Please enjoy reading the latest edition of our Newsletter!
April 2020 www.surfacecreekveterinarycenter.com 970-856-4474
SCVC Pawprint AS COOL AS A CAT
Drawing Inspiration From Our Pet’s Behavior
at risk if they aren’t on a monthly preventive treatment. Another advantage of the heartworm prevention we carry is that it also kills internal parasites, like tapeworms, roundworms, and whipworms. If your animals are outside, you never know just what they will be chewing on or eating! Most of these intestinal worms come from wild animal droppings or from eating or chewing on dead animals. This does not sound very appetizing to us, but as you know all too well, your pet feels differently! While you can find over-the-counter flea and tick products, be wary, as some of them can kill cats! At our clinic, we carry only the best and safest topical treatments, and this month, we are offering 20% off all preventive parasite products. Give us a call or stop by if you have any questions. We want to let you know that through this time, we are here for you and will continue to be available for you and your pets. Please reach out if you have any questions, and be healthy and well! P.S. To aid you in keeping your pets healthy, we are offering 20% off all parasite products during the month of April! Give us a call or stop by to pick up your preventive parasite treatment. Dr. Susie and Dr. Jeff
canine, feline, and bovine friends. Be as c ol as a cat lounging beneath a sunny window and as chill as your pup when they’ve found the perfect spot to curl up next to you. When it comes to caring for your furry family members, the warmer weather this time of year tends to bring more fleas, ticks, and other parasites into the world. Take preventive measures to make sure they are protected and that unwanted guests don’t hitch a ride. Ticks and fleas can transmit dangerous diseases, and as is often the case, the best treatment is prevention. If you notice a tick on your pet, you should be able to easily pull it out with a pair of tweezers. We typically don’t have to worry about Lyme disease in our area, which is fortunate, so you can simply remove the tick. We have had a couple cases where what an owner thought was a tick was actually a small growth on the dog — as you can imagine, the dog was not very happy about someone trying to pull it off! If you’re ever not sure about something, you can always bring your pet in, and we’ll take a look. Heartworm is becoming more of an issue in our area, as well, and your dogs and even cats are
Hi there, how are you doing? It’s been a bit of a wild month, hasn’t it? While everything going on in the world can make us humans act a bit strange, our furry friends continue to go about the important daily activities of their lives: napping, eating, walking, searching for squirrels, searching for things to eat that they shouldn’t, batting at string or bugs, and letting their humans know they need to play. Our pets are a great source of calm and dependability, so when you’re tempted to let the state of things overwhelm you or when you’re feeling a little anxious, take inspiration from your
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HOW PETS SAVE THE WORLD
For years now, studies have pointed to the health benefits of having a pet. At the University of California, Davis, researchers found that Alzheimer’s patients who had a dog or cat in the home showed reduced stress and fewer anxious outbursts. The Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago found that having a dog helps humans shed unwanted pounds. Pets have also been linked to reduced blood pressure and cortisol levels in their humans. Of course, you don’t need studies to tell you all this. You know how many benefits your pet gives you from the unconditional love they show you — just think about how excited they are to see you every time you walk through the door. For folks like Chaton Fife, pets are literally life-saving. Chaton has a neurological condition that causes her to faint unexpectedly. No one can predict when it will happen, except for Dobby. Dobby is Chaton’s two-year- old Chihuahua, and he can sense when Chaton is about to have a fainting spell before anyone else can. He alerts her husband, Rodney, by barking and getting his attention, then calmly waits with the couple while help arrives. “He’s such a small dog, but he has a huge personality, and he does a good job of making sure she’s safe,” Rodney says of Dobby. For Jennifer DeCosta, her dog, Fizzgig, has had a similar effect since coming into Jennifer’s life. Following 9/11, the New Yorker began having debilitating panic attacks. Routine activities like driving through the Lincoln Tunnel could trigger them, and Jennifer’s personal life and work life were affected. That is until Fizzgig came into the picture. The rescue dog has helped her find renewed confidence and eased her anxiety. “He just distracts me. He comforts me. I feel like I can do anything,” Jennifer said. Now, she hopes to pay forward the support Fizzgig has shown her by getting him trained as a therapy dog. She hopes he can help veterans with post- traumatic stress disorder. And Help Us Throug Difficult Tim s
What Makes a Pet a Hero? MY COOL DOG As a guest writer for this newsletter, I’ve had the chance to cover some truly heroic pets. From Conan, the Belgian Malinois who helped in the fight against the Islamic State group, to Tama, the stray cat who saved a railway station in Japan, I’ve shared some incredible stories of animals that gained fame through their selflessness. But have you heard of my cool dog? My dog’s name is Rusty, and he has not saved a single train station. He really isn’t one for cats either, but I’d like to think he’d make an exception for Tama. That being said, my dog does have some qualities that make him newsletter worthy. Despite his name, Rusty’s the fastest Frisbee catcher at the local dog park. Of course, he doesn’t usually want to give the disc back once he’s caught it — he takes pride in his work! But my dog, like any hero, has more talents than just physical prowess. He selflessly provides me with important reminders! Just as Lilou the therapy pig reminds travelers in the San Francisco International Airport to relax, Rusty reminds me to never leave the TV remote in an easy-to-reach location. I swear he chews them up like candy. And the brains on this dog are really something else. Sure, African giant pouched rats have been trained to sniff out land mines — saving dozens of lives — but ol’ Rust took just two weeks to become housebroken. I’m pretty sure that makes him some sort of genius. Plus he doesn’t drool nearly as much as my ex’s Newfoundland. Okay, so maybe none of that is on par with saving lives, fighting terrorism, or even just keeping a rural train station in business. Maybe Rusty is just a goofy mix with a big, lovable grin. But he’s my goofy mix, and one who loves getting me to grin along with him. That seems pretty heroic to me. Any pet can be a hero in the eyes of its owner. If you have a pet half as cool as Rusty, send our team an email and tell us about them!
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May these stories remind you of the healing and helping powers of our pets.
With that in mind, let’s keep them healthy and well! For the month of April, we’re giving you 20% off all preventive parasite treatment. Give us a call or stop by to pick it up!
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STEVIE THE FAITHFUL TeamMember Spotlight
Ever since Peekaboo had his time in the spotlight, Stevie has been feeling a little left out. So this month, Dr. Susie (Stevie’s favorite human) sat down with him and asked him to share his story and some of his favorite things. Here’s what Stevie had to say.
whole world. Well, I also feel pretty affectionate toward Winnie, Dr. Susie’s oldest kid. They are the best humans. Most days, you’ll find me riding in the vet truck with Dr. Susie. They’ve promoted me to the official Feline Farm Call Co-Captain (nice title, right?). This means I get to go on farm calls with Dr. Susie, and I love being her co-captain and getting to ride in the truck! I also enjoy playing in the water bowl, sitting on Dr. Susie’s or Winnie’s shoulders when they’re sitting down in the office (check out the picture of me with Dr. Susie), and wrestling with Peekaboo. He’s my best friend. We like to play, and I chase him around a lot. I also like to tease
Hello, my name is Stevie, and I call Surface Creek Vet Center my home. It was about .03 cat years ago (since we have nine lives, time moves differently for us) when I first came here. I was just a little kitten at that time, and I wasn’t feeling so great. A nice human found me at the slaughterhouse’s dumpster and brought me to the animal shelter in Delta. I wasn’t even awake when they brought me into Surface Creek, and when I did wake up, I couldn’t see. But Dr. Susie helped me get better, and after a while, I could see again. Mostly I’m all better now, except sometimes when I get scared, I spin in circles really fast to try and shut out the scary things.
Louise, the other hospital cat, but she’s old and cranky and not much fun.
I’m sure I’ll see you around the clinic. This is the best place to be when you’re not feeling well (or when you just need a nice human’s shoulders to sit on).
I’m a faithful cat, and I love, love, love Dr. Susie for saving me. There is no one better in the
Clients Spreading the Word Thanks so much to these clients who referred new patients to us the past two months:
The Season’s Best Dog Biscuits
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Kent Jones
Spring has arrived, and blueberry season is right around the corner! Share the fresh flavors of the season with your dog by cooking up these springtime treats.
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Donna Craig
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Marka Wellington
INGREDIENTS
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Sonja Marstad
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2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
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1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
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Coleen Scheele
2 eggs
1/4 cup dried blueberries
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350 F. 2. Place oats in a food processor and pulse for 15–30 seconds until oats are ground to flour. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together oat flour, eggs, applesauce, and blueberries. If dough is too crumbly, add 2 tbsp water and mix. If dough is still too crumbly, add more water 1 tbsp at a time until dough can be formed into a ball. 4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop, form dough into small balls (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter) and place them on a baking sheet. Spray the flat side of a spatula with nonstick cooking spray and gently flatten the dough balls into discs. 5. Bake biscuits for 15 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Let treats cool completely on a wire rack before serving to your favorite pup.
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17800 HANSON RD. CEDAREDGE, CO 81413
Draw Inspiration From Your Pet’s Behavior inside this issue
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The Newest Pet Hero
Pets Save the World
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Team Member Spotlight
Clients Spreading the Word
Homemade Blueberry-Apple Dog Treats
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Top Early Spring Hiking Tips
Trekking After pril Showers
YOUR TOP EARLY SPRING HIKING TIPS
Many nature lovers look forward to enjoying their favorite hiking trails right after winter. However, some may skip the spring months to avoid muddy encounters. Between the snowmelt and the rainfall, traversing muddy paths can be messy and dangerous. Here are some tips to keep equipment — and the trail — in good shape while trekking through the muck!
tied tight! And when the hike is over, line your car with a plastic tarp, not plastic bags, to protect the interior. Then you’ll only have to clean the vehicle out at the end of the muddy season.
Removing the mud from your shoes is also important, as mud left on leather will dry out the material and cause cracks, ruining its
weatherproofing capabilities. Blaze the Trail’s Center
Bring Trekking Poles Avoiding falls is one of the most important parts of mud hiking. Not only will a fall mess up your gear, but you’ll also risk serious injury. It’s hard to tell how deep a mud puddle really is, so by bringing a trekking pole, you can test a puddle’s depth. If it’s too large to jump over, a trekking pole will help distribute your weight as you pass through it. Plus, you’ll save energy by using a helpful walking tool! Watch Your Shoes It might seem obvious, but don’t lose track of your shoelaces, especially if you’re crossing deeper mud — mud can pull your boot right off if you step into an unexpectedly deep puddle. Check every so often to make sure your shoelaces are
Although trails are often the soggiest this time of year, staying at the trail’s center is your best strategy for safety and trail preservation. The trail is most vulnerable to erosion during the early spring, so mud hikers can help maintain the trail by staying in the center, even if it’s tempting to walk on the edges or off it entirely. Step on rocks where it’s safe, use a trekking pole for added stability, and avoid widening the trail where you can. Being “lost” in the beauty of the changing season can be one of the many appeals of mud hiking, especially in the early mornings when the mud tends to be more firm. So, check out your available local trails and stay safe!
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