WOULD
YOU WANT TO HAVE A TOOTH EXTRACTION, KNEE SURGERY OR ABDOMINAL SURGERY
WITHOUT POST SURGICAL PAIN MEDICATION? Our pets feel no less
pain post-surgically than we do and we take their pain relief seriously.
Pre- and post-surgical pain control is an area of our practice that
we are constantly trying to improve. Volumes of research have proven
that pets feel pain. It is the responsibility of doctor and owner
alike to do all that is possible to prevent unnecessary pain when
our dogs and cats have surgical procedures. To this end, most of
our surgical cases have pain medication administered with their
anesthesia injection. Many pets receive injections of potent narcotics
during and after surgery. Frequently, a local anesthetic is injected
at the surgical site. Every cat has its paws injected with a local
anesthetic before a declaw procedure. For long-term pain relief
we apply a Fentanyl patch to a patient's neck or chest wall. Most
surgical cases will have pain medication dispensed to take home.
HOSPITAL
DESIGN CONFERENCE in Kansas City was attended by Dr. Bob, John
Barker, our architect, and Ken, the new hospital project manager,
in early August. Our design team learned many useful facts that
will help us design our new facility. Architectural design awaits
a site survey and topographical layout so the building can fit onto
our beautiful property. It is not too late to make suggestions to
be considered in our planning. If all goes well, construction will
begin in February 2003. Completion is expected to take approximately
five months. If you'd like to volunteer to help us move into the
new Sylvania Veterinary Hospital please contact drbob@sylvaniavet.com
FELINE
KIDNEY FAILURE is being successfully managed by our doctors
and staff. The key to managing the progressive aging disease of
a cat's kidneys is early recognition. Cats are not good water drinkers.
Therefore, if you notice your cat drinking more water, it could
be an early sign of failing kidneys. Our first line of diagnosis
would be to do a urinalysis and blood tests to check kidney function.
Once diagnosed, we recommend a special diet, either Hills k/d or
Eukanuba Early Kidney Failure. These diets help the kidneys work
less hard. You should also encourage your cat to drink more water.
Keeping a source of fresh cool water will attract your cat to the
dish. Once diagnosed, aggressive fluid and medical therapy will
help control the progression of kidney failure. With the aid of
a long term, subcutaneous fluid catheter we will teach you how to
administer fluids to your cat. The cat's condition and lab values
will help us select which medications will help slow and control
the kidneys failure. Finally, new research from Europe has provided
a medication, benazepril that looks very promising in prolonging
a kidney failure cat's life. Benazepril is a cardiac medication
that has been found to improve kidney filtration and improve the
quality of life of the patient. We have this product in stock and
will be starting our kidney patients on this new treatment.
AAHA
STANDARDS ARE NOT EASY TO MEET and take a serious commitment
by our practice to meet them. We have discussed a few areas of the
standards that we must comply with to receive our four-year certification.
However, there is someone else that must make the same commitment
to excellence for us to be a member of AAHA, that is you. Our fee
structure is geared to enable us to provide the highest level of
veterinary care available anywhere in the country. You provide the
income that enables us to have and maintain the state-of-the-art
equipment, highly trained and motivated staff and a facility that
reflects our commitment to excellence. We want to thank you for
the opportunity of providing you and your pet state-of-the-art service
and care. Incredibly, our fees are competitive in the area and in
many cases well below the average fee charged for identical products.
While comparing services may be difficult because no two practices
do things the same way, the following three stories show the difference
between Sylvania Vet and other practices.
"
WHY DOES MY FORMER VET CHARGE $20.00 MORE for the same amount
of Frontline Topspot?" The answer is that we feel that our
price on Topspot is fair and allows you to get a great product at
a great price. Our prices on most flea and heartworm products are
the most competitive around. We are never undersold by Pet Med Express.
OVERNIGHT
STAFFING is not available anywhere else in the city. If your
pet requires hospitalization, it is either left alone all night
or you are required to pick it up and transport it to the emergency
clinic for expensive over-night care. You then must pick up your
pet and return it to the other vet by 8AM the next morning. Of course,
the emergency clinic knows nothing about your pet's case. Our overnight
technicians know your pet, its problems and are able to treat as
needed. Our doctors are just a phone call away. Please remember
that the overnight staff is there for our boarding guests as well.
THE
LUNCH HOUR DOESN'T find Sylvania Vet closing the door and being
unavailable to our valued clients and patients. Who said emergencies
cannot happen during the lunch hour? Almost weekly we get a call
from a local practice indicating one of their clients has a sick
or injured pet and that there is no doctor available. "Could
we see the pet?" is the question. The answer is "of course".
All our doctors are here to help you and your pet. Isn't it reassuring
to know that you will see your doctor when your pet is in need?
'CAN
WE AFFORD a new Sylvania Vet hospital?' has been a frequently
asked question. The answer is we do not anticipate raising fees
to finance the new hospital. Every year there is a small fee increase
to keep up with inflation. This will not change, but a large increase
to pay for the hospital will not happen. We did not raise our fee
when we built the current hospital. We will be offering many additional
and expanded services and the corresponding increase in income from
this increased business will pay for the new hospital. Do not worry,
our state-of-the-art hospital, grooming shop, boarding kennel, obedience
school, day care, rehab and exercise facility and the in-hospital
exclusive cat facility will still be affordable and a bargain for
the quality of care and service we provide.
YOU
CAN HELP US GROW and provide Sylvania Vet's style of veterinary
medicine to your friends and neighbors by sharing your positive
experiences at our office with your family and friends. As a thank
you for referring your family and friends, we have a unique and
attractive referral acknowledgement program. Once you have referred
11 new clients you will receive an 11% discount on all fees paid
to Sylvania Vet for an entire year. This is in addition to any other
discounts you may already be eligible for. You can maintain this
discount by referring five additional clients during the next year.
Please feel free to ask any staff member about the referral program
and the rewards available.
ONLY
VETERINARIANS are allowed to treat animals. This may seem obvious
on the surface, but there are untrained people and other medical
personnel that treat animals illegally. Over the years the Ohio
Veterinary Medical Association has investigated and charged breeders
for performing ear crops, "horse dentists" for floating
horses teeth, and chiropractors for treating dogs, cats and horses.
These services are all illegal. Recently, a North Carolina chiropractor
was charged for feloniously treating an animal without a license.
TOTAL
ELBOW REPLACEMENT surgery has been successfully performed at
the Iowa State Veterinary College. This advanced orthopedic procedure
is newly developed and still experimental. The veterinarian that
developed the surgery expects that within two years board certified
surgeons throughout the world will preform 1000 total elbow replacements
annually. The availability of advanced and sophisticated diagnostics,
treatments, and surgeries is a good incentive to purchase pet health
insurance. We encourage you to consider buying pet health insurance.
The premiums are reasonable and may be money well spent. We have
information on two pet insurers, VPI and Pets Health, should you
be interested in learning more about their coverage and premiums.
SYLVANIA
VET IS HIRING for several positions. Sylvania Vet is looking
for an afternoon front desk teammate. If you, or someone you know,
would be interested in this extremely important position please
contact Barb or Cris. Our boarding facility also needs two dedicated
animal care people. Please contact Jodi for information about these
positions. Additionally, we are looking for a licensed veterinary
technician for our overnight staff. Please contact Lori if you are
qualified and interested in this position. All these contact people
may be reached at 419-885-4421. In the future we also will be expanding
the staff to provide the additional and expanded services at the
new facility. At that time we will need a groomer, boarding staff,
a veterinarian, obedience instructors, day caregivers, cleaning
staff and a practice manager. It is not too early to express your
interest in any of these future positions. Contact Dr. Bob on the
web at drbob@sylvaniavet.com
should you have interest in any of these future positions.
THE
BLOOD BANK IS LOOKING for several universal donors. These dogs
are hard to find but essential to the ongoing success of our life
saving blood supply. If you have a dog over 50 pounds and under
five years of age, please consider using him or her as a blood donor.
Contact Dr. Jen or Emily is you would like to learn more about our
canine blood bank. We are in the early stages of developing a similar
blood bank for cats. We will keep you posted.
Have
a great Halloween
And
Remember the Sylvania Dog Jog in November
