WRVC NEWSLETTER
 Summer 2007 Newsletter 15

A Better Standard of Care
Is as spay a spay and a neuter a neuter?  Call ten veterinary clinics to get a price quote on a routine surgery, and you will get ten different prices, sometimes with a two to three fold difference from low to high. 

Why the difference?  The reasons are too numerous to even begin discussing, but one big difference is that not all surgeries are equal.  While the basic surgery may be very similar from one clinic to the another, the ancillary care can vary a lot.  The type of anesthesia can vary, anesthetic monitoring can vary, after care can vary, and so on.

Why the difference?  The reasons are too numerous to even begin discussing, but one big difference is that not all surgeries are equal.  While the basic surgery may be very similar from one clinic to the another, the ancillary care can vary a lot.  The type of anesthesia can vary, anesthetic monitoring can vary, after care can vary, and so on.

The purpose of this article is not to compare the WRVC to any other clinic, but to simple describe what we offer for surgical care.  We utilize the best anesthetic agents available; we utilize both electronic and assistant monitoring off all patients, and great care is taken to assure a clean, safe surgical environment.  Post-op patients are carefully monitored until the time of discharge.
In an effort to try and do things better, we are currently adding more to our surgery routines.  While we have previously given clients the option of having their pets surgery performed with our laser unit, we will now be using it on all surgeries with the belief that it will be better for the pets.  In addition, all pets will receive pre-op pain control medication and will be sent home on pain control meds in an effort to speed their recovery.

Will all of this cost more?  The answer is understandably “yes”, but for the quality of the additional services, our increases will be modest, and we hope that our clientele will appreciate this better standard of care.

As always, if our clients have any questions or concerns about our services, we encourage you to call the clinic and talk to a clinic representative.  We want our clients to feel comfortable with every aspect of their pets care.
 

Should Cats be on Heartworm Prevention?

We know that cats do get heartworm infections, but at a lesser incidence than that of dogs.  The symptoms are also much different than in dogs, and it can be a difficult diagnosis to make in cats.  Because of these things the incidence of heartworm disease in cats is unknown.  Given that the infection is serious, and can even lead to death in cats, it certainly is not a bad idea to put cats on a monthly preventative during the mosquito season.  Not all clinics have promoted this to cat owners, but it is worth serious consideration.
 

Ginny

Virtually everyone we talk to has commented on the terrible tick problem this year.  For whatever combination of reasons, the tick population seems to have exploded and I fear that this is the way things will be from this point on. 

This is going to have implications for both human and animals health as we will certainly see tick borne diseases on the rise.  In our area that will mean not only more Lyme disease, but also an increase in the incidence of other diseases such as Ehrlichiosis and  Anaplasmosis.  These diseases, and possibly others, could be the next great health challenge for pets, their owners, and veterinarians.

What can clients do about this problem?  If your  pets lifestyle indicates, the vaccination for Lymes disease should be considered.  While topical products for flea and tick prevention seem to not be as effective as they once were (for reasons we do not understand), they should continue to be used based on exposure.  Certainly, some effectiveness is better than none.  Finally, clients need to be educated as to what symptoms  to watch for.  Early diagnosis and treatment will cure a pet of these diseases, while delays in detection and treatment can lead to the demise of the pet. 

We all hate ticks, but it unfortunately looks like we are going to be stuck with them, so we will have to deal with the problem the best we can.

My Anniversary

The Wisdom of Richard Evans:

            -And even if we fall short of our dreams, there will be compensations all along the way for trying-and much more satisfaction than we could ever have had for not trying.

            -A man with a message must have more than a message.  He must have an understanding of other people and respect for their point of view.

            -We have to take men as we find them, and help them to be useful to their capacity-not according to our own.

            -Few of us actually know our own strength until we are faced with situations that test us with our limits.  We often underestimate our power to endure hardships.  And we sometimes overestimate our power to resist temptation.
 

S.A.F.E.

S.A.F.E. (Stray Animal Fund Endeavor) is a program within the Wolf River Veterinary clinic which cares for the areas stray cats and dogs.  The clinic provides safe, comfortable housing for strays until they are either claimed by their owners, or, if unclaimed, placed into our adoption program.  Adopted pets are spayed, neutered, vaccinated, checked for any potential health problems, and their personalities are assessed prior to their placement in a new home.  It is the goal of S.A.F.E. to do the best we can to give every life a chance.  (See Pets for Adoption page)

Community Support

 S.A.F.E. is a non-profit organization, and without community donations the program would not exist.  The animals in S.A.F.E. are always in need of your support.

A good example of our efforts is as follows:  recently a Lhasa Apso dog came to us, we tended to his immediate needs and held him the required seven days, after no-one claimed him he became a member of S.A.F.E  He then required vaccinations, bathing, grooming, and heartworm testing.  Unfortunately, Pistol was heartworm positive and he will require costly medication, to hopefully reverse this condition, Pistol is a dog worth saving, and may be adopted this week, but his “needs” still add up.  Although many of the people at the clinic donate time, money and their talents, unfortunately this still isn’t enough.

We are hoping that with the support of our community we can continue to receive donations to keep S.A.F.E going.  Please help us continue this worthwhile endeavor to save the pets.

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