Please see the article written in Pets In The City Magazine.

Last Thursday (Feb. 7^th) was a day filled with extreme highs and extreme lows. As happens at times in a veterinary hospital a mysterious box appeared at our doorstep. No one knows who dropped it off or even saw it happen. It was like a portal to another dimension opened and the box just appeared. Our front staff supervisor, Debbie, was answering a phone call and just happened to look out of the cat side door.  She could just see the corner of a large bright blue box.  Once she opened the door she could see that large holes had been punched into the lid of the box.

Veterinary Careers

Read about Veterinary Careers with Penny McKay's input as reported by the Las Vegas Review Journal.

Las Vegas is one of the worst cities in America for obesity in cats and dogs, according to a new report. 

Read the story by FOX5

Boarding Your Pet

Developed over 3000 years back in China as a holistic means of recovery from various diseases and illnesses, the therapy or healing procedure is now popularly used for pets as well. Dogs are often experience several ailments such as paralysis, allergies, pain and other skin problems and gastrointestinal issues. Acupuncture therapy can help dogs get rid of such issues in a short period of time. Many veterinarian hospitals across the nation have started using the procedure of acupuncture therapy. To some the process of acupuncture might come across quite terrifying as many needles are inserted on the body to allow smooth blood flow. The Chinese method of acupuncture is based on the Qi life force that moves thru pathways of the body. Needles in acupuncture are believed to open up these pathways to allow for easier flow of energy that provides healing.

Parvovirus mainly known as  “Parvo” infects dogs and can make them very ill. Fortunately there is a vaccination  for this horrible disease for your dog. It is so important to get the proper vaccinations for your dog when they are puppies. Parvo first appreared in the late 1970’s and many dogs have passed away from it.

Dogs always seem to be energetic and healthy but they can become sick just like humans. When your dog is feeling under the weather he can’t tell you he isn’t feeling so great. It is important to notice changes in behavior or symptoms that can indicate your dog is sick. It is also advised to have a great Veterinarian you can bring your dog to when he may be sick.

When we have surgery on our pet most of us are worried about the safety, the success, and yes even the cost of a particular procedure.  All three of these concerns are related as a surgery done properly without complications or cutting corners will also insure the safety of our furry pets with the utmost comfort available.  While there are low cost spay and neuter clinics that have an assembly line approach, this is not typical surgery and other than in some 3rd world countries,this is not how surgical procedures are performed on humans either.  All surgeries must start in the competent hands of an experienced practitioner (not an unsupervised fresh out of school Doctor) who has the correct diagnosis, is not neglecting or missing other health problems, recognizes potential complications before they occur, and is able to accomplish a successful surgical procedure with proper the aftercare.  Keeping the proper surgical equipment available for all emergencies, making sure the instruments are kept exceptionally sterile to the highest standards, having specially trained and licensed Vet technicians who have experience to assist and monitor, and having a clean caring facility with the proper veterinary support staff to care for your pet is by all accounts expensive.  Many people just look at the end result- as an example "A lump was removed from my pet by the vet". To correctly proceed with the best treatment for that tumor means first determining that in fact surgery is the best option, then if so fully removing it without leaving any microscopic remains behind, safely  getting your pet thru surgery, and finally managing aftercare pain relief and future concerns. To accomplish this your veterinarian needs experience, smarts, thoroughness, lots of support staff, a special facility, educated owners, and yes, all of this care adds up. In the end we want to perform surgery correctly, with the greatest margin of safety as well as the absolute best chance of a successful outcome!!!!  

Dr Yach 

Traditional old style veterinary medicine  (and even human medicine) consists of us visiting the doctor when sick or showing a symptom of something grossly wrong. We have found that by the time our beloved pets show signs of an ailment, that the illness is many times quite advanced and much more difficult and more expensive to treat.  A more modern approach to managing out pets healthcare (and even our own) is to proactively look at each of our pets as individuals.  We look for any early signs of abnormalities, understand what disorders may be common in this particular individual or breed. If  anything abnormal exist then we can get our little loved one on therapy as early as possible with the best outcome possible. Routine healthy pet exams twice yearly accomplishes just this, and as our pets get older we look even better by running routine lab tests, by taking x rays, or checking their blood pressure.  We must remember that a year for us is 5-7 years for them.  A lot can happen to our health in 5-7 years- especially when we get older.  As a very experienced Veterinarian we should be able to detect early signs of abnormalities with healthy pet wellness exams, input & insight from our pet owners, and laboratory tests when indicated. 

 Dr Christopher Yach