Riverbend Veterinary Clinic

07/17/2024

Traveling with your dog this summer? As you may have heard in the news, bringing your cat or dog back into the US after traveling out of the country will require additional paperwork beginning August 1st, 2024.
This includes dogs and cats traveling by car to Canada, where a health certificate was not previously required for travel.
If you are planning to travel internationally with your pet in the next 6-12 months, now is the time to start planning!

Is your canine patient entering the United States? Soon they’ll need more than just a health certificate. Here’s what you need to know.

07/01/2024

HOLIDAY CLOSURE: Please note, our office is closed on Thursday, 7/4, in observation of the Fourth of July holiday. We are open our normal hours, 8AM-5:30PM on Friday, 7/5.
We wish all a safe and fun-filled day!

06/28/2024

Have you heard? Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, can cause serious illness in dogs. This includes gastrointestinal signs (vomiting and diarrhea) and neurologic signs. Onset can be rapid, as soon as an hour after swimming in affected water.
Being informed of local cyanobacteria warnings is important, and Mascoma Lake has already been affected this summer. This warning has just been lifted, but vigilance is important.

Linked below is a map of alerts in both Vermont and New Hampshire (Thanks to Daybreak UV for the resources!)

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/8d84a6b03acb4efaab571b222c78447b

https://www.healthvermont.gov/environment/tracking/cyanobacteria-blue-green-algae-tracker?mc_cid=0c435abcb0&mc_eid=5aa0a3a664

The Cyanobacteria (Blue-Green Algae) Tracker allows the public to check recent cyanobacteria bloom reports at shoreline sites and recreational swimming areas of Lake Champlain and various inland lakes in Vermont.

06/25/2024

Please note:
In an effort to be able to provide the best possible care for our current clients and their pets, we are not able to accept any new clients at this time. This is a temporary change, and we will update our website and Facebook when we are able to welcome new faces again!

05/24/2024

We've been seeing a large seasonal uptick in porcupine encounters with dogs in the past few weeks!
Although nocturnal, porcupines can be seen out foraging during the day. They are very slow moving, and as such aren't able to outrun a dog.
If your dog is quilled, do not try to remove the quills at home. Often, there are additional quills (especially in the mouth) that can't be seen without sedation. Removing quills is painful to the dog and can result in a person being inadvertently bitten.
It's a good time of year for dogs to be on a leash in the woods to help keep everyone safe!

05/24/2024

UPCOMING HOLIDAY CLOSURE:
Please note, we will be CLOSED on Monday, May 27th in observation of Memorial Day.
During this time, if your pet is having a medical emergency, please note that our closest emergency facility is SAVES in Lebanon, NH.
We will reopen on Tuesday at 8AM!

02/27/2024

02/21/2024

A few words from Dr. Kate Whybrow, our practice owner:

We are saddened to announce upcoming changes to our large animal services at Riverbend. As many of you are aware, the veterinary service industry is experiencing a very difficult hiring environment with a dire shortage of veterinarians. Those looking for a rural mixed animal practice setting are becoming increasingly rare. Additionally, understaffing, high demand for veterinary care, and the physically and emotionally demanding work create a recipe for fatigue and burn out.

Even though Riverbend is blessed with a wonderful team of staff, and we take care of each other, our clinic is not immune to these pressures. Unfortunately, beginning in March, Riverbend will not have sufficient veterinary staff to maintain our current level of services in large animal care.

It is with a heavy heart that I have come to the conclusion that Riverbend will need to suspend large animal work for our community starting March 16, 2024. My hope is that these changes are temporary and that the hiring landscape will change. We are actively seeking additional veterinarians and staff and will continue to do so in earnest. I remain deeply committed to a mixed rural practice, and supporting this model remains my goal.

I know this news will put many of you in a difficult and uncertain situation. This decision comes with a great deal of consternation for our clinic and our community. In order to ease your transition, Riverbend will continue to provide emergency services for current clients until April 1st. We will continue to provide medications and guidance over the phone for animals that we have seen within a year. We are in communication with other Upper Valley veterinarians and have generated a list of those who are able to absorb some of our patients. Please call or email when you would like your records forwarded. Please do not hesitate to call with any questions or dilemmas that you may have.

Our small animal practice will be minimally affected by these changes. Riverbend will continue to provide utmost care for all your small animal companions. Our clinic hours and services are unchanged. We look forward to working with many of you and your pets in the interim as we strive to restore full mixed animal services.

12/22/2023

Merry Christmas from all of us here at Riverbend, including Pepper the cat! We wish all of our clients and patients a happy and healthy holiday!

12/18/2023

Please note the upcoming changes to our clinic hours due to the holidays:

12/22 (Friday): 8AM-5:30PM
12/23 (Saturday): CLOSED
12/24 (Sunday): CLOSED
12/25 (Monday): CLOSED
12/26-12/29 (Tuesday - Friday): 8AM-5:30PM
12/30 (Saturday): CLOSED
12/31 (Sunday): CLOSED
1/1 (Monday): CLOSED
1/2 (Tuesday): 8AM-5:30PM

We wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season!

11/22/2023

Canine respiratory disease is a hot topic of conversation in the news lately! Major media outlets are reporting on a new illness in dogs, but limited factual information is available.
While it is true that we have seen more severe cases of contagious respiratory illness in dogs progressing to pneumonia in the past year, we have not seen a recent increase in these cases as is being reported in the news.
It's always a good idea to practice good biosecurity: vaccinate your dogs, minimize interactions with dogs that you don't know, and keep your dog home from daycare if they are ill. And don't hesitate to ask questions if you have them!

I’ve held off writing about this but since I’ve been answering many emails about it every day, here we go. The questions I keep getting (as usual) are

11/21/2023

HOLIDAY HOURS: Please note, our office is closed on Thursday, November 23rd, in observation of Thanksgiving. We ARE open 8-5:30 on Friday the 24th.
As a reminder, we are now closed on Saturdays for small animal office appointments.
If our office is closed and you have a large animal emergency, a doctor can always be reached through our answering service at 603-298-8381.

10/31/2023

It's our favorite day of the year! Happy Halloween from all of us at Riverbend.

10/25/2023

As the days grow shorter and we prepare for the coming months, please note the upcoming change to our clinic hours:

We are currently open the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from 8AM-12PM.
Our LAST Saturday that we will be open for 2023 is November 11th. Please arrange accordingly for any medication or food pickups after this date! At this time, all our appointment slots have been filled.
Our remaining hours are unchanged:
Monday - Friday 8AM - 5:30PM

Thank you!!

10/20/2023

Please join us in celebrating Vet Tech Appreciation Week! Our small and incredibly hard-working crew is integral to the smooth operation of the clinic. These are challenging times in the veterinary profession, requiring adaptability and superb multi-tasking skills in a fast paced and often high stress environment. We are so grateful for them and all they do!

05/30/2023

One of the most common questions we get is "When should I spay or neuter my dog?"
The answer? It's complicated! This graphic provides a nice overview, but ask the vet at your next appointment for more specific guidance for your dog.

05/25/2023

HOLIDAY HOURS:
We are OPEN this Saturday, 5/27 from 8AM to 12PM.
We are CLOSED Monday, 5/29 in observance of Memorial Day.
Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday weekend!

05/02/2023

COVID POLICY UPDATE:
We are pleased to be updating our COVID policies! Please see below for details:
- For small animal appointments at the clinic, two people will be allowed to accompany the pet into the building. PLEASE CALL WHEN YOU ARRIVE, you'll be checked in over the phone.
- Masks are now optional, but please wear one if you have any cold or flu symptoms. We ask that clients remain seated during the visit and allow our technicians to restrain their pet to allow for continued social distancing.
- We are happy to continue curbside appointments for those who would prefer to not come into the clinic. Let us know of your preference when you call to schedule your appointment.
- We will continue to fill prescriptions, collect f***l and urine samples, etc, over the phone and place them outside for pickup at your convenience to minimize foot traffic.
- If you have any specific questions about the details of these new policies, please don't hesitate to ask.

04/21/2023

UPDATED HOURS! We are excited to announce that we are back open on select Saturdays beginning May 13th.
Call today for an appointment, availability is limited!
Saturday hours are 8AM-12PM the second and fourth week of each month.

12/20/2022

It's our annual "Ugly Christmas Sweater" day at Riverbend! Wishing a safe and happy holiday to all.

12/16/2022

Happy snowy day from Riverbend!

11/22/2022

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE:
Please note our clinic schedule this week due to the holiday. We wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving!

11/24 Thursday: CLOSED in observance of Thanksgiving
11/25 Friday: OPEN 8AM-5:30PM
11/26 Saturday: OPEN 8AM-12PM
11/27 Sunday: CLOSED

As usual, we can be reached at 603-298-8381 for any large animal emergencies, and SAVES is available for small animal emergencies (603-306-0007).

11/11/2022

UPDATED HOURS:
Please note, our regular office hours are changing! We are currently CLOSED on Saturdays.
We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to seeing you during our regular hours, Monday through Friday 8AM-5:30PM!

10/31/2022

They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're all together ooky:
It's the Riverbend family!
Happy Halloween from our family to yours!

10/18/2022

It's that time of year! While we are grateful all year round for the hard work and dedication of our wonderful vet techs, this week we celebrate National Vet Tech Week.
Please join us in applauding the hard work of our technicians- they keep our clinic running smoothly!

10/07/2022

Do you have unused and unwanted prescription medications for you or your pets? Saturday, October 29th is DEA National Prescription Takeback day from 10-2 at the following locations locally. See https://www.dea.gov/takebackday for more details

09/08/2022

EMERGENCY SERVICES UPDATE:
We've been notified that our local small animal emergency clinic, SAVES, will be closed on Friday, 9/9, and Monday, 9/12 from 4PM to 8AM.

During these times, if you have an emergency with your cat or dog, the next closest emergency clinics are as follows:
CAVES: 1 Intervale Rd, Concord, NH 603-227-1199
BEVS: 1417 Marshall Ave, Williston, VT 802-863-2387

It is always a good idea to call ahead to the clinic of your choice to let them know you are coming in and to ensure they are able to take patients at the time.

Our large animal emergency services are unchanged and can be reached by calling the clinic at 603-298-8381.

07/26/2022

It is with great sadness with which we must share the news of the passing of wonderful friend and beloved veterinarian, Chris Klein. Chris was a dedicated member of the Riverbend team for over 30 years, initially seeing large and small animals but eventually focusing on high quality small animal medicine. Chris was an active competitor in canine agility, competing with her Salukis: Millie, Valur, Yama and Betty (pictured here), bringing her sports medicine knowledge and great "dog sense" to work with her.
Anyone who met Chris was taken by her infectious energy and kindness. She was tireless, and fought a remarkable, lengthy battle against cancer with that trademark energy.
Chris will be greatly missed by us all. We are all blessed to have known her, and are heartbroken by her loss. Please join us in remembering her wonderful life by sharing a memory in the comments.

03/10/2022

COVID POLICY UPDATE:
Thanks to continually declining COVID cases in the Upper Valley, we are pleased to be reopening our doors to clients! Please see below for details:
- For small animal appointments at the clinic, one person will be allowed to accompany the pet into the building. PLEASE CALL WHEN YOU ARRIVE, and you'll be checked in over the phone. Clients will need to wear masks at all times in the building. We ask that clients remain seated during the visit and allow our technicians to restrain their pet to allow for continued social distancing.
- We are happy to continue curbside appointments for those who would prefer to not come into the clinic. Let us know of your preference when you call to schedule your appointment.
- We will continue to fill prescriptions, collect f***l and urine samples, etc, over the phone and place them outside for pickup at your convenience to minimize foot traffic.
- If you have any specific questions about the details of these new policies, please don't hesitate to call. We are so excited to see all of you in person again!