Latest News

Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic is in need of healthy young cats to become blood donors.  Our feline blood donor patients must be indoor only without any medical conditions and preferably with a body weight over 8 pounds. 

Benefits of your pet being a blood donor are: yearly well pet examinations, vaccinations, heartworm and flea prevention.  Please see our feline blood donor brochure on our website for all the criteria and benefits at http://www.loomisbasinvet.com/downloads/Feline%20Donor%20Brochure.pdf.  

Please call us at (916) 652-5816 if you are interested or would like more information.  We can schedule an appointment for a complimentary exam, temperament testing and blood typing at your convenience.  Thank you!

 DON’T BRING PARVO HOME TO YOUR DOGS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

(A new variant (strain) is surfacing around the U.S.)

Canine Parvo Virus – 2 (CPV-2) has been around since the early 1970s.  It causes loss of appetite, vomiting, severe enteritis (often bloody diarrhea) and may cause cardiac problems in puppies.  All ages and all breeds are susceptible and without treatment many affected animals may die.  The combination vaccine DHLPP protects against Parvo, as well as Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, and Parainfluenza.

A new mutated strain of Parvo, CPV-2c, is now causing clinical disease in inadequately vaccinated dogs in our area; it can be more difficult to diagnose because many dogs infected with the 2c strain are negative on the commonly used Parvo Elisa test.  Parvo viruses are highly contagious through direct dog to dog contact or by people exposed to a contaminated environment.  So with holiday travel, the selection of pets as Christmas gifts, and the mixing of pets and guests over the holiday season, it is imperative that your dogs be current on their vaccinations.

Current vaccines provide excellent immunity when administered appropriately and when your pet builds an adequate titer.  Even vaccinated pets can contract Parvo in the face of overwhelming infection.

If you do not already have a primary care veterinarian, please call us at (916) 652-5816 if you have any questions or to set up an appointment to have your dog vaccinated. 

The FDA wants pet owners to be aware that chicken jerky products from China may be associated with Fanconi-like syndrome in dogs.  

"Chicken jerky products should not be substituted for a balanced diet and are intended to be fed occasionally in small quantities.

FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose). Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died."

To read the full alert, go to http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/11/fda-repeats-warning-on-chicken-jerky-for-dogs/

Please call us at (916) 652-5816 if your dog is exhibiting any of the above signs after eating chicken jerky.

Canine Influenza Virus Threatens Dog Community

Do you have travel plans for the holidays and upcoming winter vacations?  We highly recommend that all dogs taken to boarding facilities and kennels be vaccinated against canine influenza.  Canine influenza virus (CIV) is an emerging threat and a relatively new virus, so dogs have no natural immunity to it.  In an outbreak, infected dogs will shed virus for several days before clinical signs appear.  Just one case of infection can expose many dogs to the virus.  80% of infected dogs will develop signs which may include coughing, a runny nose, watery eyes, lethargy, and/or loss of appetite. Most dogs will recover within a couple of weeks, but 8% die of secondary life-threatening infections.

Like the human flu vaccine, the canine influenza vaccine doesn’t completely prevent infection, but can dramatically reduce the severity of the disease.  We have vaccine available and strongly recommend vaccinating all dogs that are taken to boarding facilities, kennels as well as pet stores, shows or sporting events, doggie daycares, or breeding facilities. Dogs whose owners work at any such facilities are also at risk, as the virus can survive on clothing for up to 12 hours. The initial vaccination requires two doses of vaccine given two to four weeks apart, followed by a single booster dose given annually.  Please call us if you have any questions or to set up an appointment for vaccination.

Your pet's health and your satisfaction are our number one priority, which is why we are pleased to announce the arrival of the FRONTLINE Plus Satisfaction Plus Guarantee from Merial.

This exclusive guarantee, available only at veterinary clinics, ensures you're covered when it comes to fleas. It's simple: if you're not completely satisfied with FRONTLINE Plus, Merial will refund your money, or offer you product replacement, or provide free professional in-home inspection and, if necessary, treatment by Terminix.

Take advantage of this opportunity and don't let your pets go unprotected. Ask us for more details when you're next here or call us at (916) 652-5816. 

Great news!  MAGGIE was able to go home yesterday to continue her recovery with her family. She will be limited to on-leash walks for exercise for at least two months as she continues her rehabilitation but will no doubt be glad to be back home.

All of us at Loomis Basin and Maggie's owner, John Reader of Nevada City, have been incredibly touched by the enormous outpouring of community support for MAGGIE. John and Maggie were sent home with a large envolope full of cards and notes of well wishes from the supporters who contributed funds to help pay for her medical treatment.

Thank you to everyone for your support in helping to care for this incredible dog!    

MAGGIE is getting stronger every day. She is now walking with use of her operated leg without support. We are working on stretching her leg to maintain motion as she continues to recover at Loomis Basin.

We are hopeful MAGGIE will be able to return home to her family next week.

Once again, we are grateful for the outpouring of community support and concern for this amazing dog. Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who has generously donated funds to help pay for Maggie's extensive medical treatment here at Loomis Basin.  She is continuing to do well and may be staying with us for another week or so at the hospital as she continues to recover. 

Thanks to the generous outpouring of widespread community support, we are pleased to share with you that the cost of her medical treatment to date has been fully covered by donations from the public. 

We continue to receive calls from caring people wishing to show their support for Maggie.  Thankfully the cost of her care and treatment at our hospital have been met, however if you would like to help pets and families that find themselves in similar situations you may consider donating to the Loomis Basin Helping Pets Fund.  For more information about our Helping Pets Fund click on the link below.  Alternatively, you may wish to consider donating the funds to a local charity of your choice in Maggie's name. 

Thank you once again.

Thank you to everyone who has shown their concern and support for MAGGIE, the cattle herd dog who was hit by a car. She is stable and recovering well. Maggie is receiving lots of TLC from doctors and staff here at Loomis Basin.

Many people have generously donated funds to help pay for Maggie's extensive medical treatment.  Your support is greatly appreciated!   

It may seem that summer is just around the corner, but the abundant rain and cool weather this winter and spring has resulted in a larger than normal crop of ticks just waiting to bite our pets. 

Tick can transmit infectious diseases such as Lyme, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma when they bite.  The best source of protection is medication to prevent ticks from feasting on your pet.  We recommend FRONTLINE PLUS which controls flea and tick infestations on dogs and cats when applied monthly or  REVOLUTION which controls fleas, ticks, ear mites, and heartworm disease on  dogs and cats, and is also applied  monthly.  Alternatively, PREVENTIC tick collars can be used on dogs, and will kill ticks for three months.

We understand you want to protect your pet and are here to answer any questions you have about what product would best suit your pet.  Please contact us anytime.     

In addition to treating your pet with a preventive medication, it is also important after spending time outdoors near tall grasses or fallen leaves, to check your pet and yourself for ticks and have them removed as soon as possible to minimize the risk of disease transmission.

Our Spring / Summer Newsletter is now available online.  Click on the link below to read articles on:

• Refining Loomis Basin -- The Focus of 2011
• Loomis Basin's New Look
• Comparing Pet Health Insurance
• Grooming and Wellness
• Board Certified Surgeons Join LBVC
• Feline Vaccines
• Going on Vacation?

ENJOY!

Loomis Basin is pleased to welcome two full time surgeons who have recently joined our distinguished staff. 

Drs. Mike Dearmin, MS, DVM, DACVS and D.W. Griffin, MS, DVM, DACVS bring with them more than 25 years of board-certified surgical experience. With these two surgeons on staff, at least one of them will be availalbe at Loomis Basin Monday - Friday for consults and surgeries. 

FREE RABIES VACCINE when you purchase 6 doses of FRONTLINE Plus

With the arrival of spring, fleas and ticks become a growing health concern as they threaten to infest your dogs and cats – and they’re not alone.  Rabies also poses an increased health risk to pets as the weather begins to heat up and they become more active.

FRONTLINE Plus is a complete killing force.  What makes FRONTLINE Plus complete?  It annihilates the flea life cycle by killing fleas as adults, eggs, and larvae. It kills ticks too, and FRONTLINE Plus keeps killing for 30 days.

From April 1– May 31, 2011, we will be offering a FREE RABIES vaccination to one of your pets with each purchase of 6 doses of FRONTLINE Plus.  You may combine any size, dog and/or cat.  (Note:  If your dog or cat is not due for a Rabies vaccine at this time, you will receive up to a $20 credit towards any other needed vaccines with each purchase of 6 doses of FRONTLINE Plus.)

Be careful – the rattlesnakes are out! The first weekend of April, we admitted a dog from the Grass Valley area with a rattlesnake bite to the face and, in a separate incident, a high school boy was bitten near Cool.

A rattlesnake vaccine was introduced for dogs in the fall of 2003, and appears to often reduce the severity of the damage done by the venom, shortens the patient stay, and thereby saves the client money. Dogs bitten on or near the face or torso tend to develop more severe clinical signs.  Dogs bitten during the spring or during a provoked attack tend to have the worst reactions due to a larger volume of venom.

The vaccine protocol for an initial series is two vaccinations four weeks apart; these are optimally given in the spring and followed with boosters every six to twelve months thereafter, depending on potential exposure. The two shot series is priced at $49; this simple preventative can often save hundreds of dollars in treatment costs.

Please keep in mind that some dogs can have life-threatening reactions despite vaccination, and we still recommend that any rattlesnake bite wound suffered by a dog or cat be treated as a medical emergency and the patient brought to Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic as soon as possible for evaluation and possible treatment.

Please call us at (916) 652-5816 if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment to protect your dog. 

Loomis Basin is thrilled to announce that two full time surgeons are joining our staff. 

Drs. Mike Dearmin, MS, DVM, DACVS and Dave Griffin, MS, DVM, DACVS will be starting on April 11th and May 2nd respectively.  Together they bring with them more than 25 years of board-certified surgical experience. 

We are pleased they will be joining the Loomis Basin team!