Otterkill Animal Hospital
Newsletter Volume 17, March 2008
Celebrating our 20th year!
We're so pleased to announce that Otterkill Animal Hospital has reached another milestone in our history. Our founder, Dr. Mary Whitwell, began Otterkill in 1988 pursuing her vision to provide outstanding care to all animals of the area. At that time this practice was serving farm animals as well. But as time's gone by, many of the farms have closed and we focused our practice on smaller animals. Our motto has always been "If it fits through the door we'll treat it." That's led to some pretty unusual animals standing in our waiting room ranging from tiny dwarf hamsters to goats and sheep.
We're so proud to have offered our outstanding care to animals of the tri-state area for twenty years. Dr. Zgoda has been the owner/chief veterinarian at Otterkill for thirteen of those twenty years. Dr. Keller has been part of our health care team for nine years. "It's been so wonderful to see this practice grow into the model animal hospital that it is," reports Dr. Z. "It's also been so rewarding to see patients that I first met as puppies and kittens live healthy and productive lives into their senior years. It has been tough, though, to be there at the end of their lives for some of them. However, it is an honor to have been their doctor throughout their entire lives. I've also enjoyed seeing many clients' children that first came in in strollers now becoming young adults. Time sure seems to fly." Drs. Zgoda, Keller and the entire staff thank you for your loyalty through all these years and look forward to many more healthy years together.
You sure can learn a lot from a dog (or cat or hamster or fish or ferret or...)
Our animal friends certainly can teach us humans a lot about how to enjoy every day. That's one of the biggest gifts they give to us. We all can use the unconditional love and attention they provide. Studies have shown that living with a companion animal has many health benefits for us as well. Animals are indeed good for us! We've added a wonderful page to our website about things you can learn from your dog. Take a look at this link: http://www.otterkill.com/learndog.htm
Check out the Dog Park
Many of you have been asking about our thoughts on the new dog park at Orange County Park. We think it's a great idea if you need a safe area for your dog to romp and socialize. There is some risk for exposure to disease and parasites, so make sure you keep your dog's vaccinations up to date and continue the monthly heartworm preventative that controls intestinal parasites as well. If you frequent the park we recommend that you bring in a stool sample for us to screen for intestinal parasites every three months.
Not all dogs have good manners though. So keep a watchful eye out for signals from other dogs that may not "play nice". Get your dog back on a lead if it looks like the situation's getting a little tense. So far we've heard very few reports of any serious trouble breaking out.
So go check it out and have some fun with your canine companion.
Cats and Vax
It's just as important to keep up vaccinations for your cat as well. It's vital for outdoor cats since we have such a large stray cat population in the area. We have increased the vaccine interval for indoor only cats since their exposure risk is lower. Ask us if you're not sure when your cat is due for its next vaccine. We'll mail or e-mail you a reminder when our system show it's due.
Twice a year for life
Watch for some exciting new health maintenance programs we'll be instituting in the near future. Recent studies have demonstrated that we can extend your animal's life by 3-4 years with twice yearly examinations and regular blood testing. This will allow us to catch problems early and begin treatment before these can develop into serious diseases.
Remember with equivalent life spans, a yearly exam for an animal is equivalent to an exam every five years for you. You wouldn't wait that long would you? A twice yearly exam brings that down to the equivalent of every two years for our animals. So we're going to be recommending exams twice a year for life. Look for more info soon!
Photo Contest
Announcing the third annual Otterkill Animal Hospital Animal Photo Contest!
Send us pictures you've taken of your companions or any animals that capture their true spirits. You may drop them off, mail or e-mail them to us at lauren@otterkill.com. Prizes consisting of credit here at the hospital will be awarded in the following categories:
- Prettiest Picture or Animal
- Best Picture Depicting an Animal in its environment
- Best Picture Depicting the Human-Animal Bond
- Most Humorous Picture
A grand prize of a $100 credit will be awarded in each category, with two $50 honorable mention credits in each category as well. All entries will be posted in the office for review. The winners will be placed on permanent display and added to our website. You may view last year's winner through the following link: http://www.otterkill.com/contest.htm
All entries must be received by May 1, 2008. The winners will be announced during National Pet Week on May 8, 2007. Get your entries in now!! Please call the office if you have any questions.
Lauren's Corner
We're adding a new section to our newsletter featuring news from our office manager, Lauren. Firstly, she'd like to let all of you know that she can be contacted through her new e-mail address: Lauren@otterkill.com if you have specific questions or need information from her.
Spring migration happily brings many different animals back to their homes. We've been affected by a little migration in our front office staff too. Unfortunately, receptionist Emily Pace has left us to return home. But to our great fortune, Vicky Chevallier, who served as a receptionist here in the past, has returned home and is back on staff. Welcome back Vicky! Glad you joined the migration.
Happy Spring!
Wishing you all a joyous spring! Or mud season as our dogs know it. Ticks are waking up very hungry right now so remember to restart you preventative measures. Let's make sure they don't have a happy spring.
