Happy Summer!

Hope everyone is doing well.  Weather is looking great. Please keep your pets well hydrated this summer.  Make sure you never leave them in the car on a hot day.  Keep their weight down by exercising three times a week for 30 minutes for the dogs out there!  It would be nice if we could get those cats off the couch!

I finished the first tri of the season with a client  (Go Stacey!) as well as a few races.  It is great to get out there and exercise.  Please check out www.BnsFitness.com for some great exercise programs.  Here is a picture of the family hiking a few weekends ago.     

 

Pet Food Recall Update

So the dust has settled a bit with all the food recall. There have been government hearings as well as surveys done with veterinarians across the world.  Food is definitely an international issue and the Menu Food Recall did bring that to everyone’s attention.

There are plans for more vigilance in importing ingredients as well as collecting information for reporting and surveillance.

Please do your part by monitoring your pet’s diet!  Read ingredient labels.  Vary your pet’s diet unless food allergies prohibit that.  If you notice any abnormality in your pet’s eating, stool, appetite, etc, give us a call!

Why Does My Pet Need Labwork?

Lab tests are often recommended to check on your pet’s health.  The most common tests we run are fecals, CBC (complete blood cell count), chemistry profiles and urinalysis.  These tests are quick, non-invasive tests that give us a good overall screening of organ function and health.  The most common reasons we perform lab tests are ill patients, screening in geriatric patients, pre-anesthetic testing, baseline information or for monitoring patients on certain medications.

Ill patients:  Since patients are unable to speak for themselves, we need to rely on their human owner’s observations, physical exams and bloodwork when a pet is ill.  Simple blood tests can be used to diagnose diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, kidney problems or other disease

Geriatric patients:  When older patients are having their annual healthy check-up, the doctor may recommend checking bloodwork as a screening tool.  This allows us to identify potential problems early, before symptoms have developed

Pre-anesthetic patients:  Even in healthy puppies and kittens, doing bloodwork prior to spaying/neutering is a good idea to check for congenital kidney or liver problems. It also serves as a normal baseline for later in life.  In older pets, disease is more common and pre-anesthetic bloodwork can help in creating an anesthetic protocol for that individual.

Monitoring Medications:  Certain pet medications (nonsteroidal medications such as deramaxx, anticonvulsants, thyroid medication, chemotherapy drugs) could affect the kidneys, liver, bone marrow or other organs.  Periodic blood tests may be done to monitor for response to treatment as well as to check for negative side effects.  Depending on the patient and the medication, the doctor will discuss frequency of rechecks with you.

We are fortunate to work with Antech, a national laboratory that is able to offer us twice daily pickups and quick turn around times.  The clinic also has a Vetscan chemistry analyzer for emergency and critical cases as well as pre-operative testing.

We also recommend that all adult dogs be fasted for any blood testing.  Water is ok, just no food 8 hours prior to testing. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call! 

Pet of the Month

Looking for a home

Daisy is a 7 year old Jack Russell Terrier. She is full of love and spunk and in true JR style demands that she be the only dog or cat in the family.

She is ideal for a family who wants nothing more than to dote over their canine. She LOVES children, rides well in the car, is house broken and crate trained. Do you have an empty lap for her to fill?

Daisy is spayed, current on vaccines, microchipped and on heartworm preventative.

Toby is a 7 month old, 41 lb georgeous GS / beagle mix? Giving kisses is his favorite pass time. He is a lovely dog that is full of life although not high strung. He loves all the people and the other dogs that he has encountered.

Toby walks easily on leash and will certainly learn to be a devoted, attentive member of an active family that will continue to work on his commands and most of all provide him with plenty of love.

For more information, please fill out an adoption request form at www.arnne.org, email arnne@verizon.net, or call the shelter at 603-635-2211 and a volunteer will return your call.