WHAT IS NEW AND EXCITING IN VETERINARY MEDICINE

Your pet is now a geriatric patient and as such we try to take prophylactic measures to ensure <his> health. As our pets age, they become more susceptible to several disease processes associated with older age. These include kidney disease, liver disease, heart disease, periodontal disease, thyroid disease, diabetes, neoplasia, and urinary tract disease.

In an effort to catch any disease process before it causes major changes, we are offering a geriatric workup special during the months of March 2010 thru April 2010. This represents significant savings over our regular fees.

If additional tests are recommended they will be offered at a 10% discount if conducted within two weeks of the initial examination.

Health Maintenance Plan

The plan has been designed to provide quality care for your pet and at the same time allowing substantial discounts off of veterinary services and products. Listed below are the provisions and exclusions for the plan.

Discount: Services Discounted

20% …All Medical Services, Emergencies, Radiology, Outpatient Services, Medications

ONE FREE SICK EXAMINATION (not associated with vaccination) SAVINGS $ 123.75

ONE FREE SEMI-ANNUAL WELLNESS EXAMINATION during the 12-month enrollment period.

These discounts will stay in effect for the term of enrollment. The prices for all services are subject to change, although any adjustments will be uniform in nature. Coupons and specials are discounts off of regular prices and

will not be added to existing plan discounts, however the greater of the two discounts will apply.

UNLIMITED NAIL TRIMS AT NO CHARGE (Technician performed, uncomplicated)

FREE BATH WITH ANY BOARDING (2 days minimum)

Vaccinations, heartworm testing and heartworm prevention are limited to discounts only when they are due during the calendar year.

The services of a specialist who is called in to examine or conduct a procedure in the hospital.

It is understood that some veterinary services may not be available at the hospital at all times.

The use of a specialist in veterinary medicine is common and their services are not covered under the plan.

Although the hospital does provide emergency services there are times when the doctor is unavailable

Patients can be enrolled in the program at any time with the approval of the doctor. Patients who have obvious problems of an immediate nature will not be enrolled in the plan until their problems are stabilized and the doctor approves enrollment. Each patient must be examined prior to enrollment in the plan. The plan must be paid for in full before taking effect. During the period covered by the plan all invoices must be paid promptly at the time of discharge. No extended billing is possible. If the patient is discharged with an open bill or has a check returned for insufficient funds then the remainder of the plan period reverts to full price. If an account is sent to collections then all services and products will be billed at full price. The responsible party agrees to pay for any collection expenses.

Renewal fees must be paid before the due date or the plan expires and renewal is declined. We send three monthly reminder notices prior to expiration.

There is no limit to the amount that can be saved with this plan

Just like human flu outbreaks, we now have outbreaks of Canine Influenza recognized in 30 states. It is a highly contagious strain of influenza A virus called H3N8. Canine influenza can cause flu like symptoms, with 100% of the canine population at risk. Of those exposed to the virus 80% will show signs of illness, such as nasal discharge, low-grade fever, lack of appetite and lasting cough.

Because it presents just like kennel cough it is difficult to differentiate the two. Diagnosis can be very difficult because laboratory specimens must be taken at the appropriate stage of infection.

Just like human influenza, treatment is mostly supportive, consisting of antibiotic therapy and other appropriate measures as needed. Canine influenza can progress to more serious disease

such as a high fever and pneumonia. It is transmitted just like human flu, through direct contact or via aerosol spray.

We can now prevent Canine influenza through vaccination. It consists of a two shot series (2 doses) given 2-4 weeks apart. The new vaccine has proven to be safe and well tolerated, affording protection against infection. It is a killed vaccine so it can’t cause infection.

Dogs at high risk of infection are those that come form shelters or breeding kennels, attend training sessions, enter dog events, are boarded, get groomed, go to day care, come in contact with other dogs during walks or exercise, or visit a veterinarians office waiting room.

Call our off today to schedule this important vaccination to prevent your pet from getting Canine influenza.

Surgical support has always been a priority and in May we purchased a state of the art heating support system to maintain your pets body temperature during all procedures. We continually monitor the core body temperature to ensure that homeostasis is maintained.

Starting in January we will be e-mailing our clients to advise of them of anything new at the hospital or new in veterinary medicine.

During the months of January and February 2009 we are allowing open enrollment in our Health maintenance Plans for dogs and cats up to 4 years of age. Details are in our latest newsletter or you can call the office for this unique opportunity.

Our new X ray processor will allow quicker turnaround and more consistent quality for radiological examinations.

With our newest software update we can now easily create a report card at the time of examination which will give you a copy of the doctors examination along with recommendations. Vitals (Temperature/Pulse /Respiration) and body condition will be included.

Our routine Heartworm/Lyme/ Erlichia test now has anew component, Anaplasomsis, which is a tick born disease that can cause significant blood abnormalities. It will be part of our routine yearly heartworm testing.

Novartis, the producer of Sentinel has come out with a $50 mail in rebate for purchasing a years supply. We will fill out the rebate form and submit it for reimbursement. They will mail the first $25 rebate check within 4-8 weeks and the second $25 check in six months made out to the clinic to be used for any veterinary expense.

We have been offering our geriatric special during March and April which offers substantial discounts on a thorough workup for our middle aged and senior patients. We have identified many potential problems and provided needed preventive care.

Once again we celebrated national dental month with our yearly 15% discount on all dental procedures. We were so busy that we had to extend the procedures all the way into April to accommodate everyone. Keeping your pet's teeth clean is one of the major things you can do to maintain overall health.

We can now test your dog through blood to determine what breeds are in its genetic makeup. the test takes about 3-4 weeks to get results and not only tells you the dominant breeds , but also the more distant breeds int he pedigree.

We have always included calicivirus vaccination in our routine vaccination for felines. Recently a new strain of calicivirus, called virulent systemic calicivirus (VS) has established itself and does not respond to the older vaccination. Outdoor cats are at the greatest risk from this deadly strain. Our new Feline Distemper Vaccination combination vaccination has both the old calicivirus and the new VS calicivirus strains in it. Outdoor cats should receive a booster of the VS vaccine three weeks after the initial vaccination.

When your pet comes in for yearly vaccination and examination we now provide you with a PET ID CARD. The card will have your dogs picture on it and pertinent vaccine history along with your name and address. We hope you will find this complimentary service useful.

Running pre-surgical blood work on all patients is now included and mandatory for all surgeries. We decided to make the change because it is better medicine and should be the standard of care for a ll surgical patients to prevent anesthetic complications.

All dental prophylaxis surgeries now include Oravet, a barrier/sealant that prevents bacteria from adhering to the teeth and therefore preventing them from interacting with food and causing plaque and tartar. This is best followed with home therapy applied once a week. It is a simple and quick application of gel that is wiped over the teeth.

The oravet barrier /sealant can also be applied at the time of early neutering and spaying and again followed with the home care kit applied once a week. Applying the Oravet weekly can be as effective as daily brushing.

In December emergency hours were modified. Emergencies before 10:00 PM and after 7:00 AM will be able to contact the Doctor via pager. Emergencies not during these hours will be referred to the emergency veterinary clinic. A always emergency contact information is available on our answering machine 410-363-0393.

We now have a new tool to fight periodontal disease in dogs. Pfizer has released Porphyromonas Vaccine which is a vaccination against the principle bacteria that causes canine periodontitis. It is now available at OMABH. An initial vaccination is followed by a booster in three weeks and then semiannual vaccinations are needed.

A routine fecal test is run every six months on your pet and now includes a giardia elisa test. Giardia is an important parasite in dogs and cats and can be transmitted to humans. It can cause diarrhea and GI upset. The test is sent to the lab and results are reported in one to two days. We will only contact you if the results are positive. Treatment for positive giardia cases involves oral medication given over several days and can usually be cleared in one course.

This new test now screens for Anaplasmosis , an important and emerging blood parasite. Research has shown that many of our pets are positive for this organism and the potential for disease is significant.

We have added blood pressure monitoring to our list of pre surgical options to allow a more complete workup before surgery. The "SILENT KILLER" can be just as important to our pets as it can be to us and early detection is the key.

We have added the semi annual examination as an included benefit of the plans. The plans already included one sick visit and now with the addition of the semi annual examination you get over $100 worth of services at no charge.

You can now order prescriptions by e mail so they are ready when you get here ORDER HERE

I have been searching for a long time to find an office manager with experience in veterinary medicine In September we hired Jenifer Yeck for just that purpose. Jen quickly earned the respect of the rest of the staff and has stepped up to fill these shoes. She is a welcome addition.

The doctor is now available for emergencies before 11:00 PM and after 7:00 AM. Emergencies not during these hours are referred to the EVC at 410-7878-7040.

We now provide a water cooler with complimentary coffee, tea and hot chocolate in the reception area.

Our new groomer is Linda, she is here on Mondays and has been doing a fine job. She grooms both dogs and cats.

In October we took the last step in becoming paperless. We have done away with paper charts and rely entirely on our computer system with many redundant backups. Your information is safe and secure. We have also updated our program so faxing charts can be done directly.

In May we anticipate improvements to our computer system that will increase reliability and speed.

We are expanding our space this month, actually doubling it. This will increase the number of examination rooms and also significantly increase our space for boarding and grooming. We will now have new bird and cat rooms for boarding, as well as more runs for larger dogs. Our laboratory space will be increased to accommodate our workload. The reception area will be larger and we plan for more product displays and some comforting fish tanks.

A new in clinic test is now available to check your dog for early sings of decreasing renal function. The test is conducted on a fresh urine sample, detecting micro amounts of albumin, an indicator of early kidney disease. Research has shown when animals are diagnosed and managed early longevity is increased substantially.

A recent breakthrough in protection for your cat, the development of a vaccine against Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, the true "aids virus of cats", is here. Initially, it is a three shot series at 2-3 week intervals and then followed by yearly boosters.

We have added a link to our sister site at petdr.petplace.com which will allow you to search veterinary topics of your choice. ANSWER ALL YOUR VETERINARY QUESTIONS--- SEARCH

Available information includes client information handouts and breed information.

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During February, NATIONAL DENTISTRY MONTH, we will be offering all Dentistry related services at 15% off the regular rates

We are currently offering microchipping at the reduced rate of $ 36.50 for puppies who were bought at JUST PUPPIES.

We are now offering wellness testing, a special blood profile meant to be run on healthy animals to detect problems before they become symptomatic. It only cost $35 and can lead better health through preventive medicine.

As part of out complete wellness program we are now routinely testing for Lyme Disease and Ehlichia canis in addition to Heartworm Disease. Lyme Disease and Ehrlichiosis are contracted through tick bites. They both have acute and chronic stages and can be difficult to cure unless detected early. With this new technology we can now test for all three inexpensively and accurately in our office.

NAIL CLIP WEDNESDAYS On Wednesdays from 9 to noon technician nail clips can be scheduled. The charge is $5.00 for dogs, cats and small mammals. These are for uncomplicated nail clips, those not requiring tranquilization or heavy restraint.

DIGITAL SIGN BOARD If you look at our digital sign board in the reception area you will note that the messages are fresh, new and in a more pleasing format. We can now customize the program and offer a wide variety of information visually. If you are interested in having a message from your business posted on the board, it can be done for a nominal monthly fee. Inquiries should be directed to Dr.Slovon.

Digital Pictures are now being taken of patients and are displayed on the patients computer chart. Additionally, we can now store pictures relating to any case in the computer for immediate recall. You will also notice that a picture of your pet will be included on your invoice as well. We are continuing our efforts to computerize our complete records and become more efficient.

New patient and owner pictures are organized by month and year of the first visit new patients

A new product designed to help prevent feline spraying or marking behavior is called Feliway. It is a spray that contains feline pheromones which are substances that are produced naturally by cats. When this product is sprayed on an appropriate object or area it will promote affectionate or positive attraction behavior by your cat. Your cat generally starts to rub her/his face on the treated area when it starts working. This product is used to divert destructive behavior and urine marking.

Giardia Lambia, a one celled parasite of the gastrointestinal tract often causes diarrhea and vomiting in young or debilitated animals. Giardia is a zoonotic disease, contagious to humans and can cause the same symptoms in people as it does in animals. It can be difficult to diagnose because of its ability to form cysts soon after being exposed to air. Vaccination against this parasite is now possible and is routinely done during a puppy's initial series of visits. Although it can affect older dogs we are currently only recommending vaccinating dogs under 1 1/2 years of age. There are a series of two boosters resulting in a full years protection for your dog..

LEPTOSPIROSIS, A bacterium that we have been vaccinating against for years is on the rise again. Two sera types that were not seen before are now causing disease in an alarming number of pets. All of our leptospirosis vaccine boosters now includes these two "new" sera types, however to afford your dog protection it will be necessary to give him a booster 2 weeks following the initial inoculation. Symptoms of the disease resemble those of kidney failure, specifically increased water consumption, vomiting, and eventually not drinking at all. Death will often result if not diagnosed and treated early.