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with patients who were very interested in what I had to say," she says, laughing. "And then the dog shows up, and I become very unimportant." When taking a patient's history, Klancar always asks about pets. "In oncology practice, it's very important to know the social structure of the patient, who their support systems are," she says. If the patient has a dog, she'll often suggest they walk together as a way to combat the fatigue and side effects of chemotherapy. "It's a way to make exercise not a chore but more of a pleasure," she says. Keeping it safe Klancar says she's surprised at how many cancer patients worry about catching an infection from their animals. "Some people ask, do I need to get rid of my pet, or have someone take it for a while?" she says. Fortunately, the answer is almost always no. "They don't carry any more disease than you encounter on objects — or even on your own skin," Klancar says. She does urge patients with compromised immune systems to wash their hands after handling their animals and to avoid bites and scratches. "But just petting them?" she says. "It's not unlike shaking someone's hand." Moreover, McQuarrie, who coordinates the dog program at Swedish, says Denver Pet Partners adheres to rigorous, evidence-based riskmanagement standards. "We stress infection control, and we're very particular about following the tenets of human-animal interaction to ensure that it's safe and effective," she says. Making it mutual While there's a probable link between pet ownership and better health, pets should never be acquired for only that reason. The owner's primary motivation should always be to give the animal a good home. "How we as human beings treat animals really says a lot about our character," McQuarrie says. "Our regard for other life, and the depth of our compassion, really comes through in how we treat other living things." Great legs. Healthy legs. Now is the time to take care of unsightly spider and varicose veins, along with the heavy feeling in your legs—before warm weather returns. Customized multi-modality treatment plans •Sclerotherapy •Foam •Radiofrequency •Laser No stitches. No downtime. No varicose veins. Our Board-certified, fellow-trained InterventionalRadiologistshave performed thousands of these procedures. Most insurance plans cover varicose veins. Call for your free consultation now. 720.493.3406 8200 E Belleview Ave Suite 600E Greenwood Village, CO 80111 RIAEndovascular.com RIAENDO_HWVeins_4.875x9.75_3.indd 1 Health and Wellness Magazine •9:26 AM 83 12/16/13