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Pets First Monthly
October 2021
WHY ARE VETS SO BUSY RIGHT NOW? The Truth Behind Our Industry’s Struggling Capacity
Since the beginning of COVID-19, pet owners across the nation have seen veterinarians become increasingly busy —which is a good thing! However, it’s bad when we don’t have enough staff to help our patients, and I thought I’d take a little time this month to explain why this is happening. When lockdowns started happening, families were forced to spend more time indoors together — and with their pets! With increased pet interactions, many families began to notice new conditions or ailments that were going on with their furry best friends, or they simply felt more inclined to get a check-up for their pet.
To answer these increased demands, we’d typically hire new staff! However, it’s been tough to find. Many people are nervous about going back to work, and the known demands of our field have made it a less popular industry to work in.
How can clients help us help them in the most effective way possible? Below, I’ve included a few guidelines!
That’s been really great for pet’s well- being; however, it has put a new strain on local vet practices. Post-lockdown hasn’t been
1. Please understand that we can no longer always fit in same-day appointments . Unfortunately, once we reach patient capacity, it’s very difficult to make room for any more patients without sacrificing the well-being of our staff. However, we’re happy to refer you to other clinics that may be able to provide immediate care. 2. Please schedule non-urgent exams in advance, ideally 2–4 weeks beforehand. This helps us manage our client load better and make more space for urgent, emergency patient cases. 3. Please treat our team with kindness, patience, and understanding. It’s our philosophy to treat our clients and patients with utmost care and attention — but, unfortunately, we’re faced daily with a limit of what we can do. We love pets, yours especially; please help us offer you the best possible care by understanding our current restrictions so we can help you as quickly as possible. From my conversations with other veterinary professionals, we’re far from the only practice experiencing these issues. Many clients are not aware of them, however, so I thought I’d do my part to share. Thank you so much for your tremendous support and understanding in these difficult times. We truly do look forward to seeing you soon!
the easiest time for vet practices, either: Many more pet owners are comfortable visiting vet practices
in-person. Even today, many vets are currently playing catch-up
with postponed pet check-ups from 2020, on top of demands for
emergency services.
Additionally, now that lockdowns are over (although, as of writing, we can’t predict
the effect of the delta variant), many households are returning to work, which creates anxiety for pet owners and pets alike. With separation anxiety, pets might be destructive, urinate or defecate, or even escape. These cases worry clients very much, and many seek a vet’s guidance on a case-by-case basis.
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Border Collie Corner
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Mabel’s Success Story
Hi, newsletter friends! My parents work very hard, and even though they don’t complain, it can be tough to make extra trips driving to the pet store for my pet food. That’s why I get my dry food delivered every month, thanks to Petersen Pet Hospital’s very own online store and pharmacy. You might think: “Buying straight from my veterinarian sounds like it’ll be expensive.” But, while I don’t understand a lot about money, I can tell you our store offers daily coupons, and products are competitively priced. Our prices on prescription and nonprescription foods, healthy treats, and flea/
Dr. McGinty Saves the Day
Mabel May is a very sweet, active 5-year-old spayed female goldendoodle. Mabel’s owners knew something was wrong when Mabel was not her normal bouncy, happy self and was straining and unable to pass any urine. Mabel came in to see Dr. Saunders for an exam to find out what was wrong. At the exam, Dr. Saunders could feel a large, firm bladder, and poor Mabel was very uncomfortable. To better evaluate her bladder, X-rays were taken. These X-rays showed many large bladder stones (yellow arrow on the X-ray picture) and one small stone lodged in her urethra (red arrow on X-ray). This smaller urethral stone was making it impossible for urine to pass. Mabel May was taken into surgery to remove the stones from her bladder and her urethra by Dr. McGinty. Surgery showed a very large and inflamed bladder with many stones ranging from a grain of sand all the way up to the size of a quarter. After a two-hour surgery and multiple attempts to remove the stone in her urethra, Dr. McGinty was able to successfully remove this stone, and Mabel
Apple and Carrot Dog Treats
was finally able to pass urine on her own again.
Mabel May stayed with us overnight on intravenous fluids, antibiotics, and pain relief medications and was started on a bladder stone prevention diet called Hill’s Science Diet c/d. She has since recovered and is back home with her family, doing her favorite activities! We plan to monitor for any future urinary issues and to recheck a urine sample regularly to help catch any future bladder stones quickly.
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tick preventatives give other big box pharmacies a real run for their money! (Hard to imagine why not — it must be difficult to run in big boxes.) Speaking of fleas, did you know that buying flea and worm medication directly from your vet often comes with a guarantee? If your cat or dog gets fleas after using their product, they will get rid of those fleas at no cost to you. The same applies for intestinal medications and heartworms. You can show you purchased your medications or preventatives through us, and the manufacturer will help offset the costs of your pet’s
treatment. However, you will have to purchase through our online pharmacy to take advantage of these guarantees (which may not apply to all products and brands). The best part of buying preventatives and pet food through our online pharmacy? You can set up automatic deliveries so you don’t even have to remember checking out your purchase every single month. Buying local will save you both time and money, but it’ll also support our family of hard workers at the hospital. Extra funds from our pharmacy help provide our team with training and education as well as allow us to purchase additional technology to aid our day-to-day services. And, hey, having food delivered to our door has been fun for me, too — it gives my owners a lot more time and funds to grab me some treats or toys! Again, you will have to purchase through our online pharmacy or from us directly to take advantage of these guarantees. Thanks so much for reading, and I’ll catch you next time!
Ghosts Across America
3 Haunted Spots Every Ghost Believer Will Love
October is one of the best months for travel in the U.S. With mild temperatures and gorgeous, colorful leaves everywhere, there’s no better time for a cross- country road trip. Add some Halloween flair to your October vacation with these three ghostly attractions. Visit the most haunted town in the U.S. —Waynesville, Ohio. Sure, New Orleans may have a spooky past, but it doesn’t compare to Waynesville. Many residents and visitors think this Ohio town is rife with ghosts. You may hear cries to “hurry up” at The Hammel House Inn, where many tunnels for the underground railroad came through, or you could see the apparition of a businessman from the 1800s who “never checked out.”Other sources report hauntings at the town’s historical society, Museum at the Friends Home, including a little girl who moves toys and sits on the porch. The society leans into the local fascination and hosts regular walking ghost tours and ghost hunting classes. Stay a while at Hotel MonteVista in Flagstaff, Arizona. Guests at Hotel Monte Vista have often enjoyed long stays at the downtown Flagstaff, Arizona, hotel, but not everyone leaves. Constructed in 1927, the hotel is host to a number of reported ghosts. The most well-known is an elderly woman who would spend hours rocking in the chair in her room. Today, her chair can be found moving on its own. Another popular visitor is the ghost of a bellboy who knocks on doors and announces that room service has arrived — only, no one’s there. Is there a monster in Pine Barrens, New Jersey? This one’s for those who love mysterious creatures. Pine Barrens is a mass of forested land that spreads across seven counties in New Jersey — and its most famous resident isn’t human. The Jersey Devil has a long, storied history and is said to be a combination of many animals: Its body is shaped like a kangaroo with wings. It has the head of a dog but the face of a horse. The creature is believed to have had a sickly start to life in 1735 and has stayed to haunt the forest’s inhabitants and even those who visit the area today.
Fall is harvest season, and with this recipe, even your loyal mutt can partake in some of its greatest flavors.
INGREDIENTS • 1 1/2 cups flour •
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
• •
1/2 cup apple, peeled and shredded
1 cup broth of choice
DIRECTIONS 1.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, carrots, apples, and broth and mix together well. 3. Sprinkle the countertop with flour and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough flat to about 1/2-inch thick. 4. Cut the dough into your favorite shapes. (Cookie cutters are encouraged!) 5. Bake cookies for 8–10 minutes. 6. Cool before serving and refrigerate to store.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1031 Kacena Road Hiawatha, IA 52233 www.PetersenPetHospital.com 319-743-0554
Mon–Fri: 8 a.m.–6 p.m. (Closed Fridays from 12:30–2:10 p.m. for teammeetings) Sat: 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Sun: Closed
Inside This Issue
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Why Are Vets So Busy Right Now?
PRIMARY
BLACK Mabel’s Success Story Border Collie Corner: Buy Local and Save Money! 50% BLACK
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Apple and Carrot Dog Treats 3 Haunted Destinations to Visit This October
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SECONDARY
A Story of Unbreakable Friendship
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THE DOG WHO RESCUED ANOTHER The Story of Whoobie, Juan, and the Family They Created
When we hear about animals being rescued and adopted, we often picture a family finding their perfect furry companion.
dog. As Patricia explains to Reader’s Digest, “From then on, he always followedWhoobie.”
In the case of Whoobie and Juan, it’s a little different.
After no one claimed the dog, Patricia adopted him and named him Juan. Still uncertain about people,
Whoobie was his owner, Patricia Lane’s, loyal mutt for many years. He mastered all the standard dog commands — sit, stay, and lay down — and he danced when asked and could find his favorite toys by name. Patricia always knew when her guests arrived based on Whoobie’s howl, and his loud-mouth attitude often saw him as the “sheriff” of the local dog park, policing any and all dog fights. For years, Whoobie and Patricia were perfect companions, but one day, their family grew by chance. After waking from a nap on their couch, Patricia and Whoobie heard a dog barking outside. A small Chihuahua mix was standing in their backyard, despite the high fence. (Later, Patricia surmised that someone dropped the Chihuahua into her yard.) For an hour, Patricia tried to establish a rapport, pleading with the little dog to eat or come inside so she could find his owners. He wouldn’t move. Giving up, Patricia left her door open and went back inside. Whoobie followed — and so did the little
Juan latched onto Whoobie, and the pair became an inseparable duo. The new brothers shared a bed, and occasionally, Whoobie placed his arm around Juan. At the dog park, every canine knew not to mess with Juan, lest they hadWhoobie to contend with. The pair remained that way for years. Sadly, the worst part about dogs is that they leave us too soon. On the day Whoobie died, Patricia and Juan said their goodbyes together in the veterinarian clinic. “As Whoobie took his last breath,” Patricia recalls,” Juan laid down next to Whoobie. He seemed to know his friend was gone.”
Today, Patricia and Juan have bonded, but they still miss their friend — a dog who saved them both and helped create their family.
You can read more pet stories in Reader’s Digest’s “America’s Best Pet Pals” series.
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