Newsletter Archives

Lucy is a beautiful, 3 year old Golden Retriever who came to us last month after sustaining an injury of unknown origin. Her owners had left Lucy in the yard for the day, and when they got home, the found she could not use her back left leg. Lucy was obviously in pain when they found her, so they took her to the emergency clinic (we were closed at the time). The emergency veterinarian isolated the pain to her hip joint. She sedated Lucy and took radiographs and found that she had dislocated her hip.
Fortunately, the bones were not broken, the thigh bone had simply slipped out of the socket formed by the pelvic bones. The radiographs revealed that Lucy has poorly formed, shallow hips (hip dysplasia) and so it took less force to dislocate her hips than a normal dog.
The owner brought Lucy and her x-rays to us in the morning to see if we could salvage her hip and let her walk again...

We've had a spate of accidental poisonings lately and we want to remind you all to keep your pets away from any and all poisons in your home. In two recent cases, pets have gotten into the actual boxes of poison, resulting in large quantities of poison ingestion which ultimately led to the tragic death of a young German Shepard, and near death of a Labrador.
When you purchase a poison that can kill a mammal (rats, mice, gophers, squirrels etc.) you must assume that that poison can just as easily kill your pets.
The fatality mentioned above was linked to Gopher bait which has a chemical (zinc phosphide) which acts to "burn" the lining of the intestines and prevent the body from using oxygen properly. There is no known antidote for this poison and despite our best efforts, we were unable to save this dog.
The second poisoning was related to rat bait ingestion. There are two types of rat bait on the market; one kills by interfering with the ability of the blood to clot, the other causes the body to accumulate a large amount of calcium in the blood which causes kidney failure and death. All of these poisons are very potent, and sometimes ingestion of as little as a teaspoon's worth can be fatal. In this case, the dog had ingested the anti-coagulant poison for which there is an antidote (vitamin K). By administering the antidote and supporting the dog until he was able to clot normally we were able to save him.
You must realize that most out door poison is manufactured to remain potent for months despite the weather. Therefore, if you are thinking of treating your yard, first consider if there is any chance that any of your pets will have access to that area at any time in the immediate or distant future. Household poisons should be kept in a locked closet or cabinet out of the reach of inquisitive pets and children.
Let's have a safe and splendid springtime this year!

The greatest compliment you can give us is your personal referral to friends and family. We have created our "Gift of Health" program to help you encourage referrals to our practice. Here's how it works:
Refer your friends or family members to us and as new client referrals they will receive their 1st visit at 1/2 off the normal fee. That is a $19.00 savings.
When they come in, we will send you a thank you letter with a coupon for $10.00 on any veterinary services (food, drugs and supplies are not eligible). After you refer 10 clients to us, you will become a permananent "Good Health Ambassador" and receive 10% off on all your veterinary services for the year. if you are happy with the services we have been providing, spread the word and give the Gift of Health to all your friends today.
We appreciate your support!

Dental disease is the most common problem we see in cats and dogs. Over 80% of animals over 2 years of age are suffering from some level of dental and/or periodontal disease. Many people don't look into their pet's mouth and so are unaware of the degree of problem. However, if you take a wiff of the breath and it is foul smelling, there is a high probability that your pet has dental disease. The odor comes from bacteria and pus that are living in the sulcus between the teeth and gums. Left untreated, the disease progresses until the bone starts to dissolve around the teeth and abscesses form. Ultimately, diseased teeth may fall out or may need to be extracted
The presence of bacteria and pus in the gums may threaten your pet's general health as well. The bacteria are forced into the bloodstream when your pet chews. They can then lodge in the organ systems causing systemic infections.
Most dental disease is easily prevented with appropriate diet, home care and regular dental cleanings. As a reflection of our commitment to Pet Dental Awareness, we are offering FREE dental evaluations by our technicians and 15% off of all dental work until the end of February Call to schedule your free dental checkup today!