ER superpower
We work in veterinary ER, what’s your superpower? 💥 We asked our ER team here in Chicago what their superpowers are, and they did not disappoint! From x-rays to catheters to keeping the ER organized, our team has all the skills to provide exceptional care to the animals who need us most. 💚
Crash Cart 101 🚨🏥🐾 Our hospital’s board-certified Criticalist, Dr. Kaplan, is giving a behind-the-scenes look at our ER crash cart.
Having a well-organized & ready-to-go crash cart is crucial in the veterinary ER for crashing patients. In a life-saving situation, we need intubation tubes, laryngoscopes, ambu bags, catheters, syringes, and emergency drugs all at hand to get the heart pumping again. Supplies for IV fluids, chest tube placement, and tracheostomy are on-hand as well. This cart is checked every single day to ensure it’s always fully stocked so our ER team is ready during a code.
Louie, a 6-month-old male French Bulldog was chewing on a tennis ball and decided it would make a tasty treat to eat. 🎾 He was transferred to our hospital for an esophageal foreign body. Our internist Dr. Katie Simpson came in for an emergency endoscopy. While it was initially a tough grab, Dr. Simpson’s amazing skills prevailed and she was able to remove the offending tennis ball. Louie went home a happy pup!
What to do if your mental health is causing you struggles at work…talk to someone! 🗣️ It’s common to feel anxious or down occasionally, but if you’re experiencing mental difficulties regularly, it’s important to reach out for help. It can be difficult to talk openly with someone about your life, however, it’s critical to keep in mind that those who care about you want to help.
In honor of #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, Veterinary Social Worker at our sister hospital in California, Alisha, is here to provide you with a few tips on how to guide the conversation about your mental health with your manager, supervisor, or fellow team member.
Remember: the bravest thing you can do is ask for help. 💚
To all our veterinarians, specialists, relief doctors, per diems, and residents – Happy World Veterinary Day! 🏥🐾 Sometimes this profession is anal glands, ear infections, and giving the pet insurance talk. But it’s also seeing your feline lymphoma patient go into remission, helping a spaniel with cataracts see again, that rewarding moment of extracting a tennis ball via endoscopy, and reuniting a dog with his owners after 6 nights in the ICU.
To all veterinarians today and every day, thank you for making the world a better place. 💚
“Why is the wait so long, it seems so quiet?” – this is something we hear a lot! 🏥🐾 Even when the front lobby is empty & there are no cars in the parking lot, “out back” in treatment can look very different. Between a crashing cat who isn’t breathing, a hit-by-car case requiring multiple team members, and hospitalized pets occupying every ICU kennel, our team behind those doors is determinedly saving lives.
We know waiting in the ER with your pet can be stressful, but rest assured we are working hard to get to you.
Something’s wriggling in this dog’s blood sample! 🔬🩸 Meet “microfilariae,” the larvae of the dreaded female heartworm. After roughly 6-7 months, these larvae will mature into adult heartworms, grow up to 14 inches long (😳), and reproduce more offspring. Left untreated, this dog could end up with hundreds of them in his body causing long-term damage to the lungs, heart, and arteries and even sudden death. Since it was caught, he will undergo treatment which involves several months of medications, exercise restrictions, and hospitalization days.
Luckily, this is preventable! 🥳 Keep your dog on monthly heartworm preventative all year round – put it in your calendar, and don’t miss/skip a dose. And if you’re rescuing a dog (especially from southern states like Tennessee, Arkansas, & Mississippi), talk to your veterinarian about re-testing them for heartworm. #NationalHeartwormAwarenessMonth #heartworm
We're so glad that this pup had a successful hemilaminectomy surgery! This surgery is performed to remove a herniated disc off of the spinal cord. The video below shows the pup getting their staples taken out as they heal. Happy recovery to this little one!
What makes you happy? 😄 We asked our veterinary staff members across the country and we're spreading some happiness for #InternationalDayOfHappiness! From dogs to snacks to rubber ducks, here's what makes us happy.
This video shows microfilaria seen in a blood slide.
Microfilariae are the infective larvae of the female heartworm, which are spread via an infected mosquito after feeding/biting a dog. After roughly 6-7 months, the larvae can mature into adult heartworms which then mate and release larvae into the bloodstream. Microfilaria seen on a blood smear is indicative that adult heartworms are present.
To learn more about heartworm treatment, you can read our blog: https://www.ethosvet.com/blog-post/getting-through-my-dogs-heartworm-treatment/
Let’s walk the dog! 🦮🚶♀️ Those magic words “do you want to go for a walk?” are more important than you may think. Just 30 minutes of walking every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and improve mental health for BOTH you and your dog! Be healthy together – you and your dog need each other! #NationalWalkingTheDogDay
Oh, and cats too. 😉
Time for a quiz! Can you guess what this is under the microscope? Answer will be posted later today in the comments!
We love seeing the way our Ethos teams from across the country bond! Check out the team from our sister hospital in New Hampshire showing off their moves 💃
"Jo, one of our amazing and lovely ER technicians for our triage team, happens to also be a workout & dance instructor. So, naturally, a group of Port City staff dressed up as her and she led them for some exercises in between appointments! Jo is incredibly encouraging for anyone who needs help along their journey, and we're so proud of her work here and outside the hospital. Sometimes, you just need a good dance. 🕺"
“A port in a storm”. 💉 Placing an intravenous catheter is one of the first steps in urgent and emergent care. It allows us to safely & cleanly treat our patients. The catheter allows us to draw blood, administer fluids, and medications through one port. The process for veterinary catheter placement looks a bit different from a human. Take a peek at how we do this for our canine patients, demonstrated by one of our sister hospitals in MA!
Fun fact: placing your first catheter as a veterinary professional is a big achievement in developing clinical skills. It's one of those celebrated milestones!
What a year it has been! 🎉
As you can see, we’ve had some pretty great patients this year! Our Ethos team members and all in the veterinary community have been dedicated to keeping pets happy and healthy all year long. Cheers to 2023 and another year of being there for pets who need us 💚
Nothing like a wiggly puppy from our Orland Park location!
Deuce a 6-month-old, male American bully that presented to the ER after ingesting Motrin. ASPCA Poison control was contacted and they recommended 48 hours of hospitalization with IV fluids, medications, and checking his kidney values by doing bloodwork.
Deuce's kidney values did become slightly elevated along with some vomiting and diarrhea. With medications, his vomiting and diarrhea ceased and by the end of the 48 hours of IV fluids his kidney values returned to normal! We were very fond of Deuce during his time with us, and based on this video, we'd say he was fond of us too!
What a sweet boy! Thor, a 3-year-old Cane Corso presented to our Orland Park location after he sustained a laceration on his hind leg from a piece of sheet metal. Thor was given some pain medications and the wound was clipped, cleaned and bandaged.
Here’s a video of Cheri, CVT, checking his gums! Part of getting vitals on every patient is checking their gums which shows us their mucus membrane color, whether they are dehydrated, and their capillary refill time. All of those things give insight on a patients health! We love you Thor!
The scariest thing we can think of? Puppy teeth! 🐶🦈
Wishing you and your furry friends a happy and safe Halloween filled with sweet treats and fun costumes! Speaking of costumes, post your pet’s costume in the comments below 🎃
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Sister hospital spotlight! Check out this adorable pup Koda from our sister hospital, Veterinary Specialty Hospital- North County!
"This little jumping bean, Koda, was excited to be with our team members while they cleaned the exam table and stocked the area! 3-year-old Australian Shepherd presented through ER limping on her front left paw. Prior to the visit, Koda’s owner shaved her paw to see if they were able to spot what was bothering her and came across some red swelling. After a physical exam was performed in our care, Dr. Gosliga suspected that the inflammation was caused by an infection of the nail bed called Pododermatitis. Antibiotics & pain medication were recommended to help with the infection. Koda was the sweetest girl while in our care, showering our team members kisses and love!"
Today is a special day 🥳 It is the Universal Birthday for Shelter Dogs, better known as #DOGust! "Treat" your pup to these super easy & quick refreshing 1-ingredient Pumpkin Pops!
Ingredients:
Just 1 can pure Pumpkin 🎃
Be careful not to purchase pumpkin pie filling in a can as it's full of sugar. You can also mix in yogurt, peanut butter, or banana for an additional spin on this treat!
Check out our quick recipe video below, and a big happy birthday to all our amazing shelter pups! 💚
