Loomis Basin Doctors' Journal

Complimentary Office Visit and Examination for your NEW pet – a $28 or $49 value!*

Free Exam For New Pets

Deciding to welcome a new pet into your home is exciting and one of the most important considerations is to remember that you are making a commitment to care for that new family member for their whole lifetime. This is one of the reasons we at Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic have never encouraged that pets be given as gifts unless you have come to a careful, considered decision. It is useful to have a discussion focused on age appropriate responsibilities of family members, food, housing, exercise, expenses, preventative care, etc, as well as selecting a species and breed that will complement your lifestyle, schedule and energy level. If, after careful consideration, you have decided that a new pet will make a great gift, we would like to be there for you to support your decision.

Let’s get your new pet off on the right paw!  Along with the holiday spirit and our best wishes for you and your family, we would like to offer your new pet a Complimentary Office Visit and Examination with one of our general practitioners – a $28 or $49 value.

We firmly believe that the most important first step to keep your pet happy and healthy is to start at the beginning with a thorough examination that not only includes discussion of their current health status but any potential congenital, hereditable, or breed specific problems they might be subject to.

Additionally, to name a few, we will discuss the following wellness and preventative care:

• the basic “core” vaccines required to protect pets from the common diseases in our area
• prevention of parasitic diseases that could impact your pet’s and your family’s health
• appropriate timing for spay and neuter surgeries
• training tips to help your new pet become a trusting and trustworthy friend
• how to maintain oral health and forestall periodontal disease

And we will answer any additional questions or concerns you may have about your new family member. For more specific details about our wellness program, please visit our Wellness Care information on our website .  By working together, we can help your new pet to have the best health and the best life possible.

Please call (916) 652-5816 to schedule your FREE Office Visit for your new pet and be sure to PRINT this page (or the printer friendly offer below) and bring it with you to your pet’s first appointment. Feel free to share this special offer with family and friends who have new pets by forwarding them the link to this page.

Offer expires February 28, 2013 (Code: 24140) *Value of discount is based on visit type. The discount cannot be applied to previous visits. Good only for pets that are new to our clinic. Not valid with any other offer.

Printer Friendly Offer

by Dr. Marcia Smith, DACVIM

 

Pets enhance our lives and require care.

Here at VCA Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic,we see on a daily basis the wonderful relationship that can develop between people and their pets. We also know that owning a pet is a privilege that should result in a mutually beneficial relationship and that the benefits of pet ownership come with obligations. Responsible pet ownership includes:

Committing to the relationship for the life of the pet(s).

Avoiding impulsive decisions about obtaining pet(s), and carefully selecting pet(s) suited to your home and lifestyle.

Recognizing that ownership of pet(s) requires an investment of time and money. Consider investing in pet insurance.

Ensuring pets are properly identified (i.e., tags or microchips) and that registration information is kept up-to-date.

Controlling pet(s)’ reproduction through managed breeding, containment, or spay/neuter.

Establishing and maintaining a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Providing preventive (e.g., vaccination, parasite control) and therapeutic

health care for the life of pet(s).

Providing exercise and mental stimulation appropriate to the pet(s)’ age, breed, and health status.

Recognizing declines in the pet(s)’ quality of life and making decisions in consultation with a veterinarian regarding appropriate end-of-life care (e.g., palliative care,       hospice, euthanasia).

We recognize and appreciate that pet owners want to care for their beloved companions in the best possible way. For specific information on the variety of services we offer to meet your pet’s needs, visit our Patient Services page or call us at (916) 652-5816 any time.

Learn more about Dr. Marcia Smith.

by Dr. Pete Vellutini

Normal Toenails

One of the most common foot issues among canine companions is long toenails. In wild canids, miles traveled daily over rough surfaces to “make a living” result in appropriately short nails. What is an appropriately short nail? One that does not touch the ground when standing on a firm level surface, but will give useful traction when climbing a hill or digging.

The average pet dog gets its nails clipped a couple of times a year, if it is lucky! Several factors conspire to make nail cutting a dreaded activity. With such infrequency, the dog may not be inclined to cooperate, turning nail clipping into a wrestling match. The constant painful stimulus from the long toenails hitting the ground sensitizes the nail bed, making it very uncomfortable for the dog to have its feet handled. Indeed, when the toes are pushed up or twisted by long nails, the toe joints can become arthritic and painful as well.

We don’t often appreciate how much dog toenails are like our own! If you look at your fingertip, you will see the hard, insensitive nail laid on top of the living finger. If, for instance, you filed the top of the “living” portion, it would not hurt, because there is a layer of keratin – a hard, horn like substance – that protects the nail bed. A dog’s nails are actually pretty similar. The tip of their finger is “the quick”, which has sensitive nerves and blood vessels.

Too Long

When toenail length is excessive, the quick grows longer, protected by the long nail. The goal of therapeutic podiatry is to remove the protective long nail so that the quick will recede. The easiest way to do this is to use shallow cuts with a sharp, small, scissor type nail clipper, cutting away the top of the nail. The cuts should be parallel to the quick, not across it. Whether the nail is dark or light, it is easy to distinguish between the insensitive nail and the sensitive finger tip. There is a white and chalky line around the quick – even easier to see on a dark nail than on a white one.

We offer stand alone appointments for toenail trims with one of our experienced veterinary technicians. Complimentary toenail trims are included with dental and surgical procedures. We would be happy to help you.

Excerpts from “Feet on the Ground.” Read the full article by Dr. Karen Gellman, DVM, PhD and Dr. Judith M. Shoemaker, DVM

Learn more about Dr. Pete Vellutini

Holden, LBVC Patient Since 2008

Ever wonder where your cats go when they are outside? Well it turns out Holden, a mature orange tabby who lives in Rocklin, went 5 blocks away and decided to stay for 3 months. Unbeknownst to Holden’s owner April, who went looking for him when he first disappeared after a summer storm, Holden was closer than she thought and being taken care of by good Samaritans in the adjacent neighborhood.
After months of being “lost”, Holden was eventually reunited with his owners at Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic when one of the neighbors brought him in to see if he had a microchip. Even though he did not have a microchip, Holden got lucky because Tiffany Wallace, a Client Service Representative, followed clinic protocol and reviewed our Animal Lost & Found Binder. Tiffany noticed an entry months prior for a missing orange tabby, made the appropriate calls, and reconnected Holden with his owners. “Without a microchip, it is very hard to connect lost pets to their owners,” says Tiffany. “Holden’s case is definitely an exception since his owners were Loomis Basin clients and had contacted us when he first went missing.”
Recently, Holden was reunited with his owners and seemed no worse for the wear, having put on a few pounds while being away. Now microchipped and secure at home, Holden may continue to wander but now he is never without his personal ID close at hand.

Learn more about microchipping your pet.

Compost piles can be a risk to your pet.

Fall is the time when people tend to clean up their yards. Keep in mind that there are many potential hazards out there for your pets. First and foremost, store your lawn and garden products in a place that your pets cannot get into. In addition, as you are applying certain products, confine your pets in a safe area. If your pets are exposed to anything, you should contact us with the suspected product information as soon as possible.

Be extra careful if you use any of these potentially toxic products:

Insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, vermin baits/rodenticides, snail and slug baits, mulch, particularly those made from the hulls of cocoa beans with the added bonus in that it smells like chocolate. Eating large amounts of cocoa bean mulch can result in chocolate toxicity.

Other potential yard hazards include:

Fruit that has fallen to the ground, fruit pits (cyanide poisoning; choking hazard), berries, seeds, leaves and stems, birdseed, water in the birdbath, fish ponds with algae and animal droppings (bird feces in particular).

Compost piles are a real risk to your dog if he likes to poke around in the compost. Tremorgenic mycotoxins affect the neurological system of a dog, and are found in certain types of moldy foods such as grains, nuts, decomposed pasta and rotten dairy products. Foraging in the compost pile can also cause gastrointestinal problems. A good rule of thumb – keep your compost and yard waste in closed containers.

Plants that have lost their leaves and are bare can pose a hazard to your dog’s eyes as they run or play in the yard. Securing the plants with a small barrier until they sprout their leaves can help prevent your dog from cutting or poking himself.

By taking the necessary precautions you can have a beautiful yard or well looked after property that is safe for everyone.

In 2012, the American Heartworm Society changed their guidelines for how heartworm test results are reported and began recommending that veterinarians replace the previously used “Negative” test result with the term “Below Detectable Limits.” The reason for this change was to reflect more accurately the information garnered by the antigen heartworm test. Although a highly sensitive test, the antigen heartworm test does not detect single sex infections or early infections with mid-stage worms.  As a result, the American Heartworm Society suggests that veterinarians use “Below Detectable Limits” as a more accurate test result since certain antigens may still be present but are not yet detectable. However, please note that even with these new guidelines a test result of “Below Detectable Limits” is the best test result that can be received and most likely indicates that an animal is free of heartworm infection.

Here at VCA Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic, we have always followed the American Heartworm Society’s guidelines and in July 2012 we changed our heartworm test results card to reflect the new guidelines. We feel it is important that our clients understand the parameters of any diagnostic test and in this case, we want our clients to be fully aware of the possibility that an animal could harbor a very light or very early heartworm infection from recent exposure.  For this reason, we recommend annual testing for the presence of heartworms and repeat testing earlier than one year if any symptoms commonly found in heartworm disease should emerge.

For further information on heartworm prevention for dogs and cats, click here.

If you have any further questions regarding heartworm or would like information on heartworm testing or, please feel free to call us at (916) 652-5816.

by Erin Shehane, LBVC client since 1997

Ty, LBVC patient since 2003

In 2004 our Elkhound was bitten by a rattlesnake. It was horrifying. My dog’s face swelled up to three times its normal size.  I rushed Ty to Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic. Although Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic was 20 minutes away, I did not even consider any other clinic. After a day or so in the hospital, he was fine. Sometime later, our Border Terrier, Killerbea, was bitten.  The drill was repeated.  I felt like years were knocked off my life, as my dogs are my children.
Shortly thereafter, the vaccine became known to us.  We did not hesitate to have them vaccinated and sure enough, our dogs were bitten again. However, the effect was nowhere near as bad.  Yes, I still had to rush my dogs to Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic, but the reaction was not as bad.  My dogs have been vaccinated every year since the vaccine was made available to us.  Regrettably, they may suffer a bit of a reaction from the shot, BUT, my dogs patrol my yard and make it safe for my kids.  Although my dogs are my children, I really have to put it in perspective… I would rather a snake bite my dog that has been vaccinated than an unprotected child.

My puppies get their vaccination booster yearly.  I take no chances. When we have had antivenin and hospitalization, we have always been happy with the rapid response and expert care at Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic.  Not all clinics have the vaccination or antivenin readily available, which is an important distinction. We have always been very happy with the care and attention our dogs have received when needing emergency rattlesnake services. Hopefully this info can save someone heartache.
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the rattlesnake vaccine.

By Dr. Olivia Petrunich

For many of us in modern times, the web serves as a convenient, immediate source of information, whether it be for a word definition or synonym, a lost recipe, or medical information. Although accurate veterinary medical information is available on the web, please be aware that misinformation also abounds. Please watch for these red flags:

1. Sensationalized content: Is the information on the site presented in an alarmist tone? Is it loaded with scary stories and extreme outcomes? Are the issues presented in terms of black and white, with no shades of gray? If the answer to any of these questions is “Yes,” the author may have an ax to grind. Suspect the accuracy of the information.

2. No author credentials: The author or authors of material on the Web site should clearly, and visibly, present their credentials—that is, their education and training, their title, and where they work. If they do not, it is impossible to judge their expertise.

3. No sources: When physicians scrutinize an article or study, they make it a point to check the list of sources at the end, to ensure that it contains legitimate information, such as reports from a medical journal or government publication. A Web site that presents detailed medical information without providing links to the references or comparable detail about the sources of that information is highly suspect.

4. No date: This may seem like a minor problem, but the world of pet health care moves swiftly. Treatments and approaches that are reliable one day can be discredited in the blink of an eye. If the site does not date its content, or indicate when it was last updated, you have no way of knowing how current it is. Move on!

5.For sale sign: If you can’t easily tell the difference between the medical content and products for sale, move along. Even when products don’t appear prominently, chances are that the bottom line of the Web site is profit, not education.

6. Conflict of interest: Most reputable health sites not only provide information from experts, they list any so-called potential conflicts of interest that those experts may have. Articles and presentations at scientific meetings require these disclosures for a reason: Financial ties can produce bias.

Here at Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic, we strive to provide reliable and useful pet healthcare information via our website. However, even in the digital age, we would still like to remind you that no Internet search or website resource can take the place of a one-on-one consultation with your veterinarian about your pet’s health. Also, if you don’t find what you are looking for in your search, please call us. We are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions.

Learn more about Dr. Olivia Petrunich

In early June, an injured bat was picked up by Placer County Animal Control in South Placer County. The injured bat was euthanized and sent to a state lab for testing. Subsequently, the bat tested positive for rabies. The bat has been identified as a Mexican Free-Tailed Bat which is native to North America and abundant in the Placer County area.  No other bats have been picked up by PCAC since this initial incident.

Here at Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic, the discovery of a rabid bat in our region does not go unnoticed and serves as a reminder that all pets should be current on their rabies vaccine. The rabies virus is transmitted from infected wildlife species like bats, skunks, and raccoons to domestic pets like cats and dogs thus, it is important that all pets receive the rabies vaccine booster regularly in order to avoid contracting this deadly virus and to prevent human exposure. We recommend that pet owners check their pet’s vaccine history and if a booster is needed, make an appointment immediately with their veterinarian.

The rabies vaccine booster is given every three years to dogs after the initial adult pet vaccine series is complete and either annually or every three years to cats, depending on the vaccine type. If you are unsure of your pet’s vaccine history, please contact your veterinarian and they should have a record on file. For further information about rabies vaccinations or if you are a Loomis Basin client and want to check your pet’s vaccination history, please either call Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic at (916) 652-5816 or login to your Pet Portal account to view your pet’s vaccination history.  Click here to access Pet Portal

Medical Boarding is for pets who need a little extra TLC.

Do you have to go out of town and are unable to care for your pet with a medical condition that requires a little extra TLC?  For our clients and their pets, we provide medical boarding for those times when no one else but our highly trained veterinary staff should take care of your pet while you’re away.

At Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic, our Medical Boarding Services include 24 hour care and surveillance, multiple daily walks for dogs, regular feedings, scheduled medication times plus emergency care in the event that it is needed.

Medical Boarding is best for pets that are:

- diabetic and need insulin on a regular basis

- prone to seizures and taking daily medication

- recovering from surgery and need to be confined

- taking oral medication with specific dosages and times

- require hand feeding and/or subcutaneous fluids to maintain nutrition or hydration

All pets that are accepted for Medical Boarding must have been seen at Loomis Basin within the last six months prior to boarding. An appointment can be scheduled at the time of drop off.  Additionally, we request that current clients keep us apprised of any changes in their pet’s condition and any new health conditions that  may need to be addressed during the boarding period.

If you could use a little help and would like to bring your pet in for Medical Boarding, please call us at (916) 652-5816 to schedule your reservation.