Animal Clinic of Kalispell - January 2019

OLD ISN’T A DISEASE Bloodwork Keeps Your Pets Feeling Young

FING

Up With Teton

just begging someone to eat it. I was happy to oblige. Dr. Clark quickly arrived on the scene but not quickly enough. I don’t know what he told the family who’d been inside their trailer at the time, but I hope he gave my compliments to the chef.

In many ways, veterinary medicine is miles ahead of human medicine, especially when it comes to delivering service to customers. For instance, if you’ve ever had bloodwork ordered by your own physician, you probably waited days to get a call from your doctor with the results. Our clients at The Animal Clinic of Kalispell can get the results of their pet’s bloodwork in less than 30 minutes thanks to our in-house lab and the technical staff dedicated to that task. Completing labwork in-house isn’t just about saving clients time. We’re also able to offer immediate insight about the health of our patients. A large recent study involving over 1400 pets found that in dogs and cats with completely normal physical exams and deemed “healthy,” 70 percent of cats and 65 percent of dogs had changes in their screening bloodwork. These abnormalities weren’t necessarily life-threatening, but in most cases suggested areas that required more investigation and testing. Quick and convenient labwork results can be a huge game-changer in the wellness of senior pets. A veterinarian can see the outside of a pet and complete a thorough physical exam to get a sense of their insides, but they don’t know a dog’s glucose level or what a cat’s kidney parameters are without checking. This information allows us to spot red flags and start a treatment plan before an animal’s health takes a turn. For example, many older cats suffer from kidney disease. Once a cat is showing physical signs of kidney disease, we have lost valuable time in treatment and management. However, through regular blood screens, we can detect disease very early allowing us to be proactive about treatment possibly adding years to the cat’s life. As dogs and cats age, they can be predisposed to certain diseases. It is important for pet owners to remember that changes in abilities and behaviors, often written off as symptoms of the pet just getting old, are actually brought on by diseases and conditions that may be easily manageable and improve the quality of life. Let us help you help them!

Do I get in trouble? Sure, all the time. But when I give Dr. Clark and Rose Ann those puppy-dog eyes, they just sigh and say, “It’s a good thing you’re pretty.”

I know I shouldn’t be chowing down on human food, but I can’t help it! Cats may have nine lives, but we dogs only have one. We might as well live it up, right? Oh, I’ve got to go! The doorbell just rang, and Dr. Clark went to answer it. Now’s my chance! – Teton

Directions

1. Put salmon in large bowl, using two forks to break up

the larger pieces. Then add sweet potato and mix well.

2. Use food processor to pulse together oats and parsley until finely ground. Pour into sweet potato and salmon mixture. Fold everything together.

3. Spoon into individual ice cube trays, or a small silicone fish mold if you have it. Freeze for 2–3 hours.

4. Serve cold to your cat for a special treat!

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