October, 2001

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. And to all those who have worked so tirelessly in the aftermath of the attack, we send our heartfelt thanks.

Chocolate Can Be Dangerous

It's time again for Halloween and most households have extra chocolate on hand for all those ghouls and grinches. But watch out, chocolate and dogs don't mix. Eating chocolate can be fatal to dogs. It contains a substance called theobromine that can cause chocolate toxicosis and death. The severity of the effect of this substance on a dog depends on the dog's size and the quantity of chocolate ingested. The type of chocolate is also a factor with unsweetened chocolate such as that used for baking, being higher in theobromine than milk chocolate.

Symptoms of chocolate toxicosis include vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, hyperactivity, and seizures among others. Immediate veterinary attention is required. Treatment may include inducing vomiting or administering activated charcoal to help absorb and remove the toxin from the dog's system. IV fluid therapy may also be indicated. Please be very careful this Halloween.

New Heartworm Preventive Medication

Quick! When was the last time you gave your dog the monthly heartworm preventive? Can't remember? You're not alone, but missing the monthly preventive tablet can leave your dog vulnerable to heart damage, organ failure, even death.

We now have a solution. We are happy to introduce a new form of heartworm prevention. Proheart 6 is the new long-lasting heartworm prevention that provides 6 months of continuous protection in just one dose. It is administered at the veterinarian's office twice a year (and we'll even send you a reminder). It is approved for use in dogs six months of age and older, including collies with known sensitivity to ivermectin.

Just one dose, and your best friend will be protected from deadly heartworm disease for a full six months.

Help Prevent the Heartbreak of Lost Pets

Nothing can be more devastating than losing your pet. You take every precaution yet sometimes they still get lost. In fact over 10 million pets are lost every year. The sad stories of lost pets make everything from on-line chat groups to major movies.

We offer a great way to help them get home again. A tiny chip, about the size of a grain of rice, is implanted under your pet's skin in the area of their shoulder blades. The chip is encased in a biocompatible material and has an antimigration cap to help prevent movement. The chip is passive - activated only when read by the scanner. Each chip has a unique 10-digit code that will be registered with the American Kennel Club's (AKC) Companion Animal Recovery Program when you send in the enrollment form.

When a lost pet arrives at the shelter, a special hand-held scanner - similar to scanners used in supermarkets - is passed over the animal's shoulder blades. The scanner reads the code of the microchip and the AKC is notified. Then they immediately contact the pet's owner, a relative, veterinarian, or any person previously designated by the owner. Many police departments, all humane societies and pet shelters, and most veterinarians have scanners that will scan all stray pets for a microchip.

50% of dogs and 75% of cats are without collars by the time they arrive at shelters. When the collar and ID tags are lost, the microchip is your pet's only chance of finding his way back home again. Call us today for more information.

Don't Let Money Come Between Best Friends

With Care Credit you won't have to. When your financial situation makes it difficult to accept necessary, recommended, or emergency treatment, consider this convenient way to pay. Care Credit has 3-, 6-, and 12-month interest-free payment plans. Speak with our front-office staff for more information or visit Care Credit on-line at www.carecredit.com.

New Medication That Can Save Lives!

Oxyglobin is now available for use in dogs with severe anemia. It is an intravenous drug that increases systemic oxygen content and improves the clinical signs associated with anemia regardless of the cause of the anemia. The most common cause of anemia is traumatic blood loss (i.e., hit by a car). So although we hope we don't have to use it on your dog it is nice to know it is available just in case.

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