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Pets First Monthly
December 2023
How Jim the Dog Became an Essential Member of My Family Unconditional Love
When you go into a veterinarian’s office or a pet hospital, you can usually assume that everyone in the building loves
Jim has remained quite playful since he joined the family. He loves chasing raccoons, deer, and other animals and has even returned home with battle wounds. He loves
animals. We spend all day caring, treating, and supporting your animals before heading home and spoiling our own pets for the rest of the night. I’m no exception! There’s nothing I look forward to more than getting home and spending much-needed time with my furry friend, Jim. Eleven years ago, my brother-in-law showed up with two 8-week-old puppies he had rescued. My husband immediately said, “Let’s keep them both!” However, we were living in a rental, and I wasn’t sure adding two dogs to the mix was the best idea. Since my husband is a dairy farmer, he wanted at least one dog for the farm, so we settled on the white German shepherd mix, and my husband named him Jim!
to chase the kids as they sled down the hills when it gets cold out. He even loves to help out in the garden when the weather warms back up. He involves himself in almost every activity we do! Over the years, Jim has earned himself an essential position at Petersen Pet Hospital. Since he is an incredibly picky eater, I regularly bring home new products for him to try to see if other picky dogs would have an aversion to them. That way, we don’t send you home with medicine for your pet that they’ll do everything to avoid.
Jim is turning 11 this month, and I’ve noticed some changes as he’s gotten older. He lays around the house a little more often and doesn’t chase as many raccoons as he used to, and when he does, he’s developed a limp. That said, we may have found something to help him avoid the pain that comes with his limp. We want Jim to stay comfortable and enjoy life as long as possible. Check out Subway’s Corner on page 2 to learn more!
Initially, Jim spent his days on the farm with my husband and his nights at our home. We quickly learned he was not a farm dog! He consistently ran away, so we had to tie him up. Then he started rolling in mud, which turned him completely black. After a few weeks, we decided to retire Jim from the farm and keep him at home 24/7. This proved to be a wonderful decision as he became the best family dog we could have ever imagined. We got him when my eldest son was 2, and they have grown incredibly close over the years. I can vividly remember those two sitting in the laundry basket together, reading or watching something on the iPad. As more kids and pets joined our household, Jim continued to prove he was the perfect family dog. He welcomed each new kid and cat to our family without hesitation. He does great with everyone and is deeply loved.
Dogs truly are man’s best friends, and I’m so happy to have Jim as my trusty canine companion. Here’s to many more adventures together!
—Dr. Emily Saunders
www.PetersenPetHospital.com
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Meet Lu Dr. McGinty Helped a Old Girl With Her Sple
SUBWAY’S Advice Alley
No More Pain From Osteoarthritis!
Lucy is a very happy 12-year-old spayed female black Labrador retriever we all absolutely love seeing in the clinic. In May 2020, as part of her routine senior monitoring, her owner wanted to be proactive
and opted to perform abdominal X-rays at the time of her teeth cleaning. Knowing older Labradors are prone to changes to their organs that can be seen on X-rays, her owner wanted to be sure if anything was abnormal, we could address it early. At the time, the
Hey everyone! It’s your pal Subway here with another essential tip to help you and your furry friends. A few months ago, we told you about the amazing pain reliever Solensia and how it helped my fellow feline, Richard Parker, get a little pep back in his step. Now, I’m here to tell you about another pain reliever called Librela that you should know about, and this time, it’s for your canine companions struggling with osteoarthritis! Have you noticed that your dog has started to limp after going for a run or even a walk? Does your pup fall so far behind on your walks that they pull back on the leash? Are they having trouble getting into the car, climbing stairs, or standing up after a lengthy nap? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your dog could benefit from using Librela.
radiologist and Dr. McGinty noted a small mass in her abdomen associated with her spleen. To further evaluate this change, Dr. Saunders performed an ultrasound to get a better 3-D view of the spleen, kidneys, liver, intestines, and other abdominal structures. A small nodule was noted on her spleen that was most consistent with a benign (non-cancerous) mass.
Librela is the first and only monthly pain injectable for dogs with osteoarthritis. Your friends at Petersen Pet Hospital will take care of the injection for you, so you don’t have to worry about shaky hands (or paws) at home! The injection goes under the dog’s skin, and you’ll start noticing improvements in your dog’s pain levels within the first couple of weeks after the initial injection. Other medicinal options for dogs with osteoarthritis aren’t always ideal, especially if administered orally. Pain can affect a dog’s mood, appetite, and bond with their owner, meaning getting them to take an oral supplement might be challenging. Thankfully, Librela gives dogs a better solution to their osteoarthritis, allowing them to increase their activity levels and improve their overall quality of life. Those who read our cover article learned all about my friend Jim. You’ll be pleased to hear that Jim has recently started taking Librela to help with his pain and will soon be running around the house like he did when he was a puppy!
Over the next three years, we continued to monitor Lucy’s spleen closely by performing an ultrasound every six months and running annual senior bloodwork. On an evening in April 2023, Lucy’s owner noticed that she was suddenly acting uncomfortably, pacing, and having a hard time finding a comfortable way to relax. She was also turning her nose up at her favorite treats. This set off
If you want to help your canine companion escape osteoarthritis pain, call our office today to schedule an appointment and learn more about Librela.
an alarm for her owner, and they brought her in right away the next day
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Ketchup, the popular tasty and tangy condiment found on tables and in refrigerators worldwide, has a surprising and somewhat peculiar history. In the 1830s, it was not just a topping for hamburgers and hot dogs; it was actually sold as medicine — yes, medicine! THE UNBELIEVABLE HISTORY OF KETCHUP From Miracle Cure to Tasty Delight
ucy! an een
to recheck with Dr. McGinty. As part of her examination, repeat X-rays were taken,
A Unique Origin Ketchup’s roots can be traced back to Asia, where it was called ke-tsiap (Xiamen), a sauce made from fermented fish sauce. It made its way to Europe in the 17th century, but it looked and tasted different from the ketchup we know today, as it included ingredients like mushrooms, walnuts, and oysters — no tomatoes. The Medicinal Claim and Tomato Connection In the 1830s, an Ohio physician named Dr. John Cook Bennett began marketing a tomato-based concoction as a medicinal elixir. Dr. Bennett claimed his tomato extract had incredible healing properties and promoted it as a cure for a wide range of ailments, including diarrhea, indigestion, jaundice, and rheumatism. During this time, tomatoes were still relatively new in American cuisine, and many people were skeptical about their edibility and safety. In fact, some believed tomatoes were poisonous, but Dr. Bennett aimed to market them as a safe and healthy miracle ingredient. His tomato preparation was a precursor to modern ketchup. The Transition to the Table Over time, the medicinal claims surrounding tomato-based ketchup faded, and people began
and Dr. McGinty observed that her splenic mass had grown more
than he was comfortable with since her last ultrasound one month prior. Complete bloodwork and clotting times were performed to rule out other health concerns. With concerns that Lucy’s splenic mass was growing and potentially bleeding, she was scheduled for a spleen removal surgery with Dr. McGinty and was started on a series of pain relief medications to help with the abdominal discomfort, which allowed her to relax. Several days later, Lucy was admitted to the hospital and underwent surgical removal of her spleen and the attached mass. In order to best and least invasively initially evaluate all of her abdominal organs, Dr. McGinty first did an exam with a very small camera using a laparoscope to see the extent of the mass and be sure that there were no signs of the mass spreading to other organs. With the all-clear on the evaluation, her splenectomy surgery was performed. During her surgery, it was found that the mass had started to break down and was mildly bleeding. This was likely causing her discomfort and, if left untreated, could have been
life-threatening. The surgery went very smoothly, and Lucy stayed in the clinic overnight for monitoring before going home to her mom and Labrador sister. In dogs, splenic masses can be benign or caused by a type of cancer caused by hemangiosarcoma, which is a cancer of the blood vessels. In order to determine which type of mass she had, samples of the mass were sent to a laboratory for biopsies. Happily, these results showed that Lucy’s was a benign type of mass, and the surgical removal was curative! Lucy has continued to do very well after her surgery. We have also continued to perform routine ultrasounds and bloodwork on a regular basis to monitor for any additional changes proactively.
enjoying its taste. A tomato-based ketchup started to appear in cookbooks as an ingredient in recipes and was commonly paired with eggs, meat, and fish. By the late 19th century, ketchup had become a staple in American households, and companies like Heinz began mass-producing it. Today, it’s tough to imagine ketchup as anything other than a delicious topping for our favorite foods, and while tomatoes do contain antioxidants and vitamin C, we know ketchup won’t cure a sickness. However, its transformation from fish sauce to tomato medicine to a beloved topping is a remarkable twist in culinary history!
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1031 Kacena Road Hiawatha, IA 52233 www.PetersenPetHospital.com 319-743-0554
Inside This Issue
Mon–Fri: 8 a.m.–6 p.m. (Closed Fridays from 12:30–2:10 p.m. for team meetings) Sat: 8 a.m.–12 p.m. | Sun: Closed
A Tail-Wagging Tale of Family, Friendship, and Fun
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PRIMARY
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Subway’s Corner: Librela
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X-rays Catch This Black Lab’s Spleen Problem Early
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How Ketchup Transformed From Cure to Condiment
SECONDARY
PMS292 Guard Squirrel on Duty: The Rodent Who Sent a Burglar Running PMS5635 PMS1215
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The Guard Squirrel Who Went Nuts on a Burglar Anyone robbing a house must know they’re getting into a dangerous situation. But the teenager who burgled Adam Pearl’s Meridian, Idaho, home had no idea what consequences were in store. Many homeowners have a guard dog, but Pearl got his home security from Joey, his pet squirrel. identified the perpetrator by the suspicious scratches on his hands. the abandoned squirrel. They had intended to release Joey back into the wild when spring came, but they were no longer sure.
During questioning, Turner said the burglar confessed to the home invasion and explained why he’d left sooner than intended: Joey attacked while he was attempting to break into the gun safe. Unsurprisingly, the rodent’s violence was frightening. “He wasn’t expecting to have, you know, a squirrel come flying out of nowhere at him,” Officer Turner said. The
One day in 2017, Pearl came home and saw that something seemed amiss. Joey was excited, and the doors he’d left closed were now open. After finding scratches on the lock of his gun safe, Pearl knew there’d been a robbery and called the police.
Ultimately, they let Joey decide. After he started playing with other squirrels through the home’s sliding glass door, the Pearls installed a cat door so he could come and go as he pleased. Joey spent several weeks outdoors with other squirrels by day and returned to the Pearls by night. Eventually, he requested one final scratch behind the ears before disappearing into an apple tree and leaving the Pearls’ house behind forever. Though Joey returned to the great outdoors to live with his kind, his legend is a warning to humans. When you break into someone’s home, you never know what you might find.
Officer Ashley Turner couldn’t help but notice Joey’s presence in the house but didn’t
thief reported that leaving was the only way to stop Joey’s aggression.
believe he was connected with the case — at first. A few hours later, Turner returned to Pearl’s house with his missing belongings and a story to tell. She’d partially
After learning of his bravery, Pearl rewarded Joey with his favorite candy, Whoppers. But he then had a difficult choice ahead. When Joey was still a tiny baby, Pearl and his wife had taken in
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