Caring For Your Family's Furry Friends. Dr. Darrin Kortyka
Dr. Leah Story
Dr. Kirsten Thursam Full service small animal veterinary care.
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We're moving into the dog days of summer once again! (It's already back to school in just under 2 weeks!)
Help us celebrate by leaving your favorite dog picture in the comments or dropping by with a printed photo (4x4 or 4x6 only please) to fill up our board 😁☀⏱
PSA- We're having some technical difficulties with our phone service!
While this is getting sorted, you may not be able to get through by calling, if you need to contact us and the phones aren't yet cooperating, please send an email to [email protected] and we'll do our best to keep things running smoothly.
Thank you for your patience and understanding today.
🥳WEDNESDAY WIN! 🥳
Piper and Charlie came in for a visit today and both of these sweet babies have lost weight!
Their mom has been working hard and took our fat dog talk to heart and it's paying off so well, we have to celebrate!
It's so easy to show our pets love and affection with treats and snacks, but it can really hurt in the long run- extra weight puts extra stress on joints, on heart health and can ultimately shorten the lifespan of a beloved family member.
If correcting overfeeding and managing calories vs exercise isn't helping your pets shed those extra pounds, we may need to look into some bloodwork to check things like their thyroid function- This was true for Mr. Charlie, and now that he's on not only the proper diet, but getting his thyroid supplementation, he's working his way towards in shape!
Join us in giving a round of applause for these two and their dedicated Mom!
Does your pet need some weight loss work? We're happy to help make a diet plan, give us a call or an email if you need some guidance- we're always happy to help!
WOO! Who would have thought we'd want to celebrate a 90 degree day? After the 100+ we've been dealing with, today will feel like a relief.
🌡☀️🌡😮💨
BUT that said, the sun is still unrelenting, and the pavement will be HOT. When arriving for appointments PLEASE STAY IN THE AIR CONDITIONED CAR with your dog until we have your room ready!
The sidewalk is scorching and the blacktop is even hotter, up to 145! Our parking lot sees full sun for the majority of the day, and will easily burn paws. (Skin damage can happen in seconds at these temps!)
And of course, still no pets left in cars, not even in the shade, not even with the windows cracked. Not at all!
graphic credit to RedandHowling
Happy 4th everyone!
We are closed today and tomorrow for the holiday. If your pet is having an emergency, please call your preferred emergency clinic. If you have something less urgent, feel free to leave a message on our voicemail (just one please!) and we'll get back to you when we catch up on Monday.
Enjoy the day safely, and know that Bonnie Hays will be open from 11a to 4p to help reunite any early runners ;)
Remember to give those sedatives well before dark and keep a safe area ready for your pets to ride out the chaos.
BE SAFE- NO PETS LEFT IN THE CAR!
Temps are already too high to have pets in parked cars for any amount of time, but as we're heading into an excessive heat advisory over the next few days, it's especially critical that your dogs stay home!
Dogs naturally run hotter than we do (normal body temps up to 102.5!) and are very poor at self regulating for heat- they can't sweat!
If their body temp reaches 105, they are at immediate risk for heat stroke, and being in a car (yes, even in the shade, YES, even with the windows cracked) is being in a literal oven. (Have you seen the posts where folks are baking cookies on the dash?)
People are terrible at estimating elapsed time in general and we have no control over what is happening inside the store- you might argue it's only 5 minutes! But with checkout lanes and everything else going on inside, that easily becomes 10, 15, even 20 minutes.
We love your pets, but PLEASE, we don't want to see them for heatstroke! That's very scary, and can become tragic VERY fast.
We're down to the wire for prescription requests for the 4th!
If you haven't called already, TODAY IS THE DAY! Let's help your pets ride out the fireworks with less stress!
We've heard a few already in the last few days- did your dog go on high alert after those bangs? Did they take a while to settle? This might be a good indicator that some sedatives would be helpful- CALL NOW!
Other tips for a
- Create a safe space in the house- a crate, the bathroom, a smaller room. Add a blanket and play some gentle music to help mask the chaos.
- Make sure those sedatives are given AT LEAST 2 hours before the fireworks are expected to start and check the label for how often they can be repeated! (They'll work best given on an empty stomach when your pet is already calm)
- Make sure everyone is wearing their collars with ID, microchips are updated with your current information. If you pet is a runner, maybe even keep the leash on during the fireworks (yes, even inside) so that if they panic and make a run for the door, you've got a better chance of catching them.
REMEMBER- We'll be closed on the 4th AND 5th! If you need to leave a message for us, please leave ONLY 1! This will help streamline our catch up on Monday morning when we're back!
Stay safe everyone!
Time is ticking down and Independence Day is right around the corner (not even two weeks away!)
Have you requested sedatives for your nervous pets? We want to help them get through the fireworks as as possible, and while some pets don't seem to think it's a big deal, others are certain the apocalypse has started with all the bangs.
Give us a call today for those prescription requests! (Pet must be up to date with their wellness exams- hands on Doctor visit within the last 12 months in order to be eligible for medications, and we need a current weight!)
Join us in congratulating our tech assistant Anna, as she graduates from high school this weekend! 🥳🥳🥳🥰
And a double congrats for several successful blood draws this week! We love having Anna on the Kindness Family team and we're excited to support her growth in the veterinary field!
It's June 4th! You know what that means- the countdown is ON! ⏱
There are only 21 business days before the Fourth of July and all the fireworks 🥳🎇🎆😬
If your pets would appreciate a little sedation to help them through the chaos, NOW is the time to request it!
Remember, your pet MUST be up to date on exam- this means we have to have seen them in clinic within the last 12 months (This is non-negotiable- not just clinic policy but a law)
There are still a few appointment slots available before the big day if you need to catch up on this requirement, but they'll fill fast, so CALL NOW!
This is also the perfect time to make sure their microchip information is up to date- if they make a break for it, you want to be certain they'll be back home without delay- something made much easier if the chip is registered with your current phone number!
(P.S. Despite the adorable spokes-cow, we still only see cats and dogs ;) )
Ready to dive into our 3 day weekend like....
How cute is Snowball out playing in the leaves?
Please remember, we'll be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. If you need something that can wait, please leave a voicemail and we'll get back to you when we're in office again on Tuesday.
If you need something urgently this weekend, please call or visit your choice of emergency clinics.
Have a safe weekend everyone!
Oreo Jasper came in last week for some cuddle time with Dr. Kortyka... Er...for his next round of puppy vaccines.
We thought he was too cute to stick to facebook alone, so now we're on instagram too!
Oooh, Hot dog!
The weather is looking ever so lovely for the next few days (finally!) So... we'd like to remind everyone to please be safe!!
The pavement heats up much faster than the air, so be mindful when going for walks- if you can't comfortably press your bare foot to the pavement, neither can your dog.
This goes doubly for the car! Even in the shade with windows cracked, the interior temp gets dangerously hot for Fido VERY quickly. If you want to take your pup along in the next few days, make sure they are able to join you out of the car too- if they'd have to wait for you, please leave them home!
If you visit the clinic in the next few days, you may see some new faces! Veterinary students from Washington State are spending some time here at Kindness as part of their Practice Management course- they're getting some in person experience with the nuts and bolts of the hospital and we're getting a full report at the end. It's a great opportunity for both sides- especially when they get to see how lovely our clients and their pets are ;)
****This IS the time to call for your pets annual exam***
May the Fourth be with you all today- and everyday!
If only we could use the force in the clinic! It sure would be handy when things are just out of reach- (Dr. Kortyka isn't always around to reach the top shelf for us after all)
And this begins our count down to the 4th of July- Don't let your dog be caught unaware when the fireworks start! Call for your refills now, and remember, your pet MUST be up to date on their exam in order to have prescriptions- don't let this 8 week window close without getting on the schedule if you need it.
Dr. Kortyka was invited to participate in the Neil Armstrong Middle School Career Fair last week!
It was a whirlwind morning of introducing veterinary medicine to 8th grade students- our field isn't all just puppy snuggles after all.
Forest Grove School District
As many are now aware, our very own Cherie and her husband, Steven, are facing significant financial strain as Stevens health challenges have progressed.
Cherie is an absolute wonder here and we know how loved she is by all of our clients.
There is a GoFundMe account where Cherie has been posting updates, and any donations are welcome and appreciated beyond measure.
Many of you know and many of you do not know… Steven was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer c… Cherie Carpenter needs your support for Stevens Medical Bills
Happy !
We like to celebrate puppy day any chance we get, and when Strydr came in for his first appointment, he got the full hospital tour- complete with opportunities to socialize with the full staff ;)
He was an eager participant in his exam and LOVED the bordetella vaccine given with a little squeeze cheese.
We're setting this pup up for success, ensuring he loves to come visit us, and his new dad is doing the at home work, making sure this little guy is comfortable with his paws, ears and mouth being handled.
Let's see those adorable puppy pics!! Drop some cuteness in the comments!
🐾📣Announcement📣🐾
Kindness will be CLOSING EARLY @ 4pm today (3/22/2024) for a team building event!
If your pet is having an emergency, please reach out to Tanasbourne Veterinary Emergency @ (503) 629-5800
The team will be back on Monday to return all messages and load up on puppy snuggles ;)
Sometimes, a prank is just too good to wait for April Fool's Day.
Last week, we had the chance for our newest kennel tech to bring in a baby cow from her family's farm!
This little one was comfortably settled in a dog run and then draped off with a privacy screen.
The team made an appointment for first thing in the morning- "Drop off. Aggressive large breed dog having trouble MOOving. Needs sedated xrays"
Those are NOT words that will make our doctor happy first thing, especially without even having discussed it first!!
Dr. Kortyka was MUCH happier to see this lovely lady gazing up from the run instead ;) She then spent the day acting as emotional support, getting snuggled and fed by all the staff, even those who weren't working had to stop in to say hello!
P.S. Don't worry about the wraps on her hooves- they just provided a little traction on our slick floors. Can't have the baby falling down after all
P.P.S. Promise, we still only treat cats and dogs, we're not expanding to large animal medicine ;)
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Happy St. Patrick's Day from the Kindness Family team and a few of their sweet pups ;)
We hope you're out enjoying all the lovely sunshine on this fine March Sunday.
A gentle reminder- On a 75 degree day the inside of a car will reach 94 degrees in only 10 minutes, and will be over 100 by the 20 minute mark.
Make safe choices in this beautiful weather and leave the dogs at home!
UPDATE: It looks like the phones are sorted and we're back to business as normal!
We are experiencing some phone trouble at this time, and many calls are not coming through!
Please bear with us as we try to resolve the situation. In the meantime, email is still functional, and appts are still being seen.
We'll update once resolved.
What does the Kindness Family team get up to on weekends?
Well... usually just normal stuff like everyone else.
But sometimes, they go to veterinary conferences to continue learning all the latest in our field!
Doctors and Certified Technicians are required to have a certain number of continuing education hours when it's time for license renewals- this helps us stay up to date with the current advances. So much can change in medicine even in a few years, it's important to not fall behind the times.
Dr. Kortyka, Dr. Story and CVT Alicia spent this cold snowy weekend at OSU, attending continuing education on topics like Chronic Enteropathy (we're managing 7 pets with this condition right now!!), behavior, pain management and even telemedicine.
March 1st is National Welsh Corgi Day!
Mr. Milo came in for his well pet check up last week and put on his best "treats please" face in between his exam and treatments.
Don't worry, he got plenty of goodies- Milo was a star patient and even posed for his photo like a pro.
Is it time for your furry friend to have an annual check up?
After all the talk of of bad breath and dental disease, how can you care for your pets oral health at home?
The answer is pretty simple- brush those teeth!
We understand it's easier said than done in most cases- so let's talk about how to set yourself up for success.
It's all about baby steps. Starting with a toothbrush wrestling match will pretty well ensure the experience is bad and leaves a lasting memory for your pet.
First, allow your pet to lick toothpaste (pet safe toothpaste only! The types meant for people can be toxic to your pet!) from your finger like a treat.
When that is accepted well, use your finger to wipe it onto the front teeth. Once this is accepted, move a little farther back, keeping to the outside surface of the back teeth (no need to get the tongue side)
If your pet is comfortable with this type of handling you can start the steps over with a bit of gauze wrapped over your finger or use a finger brush (the same kind used for babies).
This type of brushing is perfect long term, or you can switch to a small toothbrush, making sure to stick to the baby step process.
If your groomer offers a teeth-brushing service, you can skip that day, but don't rely on this once a month or less service to keep teeth healthy. Ideally those teeth should be brushed every day, just like yours. Think if you only brushed your teeth when you went in for a haircut- it simply wouldn't cut it ;)
Stormy doesn't love brushing, but she'll take this over a nail trim any day of the week!
Let's take a look at what is happening under the surface when your pet has dental disease.
On the left, a healthy cat skull.
On the right, a cat skull with significant and untreated dental disease.
While you may smell bad breath, or see some calculus (those dark chunks stuck over back teeth) or see the red gums from gingivitis- there is a whole other level that is invisible to the eye.
Dental disease involves bone loss around the teeth, allowing the body to expel the worst of them (a painful process on it's own!)- but the bone loss doesn't just stop with the tooth. It can actually continue to make the jaw extra fragile and spreads up through the sinus area.
Luckily, this can be managed and slowed with dental care- routine dental cleanings help to maintain the integrity of the bone, and extractions when needed help to stop the deterioration of that surrounding bone structure.
A healthy mouth has a major impact on overall health and often attitude too! Pets living with chronic pain can be less willing to play, less affectionate and crankier.
Ask about your pets oral health during their next visit with us!
Happy Clearance Candy day!
With great deals on Valentines themed candy, we wanted to bring you a periodic reminder about pet safety when it comes to human treats. Stormy would like to remind you to read the ingredient list!
From chocolate to xylitol, there are a LOT of things that can be toxic to our pets in our candy stash.
For chocolate it's all about how dark, how much and how big is the pet? Did your lab get a hershey kiss? Probably not a big deal. Did your chihuahua get a bar of dark chocolate? That's very likely life-threatening.
Xylitol is just BAD news all around, even a single piece of gum made with xylitol can put your furry valentine in the emergency vet for a stay. The scariest part with xylitol is the alternate name- it's also called BIRCH SUGAR. Sounds more "natural" and friendly that way, but it is still the same and still very toxic to your dogs.
So, stock up on the goods, but keep them up and away from your pets and we'll all have a great day ;)
Happy Valentine's Day!
We celebrate the love today (and well, everyday) with as many puppy kisses as we can get!
From sweet puppy breath to love and cuddles from our sugar-faced seniors, we're happy to help keep that furry face kissable with dental care ;)
One of the first signs of dental disease is bad breath! Sometimes it can be attributed to a fishy food, or upset belly, but if that breath is consistently stinky, a dental cleaning may be needed to remove the calculus harboring all the bacteria.
Give us a call today to schedule your pooch for their annual exam (or biannual for seniors- so much can change with their health in only 6 months!). During every well pet exam we complete an oral health assessment and can discuss if your pet needs a basic dental cleaning, has some suspicious for extraction or if they might need more extensive work.
In the meantime, share those puppy kiss pics (even if they aren't puppies anymore ;) )
Whether you're watching the big game today, only tuning in for the ads and half time show, or keeping it to the Puppy Bowl- we hope you're having a great Sunday!
Make sure those game day snacks are staying out of reach for your furry friends! We love to see all our patients, but we'd love for them to skip the pancreatitis visit 😁🥰
As January wraps up, many news years resolutions have been abandoned already! We all know the best way to keep those resolutions (Especially if they involve exercise) is to have a accountability buddy and make a routine!
You know you gets really committed to routines? Dogs!
Even if your pup isn't very athletic, pairing your routine with something they do everyday- an evening walk or the morning food routine- helps ensure your pup will remind you to keep you on that schedule!
If your dog IS joining in on the fitness action, let's make sure they're on the right path- our team is happy to help make a weight loss plain or diet recommendations for your "fluffy" friend.
Just like us, keeping trim will have a direct impact on their health, from hearts to joints to skin!
Little Miss Daisy had her first visit with us this week and is sure to be a lifelong walking buddy for her family. Such a sweet girl! She left her visit with a food recommendation and a clean bill of health 🥰👏🫶🐶🐕🐾🐾🐾
2835 19th Avenue, Suite 100
Forest Grove, OR
97116
| Monday | 8am - 6pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 6pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 6pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 6pm |
| Friday | 8am - 6pm |
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Ready to dive into our 3 day weekend like.... How cute is Snowball out playing in the leaves? Please remember, we'll be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. If you need something that can wait, please leave a voicemail and we'll get back to you when we're in office again on Tuesday. If you need something urgently this weekend, please call or visit your choice of emergency clinics. Have a safe weekend everyone!
It's #NationalFetchDay. The weather isn't the best for playing outside here in Forest Grove, but we'd love to see pics of your pets in action playing fetch! And a reminder from Dr. Kortyka and his poor pup- try to keep the ball at ground level if your dog likes to jump- quick stops, direction changes and hand landings can wreak havoc on the stifle (aka the knee joint 😉 ) #FearFree #GoodDog #GoPlay
Happy #nationaldogday! To celebrate, we wanted to share a little video of some of our recent dog pictures 🥰 Give your dog some extra love today and share your favorite story with us- what goofy, silly, sweet or ridiculous thing makes you say "yep, that's my dog!"? #FearFree #GoodDog #PuppyPic #SloppyKisses
This Sunday may be Mother's Day, but today is Pet Mom's Day, and while a few of us have human kids as well, the whole staff counts as pet moms! We're sharing some snapshots of our babies here to celebrate. 😸😽🐶🐺🐾🐾🐾 Share the love and drop of pic of your furry kids in the comments! Happy Pet Mom's day! And of course, wishing everyone a very happy Mother's Day as well 🥰🥰🥰
This week is International Pooper Scooper Week and we're running a special-- $30 for a fecal screening run in house. 💩💩 We recommend annual fecal screening for all pets. This helps to keep them healthy, and protect the humans in the household as well- many parasites common in cats and dogs can be passed to us. Nobody wants that! 🤢 --Must be up to date on annual exams-- --Special pricining only availaible through FRIDAY APRIL 7th!!-- Samples should be fresh and at least the size of a sugar cube! Litter or grass debris is ok, providing that the sample is not dried out and rock solid! Bring on the Poo! Like, Share, and mention this ad when you bring in your pets sample 🐶🐱💩 #WellPet #AnnualExam #InternationalPooperScooper
#WhyWednesday This Wednesday we want to share why we have mandatory labwork prior to any anesthetic procedure. No matter the age of the pet or the procedure, labwork is a must. Meet Lou Perez! He and his littermate Lily have been coming to see us from the start and they are the sweetest, happiest little fluffs. Lou Perez loves to give kisses and snuggle with Dr. Kortyka, who is happy to oblige. They came in to see us this week to have thier spay/neuter surgeries. No one would ever know looking at Lou that he has a liver value that is more than 6 times the normal! What this means is that his little body wouldn't handle the anesthesia very well. Lily was also a little elevated, so for safety, both procedures were postponed and additional testing was ordered to determine if this is a fluke (perhaps the curious pups got into something they shouldn't have, and stressed that liver) or if they might have a congenital condition which will require special considerations. #fearfree #sofluffy #gooddog #puppykisses
We hope you are staying safe!
More fun with puppies! And our public service announcement... adopting a puppy is a great way to get exercise, even indoors!!
Dr. K working from home answering a couple of the most recently asked client questions... including the bronx zoo tiger and what it means for your pets!
Hope everyone is staying healthy and doing their part to decrease exposure risks!
A little something fun today in honor of all of our veterinary staff! What you see them do is just the tip of the iceberg. Join us in giving them extra thanks this week in honor of National Veterinary Technician Week! Please feel free to thank a specific staff member or share a favorite story or experience if you have one!
Who out there believes it's still too cold for fleas and ticks in Oregon?? 😉
Lucy update! We are moving in to the final rounds of treatment. We wanted to show you why we prefer preventative to the treatment. Three times Lucy will receive this one and a half inch needle into the muscles of her back with the arsenic compound that will kill the worms. Yes, arsenic! So far, her body is handling it well, and she's being an angel for her treatments. Please send her well wishes!
Pets and their safety is one of our top priorities! Listen to Dr. Kortyka talk about a few safety tips!
We are celebrating cats this month of June! Listen to Dr. Story talk about how we use calming pheromones in the hospital and how they work! We use Feliway for cats and Adaptil for dogs.
Ever wonder what happens if your pup finds any marijuana products? In small doses, it's not fatal, but higher doses can lower the heart rate to dangerously low levels, cause unusual and fearful reactions to noise... And in all cases, it makes your poor pup look like this...
Here are all 3 doctors at Kindness Family Pet Clinic talking about the low-stress handling that we use on our patients and why. #WhyFearFreeExamsWereCreated
