Ellensburg Animal Hospital

09/17/2024

**11:15am 9/19: We appreciate your continued patience as we navigate this awful phone issue! Please head straight down if you need emergency services, or call 509-904-0503 to reach the front desk.

**9:45am 9/18: Our phones remain offline. We are working as fast as we can to restore our phone service. Please use 509-904-0503 to reach us while we experience this temporary loss of phone service!

**4:45pm 9/17: Our phones are still offline. If you have an emergency, PLEASE CALL 509-925-6146 to reach the on-call doctor after hours!! The number posted below WILL NOT BE MONITORED AFTER 5PM.

Unfortunately, our phones appear to be out of use today! If you have a time sensitive request, please temporarily use 509-904-0503 to reach us. Our front staff are doing their absolute best today!

We are working swiftly to restore their service, but in the meantime please head to the clinic if you’re experiencing an emergency!

08/31/2024

Rodeo weekend is upon us! ⭐️

Dr Taylor is on call for your emergencies this weekend. As this is one of the busiest weekends we see every year in Kittitas County, please be patient, as she will be busting her behind serving the county as our only emergency veterinarian these next three days!

Have a safe and fun long weekend! 😎

08/29/2024

It's almost rodeo weekend! Get ready for a hot weekend in Kittitas County! ☀️

Make sure your four legged critters are kept nice and comfortable this weekend as temperatures climb back into the high 90's! Fresh water and shade are crucial for keeping those body temperatures regulated 🐱🐶

(Photo is of “Cash”, one of our employee’s dogs! 🤩 Photo taken by Kathy Peth)

08/26/2024

Quick reminder that we will be closed this upcoming Monday, September 2nd for Labor Day! Please have those prescription and refill requests called in prior to the weekend, the sooner the better so we can ensure we have time to get those filled!

As always, we will have a doctor available for those after hour emergencies. Please give us a call at 509-925-2833, and follow the prompts to be connected to the veterinarian on call.

07/17/2024

If you have an appointment with us this upcoming Monday, July 22nd, prepare for some delays! We won't know when exactly our section of Vantage Hwy will be affected, so please plan ahead!

🚧 Notice: City of Ellensburg street crews will perform annual chipseal of roadways on July 22-25 between the hours of 5 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Park vehicles off the affected road on dates the crews are scheduled. Do not water your yard close to the street. Affected roads will have No Parking signs posted at least 24 hours prior to the start of work. Access to City streets during the chipseal process is limited.

View the full schedule at: www.ellensburgwa.gov/chipseal

07/16/2024

Leave those furry friends at home this time of year when you're out running errands! Every year we see dogs overheating due to even short stays in the car 🥵

It doesn't take long for a car to heat up to a point where it can cause permanent damage.

Don't believe these stats? Put on your best winter coat and then sit in your car with the windows cracked for 30 minutes.

Please be safe and open then door once you realize that the stats do create an unbearable situation. We don't actually wish for you to cause yourself distress, just to learn how your beloved pit might feel in the same situation.

07/03/2024

💥As a reminder, we will be closed tomorrow!💥

Please remember to keep your pets secured inside, as this is a holiday where we see a massive uptick in missing pets due to fireworks. If your pet is experiencing an emergency, please give the office a call at 509-925-2833.

06/13/2024

4th of July is just three weeks away! Unsure if your pet is up to date? Give us a call! Our schedule fills up quickly, so don't wait! 509-925-2833 🐾🌟

06/01/2024

In recognition and support of the beginning of pride month, some of our staff and friends showed their spirit and walked in the Kittitas County Pride parade in downtown Ellensburg this morning! We are so proud to be your veterinarian that empowers and delights in serving everyone in Kittias County! 🏳️‍🌈

05/23/2024

🌸We will be closed this upcoming Monday, May 27th, in honor of Memorial Day. Please make sure you are well stocked on prescriptions and other needs, as we will not be available for pick ups over the long weekend.

🌼As a reminder, there will be a doctor on call for emergencies after 5pm on Friday, May 24, through Monday, May 27th. Please call 509-925-2833 and follow the prompts if you have an emergency. We do share call with Valley Veterinary Hospital.

05/22/2024

Please join us in welcoming Dr Kiva Waugh to Ellensburg Animal Hospital! 🥳🤩

Dr Kiva just graduated from the University of Sydney (it's okay, we're also jealous she got to spend so much time in Australia!), but she actually originates from Banff, Alberta! She is particularly interested in small animal behavior, but is looking forward to expanding her experiences with large animals as well.

When she's not busy in the clinic, her interests include rock climbing, hiking, and crocheting (self taught!). Please come by and introduce yourself, or schedule your next appointment with Dr Kiva! We are so happy she is here ☀️

04/24/2024

April 21-27th is Veterinary Receptionist Week! ✨

We are so fortunate to have the best in the business. If you've been to our clinic before, or called with questions, then you've spoken with our A-team up front. Kara, Meghan, Gemma and Makynzee work hard every single day to make sure complaints and questions are heard, sick animals are brought in for treatment, prescription requests are managed, and keep our busy hospital running smoothly!

Their hard work does not go unnoticed, but we want to make sure they are EXTRA appreciated this week! If you stop in, make sure to thank them for their dedication to our patients and clients alike! 😻

02/29/2024

❤️

02/02/2024

It is with excitement (and a few tears) that we announce Dr Mike Fuller’s upcoming retirement at the end of this month.

We are planning to host an open house on Thursday February 29th for all those who wish to come and help us say goodbye to Dr. Mike. Feel free to swing by anytime between 10am-12pm to share stories, well wishes, and enjoy some refreshments!

We look forward to celebrating with you all!

01/12/2024

Let’s be prepared! Here are some great tips to help you and your horse through this cold spell. ❄️🌨️🥶
Dr. Taylor

As a storm threat of freezing rain and snow marches across the U.S. and Canada ❄️🌨🫧🌬, below are some tips for keeping your horses safe during extreme winter weather events:

1. While lots of hay is ideal for horses to eat to keep warm, now is NOT the time to introduce a round bale if they’ve never had access to one before. It may be more work, but keep throwing them their normal hay source—just more frequently.

2. Similarly, if your horse is not used to being locked up in a stall now is NOT the time. The stress of a major change and the decreased activity can be risk factors for colic. Be sure your animals have access to shelter, hay, and drinkable water but let them move around if they choose to do so.

3. Horses that are thin, older, or fully body clipped are those most at risk in extreme weather.

4. Well fitting blankets are great but be sure horses do not get sweaty under them or that the blankets don’t soak through if snow or rain covered. Wet, cold, and covered is worse that dry, cold, and naked.

5. Some of the highest risk times are when the temperatures hover right around freezing, as that can result in sleet/freezing rain/ice that can make horses wet and therefore colder. Slippery footing is a concern, too.

6. If using electric water heaters, be sure they are functioning and not shocking horses. Take your gloves off and stick your hand in the water (briefly!) to double check.

7. “Trick” your horses into consuming extra water by flavoring a bucket, adding electrolytes to their meals, or soaking their meals in warm water. If you’ve never fed beet pulp before, be sure to add LOTS of warm water. Dry beet pulp is a common source of choke.

8. Tips of ears can be at risk for frostbite. Putting a jumper-style ear bonnet or other ear cover can protect them from wind chills.

Stay safe, friends!

01/11/2024

👀

Is your horse’s nighttime vision better than your daytime vision?

When comparing equine vision to human vision, the horse has a smaller visible spectrum (see image) which means they see a smaller range of colors than we do. However, horses have a structure in the back of their eye—called the tapetum lucidum—that humans do not have. This enhances vision in low light conditions and allows a horse to see better in the dark than a human does. However, reflections from the tapetum lucidum can also blur images and lead to poor depth perception at night.

Dilation of the pupil allows all species to see better in the dark. This process takes longer in a horse (45 minutes) than it does in humans (25 minutes). So when a horse is asked to do something in a dark environment, it’s important to allow their vision proper time to fully accommodate.

Overall, the nighttime vision of a horse is better than the nighttime vision of a human. However, the horse’s nighttime vision is NOT better than the daytime vision of a human. Anytime you are asking your horse to function in a dim light situation, give them time to adjust. And if they are fearful, be patient and try to understand how things look from their perspective!
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

12/15/2023

🎄Holiday hours🎄
Don’t forget to order prescription refills early!

12/13/2023

❤️Worth a watch.❤️

Dr. Taylor

11/28/2023

🚨Information regarding Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex-

There are recent reports of canine respiratory disease cases from across the country which has yet to be fully characterized. WADDL (WA Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory) is working with state and federal agencies to keep up to date on any reports of unusual respiratory disease occurrences and will work with the WSDA to update the public. The Washington State Veterinarian is encouraging owners to take extra precautions and avoid areas where dog congregate.

The cases reported appear to primarily fall within three general clinical syndromes:

-Chronic mild-moderate tracheobronchitis with a prolonged duration (6-8 weeks or longer) that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.

-Chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.

-Acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and often leads to poor outcomes in as little as 24-36 hours.

CIRDC cases more commonly occur in animals housed in settings such as shelters, showing, boarding, or training facilities rather than in animals housed in private homes, especially those with limited access to other dogs.

Veterinarians treat cases according to the dog's signs and severity of signs. Treatment may include antibiotics. Most dogs, especially those vaccinated against respiratory illness, experience a mild illness.

Symptoms of CIRDC include coughing, sneezing, nasal and/or eye discharge, fever and lethargy. If your dog shows these symptoms, please check with your veterinarian.

Dog owners can help protect their pets from respiratory illnesses in general by:

Reducing contact with large numbers of unknown dogs. Just like with other respiratory pathogens, the more contacts your dog has, the greater the risk of encountering a dog that’s infectious.

Reducing contact with sick dogs. This can be harder to determine but if a dog looks sick (coughing, runny nose, runny eyes), keep your dog away from it.

Keep sick dogs at home and seek veterinary care.

Avoid communal water bowls and toys shared by multiple dogs.

Ask your veterinarian for advice on which vaccinations your dog should have. Common vaccinations include canine influenza, Bordetella and parainfluenza.

Dr. Taylor

11/23/2023

This weekend, please don’t make me say “I told you so.” (Under my breath or out loud).

Dr. Taylor

11/16/2023

Heads up!

10/31/2023

If you can’t dress like Dr. Dan Charlton for Halloween (at Ellensburg Animal Hospital) are you even Halloweening?

10/17/2023

It’s National Veterinary Technician Week! These amazing, talented and strong women are an integral part of our hospital and we couldn’t do our jobs without them. If you have the pleasure of seeing one this week, please let them know how much they are appreciated. ❤️