Vets to You

07/17/2024

Update: Last chance to foster and socialize these 2 kitten cuties so they can live the bougie indoor cat life. It is a heartbreaking reality for trappers to have to return kittens when there are no fosters available.
We have some friends working diligently on their own to TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return) various colonies in our area. I alerted them to a bunch near our home with multiple sets of kittens. We have been feeding them late night in preparation for the trapping to begin. They are in desperate need of fosters to help with socializing/caretaking the kittens while we try to secure rescue backing. These 2 boys were just neutered on Sunday and we would hate to have to send them back to the outdoor life but all shelters/rescues are filled to the brim with kittens/cats and so are we! They are skittish but tolerating handling. Mom #1 (also below) has been returned to her outdoor home.

07/07/2024

We went to the location we released Crusty Buns tonight at twilight to check on her. We weren't really expecting to see her but there she was right in a grassy field with another bun eating grass! When we approached she perceived us as a threat and quickly hopped away to hide in a little tree fort in the same bramble patch we left her. It really warmed our hearts to know she is still wild at heart and thriving. Next time we probably won't recognize her as her fur is almost grown in.

06/26/2024

Today was the big day! Miss Crusty Buns has been released in the wild! Just a hop, skip and jump to freedom!

Shared with Dropbox

06/22/2024

After 3.5 weeks of crate rest and recovery, Crusty Buns is almost ready to return to the wild! Her skin is looking great with fur growing back and her back leg injury is almost healed as well. We were worried she had a dislocation or fracture because she was non-weight bearing for the first 2.5 weeks and it was completely lax and off to the side but x-rays ruled those out and forced rest allowed it to heal on it's own. We want her to be set up for success so just a few more days and we have already scoped out a safe area for release with lots of bunny friends and a lush, protected habitat.

05/28/2024

After 2 painstaking hours of repeated warm water soaks we were able to remove the worst of the crusts from our little friend. They require extended time soaking to be penetrable as they are like cement initially. They get gummy over time but they are adhered to the skin which is very fragile and already being pulled tight.
SHE is not out of the woods yet but has to be feeling better already. You can see where we ended up today...she still has a ton of smaller crusts and a big section above her nose that needs to come off. A truly miserable affliction!

05/26/2024

Reason #37 why we might be late to your appt: We stop to help sick and injured wildlife whenever we come across them! This morning as we were leaving an appt in an apartment complex this little guy hopped gingerly across the parking lot right in front of us looking very sickly. He darted under a fence in the adjoining parking lot but once we saw him, we couldn't just turn a blind eye to his condition. We got out our nets and captured what we initially thought was a very geriatric bun but turned out to be a juvenile with a severe case of scabies. Sarcoptic mange is extremely contagious, uncomfortable and devastating to all kinds of wildlife including bunnies, raccoon, and coyotes (as well as cats and dogs). It causes intense itching and severe skin infections. Some affected wildlife can mount an immune response but many will succumb to the effects of this disease due to eventual dehydration and starvation. See comments for the microscopic video of one of these dastardly mites in action from a scraping we took from his hardened leg. We treated him with a simple topical medication and will monitor his progress before we return him to the wild. Tomorrow is bath day!

02/03/2024

After spoiling everyone else over the holidays, it's time to ! Stop by The Woven Home's market day where lots of local vendors including our very own super talented team members, Sara and Shyla, will be selling some of their incredible handmade creations! Grab a bite from the food truck and find some one of a kind treasures.
When: Saturday 2/3
Where: 10-4 5859 Murdock Ave. Unit A., Sarasota,

01/09/2024

Dr. Walker will be attending the NAVC's VMX Conference in Orlando beginning Sunday, 1/14 and won't be back in town taking appointments until Thursday, 1/18. This conference provides Continuing Education credits and keeps us up to date on the latest advances in veterinary medicine so we can take the best care of your furry family members!
If your pet has been having a small issue you are concerned about, let's schedule an appointment now before it turns into a larger issue then!
While Dr. Walker will not be available for appointments during this time, clients are welcome to contact our office during normal business hours to communicate a concern, get medication refills or schedule appts for his return! Rhys, Shyla and Sara will return calls, deliver Rx's and relay messages as needed and we will have urgent care and ER vet contact information available through all of our communication channels.

12/23/2023

Forget to fill Fluffy's stocking in the holiday hub bub? Remember they enjoy all the simple pleasures of life...

12/16/2023

We have several adoptable adult cats looking for laps to warm too!

11/18/2023

So proud of our little team's creative efforts last night! Sara (r) and Shyla (l) did an amazing job displaying their talents. Here is my haul but our biggest score was bringing Shyla on board full-time!!

11/17/2023

Sounds about right for SRQ!

11/14/2023

The veterinary industry is very rewarding but can also be super stressful and emotionally draining. Crafting and creating art is an amazing way to center, recharge and find peace and joy in our daily lives outside of work.
Our super talented assistants, Sara and Shyla, are participating in their first night market event with 10 other vendors celebrating local resale boutique The Woven Home's year anniversary! Dreamy Suncatchers, Terra Cotta Mandala dishes and pots, resin keychains, pendants and jewelry; lightweight polymer clay earrings w/allergy-friendly findings.
Where: The Woven Home
5859 Murdock Ave. Unit A., Sarasota, 34231
When: This Friday, November 17th 6-9pm
Come grab a sweet treat and find one of a kind, handmade homewares and gifts while supporting those that take great care of our small business and your furry family members!

11/07/2023

Move over RBF...data suggests cats have much to say with their facial expressions when engaging with their feline friends/foes/frenemies! https://www.science.org/content/article/cats-have-nearly-300-facial-expressions?utm_medium=ownedSocial&utm_campaign=NewsfromScience&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR1aHC_lITPWR83hmuI8lydwKxUwMS18HoiaBEKL0jGMfbLmnN660gIn_-Q

Study reveals surprising social depth, which may be due to co-evolution with humans

10/31/2023

Leafy started coming to feed at our admin office in the early summer...it took several weeks for us to earn his trust and let us be near him, but one day he allowed a gentle back scritch and from that moment hopped on our laps, demanding pets and attention. While his hunger was curbed, he was starved for affection and hated when we would go back inside without him. The night before Idalia was set to hit, he walked right inside and never looked back. Leafy was super bold and outgoing initially but has gotten spooked by the rambunctious pouncing of our other adoptable houligans and would adore a quiet lanai to stretch out and soak up the sun and all of your love.

09/21/2023

Laramie (named for the canopy of leafy boughs he emerged from) is one of two new rescues at our admin office. After 2 months of sporadic visits to the feeding station and trying to gain his trust, Laramie showed up with a limp that wasn't resolving. The impending hurricane forced us to fast-track him into a bobcat trap. X-rays at his neuter surgery revealed that he had suffered some kind of traumatic injury that dislocated his left hip and broke his tail. A huge thank you to Veterinary Surgery Center of Sarasota who got us in for an FHO (femoral head ostectomy) surgery within a week! Both Leafy and Laramie are looking for quiet, patient homes that will give them the time to gain confidence and allow their sweet purrsonalities to shine through.

05/24/2023

We had a plantastic team-building activity today at our admin office creating adorable, Zen terrariums with the guidance of Taylor at Pilea Plants & Things. We paired it with a delish lunch from Nutritious You Plant Based Cafe. We can't wait to have her back to make succulent wreaths next!

02/14/2023

Sometimes all we need is a furry valentine!

So true. ❤️

01/24/2023

This is an exciting new, ecologically-friendly way you can memorialize your furry family member right here on the Suncoast! Here is a link to more information on the options available: https://petreefs.com/

Memorial Reefs International partnered with Reef Innovations and Gateway Services Inc. for what is believed to be the world's first pet memorial reef.

01/02/2023

These 3 cuties are now 8 months old and have resolved to work less and play more this year...it's not easy though when you live at your office! Cereus, Goosefoot & Juniper are hoping for a with an active family together as a pair, trio or single with another exuberant cat that loves to wrestle, romp and have adventures! They are ready to file away their adoption paperwork and just need the right family to fill it out first. Is it you?

11/26/2022

We found this handsome cormorant in distress on the sidewalk of a very busy intersection this morning on our way to surgery. Normally they are way too feisty to capture but he was weak enough that we were able to walk up and pick him up without any difficulty. We have several amazing wildlife and bird rescues in our community such as Save Our Seabirds who immediately sent a volunteer to pick him up for assessment, treatment and hopefully release.

11/01/2022

Full Time office boss cats (Biscuit & Edgar) and temporary (ADOPTABLE) 6 month old kitten staff, Cereus, Juniper & Goose, wish you a spooktacular Howl-o-ween!! The littles are still looking for forever homes together or with another friendly, playful cat. They are super social, active, snuggly and love to help out with the paperwork!

09/01/2022

Let's hear your pet's nickname evolution...
Some of ours are obvious:
Splat ->Splatapuss,
Truffle ->Truffie ->Truffleluphagus
Lucy -> Lucy Goosie -> Goosenick
Others not so much: Sox -> Soxy -> Boo Boo??

08/26/2022

Happy National Dog Day! In recognition of this special day, our goofy old boy, Bungee, wishes to not compete with 3 more rambunctious kittens. Who is ready to adopt these super adorable, affectionate, exuberant, curious fur balls? With all dozens of toys, Cereus' favorite is a pill bottle cap. So easy to please but at this rate, soon we will be unable to fill and deliver your pets' medications!

08/11/2022

We've always believed arthritis in senior cats is underappreciated. Cats are naturally stoic creatures and rarely complain about anything other than their meal being late so it's easy to miss the signs of pain/discomfort. Subtle behavior changes such as being reticent to jump up on beds/counters or missing the box are often the only clues but get discounted as just 'growing older'.
Talk with your vet if your cat is experiencing any of these signs of inflammatory pain:
https://www.zoetispetcare.com/checklist/osteoarthritis-checklist-cat

Use this checklist to see if your cat may be showing signs of osteoarthritis.

08/02/2022

These adorable plant-based nuggets (Cereus, Goose foot & Juniper) are almost 15 weeks old now and still looking for amazing homes! Born and raised in our admin office, they are curious, sweet, cuddly, social, adventurous and clearly exhausted in all 3 photo ops from making mad kitten mischief. Your packages may have ; your appt notes may have extra zzzzzs, but not us....we won't sleep until they are adopted!

07/09/2022

Every pet owner should read this to understand what has been coming to a slow boil in the veterinary industry over the last years. It is a national crisis and we can attest to nearly every point. Our community has been spoiled with multiple emergency care facilities and specialty practices but several of those have already shortened hours or closed. The remaining clinics often have extreme wait times because they are overwhelmed by critical cases and referrals from general practices that are already double and triple booked for weeks on top of being incredibly short staffed. Please be kind to the entire team....we are all here for the love of animals.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2022/07/not-enough-veterinarians-animals/661497/?fbclid=IwAR0sJuozV-vi1-k2PQclKwpou8ei1NvvSHELxwNWkQbtztidx9RGfKcUQEw

There are not enough humans to take care of all the animals.

06/28/2022

Staffing issues are no joke in but our temporary team members are starting to impact our productivity and unfortunately we will have to let them go soon. Too much socializing, internet time and we've even caught them snoozing on the job! They are team players so would love to find the purrfect placement for a pair or in a work from home situation with another friendly cat boss. Stellar vet references required and you can find our application below. Initial vetting will be complete prior to adoption.

06/01/2022

Our 'brush baby' litter was born in our office on 4/22/22 and are growing like weeds! The feral boy (Marshall) we trapped and neutered a few months ago brought a dinner date back to his feeding station in the spring. He waited back in the brush protecting her from threats while she ate every day and after several weeks of earning her trust, we finally coaxed her inside and discovered she was pregnant. Dr. Walker estimated she was due in ~ 2 weeks so we made a makeshift nesting area in his office and waited for the big day. Lilly has been an amazing momma and even employed a stuffed nanny sloth when she went on a much needed break each day! Goosefoot (m brown tabby), Juniper (f, light grey tabby) & Cereus (m darker grey tabby) will be available for foster/adoption in just a few more weeks!

05/07/2022

We had a blast at our last team-building event, making resin-topped Charcuterie boards at the new Shattered Glass Art Studio SRQ in Gulf Gate! What a fun hour and a lasting creation to take home or gift. We will be back and highly recommend for a fun group outing!