Cool new products

One of the coolest aspects of my job is seeing all the great new products that arrive every year from our drug companies to help us help our pets. Right now Ventana Animal Hospital is assessing two new drugs to establish how helpful they will be to our clients.

A fair amount goes into any decision to carry a new medication. We must ask and answer several questions before we even consider bringing a new medication into our hospital.

First and foremost, does it solve a problem that cannot otherwise be solved. If we carried every cool drug out there we would have no room to treat pets, and we would be broke because all our money would be tied up on our shelves. Many drugs are redundant, or they cover the same ground as older drugs, or they have one small change over an existing drug - in these cases, there would have to be a very compelling reason to add them to our pharmacy. We are only interested in truly breakout drugs or innovations that really make a difference to your  life or the lives of your pets.

Second we ask ourselves what the research really says. Many medications, especially ones that people hear about on the internet or from the media are poorly or not at all supported by the science. We only bring in new medications that have been FDA approved, which mean that they have undergone extensive research into efficacy and safety. Even after undergoing FDA scrutiny we will oftentimes wait on a medication until others have used it for a while.

Lastly, we look at cost and need. Just because a medication is effective, it's use might be so limited that we would never use it, or use it so rarely that we could never use all of the product before it expired on our shelf. We also look at cost. If a medication is prohibitively expensive and it is not a huge improvement on existing medications we will not carry it.

So, what cool medications are we looking at right now?

First we are looking at a new flea and tick product called NexGard. Unlike every other flea and tick product on the market, this one is not topical. Instead of having insecticides on your dog - and your hands and furniture - the dog eats a chewable tablet once monthly. The tablet contains a naturally occurring insecticidal molecule - found, interestingly enough in living sponges to kill sea snails which will eat them otherwise.

In addition to NexGard we are also studying a new medication released by Zooetis for skin allergies. This medication has already been used successfully by local dermatology specialists. The product is called Apoquel. We are still looking into some of the details of this medication, how, exactly, it works, safety, dosing etc...

Every month we receive notice of some new medication, protocol, or gadget. We try to think about how these products can improve the quality of care that we offer. We rarely end up pursuing these new things because they often do not meet our criteria, so it exciting that we are looking at two new products at the same time.

January Success!

Whoops! it's been a while! We just got so busy with the holidays and Weight Loss Month that we let the blog slide.

Ventana Animal Hospital is not only a Certified Weight Loss Clinic, but we have two Certified Pet Weight Coaches (Liane our Hospital Manager and Rebecca a Certified Veterinary Technician). Both have taken the time to do 10 hours of continuing education to help our patients remain slim and healthy throughout their lives.

8 year old Aussie wrestling the stick from 13 year old German Shepherd

We decided to join the frenzy of weight loss habits changing at the New Year to kick off our own Weight Loss Month. So far so good. We have a poster up in the lobby with our weight loss candidates and they are currently vying for some really nice goodies for the pet who loses the most before the end of March.

Active breeds like border collies can gain weight quickly

Purina Pet Foods has helped us out by offering a whopping $10 off their excellent prescription pet food, OM and their senior weight loss diet (with glucosamine for joints) JM. Check out their weight loss plan online.

Most importantly we helped educate clients on the value of keeping their pets slim. Slim pets live an average of two years longer. They also live those two years (and countless more before) with fewer health issues and more mobility.

Many people think that pets slow down as they age, and while that may be true in some cases, in most cases, even as their racing days lie behind them, slender dogs remain happy and active throughout their lives. Weight gain makes dogs and cats uncomfortable. It makes joints ache and muscles strain. It can cause ligament tears and joint pain.

Kitty, an 8 year old Aussie playing in the mud

So, a huge THANK YOU to Rebecca and Ronnie who helped plan Weight Loss Month. Also a round of cheers to CJ, Gracie, Buddy, Misha, Frank, Pippin and Mary whose owners have stepped up in an effort to help them live healthier, happier, longer lives.

If you would like to know if your pet is overweight, just give us a call at 299-1146 and ask to make an appointment with Becca for a weight evaluation. She can help you formulate a weight loss plan.

Digital X-rays

Ventana Animal Hospital is proud to announce one of the many changes that we are constantly making to provide our patients the best diagnostics available. One of these advancements is our new digital radiology capability.

If you have been to your own physician recently for X-rays, you may have seen the bright clear, and immediate results produced by digital radiology.

These images are vastly superior to film radiology, providing our doctors better visual interpretation. They are also produced faster and with no developing materials in the building, are safer for both the staff and the environment.

Additionally, since our staff members have to position your pet for X-rays, the introduction of digital radiology lowers the radiation exposure for pet and staff alike.

Radiology is one of the most important factors in accurate diagnostics for a slew of injuries and diseases. We here at Ventana Animal Hospital are proud of this new technology and the quality care that it provides for your furry family members.

Cats need to see the vet too!

Cats make up nearly half the pet population, yet they only account for a third of veterinary visits. Why is this?  Many people believe that cats (especially those that spend their time indoors) do not need to see the veterinarian as often as dogs. Cats are deemed more self-sufficient than dogs. Cats also hide illness far more successfully than do their canine counterparts.

Cats do need to see the vet just as often as dogs do. Cats need rabies vaccinations regularly regardless of whether or not they are indoors (a rabid bat flying into the house has caused far more cat euthanasias than anybody would want.) They also need vaccinations for viruses that you can bring in on your clothes or shoes.

Cats, unlike dogs are prone to a degenerative illness of the teeth that causes painful lesions as teeth erode from the gumline. These are called feline oral resorptive lesions (FORLs). These are extremely painful, but your cat will not show it. Cats will continue to eat regardless of how much their teeth hurt (what alternative do they have?) We can quickly and painlessly evaluate your kitty's teeth to ensure that they are not painful.

Cats are also prone to all of the same age related issues that dogs are, including arthritis, diabetes, renal disease and cancer. Many of these illnesses can be addressed if found in time. Senior dogs and cats need to see the vet more often not less! Remember, pets age far faster than we do, so a year is a very long time in cat or dog years.

Cats, especially indoor cats are very prone to excessive weight gain and obesity. Being overweight can affect your cat's health, making her more prone to diabetes and other endocrine diseases. It can also make grooming difficult, and joints painful. We will be more than happy to evaluate what your cat is eating and place it on a diet. We also have tips and tricks to help inactive cats become more active (whether they want to or not!)

If your kitty has not seen a veterinarian in some time, please make an appointment. We here at Ventana Animal Hospital know how unpleasant kitties find the hospital environment to be. We will make every effort to make your cat's visit a smooth, stress-free and expedient event.