We’ve moved our open thread to Friday this week, so we can feature special guest Dr. Nancy Kay, a veterinarian, regular Bark contributor, and author of Speaking for Spot [3]: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life. Nancy will be stopping by our open thread this afternoon. (If you can’t be here then, feel free to leave a question for Nancy and check back, or join the real-time conversation on any subject that suits your fancy in the meantime.)
 
Nancy is eager to talk about the veterinarian-client relationship [4], sharing hard-won insight into everything from saving money on your vet bills [5] to setting reasonable expectations [6] of your vet to getting the most out of check-ups and much more. While she can speak generally to health issues, she won’t be giving specific medical advice or making diagnoses.
 
A staff internist at VCA Animal Care Center, a 24-hour emergency/specialty care center in Rohnert Park, Calif., Nancy was selected by the American Animal Hospital Association to receive the 2009 Hill’s Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award and she was also the recipient of the 2011 Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award.
 
Newcomers, the open thread is a little like the dog park: Get out there and run, sniff around and play nice. Obscene, abusive, offensive or commercial comments will be taken down. We close the thread at 4 p.m. PST.