Veterinary Technician Appreciation!

It’s National Veterinary Technician Appreciation Week and We LOVE our LVTs!

 

lvtheart2

 

Our Licensed Veterinary Technicians are a crucial part of our team and we don’t know what we would do without them! 

Licensed Veterinary Technicians are highly trained professionals, responsible for everything from taking patient vitals, placing IV catheters, monitoring anesthesia, taking x-rays, performing bloodwork and urine testing, administering medications and injections, caring for hospitalized patients, answering client questions, providing knowledgeable pet care education, and offering comfort during difficult visits. ALL of our staff are amazing, animal-loving people, but these ladies have gone above and beyond to get additional training (which they maintain with regular continuing education courses) so they can provide the best care for your pets.

 

vtw9

 

The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) designates one week a year in October to honor these animal care professionals, but our appreciation for all they do is year round. If you are lucky enough to see Sam or Erin this week, please give them a high-five or some words of thanks for all they do for us. We couldn’t do what we do without them!

 

vtw10

Is Anxiety Ruining Your Pet’s Summer?

This month’s Health Focus is Freedom From Anxiety!

Summer brings celebrations that often feature fireworks, explosions, and gunshots, but these things are frequently scary for our pets, who don’t understand the loud noises and bright flashes. Even if the fireworks don’t start weeks early in your neighborhood, Mother Nature is usually ready to deliver light shows of her own featuring lightning, thunder, and barometric pressure changes. Car rides or kennel boarding for summer trips can top it all off to make this a scary time of year for many pets.

Fortunately, there are a wide variety of things that can be done to help your pets be at their best and most comfortable. See below for some of the things we’re recommending this summer.

Team Up – Consult With A Vet

Our veterinarians are here to help with behavior, training, and phobias as well as your pet’s other health concerns. Set up a consult to discuss your pet’s particular fears, triggers, or problem behaviors and what can be done to help. Sometimes there is training that can help calm fears or manage frightening situations, other times there may be medications that can make things better or easier. Did you know there’s a great anti-nausea medication for pets that can calm queasy stomachs and turn that reluctant car rider into an eager copilot? Or a jacket that can help provide a snug “hug” for a pet and may make thunderstorms easier even without ANY additional medications? Our vets are here to help your pets’ well being in all ways, including their sense of comfort in stressful situations.

vetteamconsults

Pheromones – Pill-Free Relief

Pheromones are chemicals processed through a pet’s olfactory system (the same system that processes smell, such an important sense to our dogs and cats!) that can have a direct calming effect on the brain without the use of oral medications. Specific products for both dogs and cats are available, and replicate chemicals that have a calming effect on the brain. For dogs, Adaptil® products are available as collars that can be put on in the morning if the weather is calling for thunderstorms so they can work gently throughout the day. Feliway® products for cats are available in a room spritz or even set-it-and-forget-it plug-in diffusers that are especially helpful for times when you’re having house guests, or that week around the 4th of July when there are stray fireworks going off in the neighborhood.adaptilfeliway

Nutraceuticals – Calm By Nature

There are some great non-prescription products out there that can be helpful as well. Some proteins and amino acids have been studied to support our pets’ sense of calm and healthy brain chemical balance. For example, the product Zylkene® makes use of a protein from milk, and Solliquin™ Chews use the amino acid L-Theanine from green tea and other botanical extracts to promote balanced behavior and relaxation. While we recommend you check in with our doctors before starting on any supplement for your pet, these products are over the counter and do not require a prescription. Consider adding them to your routine to help your furry family members to be more comfortable.zylkenesolliquin

This June we are offering 50% off the Behavior Consult exam with the veterinarians, and 10% off anxiety and calming aids, including all the products mentioned above! Help you and your pets have a great summer, and call us with any questions or to schedule a consult!

Feline Health Month!

 

Cats need regular veterinary care too! Join us this month for specials for your feline friends, and make sure these family members get just as much of the attention they need and deserve as their canine compatriots!

 

FelineMonthVillagerAd_CAH

Parasite Prevention Month!

Our focus in April this year is making sure we keep your pets and your family free from dangerous parasites!

We are offering 10% off our regular parasite testing, which includes:

• 4Dx testing, which screens for heartworms, as well as tick-borne diseases (Lyme, Ehrlichia, & Anaplasma)

• fecal testing, which screens for intestinal parasites

We also have some amazing specials on the routine parasite prevention your pets need to stay safe from parasites year round. The coupons below can be brought in and redeemed for extra savings on these preventatives, and there may be additional rebates available as well!

HGandNGCompassion_1

TrifexisCouponCompassion_1

RevolutionCouponCompassion_1

 

Lyme Disease Prevention

Our health focus topic for March is Lyme Disease Awareness and Prevention! Just like humans, dogs are susceptible to Lyme disease, and can have long lasting issues from contracting this disease.

Ticks in our area carry Lyme disease, as well as other nasty blood parasites like Ehrlichia and Anaplasma. Virginia is one of the states on the East Coast with a very high prevalence of Lyme disease.

Lyme Map

Unlike humans, dogs very rarely get the “bulls-eye” lesion on their skin after a bite from an infected tick. Some dogs will get an irritated area around a tick bite whether or not the tick is carrying a disease, and others will not react at all.

The disease itself can cause fever, lethargy, achiness and arthritis, and in some cases, even permanent effects on the kidneys. Just because your dog has been exposed to Lyme disease doesn’t mean that he or she will necessary develop these symptoms. However, since some dogs do experience illness, we strongly recommend prevention for EVERY dog in our area.

Lyme infection in dogs is only detected with a blood test. We use a quick, in-hospital test that only requires a few drops of blood to screen for this disease.

Knowing your dog’s status is an important first step in preventing or treating this disease!

If your dog tests positive, our doctors will discuss with you the next options, which could include further testing or medications. If your dog tests negative, he or she is eligible to start the Lyme vaccine series to help prevent future infection!

This month, Compassion Animal Hospital will offer 10% off Lyme disease vaccination and the testing to start the vaccine!

Additionally, if your dog completes the Lyme vaccination series for the first time, you will be eligible for a FREE gift…  your choice of a travel dog water bottle or a light-up, night time safety collar! (while supplies last!)

The Lyme vaccine is an important means to prevent disease in your dog, but tick prevention is ALWAYS the best way to prevent ticks and the many diseases they can transmit. We recommend keeping your dog on tick prevention year round, as our mild climate often means ticks can be active even in the winter months.

Help us protect your dog from Lyme disease this spring!

1 … 6 7 8 9 10