Little River Veterinary Hospital, 1447 Atlantic Highway, Northport, ME (2024)

11/02/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. As predicted a few weeks ago, we are seeing more and more pets with tick disease. The odd thing is that many are presenting with fever and typical symptoms but negative on our in-house tests. It might be they are too early for the test to light up a positive, or its possible we are treating a new tick borne illness.
We even had an indoor kitty test positive for Lyme disease.
Thursday and Friday we had 7 different patients with high fevers and malaise.

2. Well we are hopefully nearing the end of politicians dominating the news. (Seriously can they just go away or get out of the way and let us all just get our work done. They are so needy.)
Anyway we data mined our records and saw that we see:
Trump - 1
Kamala - 1
JD - 2
Tim/Timothy - 4
Donald - 1
Joe - 3

3. Oldest evidence of kitty kneading (also known as making biscuits): archeologists report they have evidence from Jerusalem of a 1200 year old clay pot that has a cat paw print. Based on the imprint they say it was kneading while the potter had a wet pot in the sun drying.

4. Multivitamin claims are out of control. I can't believe it is legal to market the way they do. The most recent blatant offender this week ("Dog is human") has a name that doesnt even make grammatical sense. They claim they cure allergies better than prescriptions like apoquel. Ludicrous.
If it were that easy we would have dealt with this decades ago.

5. Reminder again…Rabies is here. I had to put a rabid skunk out of its misery on the farm this week. Poor thing was covered in porcupine quills and walking aimlessly. Waiting to die and/or pass the virus on. Skunks are defensive creatures. Beautiful if you get a good look at them. This skunk likely was bitten by another rabid skunk and then attacked the porcupine. Horrible situation.
Thank goodness for vaccines. Hoping for a big turnout December 7th at the Brooks fire station. Waldo county humane society sponsored FREE RABIES CLINIC. More details as we get closer.

Tough few weeks. The allergies have slowed but sick pets have rushed right in. Frustrating. Some weeks the breaks go your way. Then you get a stretch where everything feels like you end up saying goodbye to some wonderful friends.
Enjoy your pets everyday(and your people).
Tomorrow is not a given.
Stay safe.

~ "Finnie”

(7 year old female doodle. This striking beauty was laid to rest yesterday. Wagging until the end. Cancer. Super sad. Totally unfair. One of my favorites.)

10/29/2024

Maybe this is why people usually like their vets?

10/27/2024

BREAKING .
(Don’t you hate it when during election season every headline starts this way?)

By a circuitous route I just found out that I missed Boss’s Day.
I have the best boss.
She provides a safe work environment, has my back, decent hours, paid time off, opportunity for continuing education and plenty of snacks.
(Don’t worry OSHA they are in designated food locations and definitely not near any work stations)

To all the other great bosses out there I will raise a glass to you tonight at family dinner!
Extra cheers if you’re a small business owner/boss. It’s always tough but if you want to drive the bus there is no better way.

~ “Todd” covering is eyes while trying to sleep. Looking like many of us while watching all the political ads

10/26/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. Why do we strongly encourage vaccinating indoor cats for rabies? Well low and behold last week in Camden a bat tested positive for it. Scary.
(4-5 people in the US die from rabies every year, 100 THOUSAND around the world. EVERY. YEAR)
(Why is it so much lower here…because we vaccinate)

2. Doggo goes traveling. See the pics of the dog on top of one of the great pyramids in Egypt? Some paragliders were zipping over the top when they spotted the dog wandering around. Apparently he heard there was some cat p**p up top and wanted to check it out.

3. Kennel cough going around - minor so far but be aware at the dog park and local trails.

4. Warm weather and apple drops usually brings in calls for stung noses. If it is a weekend, benadryl will help your dog. A pill is 25 mg. A tiny dog would need half a pill, a Beagle sized dog a full tab and for Labrador sized pooches 2 tabs will be fine.

5. By 10 am Tuesday I saw 3 Golden retrievers from 3 different homes. Not a bad way to start the day

6. If you’re over 50 please go to your voicemail app while you drink your coffee and delete your five year old messages AND then CLEAR the deleted messages because your Mailbox is full and we can’t reach you.
Go ahead...we will wait.

7. Finally!!! Had a new puppy called "Gronk" and he was a Boxer mix. It's the perfect name for that breed. Currently at LRVH we have another Gronk and it's a kitty (sad trombone music).
Happy to report Gronk looks good, his littermate was also adopted. "Brady". He is in good shape too but his balls were a bit deflated. Neutering will help.

Enjoy the weather. Back in the shop Monday

~"Flannery"
( 7.5 year old Doodle)

10/24/2024

Tomorrow, Friday, is the first day of firearm hunting. Junior day. Might want to dig out your orange blaze for your furry friend and be a little bit more aware of your surroundings while walking in the woods the next month or so.

10/19/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. New Anthropomorphism situation? Had a nice senior client in with her lame senior pet. People love to put our human emotions onto their pets or give them more credit than I would. I'm all for mysticism but I don't think our pets mimic owners etc to gain more treats or pats. This client had recently acquired a few rescue Guinea pigs. Mom swore “Raven” was jealous of them and was limping when she walked by them. I thought it was a sprain from jumping off the couch. Either way she was better by Friday...Maybe we were both right?

2. Saw another article about idiopathic head tremors in dogs. Not much new to report. These dogs look like someone who has Parkinson's disease.
(Named after James Parkinson. Two hundred years ago he was more famously known for starting the British Geological Society, studying fossils, trying to understand why marine shells were being found on mountaintops and stating the earth was probably older than 6000 years as was thought - thanks to the Bible. Oh yeah, he noted a shaking disorder we now attribute to him)
These tremors can be pretty intense.
What causes it - we don't know. Idiopathic.
Is it a problem - No.
Is it common - No - of the 3000 dogs we see at LRVH we have 2 or maybe 3 patients who have sporadic episodes.

3. Diarrhea is still a problem even if it is outside...please tell your doc at routine appointments if something is amiss for long periods of time down below.
Diarrhea - I am guilty of joking that it is not an emergency unless it's in YOUR house!

4. Blocked male cats. Tis the season. Refresher. If you see your male cat going in and out of the litter box...he's not constipated. This is one of a short list of ER situations for indoor cats.
(I'll get in trouble for this but it's political season and who doesn't like a political joke? Indoor cats are like Libertarians. They live in a little bubble where they think they are Master and Commander. They go about their day and wonder why everyone else can't have it so easy like them. Food magically appears, they sleep 22 hours a day, no predators, their toilet is refreshed. Cushy life)
Anyway, back to our indoor cat. Certain factors can cause them to produce small or microscopic bladder stones. Not a big deal unless your urethra is 2mm wide.
If they are in and out of the box you need to make sure they are passing SOME urine. If you're not sure, get them to a vet asap.
Sometimes stuff happens due to bad luck but there are a few factors we can do to try and minimize the risk.
Keep them slim.
Feed wet foods.
Make sure the litter box is clean and provide a box per cat in the household.

5. Skunks galore lately. I read that a group of skunks is called a "Surfeit". (I would probably have a different word if I came face to face with a bunch)
From an Old French word to mean excess. Then again I read a group can be called a “stench”.
Pretty much I have no idea. Call em what you want. Just don’t get close - I call them a rabies risk.

All for now. Don't feed the ticks! Back in the shop Monday.

~ "Arrow"
(2.5 year old Rat Terrier X. I'm not sure who is the star of the show?)

10/13/2024

Show and Tell Sunday.
Any recent pics of your buddy playing or exercising?
Winner gets fake internet points.

~ “Dexter” out trotting on leash with his mom, he seems bemused

(Hope you have power…currently in Brooks if you “flip a switch” nothing happens)

10/12/2024

Pop quiz for Sunday
With the beautiful fall weather out today try to get a picture of your friend romping in the wind, working or catching a few sun rays. Extra credit if fall colors are included.
Cats can play too.
Tomorrow I’ll start the thread.
Good luck.

10/12/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. Starting to see a bit of a slowing of the nuttiness this week. Maybe the property tax bills scared everyone?
I used some of the extra time to join a veterinary coop. Basically this is a way independent vets can compete with the private equity groups that gobbled up a bunch of vet hospitals in the last 10 years. The corporate clinics use their large numbers as leverage to get better deals from pharmaceutical companies. Saving money on costs translates to increased profits(So they think)
The Coop tries to do the same. The one LRVH joined has over 3000 hospitals. The board of the Coop makes partnerships with companies to provide products (everything from paper, HR help, vaccines…) at a lowered cost. By increasing our productivity we aim to continue to provide quality employment opportunities which translates to a better outcome for clients and patients at the hospital.
At the end of the day, we are acutely aware that veterinary care is expensive. We live in this community too. We are lucky people care so much about their pets.

2. Staying on the business of veterinary care…Walmart plans to open 5 veterinary centers inside their stores. In Georgia I believe. Nothing says great healthcare like getting a full checkup and then buying your dog a Halloween costume 2 aisles over. Oy vey.
Can you imagine going to your pediatrician in a Toys R Us?
Visiting your Gynecologist in a Victoria Secret?

3. Lately we have helped a bunch of patients cared for by people in the human health care field. Two curious facts we observed.
• MDs in general seem struggle the most with asking for end of life care. I think it’s in their training. They never want to admit defeat. That’s great. If I have appendicitis don’t transfer me to hospice. When in doubt, cut it out.
But we really have a hard time convincing them that their friends are not going to get better or may be on the verge of suffering.
• Of all our clients the healthcare providers have the biggest potty mouths! 😮
It’s funny. I think because they are relaxed in the dynamic of a small exam room AND they are off the clock and not under intense pressure. (In this group the dentists are the most liberal with F-bombs)

All for now. I will cobble a better report next week. I’m scribbling this on my phone Saturday morning while drinking coffee. Watch out for ticks while stacking wood or closing up the garden.

~ “Emmy”
2 year old CorgiX. Has the toughest job ahead of her. Her human Mom recently passed unexpectedly and she needs to keep Dad company. I know she’s up to the task.

10/05/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. Heavy on skin issues this week. Good timing. Tons of complaints of itchy dogs. I participated in an online class last Sunday morning. Full disclosure I did have Premier League soccer muted in the background while my laptop had the Zoom call.
I’ve mentioned before that itchy dogs can basically be broken down into two causitive groups. Environmental and Food.
Social media loves easy answers. But rarely is it food, or cured with Dynovite dog vitamins.
The bulk of itchy dogs are called atopic. These dogs have a genetic make-up that causes a skin reaction because COMMON allergens gain entry into the body. They then gain entry into cells via a gateway called a JAK receptor. These are openings through the cell membrane. (From BIO 101 "the mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell"...JAK receptors are more BIO 901)
About 10 years ago a class of drug was brought to market called JAK inhibitors.
Now, another tool for vets has come out. A second JAK inhibitor. Zenrelia.
Some dogs respond differently due to genetic differences in how their itch trigger responds to medications. We are hoping that dogs who are currently miserable with all of our options may have a better response to this new medication. (Fingers crossed.)
As of now we cannot predict which medicine will work for each individual. Maybe in the future a genetic test will guide younger vets on which medicine will work best. For now it is trial and error.

2. Quote of the week. When I go over lab work with clients I ask if they have any medical training. This way, I can figure out what language to speak to them.
Man on the street or Ivory Tower.
This week I had the best response yet.
From a gentleman with years of wisdom (ie older)
Me: Do you have any medical training?
Him: “No. But I take a lot of pills”

3. Saw a weird blurb on the web about pets and pacemakers. Apparently if humans get an upgraded pacemaker (or no longer need it...) it can be donated to a few veterinary schools for canine patients. Thereby lowering the costs. To the best of my knowledge LRVH has one canine who could use one but is not symptomatic.

4. You know those cute little crocheted hats that babies wear in the hospital? Well step aside lil buddy there’s a new model in town.
Cats. Old cats to be precise.
I learned that researchers at the veterinary school in Quebec have successfully made beanies fitted with electrodes that cats will wear while awake. This is the first time that scientists can study the brain waves in awake cats. This particular research is monitoring the brains of cats suffering from arthritis and chronic pain. A condition we struggle with helping.
Down the road we might be able to determine the answer to larger questions like why do they push everything off the table or vomit on the one small rug in a house.
Pic in comment section

5. Back to itchy skin dogs. In the comments below is a graph of the number of the most common allergy pill size sold per month. As you can see in October we tend to see a drop in requests for the medicine. Here's hoping this October mirrors last years.

Kudos to everyone using preventatives and doing post walk tick checks. The beasts are back and we expect a surge in cases in the next 14 days.

~ "Tao"
(5 mo old DSH from a local shelter)
(Yes I was terrified he was transported in a bag too, offered a crate, but Mom preferred to use tote instead...I checked that the coast was clear before heading into the lobby)

09/28/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. I'm not sure the internet is helping us. By 8:45m Monday we had 2 calls from clients wondering if Miralax is safe.
That's weird.
They were under the impression it was made with antifreeze.
Sigh.
One is POLYethylene glycol and the other is ethylene glycol. One makes p**p softer. The other keeps liquids from freezing.
Yes they sound the same. It doesn't matter chemically.
Life can be complicated. Please don't let some Russian Bot make you think your vet is secretly poisoning your pet. Frankly I don't even understand who is gaining something with this disinformation.
(Poisons we worry about: sugarfree gum, cocoa powder, rat baits, human pharmaceuticals.)

2. Teddy for the win: 4 different Tedy, Teddys in the building on Wednesday

3. Senior citizen day. Remarkable ages on Tuesday! I saw 3 dogs all over 14 years old (14, 14.5, 15.5) still chugging along. We are seeing more geriatric pets these days and as a result talking more about age related health concerns. Cognitive decline, mobility issues, bathroom troubles.
Growing old isn't for the weak...but more importantly, “Do not complain about growing old. It is a privilege denied to many.” - Mark Twain (if he actually coined it is anyone's guess but pretty much everything is either him or Ben Franklin)

4. Hear me now, believe me later...fleas are in full swing. Not using a proper approved medication on EVERY pet in the house will not work.
Every pet. For 3 months. Otherwise you're wasting time and money.
Flea trivia:
The US has 300 species of fleas but only 4 really affect health (Dog, cat, squirrel and rat)
Females can lay 50 eggs a day
They can jump a foot high
They used to feed on dinosaurs
They can live for a hundred days

Tricky week. Lots of amazing feats by pet owners and technicians (serial outdoor blood draws on a wiggly Boston terrier who has seizures upon entering a vet hospital was probably our best technical accomplishment). But unfortunately too many tough conversations on impending health issues. Let’s call it a day and start over on Monday.
Enjoy the cool weather.

“Reggie”
4 year old Airedale in to get some ear troubles doctored up. On point for the breed, he acted like a friendly, out of control bulldozer

09/21/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. Skunks everywhere. Look up the wash recipe now before you’re mad at 10pm

2. Tax break for veterinary care? Pet health insurance is a failed business model. Only 3% of pet owners carry it. More complaints about denial of claims…sounds like human health insurance.
Well what’s corporate America to do? Lobby Congress to try and allow owners to use their OWN health savings accounts to pay for vet care!
Talk about Cuckoo bananas!!!
Please. If you have your own health savings account do not use it on your pet. Vet care may be pricey but let’s keep it in perspective.
Public health is paramount.
Human healthcare prices are out of control.

3. For all you itchy dog owners that have your buddy on apoquel a new option was approved this week.
“Zenrelia” is purported to be more effective (in their studies), labeled as once a day and supposed to be 20% cheaper.
Stay tuned!

That’s all I’ve got. Busy extracurricular week. High school soccer. College tours.
Be back in the office Monday.

“Grover”
5 year old, male Otterhound.
Grover passed away this winter. He had a rare tumor in his intestine that was removed in Boston late 2023. His family moved to midcoast Maine and we were lucky to work with him. Unfortunately the surgery created a new problem. Short bowel syndrome. He was unable to properly digest his food and despite the incredible efforts of his human parents we were unable to keep him well.
Making it even more painful was that his breed is threatened. With fewer than 800 left in the world they struggle to maintain a stable population.

09/14/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. Name game - at the same time we had in the building a cat named “Kurt”. Meanwhile on the dog side we had a patient named “Cobain”. Both named for the famous late singer of the band Nirvana.

2. No one ever asked me my opinion. You’d think after 26 years of being vet I’d get a call to be one of the 4 out of 5 veterinarians who recommend a certain product.
Nope
Nothing
It must all be fake.

3. The hummingbirds have left. Lots of birds swinging through. Filling up and moving along. Nowadays one can search where do they go and find out that they winter in the gulf coast of Florida and Central America. They know to leave by hormonal changes affected by daylight.
But 200 years ago it was a mystery. There were theories they lived at the bottom of lakes, the moon and various mythical places. Then in the spring of 1822, like usual, the storks arrived in Germany. People noticed one was unusual. The pfeilstorch stork. German for “arrow stork”. Yes - it had a giant spear through its neck.
This bird lived for a few days then was killed. It was recovered by a museum and studied. You can still see it.
The scientists realized it was a spear used for hunting in Africa. Sudan. Slowly people realized birds were going to warmer climates for food.
There are still many unknowns.
So every time you look up and see those geese in formation think about how long that species has been traveling these unbelievable routes.
Good luck to the little hummingbirds.
(As I’ve said before I have plenty of clients who have never left Maine)

4. New therapy dog at our local human hospital! Mr Pips an 8 year old Shih tzu- Pomeranian cross joins Bramble a Leonberger at Waldo County General to help improve patient moral and hopefully calm some nerves.
Best of luck!

5. Grass eating complaints continue. Usually not a big deal but this week in consecutive days we had a different issue. Non stop snorting and sneezing.
Nasal foreign body.
Yup, blade of grass up the nose. Usually from the back of the throat. (Think kid snorting milk out their nose)
One was a dog who luckily resolved before we needed to sedate and examine. The other was a cat Dr. Sarah pulled a 1.5 inch blade of grass out and then thinking she was done saw another. The second piece was 4” long. So rewarding!!
Along that line keep an eye out for burdocks. If a pet chews them out of a tangle of hair it can result in days of hacking.

6. Revenge of the squirrel. This week a squirrel was running along a power line and touched two wires simultaneously. Once.
It shorted out the power and we got a surge that wiped out a board that controls one of our blood a**lyzer machines. Luckily it was insured and just the board. The whole unit goes for about 30k. Phew.

All for now. Great weather. Back in the clinic Monday.

~”Jackson” 9 year old Husky X
(Very unimpressed after surgery with his boo-boo bandage to remove a stubborn growth between his toes. Biopsy reports it was benign and surgery should be curative)

09/07/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. Huge numbers of problem ears this week...why? Allergies. Late summer grass allergens are peaking and along come the molds from rotting leaf litter. I've mentioned it before, vets call many of these patients "atopic". Hallmarks are allergies starting before 4 years of age and on certain positions of the body. People sometimes grow frustrated with vets when we give them this diagnosis. "Dogs never had these allergies before"
It must be the food, vaccines, medicines...not really.
It is an overreaction to common allergens.
Dogs 30 years ago were scratching from fleas. They were miserable.
We've eliminated them for the most part.
No more roundworms upsetting the GI tract.
So they have these wonderful immune systems that evolution has crafted to keep them alive and all of a sudden...many chronic offenders are gone. So the system sits. Waiting to jump at anything.
Genetics play a part. The genes that overreact are prominent in certain purebred dogs. Retrievers, Bullies, Doodles. Curiously a breed that has some of the most difficult cases we treat is the German Shepherd. Many vets across the country report this.
What to do, what to do.
There is no easy fix. If there was, I would have a station set up outside in the parking lot and I would be out of the office at 2pm and playing golf.
We have a variety of options to try to manage the condition but as of now we don't have a cure. Anti allergy meds, shampoos, immunotherapy...
Like most things in medicine if there are 7 options it must mean there isn’t a perfect option.

2. Best names of the week: Horatio, Satchmo, Sparklemuffin

3. Save the date. December 7th (Pearl Harbor Day)
Brooks Firestation
Waldo County Humane society FREE Rabies clinic for waldo county residents (minor fee for out of county)
Drs Chris and Sarah will be slinging vaccines
Town of Brooks will set up a table to register your dog at the same time.

4. The internet is getting stale. Like everyone else, I like scrolling the web. Looking up information on whatever hobby I’m into any given week.
Unfortunately the search engines only seem to care about taking me to a sponsored site that is trying to sell me something.
So be aware when you’re looking up pet information. Everything is catered to sell you something.
Very hard to find something authentic.
There might be a way to set up parameters to help minimize this. If some techie knows please comment below.

5. Must be nice: St Regis hotel in Aspen. (Yeah. It’s not the Econolodge in Scranton Pennsylvania.)
They have a resort dog!
“Kitty Jacob Astor the Second” is a Bernese mountain dog. He assists with guest check in. Schmoozes during happy hour. Leads parades. Will accompany room service delivery. He’s a good looking boy who gets groomed weekly and has his own Instagram page.

6. Super rare occurrence on Friday. Had a recheck appointment for a patient in remission for an autoimmune disorder. Sixty minutes later a new patient in. She had been battling kennel cough. Then a precipitous drop 48 hours ago.
I had my thoughts and when our crack team of techs commented her blood was thin I was pretty confident I knew the cause.
With a glass slide and a drop of saline we confirmed our suspicions. Immune mediated hemolytic anemia. The same condition the other pet was in for.
I can think of two cases I’ve seen in the last year. Having them in the building at similar times is wacky.
Paws crossed she responds as well as my first patient.

7. Wild Friday afternoon. Was just like the olden days when people just showed up at doc so and so and waited. Removing quills, fly larvae under the skin, emergency diarrhea, a**l gland misery. Phew
Pay back for an eerily quiet Tuesday. Following a holiday Monday. I think people were busy getting Junior to school and didn’t have time to see their pets dealing with troubles.

Thanks for the calories, scones, thank-you cards, cookies this past week! It's always appreciated.
Back in the shop Monday

~ “Milo” (2 year old doodle)

09/01/2024

Whatcha got?

I know I’m not alone when I say my pets have nicknames.
Pictured is Dexter, but when I return home from work he is referred to as “Mr Big Boy”.
Said in true admiration of his long giraffe-like legs.
He’s proud of his nickname. I can tell.
On special days (every day is special!) he likes to be serenaded his theme song. It has the complex lyrics of,
“Dexter.
Dexter dog…
Dexter Dexter da-og”
using the rhythm of the annoying 1980-90s Hartford Whalers NHL team goal song.

Share a pic, nickname and a personal tasty tidbit of your furry friend in the comments.

08/31/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. Lots of doom and gloom on the environmental front, but boy we are having an epic birdwatching year. Many cool birds migrating through right now. We saw a flock of Nighthawks last Friday night hunting bugs over our fields for an hour before heading south. We have had more songbirds than ever. Watched a Merlin tangling with Jays in the bog.
Yay birds.

2. Friday afternoon porcupine marathon. Three dogs. Same household. Horrible altercation. Remember to look outside before letting out at bedtime.

3. AI photo identification. I’ve gotten a kick out of using the photo identification tool on our smartphones. It’s AI and getting smarter but still needs work. My doodle was usually marked as a Portuguese water dog.
I can see it.
But a few weeks ago he was correctly identified as a Labradoodle. Last weekend the technology took a step back.
He was identified as an alpaca.
Maybe I need to up his grooming schedule?

4. Wasps. Tis the season. Apples and fruit on the ground. Curious dogs. Swollen nose.
A 25mg tab of Benadryl for medium dog, 2 for a bigger pup. Usually resolves in a few hours.

5. Names of the week: Max McFluffybottom III, Mr. Weeds, Nibble and Nutter, Puddles

6. Monday by 8:30am, 6 fit ins were already en route, scheduled or dropped off. Our crack team was able to get everyone seen, plans figured out AND stay on schedule for the routine visits.
We’ve learned to schedule Mondays at about 75% capacity. Otherwise no one is having fun.

7. School back in session…see all the faculty and support next summer! (2 teachers on Monday!)

8. Telemedicine in the future? More big tech and pharma are trying to make inroads in human and also veterinary medicine. New legislation is trying to be b̶r̶i̶b̶e̶d̶ t̶h̶r̶o̶u̶g̶h̶ C̶o̶n̶g̶r̶e̶s̶s̶ passed as we sit.
They use the guise it’s more convenient but in reality it’s a way of direct marketing products with minimal oversight. Chewy (owned by a European private equity group called BC partners)is a potential player in this.
If you think a Swiss banker cares two licks about your pup and community you’re mistaken.
I cannot overstate how important an in person exam is. Vets take many factors into consideration. The animals attitude, odor, response to exams to form a picture of what is happening.
Stay tuned to the news.
Thank you for supporting small businesses. We are the backbone of our communities.

9. Once again this week proved, just when you think you’ve seen it all, you open an exam room door and everything is new again. If your kid wants a career that is never boring hit the books and become a vet.

All for now. Have a great long weekend. Be back on Tuesday.

~ “Bo” (8 year old male Flame point Siamese )

08/26/2024

Did somebody forget to turn the Sun on?

08/24/2024

What did we learn this week?

1. Legit question I was asked.
Patient 7 years old
Perfect body condition, 24 pounds
No underlying health conditions
Was told she eats "a glazed munchkin every day with dad who goes to get a Dunkin at 3 pm"
"Is that OK"
I'm not sure what the appropriate answer is.

2. Late summer reminder...fleas are starting to show back up in town. Kind of a nuisance with the amazing anti-flea meds we have but still, be vigilant.

3. Reminder for owners of cats with extra toes: verify there isn't one hiding in the fold that is ingrown. You might smell it before you see it.

(Extra credit - what do you call a cat with extra digits - lʎʇɔɐpʎlod)
(Extra extra credit what is their pop culture name - sʇɐƆ ʎɐʍƃuᴉɯǝH)

4 Client called Monday am. Dog had eaten a few cherry pits. They have some cyanide compounds in them. Is it toxic? From a great website vets refer to a typical dog would need to eat 6,250 black cherry pits or 4,600 red cherry pits
Furthermore due to the large amount needing to be ingested, an individual would be passing them from the body before enough toxin was built up.

IE it's safe...but not recommended!

5. Names of the week "Dirty Snowball", "Onion Bagel", "Fettuccine"(we also see 3 Zitis, 1 Tortellini)

6. It’s a computer. Yes - it’s a computer that sends out reminders for various vaccines. There is no human sending reminders or licking stamps.
It doesn’t have the ability to know if your pet has passed away or is going to another home. If it is LRVH or another clinic, dentist, MD office, please don't make a fuss if something has happened that the computer is unaware of.
Just be nice and let the office know...or ignore it.

7. Kennel cough back in town. No smooching on the rail trail.

8. Broken record- nymph ticks are out in full force. I laugh inside (because it hurts too much to cry inside) when people claim "There are no ticks in my yard". They are everywhere. A nymph is the size of this bullet •
Protect yourself and your pet.

All for now. Days are getting shorter. Stay safe. Turn on the light before letting the dogs out at night.

~ "McKenna" (Beautiful 1.5 year old Boxer)

Little River Veterinary Hospital

11/02/2024

10/29/2024

10/27/2024

10/26/2024

10/24/2024

10/19/2024

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Other Northport pet stores & pet services