Creekside Veterinary Hospital & Referral Center

12/03/2024

We are excited to announce that our new online pharmacy has launched! Please visit the link below to sign up with your email & phone number to place your orders.

https://creekside.ourvet.com/pet/

12/02/2024

Throwback to earlier this fall when Neko was taking full advantage of the windows in our feline exam rooms. ☀️🐈😻

12/01/2024

"At the time of Roxy's passing, I also had a chocolate lab named Chester. Roxy was his best friend as well. We grieved together when she was gone. At the end of September 2020, he had an eyelid margin mass removed. While he was under anesthesia for surgery, I was hand scaling some tartar off of his teeth. I accidentally found a small pea sized black mass in his mouth behind his last molar. Dr. Less removed the mass since he was still under anesthesia, and we sent it to ISU for histopathology. The report confirmed our suspicions that it was a malignant melanoma. These grow and metastasize rapidly. Thankfully, I caught it early. We also removed his submandibular lymph node on that side and sent it out for biopsy. Those results didn't show any melanocytes, which was good news. At that point in time, we couldn't get the melanoma vaccine. The only thing I could do was monitor for signs of regrowth of the mass in his mouth as well as other signs of metastasis. He never had any regrowth of the oral melanoma. One morning while I was getting ready for work in April 2022, Chester had a grand mal seizure. He had never had one before. I took him to work with me, and we were able to do a CT scan to confirm what my gut already knew. He had a brain tumor. Being the paranoid technician that I am, I asked Dr. Taylor to scan his chest as well to check for metastasis. The radiologist's report said there were "too numerous to count" pulmonary masses and nodules affecting all of his lung lobes. I was devastated and felt useless at the time. Veterinary nursing is my job and chemo is my passion but for him, I couldn't do anything to help. I eventually came to terms that my job for him now was to make everyday count. We played ball as often as we could until one day I realized he no longer could see it. When he started to lose his vision, I knew it was time. On his last day, my kids and I took him to our favorite spot at Lost Grove Lake. Before a little hike, he had a cheeseburger. We wrapped up the night with an ice cream cone with his kids as the sun set. Thankfully, I work with a great team that supported me and Chester through this entire process."

11/30/2024

"My cancer journey began with my beagle named Lily in November of 2015 before I became an employee here, she was diagnosed at the age of 12 years with Transition Cell Carcinoma (TCC) by the veterinary hospital I was working at, at that time. Lily was my everything. She was my first dog that I got during the summer of my senior year of high school. She was the worst, best dog ever. She lived up to the beagle standard. She was mischievous, too smart for her own good and would eat anything and everything. She taught me so much as we both grew into adulthood. She moved with me to 7 different cities in 3 different states. She was a friend to all and everyone loved her. She had two best friends, her kitty sister named Moose and my college roommate's dog, Cali. When you work in the veterinary field you always think of the worst because you have seen some of the worst. Lily has had a history of bladder infections but it had been a few years since she had one. When looking at her urine under the microscope, I knew something wasn't right. I had one of the veterinarians look at her urine to confirm. We started to do other diagnostics to confirm what the urine results were seeing. We did an ultrasound to confirm that it was TCC and that was when I was referred to Creekside Veterinary Hospital and Referral Center (formerly called Kimberly Crest Veterinary Hospital, KCVH, at that time). Dr. Thompson was the veterinarian who we met with and explained what the process was. Unfortunately chemo doesn't cure TCC but it slows down. Dr. Thompson explained that he would be doing 5 to 6 treatments of Mitoxantrone every 3 weeks. I would recheck a CBC a week after injection and the day of chemo to make sure her body was handling the chemo. I knew the cancer was progressing about 2 weeks after finishing her injections. She started to want to go outside more frequently and was starting to strain after urination. We were able to get in for a recheck ultrasound to see that the tumor was getting larger and was starting to progress down the urethra and I knew that was not good. Dr. Thomsen discussed different options and what can happen. With these tumors, when they get large enough or start to go do the urethra, they can block urine from getting out, if left unnoticed the bladder could rupture. To avoid this, if Lily would start to strain and no urine would come out we could do a urinary catheter and I could manage that or we could keep doing the oral NSAID and see what would happen. All I wanted was for Lily to make it a little longer because I was getting married in about 1 week and didn't want something bad to happen so close to my wedding or happen when we were gone at our wedding and I didn't want to manage a urinary catheter because I knew that wouldn't be fair to her and it would be just for me to keep her with me longer. Lily was a stubborn beagle which I think helped her. Little more than 1 year after finishing her chemo, Lily unfortunately was diagnosed with another cancer, Lymphoma. I was working at KCVH at this time and was just heart broken. All these questions just ran through me, how does a dog get two different cancers and why did it happen to her? At this point, Lily was wearing doggie diapers because she was unable to hold her bladder for very long any more and she would stop asking to go out in the middle of that night. I discussed with my husband what he thinks we should do and the different options. If we did chemo, we would have to stop the NSAID due to the reaction it could have when starting a steroid. The steroid was part of the lymphoma protocol. I was too nervous to stop the NSAID since she seemed very comfortable. The lymphoma was in her spleen at this point too. We knew she was on borrowed time due to her bladder tumor. Each time after her Mitoxantrone injections, you could tell Lily didn't feel well for about 24 hours. We decided not to do the chemo protocol CHOP and keep doing what we were doing and help her feel comfortable until it was time. A little more than 2 weeks after being diagnosed with Lymphoma we decided to have Lily put to sleep. I knew she was ready, when she was trying to get comfortable and looked at me with those sad eyes that had gotten her away from getting into trouble so many times before over the years. She was telling me she was ready and it would be okay. I remember looking at her and saying, "okay, I will schedule an appointment, if you could just hold on for a few more days." Over the next few days, she was not eating nearly as much and if you knew her that was not like her at all. I would give her food she would never get for her to eat sometime. The morning of her euthansia, I bought her an egg mcmuffin and an oreo flurry. She was kind enough to take one bite of each for me. I would play over and over that I should have done the CHOP protocol with her because maybe she would have been with us for longer but Lily knew better. I knew she probably wouldn't feel good after the chemo treatments and I would be doing it just for me. I feel like her getting Lymphoma was a blessing in disguise because I was so nervous that I would miss her struggling to urinate due to her tumor and her bladder would rupture and we wouldn't have time to say our goodbyes. I always wanted Lily to grow up with my kids because she was so good with them but she knew better. I was pregnant and due in about 4 months when he had to have Lily euthanized. I knew it would have been very challenging with her and newborn but I like to think she knew that on the day she told she was ready. She made it just past her 14th birthday. We were able to have an extra 1 1/2 with her that would have not been possible without chemo and the great doctors and staff at KCVH."

11/29/2024

Meet Sammy🥰. His mom said, "In August I got the devastating news that my sweet boy has lymphoma. I wasn't sure what to do. Dr. Taylor explained all our options and we decided to go ahead with chemo. I'm beyond thankful for him and everyone who has helped get him to where we are. Because of them, Sammy got to turn 10 this month and I get more time with my boy."

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving! We’re thankful for our wonderful clients and patients! We are closed today in celebration of the holiday and will return to our normal hours on Friday. Check out these tips on keeping your pets safe this Turkey Day.

ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance’s essential Thanksgiving pet safety tips. Learn how to keep your furry friends safe during your holiday celebrations.

11/27/2024

This is Winston, the happiest 3-legged boy we know! His owner said, "Winston was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in April 2022 and after amputation of his front right leg, he came to Dr Taylor for chemotherapy. He has made so many friends at the office since then and he has been osteosarcoma-free ever since! We have been incredibly lucky to have had these past two and a half years with him. Unfortunately, Dr Taylor diagnosed Winston with a malignant MCT this September, but Dr. Bahns got him in quickly & successfully removed what ended up being a substantially-sized high grade tumor. The fact that our beloved, naughty, sweet Winston is still here is a testament to the care he has received from Creekside. We wish we had met you all under different circumstances, but we are forever grateful for every single person on staff and Winston absolutely loves it there! Thank you for your skill, your kindness, your passion for animal care and for giving us this additional time with Winston." Winston just recently celebrated his 9th birthday this month!! 🥳His owner said, "We vividly recall when we weren't sure if we'd even get to celebrate his 7th. Thank you so much to everyone who played a part in making this happy day a possibility!"

11/22/2024

One of our technicians has unfortunately has had a few pets with cancer. Here is a testimonial about her first experience: "In December of 2017, my 10yr old lab/border collie mix, Roxy, developed a swelling under her eye. It seemed like a possible tooth root abscess. She was in need of a dental prophylaxis, so Dr. Taylor started her on an antibiotic while we waited for an opening to extract the suspected tooth during a dental. Less than a week later, I woke up to blood splattered all around the house. After some inspection, I realized it was coming from Roxy's nose. I had just graduated from tech school in May and was hired at Kimberly Crest after my internship. I was still a "green" technician without the knowledge that I have now. When I brought her into work that morning, we ran clotting times and a CBC, both were normal. Dr. Thomsen had availability that morning, so he offered to do her procedure. Normally, when a patient develops nosebleeds, we perform a CT scan. We were still concerned things could still be stemming from a tooth root abscess, so it was opted to start with dental radiographs. Unfortunately, after she was under anesthesia and we could do a full oral exam, we found a mass in the back of her mouth. This mass was also a part of the swelling under her eye and in her nose causing her nose to bleed. Dr. Thomsen took biopsies, and we sent them to ISU for histopathology. I knew it wasn't going to be good news, but I was blindsided with how bad it actually was. The results said it was a hemangiosarcoma that was likely a metastatic site. Hemangiosarcomas are a highly malignant cancer that arise from the cells that create blood vessels. Normally, primary hemangiosarcomas develop in the spleen, liver, or heart. We did chest radiographs, an abdominal ultrasound, and a cardiac ultrasound, and there was no evidence of masses anywhere. The mass in her face was the primary source which is unusual. Being a new tech grad, I felt lost. We didn't learn much about chemotherapy in school, and I hadn't had much experience with it at KCVH. Dr. Taylor walked me through my option for chemotherapy. With his help and support, I opted to do Doxorubicin. Overall, she tolerated it very well and was mainly tired the first day after. The mass also shrunk up considerably. The day she was due for her second infusion, I woke up to blood all over the house again. This time it was coming from her mouth. We proceeded with her second infusion as a last ditch effort to shrink the mass again. About a week later, she let me know she was ready to cross the rainbow bridge. I said my final goodbye on 1/20/2018. I was incredibly thankful for the additional time that doing chemo gave even though she only received 2 treatments. Both of my kids were young at the time, and we were able to get past Christmas together. As much as it hurt losing her to cancer, it ignited my passion for chemotherapy. I experienced what owner's go through from the devastation of diagnosis, choosing chemo as an option, and eventually saying goodbye. Now, chemotherapy is one of the departments I'm in charge of as a technician, and I have Roxy to thank for that."

11/20/2024

"When we first got the news from our country vet that Libby had lymphoma, we were devastated. The vet told us we had 6-8 weeks left with our precious girl. She was 9 years old...still a lot of life left in her, how could we have so little time left with her?
We were referred to Dr. Taylor and met with him a week later. We knew that chemo was a long shot and it wouldn't be a cure, but could give us more time with her. Libby did great the first three treatments, then had a little setback, but that still didn't stop her from fighting! Adjustments were made and her treatment plan was extended.
I'm happy to say her treatment started June 10, 2023 and she is still living her best life today! Libby gets a lot of car rides, ice cream, treats and anything else she wants....she may be a little spoiled! She has gone out of remission a few times and requires maintenance monthly. Her quality of life is amazing! You would never know that she has cancer!
We are so incredibly grateful to Drs Taylor and Bahns and the entire staff at Creekside! Libby is loved by everyone there and can't wait to visit her friends at the vet!"

Unfortunately, Liberty lost her battle to cancer on September 10th this year. She was always such a happy girl, and she always got lots of love when she would come in for treatments. Like her parents said, you would've never known she had cancer by her spunky personality! We miss her greatly!❤

11/18/2024

This handsome boy is Gus! Here is what his parents had to say: "Hemangiosarcoma is not a word anyone wants to hear, ever, and especially when your dog is completely normal one day and terribly sick the next. When we found out that our Gus was so sick we were absolutely devastated and we were not ready to say goodbye to our best friend. Our "Gusser" was 9 years old and showed no signs of sickness until it was almost too late. We had heard about Dr Taylor and Creekside from my parents because their dog Casey had just completed treatment for Lymphoma with them. We went for a consultation and started chemotherapy treatment the same day. Dr Taylor and the entire staff at Creekside is top notch, the nicest, caring, empathetic group and exactly what we needed at this terribly scary time. Gus has done well with his treatments and we still have him 3 months after his initial diagnosis and we are hoping to have him for many more months. Thank you Creekside for taking such good care of our Gus and us."

11/15/2024

Rhaegar, a 9yr old Husky, was diagnosed with Lymphoma back in May of 2021. Here is a recent update from his owners: "He (Rhaegar) and Ken (Owner) just finished competing on Team USA for the International Federation of Sleddog Sports (IFSS) North American Conitinental Championship in Mincoqua WI. Never in our wildest dreams did we see this future for him!" We are so happy that Rhaegar has been doing so well after undergoing chemotherapy in 2021!

11/13/2024

Some of you may have seen Annabelle assisting our CCS's up front when we were at Kimberly Crest after her treatments. Here is Dr. Taylor's testimonial: "Annabelle was always a food hound. She was obnoxious when it was close to dinner time. The first thing I noticed with her was she wasn't obnoxious. Then a few days later she didn't eat her dinner at all. The next morning I brought her in and found that she was anemic and had a mass on her spleen. We took her to surgery the same day and the biopsy came back as what I had feared hemangiosarcoma. I have treated dozens of dogs with hemangiosarcoma, so I knew what I was up against. In my head I was hoping for a year with her post surgery. I have seen dogs live much longer, and I have also seen dogs live much shorter than that. Because I had done chemo on dozens of dogs with hemangiosarcoma and seen how well they do with treatment, the decision to move forward with post-operative chemotherapy was a no-brainer. She had her first treatment in mid-January once she was healed from surgery. Overall, her side effects from chemo were fairly minimal. Some days I had to doctor up her food especially a few days after receiving a treatment, and she had some softer stools. Overall she was a happy dog during this period of time. She went through the whole 5 treatment regimen and I was hoping I was breathing a sigh of relief. Her last treatment was in early April. My wife and I went on a trip to San Francisco the first week of May. She was doing well when we left, but I had a phone call from my parents who were watching her that she had not been eating. She was brought in to work where they diagnosed that she was bleeding again. She didn't really respond to supportive care, so I got on a red eye flight so I could say goodbye to her. My initial gut reaction of grieving was I was angry. I had seen a lot of dogs get much more time, so I thought my dog should have gotten more time since I caught it early. As I've had time to reflect, I'm thankful for the time I had. If I hadn't have done surgery or chemo, I would not have had 4 good months with her."

11/11/2024

Introducing, Oakley, a sweet mini-goldendoodle that we have been treating for Lymphoma. Her family said, "receiving the news that your beloved, four-legged friend has been diagnosed with cancer is devastating. On a warm summer morning in June we received this news regarding our 4-year old Mini-Goldendoodle, Oakley. We rushed her off to the ISU Small Animal Hospital in Ames where they confirmed she had Stage 5 Lymphoma. She underwent her first chemotherapy treatment that day and we were told she would need to return to Ames each week for the duration of her treatment which was estimated to be four months. Being a resident of the Quad Cities, this was not going to be a trip that could be taken every week to get her the care she required.

I called Oakley's local vet and explained the situation and she immediately contacted Creekside Veterinary Hospital and Referral Center to see if they would be willing to take over her treatment. I was relieved to hear that they would be more than happy to take over her chemotherapy treatments. The following week we made our way to the brand new, state of the art clinic in Davenport. The facility is certainly top notch, but it is the people in the facility that are absolutely wonderful. Dr. Taylor and Dr. Bahns have both been at the forefront of Oakley's treatment. They are professional and passionate about their work and it certainly shows. They take the time to explain the process and the potential side effects that may come with the treatments and are happy to thoroughly answer any questions that may arise.

The care and compassion that has been displayed by the doctors and the staff is unmatched. We are incredibly grateful for the gift of time we have been given as a result of the outstanding care that Oakley has received at Creekside Veterinary Hospital and Referral Center.

In our eyes, this is a 5 Star clinic that we highly recommend!

With gratitude,

The Family of Oakley"

11/09/2024

Oops we missed celebrating vet tech week! Here’s some snapshots of some of our technicians in action. We’re thankful for all they do— which is a lot!!

11/08/2024

We have been treating Bela with our CHOP protocol for Lymphoma. This is a 19-week course of three different chemotherapy drugs. She has such a funny personality, and we always love getting to work with her! Here she is taking a nap during one of her infusions!

11/06/2024

This cutie is Birdie Lou! She received an injectable chemotherapy called Stelfonta to treat her mast cell tumor. Her parents said, "we rescued a pug 4 years ago. I have many friends and clients that have sung praises about the veterinary care their pets have received from the doctors and staff at Kimberly Crest Vet. hospital, now rebranded Creekside. They stand for excellence and truly love and care about their patients/owners too. Dr. Cahill has provided such compassionate care for our pug, Birdie Lou. Her exam found Birdie had a growth on her neck. Dr. Cahill performed a biopsy that showed it was the start of a mast cell tumor. We previously lost our boxer to mast cell cancer. She suggested a newer procedure that uses one time chemo that they found gave great removal of this kind of cancer. Creekside then appointed Dr. Taylor to meet Birdie. He thoroughly explained the procedure, with a quote of the costs and a site to research other vets results with this treatment countrywide. Our procedure has been performed and Birdie is currently into her second week- post treatment. Daily, Creekside asked for a clear photo of the wound. They have been responsive immediately letting me know the doctor's comments. It has been such a delight as they informed us so thoroughly of what to expect. We are thrilled with our care and looking forward to many years ahead for our pup...with Creekside Veterinary at the helm:)!"

11/04/2024

Meet Lyra! She is a Doberman Pinscher that we diagnosed with Lymphoma last year. Here is what her mom had to say, "we are so happy to have had the last year and a half with her. And are counting our blessings for each future day, week or month that we will have with her. You guys have always put her quality of life first. ❤️ Thank you for giving me all this extra time with Lyra.”

11/01/2024

November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month! Throughout the month, we will be sharing testimonials of clients with pets we have treated with cancer. We see a lot of patients with all different types of cancers. Although these patients are going through a very intensive chemotherapy protocols, they always become some of our favorite patients to work with!