West Ridge Animal Health Center

10/31/2024

🎃 Happy Halloween from the West Ridge Animal Health Center team! 🎃

Today, our team is all dressed up to celebrate — with our two doctors as ranchers and the rest of us as their farm animals! 🐮🐔🐷 We’ve had a blast embracing the Halloween spirit and bringing smiles to our patients and clients. Just a heads up: we’ll be closing early today at 4 p.m. to enjoy the holiday with our families.

Have a safe and spooky Halloween (and keep the pets safe and away from people candy/ treats)
🎃🐾

10/30/2024

🎃 Halloween is just around the corner! This holiday can be stressful (and potentially dangerous) for our pets.

🔊🚪 The sounds of knocks on the door or the doorbell ringing can be anxiety-inducing for pets, on top of the sound of unfamiliar voices saying "Trick or Treat!" Make a SAFE SPACE away from the front door of your home. Provide your furry friend with their favorite comfort items (blankets/pillows/toys). Consider using a sound machine to help drown out the scary noises! If you believe your pet could benefit from medication to help with the anxiety associated with Halloween, give us a call.

10/29/2024

Today is National Cat Day! 😸🐈 We love their meows, their snuggles, and the way they knock stuff off the counter!

What is your favorite thing about cats? Share a photo of your cat(s) in the comments! 🐾💚

10/25/2024

🍫🍬🚫🐕 No human treats for dogs!!!

We know it’s not quite Halloween, but there are lots of Halloween parties and trunk or treats starting this weekend already.🎃👻🍁

Hope made the mistake of leaving her kids' candy out last year, which resulted in an emergency visit to the vet for her two dogs on the morning of November 1st. Don't be like Hope... but if you are, and your pet eats any candy (EVEN if it's not chocolate), call us right away!

To avoid your pet getting candy, plan to keep your Halloween treats in a place out of reach from your pets, whether it's on top of the fridge or in a cabinet or closet.

10/22/2024

🐱 Jake is here to remind you that cats need protection from fleas, ticks, heartworm, and parasites, too!

Even cats that stay 100% indoors can attract these pests. Whether they get in through an open door/window or tiny cracks in the walls and foundation, it’s important to keep your cat on prevention.
We sell NexGard Combo here in our clinic to active patients. Stop by any time during our business hours (Monday - Friday 7:30am - 6pm)

10/18/2024

🎉 What a wonderful Veterinary Technician Week! 🎉

At West Ridge Animal Health Center, we are incredibly grateful for our talented team of registered veterinary technicians who play a vital role in keeping our patients healthy and happy. From assisting in surgeries to providing compassionate care, our techs do it all!

🔹 Sara, our anesthesia and dental care expert, ensures that every procedure is safe and comfortable for your pets.
🔹 Alex, specializing in nutrition and fear-free patient care, helps guide our patients to better health through personalized diet plans while ensuring a calm, stress-free experience.
🔹 Dusty, our orthopedic rehabilitation pro, not only gets pets back on their feet but also focuses on fear-free care to keep them comfortable and relaxed during their treatment.

Did you know that registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) undergo extensive education and training? All three of our registered veterinary technicians went to different colleges to complete rigorous coursework in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and more, followed by hands-on clinical experience. Our techs are skilled in everything from administering anesthesia and managing pain to monitoring patient recovery and providing emergency care.

We couldn’t do what we do without their dedication and expertise.

Thank you for helping us celebrate their passion, hard work, and commitment to your pets! 🐾💙

10/17/2024

🐾 Dusty has been a technician at West Ridge for 6 (almost 7) years! Along with being an RVT, she is also a CCRA (certified canine rehabilitation assistant). She is a graduate of the Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in Colorado.

When she’s not at work, she can probably be found with her husband, two children, and her cat! She especially enjoys being outside, whether it’s hiking or relaxing by a pool.

How has Dusty made a “pawsitive” difference in your pet’s life? 💚

10/16/2024

🐾 Sara has been on the West Ridge team for almost 24 years! She is a graduate of the Maple Woods veterinary technician program in Kansas City.

Here is Sara with one of her dogs, Deckard! She and her husband have another English toy spaniel, as well as a cavalier King Charles spaniel.

Leave a comment to share how Sara has been a rockstar RVT for you and your furry friend(s)!! 💚

10/15/2024

🐾 Alex has been at West Ridge since December 2018. She earned her bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology and conservation from Kansas State University. Later on, she graduated from Colby Community College’s veterinary technician program in March 2023.

Alex is pictured here with one of her dogs, Paisley. At home, she and her husband also have two other dogs, a cat, a gecko, and seven chickens!

Let’s share some words of appreciation for Alex in the comments! 💚

10/14/2024

October 13th to 19th is National Veterinary Technician Week! 🐾🩺

Whether it's filling medications, looking through the microscope, inducing and monitoring anesthesia, drawing blood, trimming nails, or having conversations with pet owners about the best care for your pet, our technicians' work is appreciated here at West Ridge. We're proud to say all three of our techs are Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs)! Not all vet techs have this formal education and title!

Stay tuned this week for posts to highlight each individual RVT!

09/27/2024

Get this on your calendar! Lots of fun TOMORROW for people and pets!
🐾🍻❤️

Tails + Ales is in two days! Tails + Ales is a new dog-centric event at the Lake Shawnee Bark Park. We will have food, beer, vendors and activities for you and your pup.

Happy Basset Brewing Co will provide the beer and Ronn’s Jazzy Doggs will bring the food. We will also have treats, pup cups, contests and more!

We also will have Suede’s Wagon Tail Bakery, Woof’s Play and Stay, Camo Cross Dog Training and Poo Squad out there!

If that isn't enough, we will have a number of contests and activities. Such as a dog costume contest, little dog race, obstacle course race, pup cup eating contest, owner hot dog eating contest, paw print station and a selfie photo station with props.

09/25/2024

Dr. Blackwell and Dr. Weisshaar love all the puppies!!
There are many different aspects of maintaining a puppy’s health. Our doctors love educating puppy owners about vaccinations, food advice, and behavior tips to set the foundation for a happy and healthy life ahead of them! 💚🐾😁

09/17/2024

Holmes was enjoying all his pain relief and sedation drugs today after his big procedure. He was a sleepy comfy boy!! 🐾💤😴
Sometimes Tuesdays feel more like Mondays than Mondays do. Don’t worry, Holmes, we get it!! 😂😴🥱

09/16/2024

This is Finn, lovingly nicknamed Finny! He had a big emergency surgery a couple weeks ago and has needed some extra TLC as he’s been recovering. ❤️‍🩹 Alex , one of our fantastic registered veterinary technicians, was glad to give him all the extra love he needs 🥰

Keeping our pets safe and healthy is so important not only during surgical procedures, but for the days following the procedures, too!🐾