Processing ....|
FALL 2008 VOLUME 3 HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY, ANIMAL WELLNESS CLINIC!!!!
That’s right, the Animal Wellness Clinic is turning five on October 20, 2008- and my how we’ve grown.
As many of you remember, we started out across the street from our current location. It was a small, claustrophobic space. The practice consisted of four rooms; an exam room, laboratory, reception area, and a closet-sized bathroom. The staff was just as small, with only Dr. Flake, Melissa and Valerie (though Melissa and Valerie never worked the same shift).
The AWC quickly picked up speed, thanks to word of mouth from our clients. You know who you are. Thank you!!
As the clinic grew, it was necessary to bring in more help and the family began to grow. While we were still across the street, Justine came aboard to work the newly offered evening appointments, and Caitlin, a pre-veterinary Gettysburg College student, took Melissa’s place while she was on maternity leave and then continued with us part time for three years.
As the family grows, so does the home. We found it necessary to relocate to a roomier location. In July of 2005, we scurried across Route 30 with the contents of our former office in hand, to open the doors to our current location. The extra space now enables us to offer three patient treatment rooms, an updated reception area, a spacious surgery ward, a complete in-house laboratory, and two additions to our family- Bridget and Friday!
From September 19th to October 20th, clients can register to win one of five prize packages we are giving away as part of our celebration. The drawing will be held on Monday, October 20th, and you do not need to be present to win. The prize packages are still being developed, but you are invited to watch for announcements concerning their contents on our website: www.chipmypet.com.
Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for helping us reach our five year anniversary; none of this would have been possible without our patient’s humans. So many pets and their owners have become a part of this family, and we look forward to each visit and work hard to ensure their health and your happiness. New Website Launched
As part of our anniversary celebration, we have launched a new and improved website. Our new website offers a “Pet Medical Library”; listing, description, and recommendations of the services we offer; links to other important websites such as Animal Poison Control; and great photos of our staff in action. The website also enables you to contact us, update your information, request prescription refills, and add photos of your pet via e-mail. For those of you who enjoy the convenience of shopping on-line, we have kept the link to Vetcentric Pet Pharmacy. So, come and check it out!
www.chipmypet.com
Celebrating Seniors!
September is Senior Pet Month
Did you know your pet ages 5-9 times faster than you do? At age 7 your pet is considered a senior citizen and as your pet ages they become more prone to conditions similar to those of a middle aged to senior human. For all species, humans and pets alike, aging is more than a few gray hairs.
Some changes in your pet’s health are easy to outwardly see, such as cataracts or cloudiness in their eyes, dental disease (worn/ broken/ missing teeth, bad breath, and red/ swollen/ bleeding gums), lumps, bumps and masses on their bodies, and of course, arthritis. Other conditions, that aren’t so visible, may include heart conditions, diabetes, dysfunction of the endocrine system (thyroid, pancreas, or adrenal gland), liver dysfunction, kidney problems, and cancer.
Your pet’s health can change rapidly as they age, and changes can easily go unnoticed. Because pets age so quickly, major health changes occur in a short amount of time. Physical examinations, every six months, are important to cats and dogs of all ages because they help the veterinarian detect, treat, and ideally prevent problems before they become life threatening. Along with physical examinations, laboratory testing may be recommended. When laboratory testing of the urine and blood is completed on a younger or healthy pet, it allows the veterinarian to establish what the “normal” values are for your pet and provides baseline values as reference for future testing. Testing completed on an older pet allows the veterinarian to monitor organ health, as well as diagnose and treat illnesses or conditions.
Unfortunately, pets cannot tell us how they are feeling, and as a predatory survival skill, the more sick your pet is, the more “normal” they will act. Prevention and early detection are the key factors in ensuring your pet has a lifetime of good health. Prevention is not only regular exams, laboratory testing, and vaccines, it is also the things you do everyday at home: diet, exercise, and grooming.
Feeding your pet a proper diet is essential for good health. After all, you are what you eat! Be sure to choose a premium pet food that is formulated for a senior pet. Senior pet foods usually contain additional Omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and glucosamine for immune system and organ maintenance. Senior pets with medical conditions may require a condition-specific food, such as weight management or kidney function diets. Be sure to discuss your pet’s diet at your next appointment- it could change your pet’s life.
Exercise is still important for older pets, even though they do not usually have the abundance of energy the puppy or kitten they once was did. Exercise should be done in moderation, be sure your pet does not overexert theirself. Jogs may become walks, and walks may become shorter. Overweight pets tend to develop arthritis sooner than lean pets,
because excess weight puts unnecessary stress on joints. Achieving and maintaining lean body condition is important, be sure your pet is still receiving daily exercise and avoid feeding extra snacks and table scraps. Additional grooming or assistance with grooming may become necessary for older pets. Due to joint pain, being overweight, or lack of interest they may have difficulties doing it themselves.
Lastly, provide your senior pet with extra love, emotional support, and patience. Their life is changing and they probably don’t understand everything that is happening to their bodies. Help reduce stress by keeping a daily, consistent routine and minimize any household changes.
☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺
♥ Cats have better memories than dogs. Tests conducted by the University of Michigan concluded that while
a dog’s memory lasts no longer than 5 minutes, a cat’s can last as long as 16 hours- exceeding even that of a
monkey and an orangutan.
A New Outlook on an Old Problem
Times are changing and so are our canine flea/ tick products. Over the next few months our office is making a gradual change from Frontline® and Advantix® to a new product called Vectra 3D®. We have made this decision for several reasons. These reasons include, but are not limited to: Vectra kills and repels fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, it is waterproof, and has the most user-friendly applicator. Vectra also costs less than the other leading brands, and offers a $15.00 rebate check.
As our stock of the other leading flea/ tick preventatives depletes, we will be replacing it with Vectra 3D. Vectra will be sold in 3 month and 6 month packs. We will continue Frontline, Advantage, and Revolution for our feline friends without any changes at this time.
October is Adopt-A-Dog Month
Millions of dogs face euthanasia every year across the country because there are not enough caring homes for them. This is why American Humane’s Adopt-A-Dog Month® was established. Celebrated every October, the tradition promotes dog adoptions from animal shelters and provides an opportunity to spread the word about responsible pet care. Improve your life with a dog’s companionship, and support these voiceless creatures.
You may have read the article in the summer edition of our newsletter about adopting a cat. Many considerations from that article hold true to this one, and I could cut and paste, change the wording a bit and present it all over again, but I’m not going to. Like children, dogs are completely dependent on their owners for all their needs, including food, water, health care, exercise, shelter, and most important, companionship. But unlike children, dogs will never learn to take care of themselves. And if you are getting a dog for your children, consider the age of the dog and the ages of the children. Dogs can live up to 15 years. Will you still be able and willing to care for your dog after your children have grown up and moved out?
Also consider things like your schedule (both work and travel), your home environment (do you have a fenced-in yard?), your physical activity level and your budget. If you have weighed all the pros and cons of having a dog in your life and have determined that you would be the perfect dog owner, then you are ready to begin the adoption process at your local shelter. There are a lot of great dogs looking for forever homes!!!
Way to Go Bridget!!!!
We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our employee, Bridget, for completing her classes, and becoming a Certified Veterinary Assistant. We are all very proud of her, and excited for her.
♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣
♦ Ticks are second to the mosquito as the most dangerous parasites to humans.
♠ When a flea jumps, the rate of acceleration is 20 times that of the space shuttle during launch.
☼ Ticks can be as small as a grain of rice and grow to be as big as a marble.
♪ Mosquitoes prefer children to adults, and blondes to brunettes.
Don’t Be a Scaredy Cat on Halloween
As Halloween approaches, it is important to remember your pets. Guests may want to spoil your pets with extra treats, but this must be discouraged. Halloween treats, although fun for children, can be harmful to pets. Chocolate or candy sweetened with xylitol can be fatal. Chocolate is made from the fruit (bean) of the cacao tree. The toxic component in chocolate is theobromine. The signs of chocolate toxicity are excitement, nervousness, trembling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, excessive urination, muscle spasm, and seizures. The size of your pet, the type of chocolate, and the quantity of chocolate are all factors in how toxic the chocolate is to your pet
Try to remember that certain Halloween decorations can potentially be dangerous to pet as well. Specifically, electrical cords should be covered with cord covers and access to wires should be blocked. Electrical cords can be tempting to puppies who like to chew almost anything, but even adult cats and dogs may get interested. If preventative measures are not taken, burns and/ or electrocution could occur.
During the festivities of the holiday, whether you just stay home to greet trick- or -treaters, or if you hold a party, it is always in the best interest if you confine them to one area of the house. This decreases the risk of your pet getting outside and potentially lost or injured.
And though they all look absolutely adorable in costumes, be sure if you dress your pet up for Halloween that the costume fits properly, is made of flame retardant material, and does not affect your pet’s mobility. It’s also a good idea to make sure your pet is agreeable to dressing up; he may injure himself trying to take it off. Pets should never be left alone in a costume, especially if he isn’t used to wearing clothing.
November Is Diabetes Awareness Month
Diabetes strikes 1 in 400 cats, and similar numbers of dogs, however the numbers are steadily rising in cats. It is difficult to know if heredity plays a role in the onset of diabetes since it is often impossible to track the family line. Some websites list breeds that tend to have a predisposition to diabetes, but depending on which article you read, the list differs each time. Obesity is the number one cause of diabetes for both cats and dogs.
Signs of diabetes are usually gradual, and may go unnoticed for a while. Owners may see frequent urination, excessive thirst (cats actually appear obsessed with water), sudden weight loss or gain, wobbly when walking, or appear to have vision problems.
Diabetes, left untreated, can be fatal. Early diagnosis and treatment by a qualified veterinarian can help, not only prevent damage before it is done, but in some cases, in cats, diabetes may go into remission.
To reduce your pet’s risk of diabetes; we recommend a healthy diet, consisting of a premium food, limited snacks, and no table scraps; regular exercise to ward off obesity, and regular check ups and blood work with the veterinarian.
Just A Reminder…
We love our patients, and we love to show them off! Nearly two years ago, one of our wonderful clients started a scrapbook for us to hold pictures of our patients. We have collected a few pictures, but there are still a lot of pages to fill. So, if you haven’t already, please drop off a photo of your pet so we may display it. ☺
Also, this will be the last printed version of our newsletter. It will be now be available on our website.
♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫
♠ Mosaics meaning “Beware of Dog” can be found on the doorsteps of homes in ancient Roman cities.
☼ Cats’ nose pads are unique like fingerprints
♣ The Pennsylvania state dog is the Great Dane
Kids Corner Web Site Search
Answer the following clues by using our new website www.chipmypet.com
Across:
1. What Service do we provide for permanent identification?
2. Another name for the Animal Wellness Clinic.
3. Useful lab test in diagnosing urinary tract infection, kidney disease, diabetes, and dehydration.
4. This test is used to detect intestinal parasites.
5. Which employee loves horses?
6. Periodontal disease causes pets to experience____ and bad breath.
7. What color is used to show support for animals on ASPCA Day?
8. DHPP and FVRCP are also known as what vaccine?
9. Where does Friday prefer to be?
10. What newspaper could you find an article written by Dr. Flake?
11. A cat under the age of one year is called a _____.
12. Lab test which checks sodium, potassium, and chloride.
Down:
1. We are located in what city?
2. The proper name for the kennel cough vaccine.
3. How can your dog be eligible for a PA lifetime license?
4. 85% of America’s cats & dogs are plagued with _______ disease.
5. Electrocardiography abbreviation.
6. Dr. Flake is a _______.
7. The abbreviation AMYL stands for _____.
8. Melissa’s cats are______.
9. Justine is the _______ Manager.
10. Preanesthetic _____ testing is important in reducing the risk of anesthesia.
11. Which employee has the most cats and dogs?
12. One day, Bridget may become a _____.
13. Which employee has a cat named Camelot?
14. What state is Friday from?
|
 |