Pet Medical Center of Winona, Minnesota

12/16/2024

Have you entered our customer appreciation giveaway yet? Get on down to the clinic and take a look and enter! Remember this is for current clients only! Plus we love seeing everyone!

12/13/2024

With us having a bit of a cold streak, with below zero temps this week. We thought it would be a good reminder for some cold weather tips! When it is below zero, limit your pets time outside, if they are indoor pets. For outdoor pets, make sure they have adequate shelter from the cold and snow, offer extra heat from bedding or heat lamps, and make sure their water has a heater so it doesn't freeze.

12/09/2024

One thing to watch for as a Hazard for your pets, especially puppies and cats, is hanging ornaments, ribbon and garland. They think it is a toy, then could possibly eat it. Ribbon and Garland can get caught up and cause a blockage. Ornaments, depending on what they are, can either cause cuts, intestinal blockages, or even toxicity, if it is a salt dough ornament. So be mindful of decorations, especially on your tree!

12/06/2024

Here is this year's baskets! There are 5 different themes: Dog, Cat, Home, Grooming, and Dental! Make sure to stop in and enter!

12/02/2024

It's December, and that means CUSTOMER APPRECIATION MONTH!!!!! We will be having some giveaways set up in the clinic. Pictures of those will be posted once they are ready! Same rules as years past will apply: you must be a current client, must have all information filled out, you can enter as many as you like but can only win once!
For December, we will also go over some holiday hazards as a refresher. You can never be reminded too many times about things to be careful of with your pets during the holidays!

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
We are closed today to send time with our families!
We will open again tomorrow for normal hours!

11/25/2024

With Thanksgiving coming up in a few days, we just wanted to put out some reminders about some Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips!
This one from Coastal Pet Products is FANTASTIC and hits a few different points, food, decorations, and keeping them in a safe place if the festivities are too much for them!

As a reminder, we will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. We will open again on Black Friday for Normal Hours.

11/22/2024

🩺Hypoadrenocorticism is an uncommon disease in dogs, and it is caused by a deficiency of essential hormones that are made by the adrenal glands.
🩺Also known as Addison’s disease, the clinical signs may appear as vague signs of illness that come and go. However, if a dog’s hormone levels become critically low, Addison’s disease can become an acute and life-threatening condition.
Addison’s disease is more common in young or middle-aged dogs, and while either s*x can be affected, females may be at an increased risk. After being diagnosed and stabilized with medications, the outcome is very good — provided that you follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for continued treatment and monitoring.
🐾The adrenal glands are small organs next to the kidneys, and the glands produce essential hormones, including glucocorticoid (cortisol) and mineralocorticoid (aldosterone). These hormones regulate life-sustaining functions — including electrolytes, blood pressure, hydration, metabolism and stress responses.
🐾Addison’s disease is caused by a lack of cortisol and aldosterone hormones. This deficiency contributes to general signs of illness, and the condition may become life-threatening if the hormone levels drop too low.
🐾The most common cause of Addison’s disease is hereditary, and it causes the dog’s immune system to destroy their adrenal glands.
🐾Less common causes of the disease could come from infection, cancer of the adrenal glands, over-medication during the treatment of Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism) or abruptly discontinuing steroids after long-term use.
Addison’s disease is considered “atypical” when only the cortisol hormone is affected, but not aldosterone, which means that the dog’s sodium and potassium electrolytes remain unaffected.
If you feel your dog has any of the symptoms listed, please contact your vet as soon as possible. It could save their life!

11/19/2024

We will be closed from 11:00am to 2:00pm today for a Lunch and Learn and Staff Meeting. Sorry for any inconvenience. We will open the doors back up at 2:00pm. Thank you for understanding.

11/18/2024

Cushing's disease (also known as Cushing’s syndrome) is a condition in which the adrenal glands overproduce certain hormones. The medical term for this disease is hyperadrenocorticism. Literally translated, “hyper” means over-active, “adreno” means adrenal gland, and “corticism” refers to the outer part (cortex) of the adrenal gland.

The adrenal glands are located near the kidneys and produce several vital substances that regulate a variety of body functions and are necessary to sustain life. The most widely known of these substances is cortisol, commonly known as cortisone. Decreased or excessive production of these substances, especially cortisol, may be life-threatening.

🩸Diagnosis
Your dog should have a combination of behavioral and physical signs listed above, and the final diagnosis will depend on both the presentation of clinical signs and the results of extensive testing.
Your vet will want to do the following tests to assess your dog’s overall health:
Complete blood count (CBC) to look at blood cells
Chemistry panel to assess organ health
Urinalysis to assess kidney function and screen for urinary tract infection

🐾What is the prognosis?
Your veterinarian will outline a treatment plan for your pet’s condition. Be sure to follow their guidelines closely because these treatments depend on consistent and regular administration of the medication. Lifelong treatment may be necessary.

Most dogs can be successfully treated with few medication side effects. However, your pet must be carefully monitored using blood tests and clinical signs. Follow-up blood tests are very important to be certain your pet is receiving the proper dosage and not too little or too much of the drug, both of which can cause complications.

If you feel that your dog is showing any symptoms listed, please contact for your vet to seen and get them checked!

11/15/2024

🐾What is hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism is an endocrine (hormonal) disease that occurs when the thyroid glands produce lower-than-normal amounts of thyroid hormones.
🐾How does it happen?
More than 90% of dogs that are diagnosed with hypothyroidism have what is called primary hypothyroidism, which can result from two processes:
🐩Thyroiditis: Healthy thyroid tissue is lost due to the dog’s own immune system creating inflammation within the glands. The process can occur over months or even years, and it often has a hereditary origin.
🐕Atrophy: Normal thyroid tissue is replaced by fat and connective tissue. This may also be a final stage of thyroiditis.
There are other causes that are much less common, and these include cancer of the thyroid gland, diseases of the pituitary gland, congenital defects and external trauma.
Other diseases can also cause a condition known as Euthyroid Sick Syndrome. Dogs with this illness may have abnormal thyroid tests, but this is not the same as hypothyroidism itself.

If you think your Dog may be showing signs of Hypothyroidism, please contact your vet to get them checked!

11/11/2024

What is hyperthyroidism is cats?
The thyroid gland, located in your cat’s neck, uses dietary iodine to make thyroid hormones that help regulate important body functions including your cat’s:
🍗Metabolism
🌡Body temperature
🩸Blood pressure
❤️Heart rate
💩Gastrointestinal (bowel) function
Hyperthyroidism is a common feline endocrine disorder, most often diagnosed in older cats over age 10. Left untreated, hyperthyroidism can have serious, sometimes fatal, consequences on vital organs like the heart and kidneys. The good news is, this disease is highly manageable and can be controlled with proper veterinary care.

How is it managed?
The 2 most common ways that Hyperthyroidism in cat is managed is either by food change or medication. How it is treated all depends on the progression of the disease and how the doctor feels would be the best way to treat it.
Medication can be given many different ways: by pill, liquid, or a transdermal topical solution.

If you think your cat is showing any of the symptoms listed, please contact your vet.

11/08/2024

Happy Early Veteran's Day! We are going to be Open and Welcoming a new Doctor to the clinic! We are looking to fill some spaces! Please give us a call for any scheduling needs! 🐶🐱🐦

Send a message to learn more

11/08/2024

Diabetes PART 2!
🐾How is diabetes diagnosed and treated?
Your veterinarian may suspect diabetes based on the signs your pet is showing. To confirm any suspicions and rule out other diseases, your veterinarian will recommend a panel of blood and urine tests, including urine bacterial culture. Diabetic pets consistently have high amounts of glucose in their blood and urine. They also may have a urinary tract infection.

Successful treatment of diabetes requires regular monitoring, including veterinary checkups, blood and urine tests, and assessments of your pet’s weight, appetite, drinking, and urination. Your veterinarian may need to adjust the treatment schedule from time to time, based on these results.

The aim of treatment is to keep your pet’s blood sugar levels within a healthy range to prevent complications and maintain a good quality of life. Insulin injections and dietary therapy are core components. For cats not previously treated with insulin, your veterinarian may recommend—instead of insulin—an oral medication (sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, or SGLT2) that lowers blood glucose by increasing its excretion by the kidneys.

💉Insulin:
If insulin is recommended, your veterinarian will prescribe an initial dose and type of insulin that best suits your pet’s individual needs. The veterinary team will teach you how to give insulin injections, which involve a very small needle and are generally very well tolerated by pets. Insulin injections usually need to be given twice a day to keep blood glucose levels under control. The dose and timing of the injections may need a few adjustments at first, depending on how your pet responds.

🦴Dietary therapy:
Dietary therapy centers on helping obese pets lose weight, and stopping diabetes-associated weight loss in others, while providing suitable amounts of protein and carbohydrates. Regular exercise may be prescribed, too, based on your pet’s age, weight, and overall health. Getting cats to exercise can be a little challenging, so be sure to ask your veterinarian for ideas.

11/04/2024

Diabetes mellitus, or diabetes, is a common, treatable condition in both people and certain pets that occurs when the body can’t use glucose (a type of sugar) normally.

Diabetes in dogs and cats may occur at any age. However, diabetic dogs are usually 4 to 14 years old, and most are diagnosed at roughly 7 to 10 years old. Most diabetic cats are older than 6 years. Diabetes occurs in female dogs twice as often as male dogs, and certain breeds of dogs and cats may be predisposed to the condition.

These health factors can increase your pet’s risk of developing or having diabetes:

Obesity
Pregnancy
Pancreatic disease
Amyloidosis (cats)
Hyperthyroidism (cats)
Hypothyroidism (dogs)
Cushing’s disease (dogs)
Dental disease
Kidney disease (cats)
Urinary tract infections
Skin infections
Long-term use of steroid medications or progestin

Fortunately, diabetic dogs and cats can live long, comfortable lives with appropriate treatment and monitoring. It all starts with a visit to your veterinarian, and a commitment from you to take a few extra steps in caring for your pet.

Follow for more information on diabetes later in the week!

11/01/2024

This month we are talking about Hormone Related Diseases...most you have probably heard of, some you may not. It's always good to know, in case you notice symptoms in your pet!

10/31/2024

Winner's of the Pumpkin Decorating Contest!

Carving: 1st - Vet Assistant Joe H.
2nd CVT Emma L.
Painting: 1st - CVT Ayla M
2nd - Vet Assistant Kirissa

Thanks to everyone who voted!

10/31/2024

Happy Halloween!
We hope everyone, Pets included, has a fun and safe holiday!