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| Welcome Dr. Jessika Bell |
Animal Medical Clinic is pleased to welcome Dr. Jessika Bell as the newest member of our veterinary team.
Dr. Bell is a Minnesota native who grew up in the suburb of Anoka. She earned her degree in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota - College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. Prior to that she received her Bachelor of Science at the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences with major in Biology. While obtaining her degrees, Jessika volunteered at the Raptor Center and worked in the U of MN Veterinary Medical Center Intensive Care Unit.
Dr. Bell's family includes her fiancé who is also a veterinarian, and their two dogs Abby and Barry. When she is not at work, Dr. Bell can be found hiking with her family, quilting, or training her dog, Barry, in agility.
Jessika has always loved being around animals. She enjoys helping people learn how to care for their pets so as to help pets live happier, healthier lives. Dr. Bell is excited to be joining the Animal Medical Clinic team and is looking forward to working in this great community.
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| New DNA Mixed Breed Test for Dogs |
| Has anybody ever asked you "Hey, what kind of dog is that?" People love to guess or give advice as to what breeds your mixed breed dog is made up of but now there's a way to tell without guessing and you may be surprised because looks can be deceiving. Animal Medical Clinic is proud to offer the Wisdom Panel MX Mixed Breed Analysis test, the most comprehensive DNA-based mixed breed test for dogs. It identifies more than 130 AKC-recognized breeds that may be present in mixed breed dogs and will allow veterinarians to answer one of the most frequently asked questions by pet owners, "What is my dog's breed mix?" Visit www.wisdompanel.com for more information. Your dog may be just a small blood sample away from knowing its breed ancestry, ask us how today. |
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| Obesity in Pets |
As pet owners, we are responsible for their health. We make sure they see a veterinarian when they are ill or need vaccinations. We give them lots of toys and keep them comfortable. We offer them good quality food, treats and plenty of praise. Yet, we may be killing them with kindness. Too much food and too many treats can lead to obesity.
Obesity can cause underlying health issues including diabetes, arthritis and joint problems, as well as kidney and liver disease. Obesity may also aggravate existing issues such as hip dysplasia and can contribute to knee trauma.
Pets, like humans, loose weight by expending more calories than they are consuming. Therefore, giving the correct amount of food daily is important. This means measuring the food we give, keeping track of all those treats they love to have (including the human food variety), and providing exercise. Hiding food in a toy and having your pet roll the toy to get the food out is one creative way to increase exercise.
How do you know if your pet is overweight? The Body Condition Score helps determine a pet's ideal weight. Your pet should have a definable waist and you should be able to feel the ribs easily.
Your veterinarian can help, you by examining your pet and talking about the correct steps to take to shed the pounds in a healthy way. Losing weight too quickly can cause additional health issues, especially in cats. By knowing the exact name and brand of the food you are feeding your veterinarian can calculate how many calories that food contains and how much to feed your pet for weight reduction. Sometimes bloodwork to rule out medical cause or a special weight loss prescription diet food may be necessary.
What you can do to help your pet with the battle of the bulge:
Visit your veterinarian
Schedule exercise time with your cat or dog.
Feed the correct portion for weight reduction
Keep track of your pet's progress and weigh at regular intervals
Give plenty of water, love, and praise; just go easy on those rewards of the food variety.
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| LASER SURGERY NOW OFFERED AT ANIMAL MEDICAL CLINIC |
We are excited to now offer laser surgery as a new option. The laser can replace the traditional scalpel blade for many surgeries. Laser technology reduces trauma to your pet and allows for a faster recovery. Laser energy seals nerve endings as it passes through tissue; this reduces post-operative pain. The beam also seals small blood vessels decreasing blood loss. It does not crush, tear, or bruise tissue because only a beam of intense light contacts the tissue. This means less swelling for your pet. The laser beam also allows for very precise tissue removal leaving the surrounding tissues unaffected.
We are currently offering use of the laser on routine surgeries such as ovariohysterectomy (spay), castration (neuter), declaw, and removal of growths. The laser can also be used on non-routine surgeries, ask your veterinarian if it is appropriate for your pet's procedure.
The advantages of laser surgery are less pain, less bleeding, less swelling, and faster recovery!
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| Ready For A New Cat? |
Are you ready for a new cat? Do you have the following?
- Litter box and Litter: There are many types of litter boxes and litter, pick a box that your cat can easily get into but that contains the litter when it scratches. A good rule is to have one more litter box than you have cat, so a one cat household should have at least two litter boxes. Scoop out the box every day to every other day. Clean the box and change the litter weekly.
- Cat Dishes: Each cat should have his or her own food and water dish. Most cats find it easier to eat out of shallow dishes. Cats with acne should be fed from a glass or ceramic dish
- Grooming Tools: Cats will groom themselves but it is good to get them accustomed to being brushed and having their toenails trimmed. Most cats love the attention of being personally attended to. Ask your veterinarian for tips on brushing and nail trimming.
- Scratching Post: If your can wants to scratch it is much more desirable to give them something appropriate to scratch rather then your furniture or carpet. The post should be sturdy so that it does not tip when they try to scratch it. It should have a rough surface that is different than the surfaces of your furniture or carpet. Sisal rope or the webbed side (underside) of carpet work well.
- Toys: The best toy is the one they play with most. Household items such as balls and paper bags make great toys. Avoid yarn, string, and ribbon because cats have barbed tongues it is hard for them to spit things out once they start to swallow, string can also get caught in the digestive tract or wrapped around the tongue causing serious medical problems. Toys on a string, the fishing pole or wand type of toys are great to stimulate interaction between you and your cat as well as give your cat some exercise. Laser pointers are another good interaction toy. Avoid toys with sharp edges or fraying material. Another tip to get your cat to play is to not have all the toys out at once. Just put one or two toys out at a time to make them more interesting to your cat.
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| Pets-People-Parasites |
Pets provide many health benefits for people. Some pets can transmit diseases to people. These diseases are called zoonoses. To protect yourself from getting sick from many animal diseases, wash your hands with running water and soap after contact with animals and their feces (stool). Avoid rough play with cats and dogs to prevent scratches and bites. If you do get an injury, wash the wound thoroughly and contact your physician.
Some people are more at risk and need to be more cautious. A person's age and health status may affect his or her immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick. These people include:
Infants and Children <5 years old
Elderly
Pregnant Women
People undergoing Cancer treatment
People who have received Organ Transplants
People with HIV/AIDS
Different types of animals can carry different diseases. Some may be more likely than others to carry diseases that make people sick. If you fit into one of the groups outlined above you should avoid contact with the following:
Reptiles (turtles, lizards, and snakes)
Baby chicks and ducklings
Puppies and Kittens less than 6 months old
Pets with diarrhea
If you have any questions or concerns you should consult either your family physician or veterinarian.
This message was adapted from the Centers for Disease Control Prevention Pet-Scription
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| Ovariohysterectomy (Spay) |
Complete removal of the uterus and ovaries through an abdominal incision.
After a presurgical exam and vaccinations are given you may schedule your pet's procedure. You will need to fast your pet from 10 PM the night before the procedure, then she will be brought into the clinic between 8 & 9 AM on the day of the procedure. Your pet will be put under anesthesia for the surgery, which takes about 1 hour.
Your pet will be kept one night so she will be able to rest peacefully. The following day your pet will be set to go home with a few instructions: no bathing, check sutures, short walks/ no play.
Benefits to spaying your pet include:
- Eliminates irritating heat cycles which attract males
- The presence of discharge/ foul odors associated with estrus
- Done prior to first heat greatly reduces the risk of mammary cancer, as well as ovarian and uterine cancer (in cats), and uterine infections
There is little clinical evidence that your pet will benefit from waiting for a heat cycle of litter before spaying. Adjusting your pet's caloric intake will prevent added weight. Coincidentally the dog acts more calm after heat/ litter as its the normal time for a pet to mature. |
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| Castration/ Neuter |
This is a simple procedure to remove your pet's testicles through a small incision. It does not change your pet's personality other than calming the need to "mark " his territory and avoid potential for aggressive behavior. We recommend neutering your pet around six months of age before he develops any negative behaviors and to reduce your pet's risk of prostate and testicular cancer.
After a presurgical exam and vaccinations are given you may schedule your pet's procedure. You will need to fast your dog from 10 PM the night before the procedure, then he will be brought into the clinic between 8 & 9 AM on the day of the procedure. Your pet will be put under anesthesia for the procedure, which takes about 1/2 an hour. Your pet will be ready to go home that afternoon with some simple post op care. For the first week you will need to examine the area for redness, swelling, or drainage. Dogs should be taken on short walks with a leash. Play should be limited and no baths for both cats and dogs is recommended.
Benefits to neutering your pet include:
- Eliminating annoying sexual habits such as marking territory both out of doors and inside.
- Reduces the urge to mount other animals and other objects.
- Allows dog to feel at ease in his own surroundings vs. roaming to find females. (In addition reducing your pet's chance of getting struck by a car, being in a fight or running away.)
- Male animals left intact may become aggressive towards other animals and people.
- Lowers your pet's chance of developing testicular cancer and prostate problems.
Neutering your pet will not make him fat and lazy. Genetics, amount of calories fed and how much exercise your pet gets will determine that. As your dog naturally matures, he may start to reduce his activity level, which may cause for it to appear that the neuter is to blame. No scientific evidence has been able to support that "theory" (or old wives tale.)
Wouldn't you rather be a pet that has a chance to live a longer, healthier life and with a calmer disposition? I know I enjoy it. |
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