February is Pet Dental Health Month!
The winter weather today has given us a chance to catch our breath and remind everyone that February is Pet Dental Health Month. It is a good time to assess the health of your pets teeth. Does you pet have tartar or bad breath? Is there inflammation or recession of the gums? Do any of your pet’s teeth appear loose? Is your pet having any trouble eating? Are there any swellings in or around your pet’s mouth?
Approximately 75% of dogs and cats need to have their teeth cleaned by 4 years of age. This is especially true of small dogs. During the month of February we are running specials on all dental work, so now you have an extra good reason to have your pet’s teeth checked out and dental done if necessary. Please call our office for more details.
Celebrating 25 Years in Business
It’s hard to believe, but Feb 18th, 2016 will mark 25 years in business for Palmer Animal Hospital. We started in a rental space in downtown Myersville (the old High’s store) and moved in 2003 to our current location on Baltimore National Pike. Over the years we have blessed with over 7,000 clients and 22,000 patients—those are numbers that are hard to even imagine, and we are grateful for every one of them. We have seen puppies and kittens grown up to be adults dogs and cats, cared for them over the years, and helped them at the end of their lives. When we first started, it was just Dr. Palmer and his wife, Susan, that kept things running. Now we have multiple doctors and a staff of fifteen. Thank you to our many wonderful clients and their pets. It is because of you that we can work at the greatest job in the world each and every day. It has been a pleasure to serve you for all these years, and we are not done yet.
Please check out the recheck article on us that ran in the Frederick News-Post. Here is the link:
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/places/local/frederick_county/animal-lovers-came-together-to-build-a-vet-practice-that/article_c8096235-5dc8-56d5-9b54-6cad470881ba.html
Winter Weather
Well, it’s that time of year again where we have to deal with frozen white stuff falling from the sky. At Palmer Animal Hospital, we take the safety of our staff, clients, and patients very seriously. While we are usually able to stay open during most weather, there are times when snow, ice, or other conditions delay or prevent safe travel. If there is any question as to the conditions of the roads, we recommend that you wait until you are able to contact an actual LIVE staff member before coming to our office.
In regards to the storm we are expecting this weekend, it appears the snow will start sometime on Friday, January 22nd and be the most severe on Saturday morning, Jan 23rd. Our ability to remain open will depend on the severity and depth of the snowstorm. We hope to be able to stay open all day Friday, but our Saturday schedule right now is questionable at best. As stated above, please call our office if there is any question as to whether we are open, and please leave a message so the staff can return your call if necessary.
Stay safe and warm, and enjoy our first snowfall of the season!
ADDENDUM: The weather forecast is now calling for a Blizzard Watch starting 6PM Friday, Jan 22nd and lasting through 6AM, Sunday, Jan 24th. We expect our office will be CLOSED on Saturday, January 23rd due to this severe weather (including predicted White-Out conditions). We will be open Friday, January 22nd as long as the weather permits (which we expect to be 4-5PM). If you need something from our office, please contact us early Friday so we can accommodate you.
Smoking Can Harm Animals Too
If anyone made a New Year’s Resolution to quit smoking and is having a heard time quitting, the health of your pet might be a reason to help you quit. Smoking causes about 90% of all lung cancer deaths, and also causes a number of other illnesses, including heart disease and stroke. However, smoking affects people around the smoker as well. Within the last 50 years, approximately 2.5 million non-smoking people have died in the United States due to exposure to second-hand smoke. Smoke can also cause other problems in our pets such as bronchitis or asthma, which can be a life-threatening disease.
A professor of medicine and oncology performed a study to see the effects of smoking on household pets. She analyzed the nicotine levels in the fur of animals and looked at the condition that the animals’ cells were in. She found that there were higher levels of nicotine in the animals that lived in smoking households. She found that cats had more nicotine than dogs in and concluded it was because the cats spent more time grooming their fur, and ingesting more nicotine. The professor discovered, that compared with pets in non-smoking houses, pets in smoking households are at greater risk of cell damage, cancer and weight loss.
In addition to this discovery, research was done on how to reduce these risks. The professor found that in houses were people smoked only outside, the nicotine levels in the pets were significantly lower. So before you feel the urge to smoke and break that resolution, think of the effects it can have on your four-legged friend.
Tribute for Those Loved and Lost
Buttons
We are privileged in our work to be able to meet and develop relationships with many special animals and their families. When these pets are lost through disease or old age, we experience their loss as a member of our extended family, and grieve with their owners. As this year draws to a close, we would like to pay tribute to these wonderful companions whom we have had the pleasure of knowing.
Our own families this year have lost Buttons, Bandit, Zelda, Buster, Milly, and Bear. Some of our beloved patients who have passed since January include Blaze, Mystery, Zoey, Casper, Nala, Melvin Eugene, Bashful, Sage, Tink, Byron, Paprika, Juney, Gizmo, Isabella, Snuggles, Higgins, Happy, Otis, Baby, Hansomette, Max, Bobbie, Micah, Ginger, Jasmine, Michael, Deke, Oscar, Chloe, Taz, Sunshine, Rebel, Madison, Queenie, Tom, Alex, Sadie, Topper, Lucy, Niki, Precious, Merlin, Tiger, Callie, Snickers, Heidi, Snowflake, Sitka, Tia, Spooky, Tommy, Puma, Buddy, Meggy, Cheyenne, Stitch, BC, Libby , Pretty Boy, Joe, Cuddles, Einstein, Harper, Smokey, Princess, Silver, Andy, Riley, Peter, Kitty Cat, Sinatra, Tooter, Gabriel, Candy, Ace, Lola, Wally, Hightower, Cherokee, Shannon, Gypsy, Mushu, Dmitri, Leo, Caesar, Lucky, Sophie, Gracie, Milo, Louie, Laila, Josie, Allie, Scout, Keira, Julius, Sally, Sammy, Blossom, Charlie, Wilson, Marley, Raven, Gus, Casey, Annie, Fred, Desi, Frazier, Lilly Blossom, Skipper, Nigel, Whiskers, Kaiser, Rusty, Lexi, Hissy, Roscoe, Harry, Nick, Fergus, Maggie, Jasper, Mystic, Toby, Omey, Amy, Harley, Emma, OC, Morris, Molly, Ivan, Jamie, Fuzzy, Emily, Sandy, Bailey, Spot, Twitch, Susie, Ava, Sydney, Holly, Rascal, Suds, and many others.
Their families miss them, we miss them, and may they rest in peace.
HOLIDAY HOURS
The holidays are approaching fast. Here is our schedule for the upcoming holidays:
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26th: THANKSGIVING DAY: CLOSED
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24th: CHRISTMAS EVE: 8AM-12N
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25th; CHRISTMAS DAY: CLOSED
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31st: NEW YEARS EVE: 8AM-5PM
FRIDAY, JANUARY 1st: NEW YEARS DAY: CLOSED
Holiday Hazards for Our Hairy Friends
The holiday season has just begun, and as many of us begin to decorate our homes and cook family meals, there are many dangers from which you need to protect your pet. You should never feed your pet human food. Many foods that we eat cause problems in our animals. Chocolate and candy are popular presents and may be left accessible to both people and pets around the house. Make sure your pet cannot get into these because chocolate can cause toxicity when eaten, and candy is likely to cause vomiting and diarrhea. Roasted turkey, ham, and other popular meal choices, especially those with a high fat content, can trigger very serious episodes of pancreatitis and vomiting. Also, if bones of any kind are eaten, they can cause obstructions of the stomach and intestines, or even worse, punctures of the gastrointestinal tract leading to peritonitis.
Decorations used during the holidays can also be dangerous to your pet. Many plants such as mistletoe, lilies, and poinsettias are toxic, so be sure to keep them out of reach of your pets. Ensure that the leaves and berries do not fall where your animal can eat them. Electric lights and displays have wires that pets can chew and become electrocuted. Tinsel and other string-like decorations are commonly eaten by pets and lead to intestinal obstructions, especially in cats. And of course, you need to make sure your pet is not exposed to the unsafe conditions outside, such as extreme cold, ice, snow, and salt. If you have any questions about keeping your pet safe, please feel free to contact us.
PAH Website Update
We have recently had our website updated. You may not notice much change in appearance, but the main objective was to make our site mobile-friendly so that it can be more easily accessed by mobile devices and so that we will continue to recieve preferential treatment by search engines. All of our postings will also automatically be posted to our Facebook page and sent out to those on our email subscription list.
The Importance of Routine Wellness Exams
If it only took thirty minutes to save the life of your pet, would you take those thirty minutes to go to the vet? Here at Palmer Animal Hospital routine wellness exams take only thirty minutes and are critical to the health of your pets. We perform a “Nose-to-Tail” exam on your animal and during this exam, the veterinarian screens the animal to see if it has any diesease or other ailment. Early detection of some problems within the animal such as cancers, infections, or even organ failure can allow it to be treated earlier with less expense and better success. After the animal has been checked, vaccinations are given based on the age of the pet. Puppies are recommended to be 6-8 weeks old when they come in for their first wellness exam and cats beween 8-10 weeks. Some of the vaccinations for canines include Rabies, Canine Distemper, Lyme Diesease, and Canine Influenza. The feline vaccinations given are Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Feline Leukemia Virus, and Rabies. Both the dogs and cats are dewormed if parasites are found during their exam. Other important information such as the recommended nutritional and dental care is discussed during these exams. Animals need wellness exams just like humans and also like humans, animal wellness exams are different based on the age and lifestyle of the animal.
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