April 2002
FYI
SYLVANIA VETERINARY HOSPITAL TO RELOCATE.
This is not an April Fool Joke. Our success has created an enviable
problem; we have out grown our 10-year-old facility. We must seize
control of our inadequate parking issue, provide additional exam
rooms for more efficient patient visits and provide more space for
our advanced equipment and care. By the end of this month we expect
to own a piece of land one-half mile south of the office on Holland
-Sylvania. Look for a sign indicating our future home. Planning
is in the embryonic state and we are anxious for any ideas you might
like to contribute. We will be forming several committees to explore
design and service options. Would you like to participate? If you
would like to be part of planning the new Sylvania Veterinary Hospital
e-mail Dr. Bob at drbob@sylvaniavet.com
ON LINE PHARMACY FINED $100,000
by EPA for numerous violations. PetMed express, the rogue, on-line
pharmacy was found guilty of violating numerous regulations concerning
the sale of flea treatment products. We have highlighted, in previous
FYI's, many of the reasons that the frequently advertised PetMed
Express is not a good deal. We price heartworm and flea control
products to make it economical for you to purchase them from us.
We will always be available to answer your questions and pass all
customer benefits, provided by the manufacturer, on to you. On display
at the office is a comparison between Sylvania Vet's and PetMed
Express's prices of Heartgard and Frontline. We win the price battle,
the service battle, the availability battle and the rebate battle.
Please tell your friends to not buy from the on-line pharmacy.
Comparisons SVH
ONLINE
FRONTLINE FOR 6
CAT
$44.90 $49.99
SM DOG 49.76
62.99
MED DOG 53.10
66.99
LG DOG 55.92
69.99
XL DOG 59.96
74.99
WHEN PURCHASED FROM SVH YOU RECEIVE A 7th DOSE FREE
HEARTGARD PLUS 12 PACK
CAT (6 Pack) $20.25
$22.99
SM. DOG
23.25
24.99
MED. DOG
37.25
42.99
LG. DOG 59.50
59.99
PURCHASE FROM SVH GET A $5.00 REBATE FOR EACH 12 DOSES PURCHASED
AND A FULL GUARANTEE FROM THE MANUFACTURER
PRODUCTUS PURCHASED ON-LINE YOU MUST PAY SHIPPING
NEW RESEARCH INTO FELINE DIABETES
is being used by our doctors to help treat sugar diabetes in
cats. Unlike dogs, which are all insulin dependant diabetics cats
are more like people with type 2 non-insulin dependant diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease that causes the patient's blood sugar to become
abnormally elevated. While the blood has too much glucose the cells
are starving, as there is no insulin to move the sugar from the
blood into the cell. Animals with diabetes mellitus have increased
water intake, elevated appetite and weight loss. We care for many
diabetic cats. Until recently, all cats were treated with insulin
and high fiber diets. Results were effective but difficult to achieve
and maintain. The new approach is to use high protein, low carbohydrate,
mostly canned food diet and two oral medications to stimulate the
pancreas to produce insulin and a product to bind carbohydrates.
This is working very well on our first few cases. Purina Veterinary
Diets has manufactured a diabetic diet, DM. If you have a diabetic
cat or know someone who does give us a call or send an inquiry to
Dr. Ross at drross@sylvaniavet.com
BIRDS NEED PROFESSIONAL ATTENTION
the same as all our pets. Dr. Amy has been providing advanced avian
care to our bird clients since arriving in July. She schedules first
visits for one-half hour because she feels this first visit is extremely
important to the long- term health of the bird and the family's
enjoyment of their pet. Health, grooming, housing and feeding issue
are covered during this initial visit. Do not get your health care
information from the pet store or the Internet. Dr Amy can be contacted
with questions at dramy@sylvaniavet.com
WE HAVE HAD TO SAY GOOD-BYE to
several of our practice family recently. Our groomer, Melissa, has
moved to upstate New York to help her mother care for her ill grandmother.
We will sorely miss her and are currently looking for another groomer.
Ashley and Kelly continue to provide grooming services. Gloria,
one of our certified veterinary techs, will be relocating to North
Carolina in May. Her husband is finishing med school at MCO and
will be doing his residency near Asheville. Kim, a doctor's assistant,
is moving to Canada to be with her significant other. Julie, at
the front desk, is leaving to move to upper Michigan. We will be
accepting applications for all four positions. If you are interested
in any of our open positions give the office a call or e-mail Dr.
Bob at drbob@sylvaniavet.com. Good luck to all.
CHRONIC CONSTIPATION can be a
serious and painful problem for aging cats. Though any animal can
have a regularity problem cats have a corner on a problem of the
large intestine called megacolon. This defect in intestinal motility
causes the large bowel to over distend and accumulate large quantities
of hard, dry feces. This pathologic accumulation of abnormal feces
causes cats to feel poorly and have great discomfort. When a cat
develops megacolon we use a variety of medical approaches to correct
and control the problem. Soapy enemas, administered under sedation
are frequently necessary to correct the immediate problem. Various
medications, propulsid, lactulose, and diet supplements, metamucil,
pumpkin, stool softeners, and high fiber diets are used to control
a reoccurrence of constipation. When all our medical efforts fail
then an advanced surgical procedure is recommended to solve the
problem. Recently, Moose, a 15-pound domestic cat, was referred
to us by a vet in Dundee. Moose had a long history of progressively
worsening megacolon. We tried a few newer medical approaches that
ultimately failed. Three weeks ago we preformed the surgery to removed
the damaged colon. Moose is doing great post-surgically.
MARCH'S EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
is Emily Hannum. Emily is a certified veterinary tech. Working with
Dr. Tate she is our go to person when we need information concerning
our blood bank. Emily is married, has two horses, two dogs and several
cats. If you want to learn about our blood bank call Emily or contact
her on our web site at info@sylvaniavet.com
PET HEALTH INSURANCE PAYS OFF
when Stosh became critically ill. Observant owners noticed Stosh
was "just not acting normally". He was brought to the office Friday
morning. By that evening we had diagnosed a bleeding mass in Stosh's
abdomen. Three doctors and four tech's went to work Friday night
to save Stosh's life. Emergency surgery, blood from our blood bank
and lots of nursing care enabled us to send Stosh home the following
Tuesday. As you might expect Stosh's care was expensive. The good
news is that all of his medical-surgical expenses were covered by
Veterinary Pet Insurance. The insurance company has reimbursed over
80% of all surgical expenses and on going charges. We have information
on three pet health insurance companies. You may link to VPI on
our web site.
LASER DECLAWS are a better way
to perform the declaw procedure on cats. Cats that have had laser
surgery have less post surgical pain, less surgical bleeding, quicker
recovery and a smaller incision. Traditional declaw surgery requires
that a tourniquet be applied to the leg. This stops circulation
to the foot for several minutes while the surgeon works and the
foot is bandaged. There may be residual effects of the tourniquet
for several days after surgery. A fee of $45 is added to the regular
declaw fee when the laser is used. If you have questions concerning
laser declaw or other laser surgery call or e-mail at drbob@sylvaniavet.com
. Long term, cats that are declawed have no medical or behavioral
problems from being declawed.
DO YOU QUALIFY FOR KENNEL PRICES?
Families that have six or more dogs or cats are automatically
members of our kennel price club. Your only obligation is to use
our very low vaccine prices to keep each of your pets current. If
you need information on our multi-pet prices you may ask any front
desk person. Clients that bring multiple pets for vaccines at the
same time are given discount on the additional pet's vaccines.
LOOK FOR THE SYLVANIA VET
article in the April or May Toledo Parent magazine. We will be highlighted
in a feature article. If you have questions you would like answered
in our Parent column, Ask the Vet, send them to DR. Bob at drbob@sylvaniavet.com
ENJOY APRIL
BE SURE TO START YOUR PET ON FRONTLINE THIS MONTH
SYLVANIA VETERINARY HOSPITAL
HEALTH CARE STAFF
