you do not have to go out and spend $400 to get an effective pair of UV-protective sunglasses.  You should, however, invest in a pair that look and feel good so that you wear them whenever you are outdoors.  Your eyes and vision are priceless gifts and worth the investment. 

As always, share your knowledge with others in the field and remember:  When you're out there...Be there!

On long hikes or days at the beach, do you make sure your dog slows down and takes a drink? Do you take your dog for long runs for exercise through the city or your neighborhood?

On hot days as well as humid days, be mindful that your dog is at risk of heat stroke, a life threatening condition.

Heat stroke is caused by your pet’s inability to cool itself. Dogs only have sweat gland on their paws. Not enough to help cool their body temperature down. They mainly get rid of body heat by panting. Sometimes, panting is not enough to cool themselves when they are continually active or if their environment is hot and humid. Make sure you allow your dog to take breaks to drink water to help with his cooling. If he has been running or playing without taking a rest, make them take a 10 to 15 break in the shade.

Heat stroke typically occurs when the dog’s body temperature is over 106 F (normal is 99F to 102.5F).  At such high body temperature the cells and organs in the body can no longer function, causing multi system and organ failure. The kidneys can stop making urine, the liver can stop detoxifying the body, and they can loose the ability to have normal clot formation. Obese animals and those with thick hair coats are at an increased risk. The short nosed or squish faced dog breeds (including bulldogs, pugs, shihtzus, lhasa apsos, etc.) are especially predisposed.  Their smaller nostrils, shorter noses, and other changes in their upper airway make them higher risk breeds for developing this condition. That being said, any active dog can develop this life threatening disease.

Older dogs with changes to their barks or a roaring sound to their breathing can also have a higher risk of developing heat stroke. Changes in bark and or changes to the sound of their panting can indicate a problem with their larynx, the trap door protecting their windpipe. If the larynx is unable to properly open, it diminishes the amount of hot air they can blow off.  Any changes to the bark or breathing noises in older dogs should be immediately addressed PRIOR to warmer temperatures. Dogs with laryngeal paralysis can develop heat stroke just by going outside on a hot humid day for 15 to 20 minutes in the yard.

Humidity and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation (cars without the windows down) can also increase the risk of heat stroke to your dog. Thus, a humid day, even if it is not particularly sunny, can precipitate heat stroke just as easily as a 100° sunny day. Animals shut in cars without the windows down can suffer from heat stroke even on a cool day.

Signs of heat stroke are varied and include heavy panting, increased noise while breathing (wheezing type sounds), gagging or coughing, drooling, bright red gum color, red-purple splotching on the skin or gums (petechiae), shaking, lethargy, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, collapse, shock, coma and sudden death.

If you believe your dog is exhibiting signs of heat stroke take IMMEDIATE action! Help cool your dog by hosing them down, placing a wet towel over them, or offering them water to drink if they are able to. If a vehicle is close by, place the air conditioner on high and drive safely to the nearest emergency hospital.  Unless the car has been well-ventilated don’t put your dog in a hot car. Heat stroke patients can die from being placed in a hot car that’s been parked in the sun all day. Roll down the windows, blast the AC, and get the environmental temperature down. Placing ice on your dog is not recommended due to the shock it can cause your pet. Do not delay getting your pet to an emergency hospital for IV fluid therapy and supportive care. Carry your dog to your car as quickly as possible while cooling him. This is a time sensitive emergency.

How can I avoid heat stroke in my pet?

• Remember to take frequent water breaks and rest in the shade. For large breed dogs, even a 30 minute jog in the summer can lead to heat stroke.
• If you do jog or exercise with your dog, make sure it’s early or late in the day when the outside temperature is lower
• If you own a breed with a squished face, don’t take them for hikes or jogs on warm days. Talk to your veterinarian to see if your pet has a higher risk of over heating based on his nose and throat exam.
• If you hear a change in bark or change in the sound of your dog’s pant, have a laryngeal exam prior to any activity in warm weather.
• If you are at the beach, remember that drinking ocean water (i.e., SALT water) will only make things worse for your dog. Stop him from drinking salt water and offer him fresh water. Also remember that the sand can get very HOT! Don’t take your dog to the beach if you yourself can’t walk barefoot comfortably on the sand.
• Always make sure they have shade and fresh water available.

As usual, share this information with others in the field and remember:  When you're out there...Be there!