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Pet Press KALISPELL SEPTEMBER 2021
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OUR FRONT STAFF ARE EVERYDAY SUPERHEROES — HERE’S WHY A Labor Day Special
Colby and Tuna
In the veterinary field, it may be surprising to learn of widespread mental health challenges and high turnover rates. Clinics see sick animals every day, and the time constraints for seeing patients is getting tighter as our field currently faces a veterinarian shortage. I’m incredibly grateful we’re able to run essentially a 4–5 doctor practice with only three doctors. Even then, we’ve been looking to add more doctors to our clinic for over 20 months! Unfortunately, COVID-19 has only made these problems worse — and while all our staff is incredible, I’d like to dedicate this cover as a HUGE thank-you to my persevering, joyous front desk staff members who make our
take the brunt of the most challenging aspects of running a practice. They
you can see, this is not a great cocktail for a compassionate person’s mental well-being. Yet, somehow, many of our
get hammered with stressed and upset clients and have to navigate how to deal with overloaded schedules and unpredictable illness.
front staff have worked with us for many years, and they do these difficult things every single day.
Imagine you’ve dedicated your work life to making sure animals get the care they need — it’s likely you’re an exceptionally
Florence and Carmel
I really want to congratulate our front staff for their tremendous hard work, especially during the pandemic. They make a high-pressure job seem fun, even when it’s not — in every sense, we couldn’t provide our high-quality services without them. If you’d like to do your part to help solve the growing problem of mental health issues in the veterinary field, feel free to become part of the Not One More Vet movement and donate at NOMV. org! Thanks so much for your awesome support of our clinic. We look forward to helping you, your family, and your pets again soon! – Dr. Jevon Clark
compassionate person who is patient and great with people and animals alike. (And this is certainly true for our front desk staff!)
work a little easier, more fun, and even exceptional, when
Unfortunately, you regularly have a restricted number of patients that can be seen on any given day, and every single patient is in urgent need of care. Often, the clinic
it comes to being the “exception” in our field.
To be clear, no gold medal is big enough for every single staff member here. While our doctors have handled a lot
will have a full day to work ahead, but suddenly, a poor injured dog needs a two-hour surgery. How do you fit that into the day?
and we hope to relieve them soon, without fail it’s the front desk staff who
Mason and Bear
In those cases, our team often works together to figure out a solution. But as
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DYNAMI Meet Our Front Desk S
Prepping for an Empty Nest?
You likely already know and love our front desk staff members — but we thought you’d love to see their furry best friends and learn a little more about why they’re so amazing at what they do!
Meet Colby and Tuna
Before working at the Animal Clinic of Kalispell, Colby had worked at two veterinary clinics as a vet technician assistant and receptionist — but when she joined our team, she was amazed by how kind our staff really was. “Every single person [here] has such a passion for helping people and animals.” Her favorite part of her job is definitely building
Congratulations to parents sending their children off to college or “the real world” this year! Parenthood is not for the faint of heart — from toddler meltdowns to angsty teenage years, you might be counting down the days to an empty nest. 3 THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOUR GRADUATE LEAVES
relationships with clients and patients alike at our office. Outside of work, she loves huckleberry picking with her 7-year-old dog named Tuna, her very best friend!
Yet, that doesn’t make your child moving off to college any easier.
Fear not, for you can help your child live more independently at college in many ways and give yourself peace of mind knowing that your baby is going to be fine. Prepare Legal Documents Once they turn 18, your child is no longer under your care — legally speaking. You can no longer make decisions for them, including medical decisions, should they become incapacitated and unable to make their own decisions. Connect with a trusted attorney to create medical and financial powers of attorney that give you these rights. (Just consult with your child first before doing so!) Cover the Household Basics If there’s one thing to look forward to, it’s all the laundry you won’t have to do anymore. And the fridge will be fully stocked without ravenous teens emptying it regularly! But before you drop your child off at college or their new home, make sure they can manage laundry, cook basic meals, and keep a tidy space. Some basics to cover include the difference between hot and cold wash and how to make scrambled eggs. Make a Budget Living as a broke young adult is almost like a rite of passage to “real” adulthood, but you can make this experience easier just by opening that often taboo door and talking about money. Explain the processes or budgeting systems that work for your family and guide your child through their potential living expenses. Try test runs so they understand how much they will have to spend on necessities, like groceries, hygiene items, and gas. Pro Tip : Before your children take off, don’t forget to schedule one more dental appointment! We can set up recurring appointments during breaks to ensure their oral health is never compromised.
Meet Florence and Carmel
Florence has never worked in an animal clinic before — but once she joined the team, she was pleasantly surprised by how busy we are and how often it keeps her
Herbed Sweet Pup Many herbs in your late summer garden are beneficial for your dog’s health. These easy sweet potato fries are the perfect vessel to deliver those benefits to your canine friend.
Ingredients
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1 yam or sweet potato, plus your choice of dog-safe spice combination
Spice Combinations Italian-Inspired Blend to Help With Pet Arthritis •
1 tsp dried or 1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped 1 tsp dried or 1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
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Inspired by Food.com and GoodPetFoodKitchen.com.au
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IC DUOS WHAT’S PLATELET THERAPY? Staff and Their Pups!
As a professional athlete, your tendons and ligaments can endure a lot of stress on a regular basis — even with proper care, it can be challenging to avoid injury. In 2010, Tiger Woods admitted that, in order to return for the Masters Tournament, he flew internationally to receive platelet therapy for a knee injury.
on her toes! She loves meeting kind new clients and their loving pets as well as working beside our friendly, enthusiastic team. Outside of work, she loves
playing board games or spending time outdoors with her husband and friends. You might recognize her friendly pup Carmel — she comes to work with Florence every day!
This led a lot of people to ask the same question: What in the world is platelet therapy?
Meet Mason and Bear
It was being utilized in veterinary medicine, although it hadn’t been mainstreamed for human treatment yet. Platelet therapy (PRP) and Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC) are forms of regenerative medicine that helps treat inflammatory conditions that affect ligaments, muscles, and tendons, such as osteoarthritis. It may even help with bone regeneration after a bone fracture. How does it work? Platelets and other “progenitor cells” are blood cells that have properties akin to stem cells and possess growth-healing functions. By injecting these cells into areas of inflammation, these regenerative cells help accelerate healing of affected tissues and reduce swelling and irritation. As a concept, it’s very similar to stem cell therapy. To get started, we draw blood or bone marrow from a patient, and then centrifuge the sample to concentrate the cells. Let’s say we draw out a 200 ml sample — that yields about 5–6 ml of concentrated cells. From there, we inject those into an injured pet’s ligaments and joints. We see many dogs with bad knees and elbows suffering from chronic pain due to arthritis. PRP and BMC therapy has saved thousands of pets from costly, invasive joint surgeries, which are more prone to complications than other kinds of therapies. PRP and BMC therapy is less expensive than surgery with very good results — and today, you can get this treatment in our practice! If your pet suffers from chronic joint pain, we hope we can improve their lives without putting them on an operating table. Give our clinic a call to learn how platelet therapy could help your best friend today.
Originally a nail technician in Las Vegas, Mason didn’t know what to expect when she moved out to Kalispell and became part of our team. But now, she’s in love with Kalispell as a “beautiful place” and a “smaller, gorgeous green town” compared to a big city. She
also adores getting to interact with people every day at her job, making new friendships and, of course, seeing adorable puppies and kittens regularly! Outside of work, she likes to paint nails, swim in the lake, fish, and hike. Mason and her boyfriend adopted their dog Bear from a shelter in March and have officially decided he’s the best boy ever — very snuggly, 10/10.
Thanks so much for joining us, and don’t be shy to chat about these adorable dogs and their amazing dog moms!
p-tato Fries
1. Preheat oven to 250 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Cut yam or sweet potato into fries by slicing it lengthwise into 1/3-inch slabs. Then, slice each slab lengthwise into 1/3-inch rectangles. 3. Place fries onto the baking sheet in a single, well-spaced layer. Sprinkle your herbs of choice on top. 4. Bake for 3 hours. Let cool, then serve as a treat to your pup. Directions Warming Blend to Help Regulate Blood Sugar and Improve Dental Health • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/4 tsp ground coriander
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Inside
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A Special Thank-You to Our Herculean Front Staff
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3 Things All Students Need Before Moving to College Meet Our Front Desk Staff and Their Dogs!
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Herbed Sweet Pup-tato Fries
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What’s Platelet Therapy?
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Willie the Parrot: The Ultimate Danger Alarm
Willie the Parrot: The Ultimate Danger Alarm
Willie the Quaker parrot was a pretty remarkable bird. Like many parrots, he had a knack for mimicking certain sounds and words, including barking dog noises, human kissing noises, and a fair share of swear words. However, what made Willie a hero one day was not just what he said, but also when he said it.
While she was away, however, Hannah got her hands on the Pop-Tart and began to scarf it down, lodging a piece in her windpipe. She started choking and was unable to signal to Meagan that something was wrong. Luckily, Willie came to the rescue. Willie began squawking and shrieking, saying the words “Mama! Baby!” over and over again. In a matter of moments, Meagan knew something was wrong. She rushed to the kitchen to find a very frantic Willie and a very blue Hannah. Meagan jumped into action. She grabbed Hannah and performed the Heimlich maneuver until the Pop-Tart piece dislodged itself and shot out of her mouth. Meagan may have been the one to stop Hannah from choking, but she insists that Willie was the real hero of the story. If he hadn’t used his unique mimicking skills to get Meagan’s attention, she doesn’t know what would have happened. It’s worth noting that before that incident, Willie had never used the phrase “Mama! Baby!” before. He knew something was wrong, and he knew how to get help.
Meagan Howard, Willie’s owner, brought him over to her friend Samantha Kuusk’s house while she babysat Kuusk’s little daughter, Hannah. Hannah and Willie were both in the kitchen while Meagan prepared a Pop-Tart for Hannah’s breakfast. After placing the Pop-Tart on the table, Meagan stepped away to use the bathroom.
Shortly after the incident, Willie received the local Red Cross chapter’s Animal Lifesaver Award for his heroic actions.
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