Palmer Animal Hospital
Veterinarian Myersville, MD
We are excited to report that we just had a litter of puppies in January. The dam is our Fancy (South Mountain Fancy That) and the sire is our very own Mickey (GCH South Mountain Dance the Tango). We have 4 puppies available: a white male, a dark male, and two dark females. If interested email Susan at: SouthMountainStandards@hughes.net.
Here are some updated photos :
Beginning Monday, Jan 3rd, 2022, all services at Palmer Animal Hospital will again be curbside. Frederick County’s positivity rate is now over 20%, and to be honest we have had continued issues with clients not following our COVID policies by not wearing masks properly, not observing social distancing (the “blue line”) and even coming into the office when sick. We do not want to go all curbside because it does reduce our efficiency, but we must provide a safe environment for our staff. We hope to have everyone’s cooperation as we all continue to be frustrated by the continuing pandemic.
When you arrive at our office, please call into the front desk so that a staff member may come out to you. Remember that we will have increased phone traffic so it may take a little longer than usual. If you are here for your pet’s appointment, a staff member will come get your pet when the doctor is ready. Please be sure to fill out a pre-visit form (found on our website). If you are picking up food or medication, a staff member will bring it to you and do your check out at the car.
Please note, that we are still operating on a limited schedule to control the flow of persons into and out of our building. Scheduling continues to be our biggest challenge, but we continue to work hard to provide great care for all of our patients. We do reserve appointments every day for sick patients, but these fill up quickly. If your pet needs to be seen, you need to call us early in the morning. Unfortunately there are times that we cannot fit any more appointments into our schedule and must refer patients to one of the local emergency hospitals.
Stay safe and healthy, get vaccinated, and we hope this winter surge will soon resolve.
If you have an emergency with your pet that cannot wait, please contact one of the below emergency clinics and they will be able to help you:
Crossroads Animal Referral and Emergency (CARE) —1080 W. Patrick St, Frederick 301-662-2273
Mountain View Animal Emergency —- 13810 Crayton Blvd, Hagerstown 301-733-7339
With the COVID-19 Pandemic still looming, pet scams are becoming increasingly common with people looking to buy or adopt pets. While pet scams have been present for many years, the conditions resulting from the pandemic have only allowed scammers to be even more successful in taking people’s money for pets which don’t even exist, and will never come.
With more people working and spending the majority of their time at home during the pandemic, many have looked at purchasing or adopting pets for company. However, to avoid being scammed make sure you go and see the pet in person. During the pandemic, it has become easy for scammers to convince people not to see the pet in person using the excuse of COVID-19. In the past several months, according to BBB’s Scam Tracker, there have been 2,166 reports of pet scams in the past several months which is more than triple the amount of the same period in 2019, at 700 scams. In addition, with animal shelters in high demand and selling out of animals, people are becoming even more desperate and willing to purchase pets with as little in-person contact as possible.
In addition, cash apps have made it easier to purchase online goods, pay friends and other expenses, and more. However, these apps such as PayPal, Venmo, and Apple Pay are hotspots for scamming and make it easier for scammers to take people’s money. According to the BBB’s Scam Tracker, pet scams have experienced the largest increase out of all categories of online shopping fraud and now at 24% of cases of online fraud, comprise the largest percentage as well. In addition, after sending people money using these cash apps, there is no way to get it back. With the average cost of pet scams at $700, added to the fact that people never receive the pet, scams can be heartbreaking for many families.
Even so, there are several things potential pet buyers can do to avoid being scammed. While online shopping, it can be helpful to research the average price of the animal you are purchasing. If you see purebred animals at significantly lower prices and including additional fees for shipping or health paperwork, it is likely a scam. In addition, once you find a potential pet, make sure you see the animal in person. If an individual is serious about selling or adopting their pet to you, they should be able to work with you on meeting and interacting with the animal. If they are not willing, it is best to move on and continue looking. Finally, if you think you’ve met your perfect pet, even if the seller appears trustworthy it is best to avoid using cash apps, wiring money, or gift cards. If an issue arises using these payment options, there is often no way to get your money back.
The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed for ideal conditions for pet scammers to trick people with the idea of as little in-person contact as possible. However, with some background research and conscious shopping habits, you can find the perfect pet to enjoy.
The veterinary medicine field has grown by leaps and bounds with the introduction of new technologies, allowing veterinarians to make a faster and more accurate diagnosis. New technologies have not only improved the outcome for many pets, but also made veterinary care more affordable for owners and accessible to patients. Now, more than ever before there is better health care available to patients in a general practice allowing veterinarians to better treat patients and ultimately increase the likelihood of a positive outcome. Here are some of those technologies available today.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of organs and soft tissues within the body. MRI technology has been extremely impactful in examining the brains of animals as well as orthopedic and soft tissue damage in a variety of animals. MRI Scans are the main diagnostic tool for neurologists in finding brain and spinal cord injuries, brain tumors, head trauma, degenerative neurological conditions, examining the inner structures of the eye, and other parts of the nervous system. In addition, getting MRI scans before orthopedic procedures can allow veterinarians to better pin point the location of an injury and improve the chances of surgical success. While it can be positively used, animals must be under anesthesia as they have to be completely still for the technology to be successful.
Ultrasound:
A less expensive and more accessible option to MRI technology is ultrasounds. Ultrasound units use sound waves higher than the frequency humans can hear, to examine internal organs and tissues. Ultrasound technology is useful for a variety of purposes, most commonly to examine patients with heat murmurs or defects, and has become even more accessible with the introduction of small, portable ultrasound units.
3-D Printing:
3-D printing has recently been used to create bone structure or other internal structure models to better understand a patient’s anatomy prior to operating, and increasing the likelihood of a successful procedure. 3-D printing can also be used to create prosthetics and other structures to increase the quality of life of pets with severe injuries.
Recombinant DNA:
Recombinant DNA has allowed for several biotechnological advances including gene therapy, which allows veterinarians to help treat genetic diseases and abnormalities ailing their patients. In addition, a more complex understanding of rDNA has allowed for quicker, and increased production of many drugs and pharmaceuticals including insulin. This in turn has decreased the cost of those medications, making them more widely accessible to all pet owners.
Technology has already changed the veterinary medicine field in a matter of several years and will likely continue to do so in the future. More accessible technologies have allowed veterinarians to better diagnose, and more effectively treat patients with a variety of illnesses which in turn, has made them more accessible for clients and their beloved pets.
COVID-19 has impacted many aspects of our lives, but many people don’t realize the true effect it’s had on veterinarians and veterinary clinics. As a result of the pandemic, clinics have struggled with significantly longer wait times for appointments and services, being forced to turn away new clients to keep up with demand of the current clients, and a shortage of veterinarians and technicians, leading to frustration for veterinary staff and clients alike.
With many people working from home during the pandemic, the number of adoptions and demand for puppies and kittens has skyrocketed. According to Petfinder.com, “Inquiries about pet adoptions increased 70% between March 2020 and March 2021”, in addition to people purchasing new puppies and kittens. While this is a positive with high adoption rates, it also means veterinarians have to see more patients and open their door for new clients.
As a result of the pandemic, veterinary clinics have had to reduce their schedules and switch to curbside service. This in turn has increased the wait times to receive an appointment, and also increased the time spent at the actual appointment. While the pandemic is slowly winding down, most clinics are still operating on a reduced schedule with more workload. Clients with sick animals quickly become frustrated with this wait, and it is devastating to veterinary clinics to have to turn them away. Add in the increased number of clients and patients to see, and there is more demand than veterinarians.
The results of the COVID pandemic have caused stress on both veterinarians and clients. As a result, the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges stated over “35% of all vet techs burn out”, and there are record low numbers of veterinarians and staff. With this shortage of staff and already prolonged wait times, the situation is only amplified.
Veterinary clinics are trying their hardest to accommodate for as many patients as they can. At Palmer Animal Hospital, we are reserving same-day appointments for sick patients, and trying to accommodate as many clients as we can see on a reduced schedule. We would appreciate your patience as the pandemic comes to a close, and don’t forget to thank your vet today.