Some Recent Toxins and Hazards Seen On The Emergency Service

Recently, one of our clients emailed a warning regarding Cocoa Shell Mulch. I really thought this wasn't s problem anymore, since a few years ago it was quite popular and dogs were getting sick and dying from the mulch back then. Evidently it is now being marketed as a repellent to cats, evidently cats are the bane of every gardener, which is news to me. So, this is the mulch to use for your nasty cat problem. Unfortunately, if you have dogs, the mulch has the same toxin in it as does chocolate, Theobromine, and it is sweet and appetizing to dogs (although it is toxic to cats, they are much less likely to eat the mulch). Thebromine in adequate quantities is fatal to dogs and that is what happened to our client's friend's dog. After mulching their gardens the previous day their dog had a seizure and died.
The Cocoa Mulch can be purchased at all the home supply and garden stores. Not only be sure that you avoid using this product in your yard, but also warn your neighbors since often our pets 'share' our neighbors yard as well.

With Mothers Day this weekend, please be aware that lillies of all variety are toxic to cats. Even the pollen is toxic. The toxicity causes renal failure and if not addressed early or if a large amount of toxin is ingested, it can be fatal. We have already seen at least 2 cases at our hospital this spring.If you think your cat has eaten or been playing with a lilly plant or flower, please have it evaluated by a veterinarian immediately.

There are a few traumatic events that tend to be more prevalent this time of year, first is what we call the 'Big Dog, Little Dog' or BDLD. With the advent of neighborhoods that do not have traditional fencing, dogs tend to wander and not all of them are well socialized. Unfortunately, the little dog gets the worst of the injuries and at times they are fatal. The best solutions to this problem are fencing, leashes, collars, responsible dog owners and adequate dog training and socialization.

Other injuries we have recently seen are the golf club or baseball bat to the head injury. It's pretty self-explanatory how this accident happens, happy dog, ball, you know the rest. Best solution, don't have your dog out playing golf or baseball with you.

Finally, have a great Spring. Get out there with your dog, take the cat out for a walk (on a leash), smell the flowers, and be safe!

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Dexter Says "Don't miss these fun events at Veterinary Care Specialists and VCS Pets First"

Dexter is one of our clinic cats (we are unwilling to divulge exactly how many clinic cats we have), he was named after the monkey from the Night In The Museum movies, as you might imagine he is a pretty opinionated fellow. So here are his picks for some animal related events this month:

This May brings a few interesting events to our calendar. On May the 8th we will be at Addison Oaks Park from 9 AM to 5 PM for a pet extravaganza. There will be vendors of all sorts of pet related products and pet services. The event is sponsored by Pet Talk Radio and Oakland County Parks. VCS and VCS Pets First will be there and we will have a contest to win prizes, so visit our booth. Kathy Hourican and Reiki Gatherings will be at the event as well and will be happy to explain more about Reiki and how it might benefit your pet. It should be a fun day for the family and there will be lots to see and to do!

On May the 15th we are offering our first Pet CPR and First Aid course from 10 AM until 12 noon. CasPeR the CPR dog will be present to allow all the attendees a chance to practice their resuscitation skills. There will also be information on toxins, bandaging and wound care, how to create your own emergency care kit and lots more. We ask that you call the office to reserve your spot since there is limited seating, 248.684.0468. A certificate will be awarded to all participants that complete the program. A voluntary donation to the Community Sharing's Pet Pantry is suggested for all participants.

Lastly, this is Dexter's favorite event since he will most likely place himself in the center of it all, on May the 21st we will be hosting the Huron Valley Chamber of Commerce's Morning Coffee. It is from 8 AM to 9 AM. It is a great way to learn more about businesses in the area, our area chamber of commerce and to receive a tour of the hospital (and see Dexter too!!!).

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In Memory of Grimm

In Memorial

A beloved mascot here at Veterinary Care Specialists and VCS Pets First has moved on. Grimm, was released from his physical struggles yesterday. He had fared well over the past few years, with a number of ailments, but his body slowly gave way. We will all miss him greatly.

For those of you familiar with our office, Grimm was the black cat who ruled the front desk. He maintained his post, always quietly in control. Periodically, he would venture out and visit with clients and make sure all the other aspects of the business were running smoothly. Also, in his younger years, he was a blood donor, helping us save many an anemic cat.

Grimm came to our office in 1998. By our recollections that made him about 19 years old. When he first visited us he had a urinary obstruction and he was owned by a friend that could no longer care for him. He recovered fully from his illness and we were fortunate to share the next 13 years with him.

In the midst of all of us being sad to see him pass, I must also say that I am so proud of the staff here at the hospital. The gentle care every individual, on every shift, gave him while he was ill was exceptional. They made sure he was comfortable at the front desk on padded blankets, he got all his medications regularly, he was cleaned religiously(he grew to tolerate his baths) and each shift brought him bowls of his favorite canned food which was always in good supply. A busy office like ours, 24/7, you'd worry that an in-house cat might not get our full attention, but that wasn't the case for our staff or Grimmie!

Thank you, Grimm, for sharing your time with us.

Pictures (from top):
1. Grimm in a portrait by Isabella Barnes
2. Grimm became a little more tolerant of other cats in his later years, sleeping with Dexter
3. Another picture by Isabella, Grimm loved to eat!

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Save Our Wildlife, Drive Carefully - Story of a Duck from Colasanti's

We are very fortunate to live in an area that still has so many parks and wild areas for us to explore. However, in order to maintain these wild areas and their inhabitants for future generations we have to respect the wildlife that live with us. One, very easy, thing that we can do is slow down when we drive and pay close attention to the road.

Lets face it, turtles don't dart in front of cars and frankly most of the wild animals hit by a car are not hit because they jumped in front of a moving vehicle. Most animals get hit because we are either driving too fast or we are not paying attention. It is really unfortunate that many of these animals loose their lives because we cannot take the time to recognize that it is spring and we should exercise a little caution.

Recently we have seen multiple waterfowl that were hit by a car in front of Colasanti's Market. This is a 25 mile an hour zone and it is a wetland area too. I find it hard to believe that these animals were so reckless and fast moving that the drivers could not avoid them.

The picture is of a mallard female, whose mate was killed this week. She was hit in the head and has some damage to her beak. She is also laying eggs. She will be taken over by a wildlife rehabilitator today. We will see if she can be nursed back to health and returned to the wild. Hopefully we can also convince her to sit on her eggs.



So next time you are out driving, slow down in front of Colasanti's, show the respect for the animals in that area, and admire the lovely business that makes the effort to care for the birds. But, also slow down and respect all the other animals along the roadway and keep our beautiful community full of the wildlife we enjoy.

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Spring Time Tips To Keep Your Pets Safe and Healthy

The cranes and the red-wing black birds are back and temperatures are rising, spring appears to be here. It’s also the time of year when dogs and cats are more likely to slip out of the yard or the front door and it is the season when infections and parasites move more freely among the community. So here are a few reminders :

1. Check your backyard fence, window screens and screen doors. Be sure that they are pet proof, no holes in the fences and no areas where the fences have curled up or holes that have developed underneath the fence line. Check invisible fences too. When the snow was deep and the weather foul, your dog did not want to run off, but now when the rabbit hops out of the fence parameter your pooch may be more willing to roam. Be sure that screens are in good repair so that your cats don't slip outside for a neighborhood walk about.
2. Make sure your pet is well identified.
1. Take some photos, keep them recent, in case you have to go looking for a missing companion.
2. Make sure everybody’s collars have tags with current phone numbers, address, etc, we actually suggest putting your pets blood type on their tag in case of an accident Check to see that the collars fit well, not too tight or too loose.
3. Consider a micro chip. It is a simple subcutaneous injection for your pet and a life time of identification and protestion. If your pet is lost without a collar or looses its collar, the microchip is just another layer to your pet retrieval system. When we find a stray animal we check for a microchip. That identification number is linked to an 800 phone number and a quick phone call finds the pet’s home. It is important that you make sure the information on your pet is kept current, remember to report change of address or phone number changes.
3. Recently (over the past 6 months) there have been reports of rabies in a horse in Lapeer Township and a human succumbed to rabies up in Kalkaska, Mi. Even though we have gotten smarter about vaccines and we recognize that vaccines can be given less often, we definitely know that vaccines are necessary. Vaccines not only keep your pets safe, but your family safe as well. Remember that if your dog is going to the parks or running on the back trails with you, your pup should be vaccinated against Leptospirosis, too.
4. Time for a trim… The weather is getting warmer, the mud, rain and dirt is being tracked into the house. Long hair coats that are left wet or dirty harbor infection. Next, maggots, fleas and ticks can find their way into your home (and your pet!). These rules apply to your long hair cats too!
5. Do not make your pet a weekend warrior. I know the weather is nice, but take it slow. Just like you , your pet has to start working out slowly. A day of swimming, running and hiking will leave your previously sedentary pet sore and in some instances, too much activity for an under conditioned dog could lead to far more serious orthopedic issues.
6. This is the time when all young dogs and cats are thinking of love.....Remember to have your pet spayed or neutered. The longer days that come in the spring are a signal to begin the reproduction cycle. Avoid that litter of pups or kittens and have your pet neutered.
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Have a GREAT SPRING!

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A Response To A Negative Review On The Internet

Veterinary Care Specialists and VCS Pets First are small concerns. We are really a family here and the hospital was built and organized with the idea of being a more intimate, ‘patient care intense’ veterinary hospital. We never had ambitions to be big, but we strive to be very good at what we do. I think that we achieve that goal and I am very proud of the support staff and doctors that make our office a caring and professional place.

Veterinarians don’t typically spend 4 + years in college seeking an advanced degree to get rich. We are among the crazy folks that get all that schooling because we really believe in and like what we do. So, when someone says we did not provide adequate care or they were unhappy with our performance we tend to get upset. We take it personally, because we put so much of ourselves into our work.

So recently a client, John Whitt, posted a review of VCS on the internet that was less than stellar. He made a lot of inaccurate claims like ’VCS is the only emergency clinic within a 50 mile radius’, there are actually 3+ Veterinary ER clinics within a 50 mile radius of us, and he felt we provided an excessive estimate for his pets care and, after all, his dog is better now, without all that expense. He neglected to mention that the medications that have helped his dog get better were prescribed by us and without our assistance in that regard his dog may not be doing as well as he is today.

Here is the problem with this situation and this owners thought process. First, their dog, by their admission, had been injured days earlier and was very ill. They had been treating the dog at home with injections of medications, some of which are not appropriate for dogs. The dog had seriously infected bite wounds that were extensive and potentially life threatening. Second, we did what we are ethically bound to do, the very best we can on behalf of the patient. Not to trivialize the problem, but to be sure that the patient’s pain was managed, it’s infections treated and it was protected from the septicemia and organ damage that can occur from chronic deep seeded wounds and certain medications that he received. We also were obliged to provide a plan to debride (surgically cleaning) these wounds so they might heal quickly and by healing more quickly, keep the patient more comfortable. Unfortunately, that plan was costly.

This is the hard part for us to swallow, the owners got angry. Not because we did not care for their dog, we did. We ultimately gave the owners antibiotics and pain medication for their dog. We functioned well within the constraints that they applied to us. But they were upset we gave them a quote for the pet’s very best care. They didn’t understand that we cannot gamble with their pet’s health. It was their option to decline our best plan. Also, they apparently became upset because their pet was lucky enough to get better using a very conservative treatment plan. They’ve even sent emails, sort of flaunting their pet’s success, like that makes us wrong. It doesn’t, it just makes their dog very fortunate. With the years of experience we have and the years of education we’ve received, we realize all the potential outcomes for injuries like their dog sustained and we know how to best manage these wounds, the Whitt’s pet was lucky, pure and simple, he beat the odds, and we are happy for the dog and the owners.

So here is the bottom line for all you pet owners out there that will bring your pet to the vets with a serious health problem: 1. Expect that veterinarian to provide the very best plan for your pets care, 2. If you either don’t want to pursue that plan or cannot afford that plan, don’t get angry, your veterinarian should respect your limitations, whether philosophical or financial, and provide another, more acceptable plan, then, 3. Institute that plan and be very happy if it all works out, and lastly, 4. Don’t be mad if you are offered the very best care possible for your pet, that is what every pet and owner deserves.

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Raymond Lee Wins the 'Guess Darwins Weight' Contest

Darwin is the handsome dude on the right. Raymond won with his estimate of 132 lbs.

We had a contest at the Huron Valley Business Expo a week ago Sunday and visitors to our booth were encouraged to guess Darwin's weight. Raymond won one of our famous VCS T-shirts and a 25.00 gift card.

Darwin has had a sedentary winter and looks forward to lots of outdoor activities that will help him slim down to 120-125 lbs. In all fairness, Darwin did have his official blood donor coat on and it may have made him look a little heavier, red is not slimming!

For those of you that asked, indeed there are different blood types among dogs and there are donors that are more 'universal' than others, like a person with type 0 blood. This is also true among cats.

Blood transfusions may be needed in case of trauma, immune mediated disease (where the patient destroys his own red blood cells) or blood loss from a bleeding tumor or after having eaten a toxin (like mouse poison). Regardless of the cause we have the blood product necessary. Hopefully, you'll never need us for that!

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