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December 2022 www.surfacecreekveterinarycenter.com 970-856-4474
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comforting, and I certainly don’t feel we miss anything by celebrating this way.
For many people, the Christmas season begins the day after Thanksgiving. Our family loves getting in on a little of the fun early — Susie and the kids insist on putting up the tree right after Thanksgiving — but for the most part, we wait to celebrate. The tradition is part of our Catholic faith. While most celebrate throughout December, Christmas for us starts on Dec. 25 and continues after that. The delayed festivities remind us of the reason for the season: the birth of Christ. We don’t celebrate before Christmas because there is nothing to celebrate yet. Instead, we mark Advent as four weeks of introspection and preparation for the holy day of Jesus’ birth. Advent is similar to Lent in many ways. We practice fasting and sacrifice during this period to focus better on remembrance, preparation, and prayer. What I give up tends to differ each year, depending on what I’m enjoying a little too frequently beforehand. Some years it may be whiskey, while in others, it’s cigars. What each person chooses to sacrifice is personal, but it should still help them reflect on the upcoming celebration. I think the Christmas season is the time of year to ask ourselves big questions, including the biggest of all: Why are we here? I believe I’m here to eventually make it to Heaven. I achieve that by believing in God and doing good things. Many people think faith alone is enough for salvation, but I beg to differ. If you believe in Christ, you must help others. Otherwise, you’re not living His teachings. Once Christmas arrives, the church goes all-out in celebrations that last for four weeks. We attend mass and enjoy multiple feast days, which the clergy marks with different colored vestments (purple during Advent and white during Christmas, with red dotting other special days). The ritual is
We also exchange gifts and manage to have all
kinds of fun. As an annual tradition, I make smoked almond toffee. The recipe came from Mrs. McClure, who lived nearby when I was a kid. She and her husband had
strong Scottish accents, and Mr. McClure built a new boat every few years. I would help him, and Mrs. McClure would always bring us Scottish toffee to enjoy during a break. After she passed away, I told my mom how much I would miss that toffee. To my surprise, Mom said Mrs. McClure had given her the recipe, but it looked like too much work. I decided to give it a try. It took me about 10 batches before I finally figured out the process, and it remains an ordeal to this day. I spend about eight hours making pounds of it every year, cooking and stirring. Getting the toffee off the heat right before it burns is tricky, but all the work is worth how good it tastes. Whenever — and however — you celebrate the season, everyone here at Surface Creek would like to wish you a peaceful and meaningful holiday season. Make this time count, and we’ll see you in the new year! –Dr. Jeff
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A Jack of All Trades The Best Companion MEET THE MULTITALENTED DREW Veterinary technician Drew from Birmingham, Alabama, just joined our team in October, but he’s no stranger to Colorado. “I’ve been in and out of Colorado for a few years now, but I’m usually only here during the summer,” Drew explains. “This is the first time I’ve stayed. I figured I’d try out a winter and see how it goes!” Drew has worked on and off as a technician for about 10 years and is particularly passionate about surgery. “I really like the diagnostic side,” he explains. “And I like tending to animals; there’s a joy in it. I’ve always liked taking care of things — it’s a gift and a curse.” In his new role at Surface Creek, Drew spends most mornings preparing the doctors and animals for surgery. He also helps monitor the pets during surgery or provides other assistance during procedures. Afternoons are spent assisting in appointments and completing other essential tasks around the clinic. Drew isn’t only a veterinary technician; he’s also a landscaper. He loves outdoor work and notes that he’s been doing it nonprofessionally “ever since I was big enough to get on a lawnmower.” For the past six years, he has worked summers as a landscaper at a ranch in Colorado. “It’s a big guest ranch with horses,” he says. “I get to hang out in the middle of the White River Valley and have an easy summer every year. I’m definitely lucky!” Back home in Alabama, Drew has three sisters and a cat currently living with his mom. “Most of my family doesn’t move too far away, so I guess I’m the black sheep in that regard,” he laughs. When he’s not working, he enjoys playing video games. He’s also known to work outside for leisure during his downtime.
IMPRESS THE GUESTS WHoiltihdaTyhHeseosting Tips The holidays are rapidly approaching, and soon, we’ll share laughs while enjoying the festivities with our loved ones. Before the celebrations begin, you must prepare your home for visitors, especially if they stay overnight. It can be stressful whether it’s your in-laws, best friends, or distant cousins coming to stay with you. You want to leave a good impression, but how do you ensure everyone’s needs are met, including yours? Here are three tips for setting yourself up for a successful holiday, regardless of who stays with you. Stock up on your guests’ favorites. Have you ever stayed with someone who didn’t have extra food for their guests? Don’t put your guests in this situation. Load up your pantry, refrigerator, and cupboards with your guests’ favorite foods and drinks. If you don’t know what they are, ask ahead of their visit! Your guests will appreciate your conscientious gesture and have a much more enjoyable time if they can eat their favorites while visiting. Prepare a guest room. If your guests are staying with you, you need to prepare somewhere for them to sleep. Make sure you make up the bed, have plenty of pillows and blankets on hand, and provide adequate closet space for their clothes. Even if they aren’t staying in a traditional bedroom, their sleeping area should still be ready when they arrive. Clear off a table for them to use as a nightstand and put sheets on the couch or mattress where they'll sleep.
As for his new job at Surface Creek Vet, Drew is settling in nicely. “The people are so nice here, and we have
a great team,” he says. “This can definitely be a stressful job, but the team helps it not be because we’ve got so many
Use real dishes. When we have company over for a meal, especially a large gathering, it’s usually easier to use plastic or paper options — saves on cleanup, too! The holidays are not necessarily the time for this shortcut. Break out the fine china if you have it, or use regular dishes for your guests. It’s okay for the kids to have paper plates, but if you want to make a good impression on visiting adults, nicer dishes will dress up the table setting and meal.
dependable people.” He’s looking forward to continuing to make his mark at the clinic. “I like working,” Drew says, “and I like working with animals even more.”
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FINDING THE RIGHT SPOT
Understanding Dogs’ Bathroom Habits Humans make countless decisions every day, but we usually spend little time or energy thinking about where we’ll use the bathroom. For your pooch, however, it’s often an intense decision. Dogs will frequently spend several minutes investigating their options and choosing precisely the right spot to relieve themselves.
Some people may also notice that their pup is shy. Dogs don’t typically care
much about privacy, but some insist on doing their business — especially number two — in the same spot over and over. You can even train your dog to do this in your yard! Just like some humans don’t like to use public bathrooms, many anxious dogs seem to want to keep their scent to themselves and only go where they feel safe.
Clien th ts e SWpr o e r a d ding Much of the agonizing over the right spot to go is dogs trying to determine what they want to say to other dogs in the neighborhood. After “reading” the messages on hydrants and telephone poles, they carefully select the best spot to mark with their scent. Peeing is more than a bodily function; it’s part of how dogs communicate. Though there seems to be no rhyme or reason why your dog prefers one spot over another, rest assured it makes perfect sense to them. There’s a science to all that sniffing, as dogs have extraordinarily keen senses of smell that can pick up all kinds of information we can’t. By smelling another dog’s urine or feces, they can determine its sex, fertility, mood, social status, and much more.
Incredibly, research has also shown that dogs tend to do their number two business according to the position of magnetic fields. An extensive, if unpleasant, study found that dogs prefer to align themselves with the north-south axis when they poop and almost entirely avoid the east-west axis. It’s unclear why dogs do this or whether it’s conscious behavior, but we clearly don’t understand all their canine motivations.
While dogs have many reasons for being choosy, it’s also not outside the realm of possibility that your pup is dawdling on purpose. After all, most dogs love being outside
and taking in all the fresh and mysterious new smells. They might learn with time that the faster they go, the shorter their walks are. Ensure your dog gets as much outdoor time as possible, so they have less reason to dillydally.
Ho C l F i o d e o s a t
k y i i v
e D e s og
Steffani Lehr Terry Cerise
Inspired by Rover.com
Jamie Mitchell Mary Zimmerer David Coleman Codi Nelson Destiny Magness Edgar Vaughn
INGREDIENTS
• • • •
2 tbsp coconut oil (melted) 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• • •
2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups oat flour
1 tbsp vanilla extract Natural food coloring
2 eggs
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 3. Use a food processor, electric mixer, or spoon to combine all ingredients and mix until a dough is formed. Add more flour if dough is too sticky. 4. Separate dough into several large balls. 5. Add natural food coloring to dough balls and knead with your hands. 6. Flour a work surface and roll each ball flat to about 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut into shapes. Place cookies on the baking sheet. 7. Bake for 20 minutes. 8. Allow cookies to cool, then serve to your pup!
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What Christmas Means to Dr. Jeff inside this issue
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How to Impress Visitors This Holiday Season
Meet Our New Veterinary Technician: Drew
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Why Dogs Take So Long to Pee
Festive Holiday Dog Cookies
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These Bugs Love Takeout Containers
MEET THE BUGS WITH A TASTE FOR PLASTIC New Appointment Cancellation Policy When you cancel with less than 24-hour notice, we now require a prepaid $50 deposit to reschedule. If you keep your rescheduled appointment, we will apply the deposit to your veterinary bill. If you miss your rescheduled appointment, the fee is nonrefundable. These S‘ uperworms’ Could Save Our Planet
and then feeding it to the bacteria in their gut," Dr. Chris Rinke, the leader of the superworm experiment at the University of Queensland, told Science Daily. "The breakdown products from this reaction can then be used by other microbes to create high-value compounds such as bioplastics." Not only did the worms in the Queensland study eat the Styrofoam, but they actually gained weight from a healthy diet of takeout containers. Their ability to digest plastic is likely thanks to the gut bacteria Dr. Rinke mentioned. If we can grow and control these bacteria, we may be able to set it loose in landfills and turn our trash into something more useful. Superworms haven't saved us yet — in fact, we usually use the 2-inch brown bugs as food for pet lizards and birds — but it’s about time we put their true potential to work. Fortunately, scientists like Dr. Rinke are on the case. "Our team is very excited to push the science to make it happen," he said. To see the superworms in action, head to YouTube.com and search “superworm plastic.”
Hundreds of years after you die and decompose, the Styrofoam takeout containers you used for last night’s Thai food will still linger in the landfill. Scientists estimate it takes thousands of years for Styrofoam (aka polystyrene) to break down when buried under other trash. Even in direct sunlight, the process takes decades! This is a huge pollution problem — but a tiny bug may be able to solve it. On the other side of the globe, at the University of Queensland in Australia, researchers are keeping a tank full of pets that may save us all from our plastic waste: Zophobas morio, aka the “giant mealworm” or “superworm.” In the wild, superworms are scavengers
that will munch on anything from animals to apples. But in captivity, researchers have found another food they love: Styrofoam. "Superworms are like mini recycling plants, shredding the polystyrene with their mouths
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