We’re excited to announce that Dr. Burns will be joining instructor Georgia Hauglid at Scrapology, a scrapbook and paper crafts store located at Williams Field and Lindsay in Gilbert, for a special scrapbooking class on August 9th.  “Lessons Learned from Dogs” is a 2 1/2 hour class beginning at 10:30 am; participants will create a 12 page album celebrating the life of a dog (or dogs, who can have just one?).  Read more…

Posted on July 29th, 2008 by Dr. G
Filed under: Dogs, Fun Stuff, Events, Headlines | 2 Comments »

A story in The New York Post yesterday reported the heartwarming tale of a beagle in Georgia who was traced back to his former home in Queens, NY.  Rocky squeezed under the backyard gate and vanished into the night back in 2003, leaving a six year-old girl teary-eyed and wondering of his fate until recently.  Fast-forward ahead to last week, when—850 miles away—a Georgia animal shelter was performing routine microchip scans on new accessions and shelter workers no doubt heard the telltale “beep” that makes their heart leap, indicating a pet that might find its way home.

Rocky was reunited with his family after his owner flew to Georgia to confirm the most unbelievable of news left on their answering machine a few days earlier.  While his new sister, a poodle added to the home a year after Rocky disappeared, still isn’t sure how she feels about sharing her family, everyone else is thrilled.  Rocky was turned in to the shelter in apparent good health (hopefully, he was on heartworm preventative during his time away) and seems quite happy to have a home again.

This story is an excellent illustration of the power of microchips.  This little device is the size of a grain of rice and costs less than $50 to implant and register permanently in a database.  After 5 years in emergency practice, I tell people that they save lives, because a badly-injured stray with identification is much more likely to receive aggressive first aid while an effort to contact an owner is made (critically-injured strays lacking identification are usually humanely euthanized).  While collars and tags are often lost while a pet is on the lam, microchips sit harmlessly beneath the skin over the shoulders and can’t be misplaced. 

But, like tags, microchips are only as good as the information they provide a pet’s rescuer with.  Don’t forget to update your contact information in the registry database when you move, change phone numbers, or adopt a pet that has a pre-existing microchip (may pets purchased through pet stores have microchips for “inventory management”  purposes, but their new owners aren’t informed of their presence or the need to update the registration).  Most of the databases allow you to perform changes free of charge online or by phone.  If your pet has a chip, and you’re not sure of which registry your pet’s chip uses, stop by and have our staff scan the chip to retrieve the registry information and chip number.

While Rocky most certainly has tales of great adventures we’ll never hear, the moral of his story is clear:  You never know when an accidental escape will happen; all pets who spend unsupervised time outdoors need a microchip.  It just might save their lives!

Posted on July 16th, 2008 by Dr. G
Filed under: Pet News, Feature Stories, Human Interest | No Comments »

In May, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) launched the first in a series of webcasts for pet owners.  The podcast has been titled AVMA Animal Tracks, and features information on a variety of pet-related topics.  It is available for download at www.avma.org/news/info_rss.asp; this site also allows you to subscribe to the webcast by RSS feed (the website also contains a great explanation of what RSS feeds are and how they work).

Today’s topic is “Selecting a Pet Ferret;” the AVMA states that topics will include pet health and safety tips, zoonotic diseases, and the many roles veterinarians play in ensuring animal and human health worldwide.  New webcasts are expected to appear on at least a weekly basis.

Posted on July 9th, 2008 by Dr. G
Filed under: Fun Stuff, Feature Stories | No Comments »

The truth about CATS, published today in USA WEEKEND Magazine, describes what author Steve Dale calls a “dirty little secret:”  the fact that there are nearly 10 million more pet cats than pet dogs in the US, but they often get the short shrift—in the form of poor public perception, less frequent veterinary care, and fewer research dollars spent on feline diseases and health care.

The article is interesting, but hardly surprising when you consider that the patient list at Priority Pet Hospital is 70% canine and only 30% feline.  Statistically speaking, cats make up a 53% majority of household pets in the United States, but this trend is common in most veterinary practices.  The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that veterinary visits for cats have fallen 11% since 2001, with more than a third never visiting a veterinarian in 2006 (compared with only 17% of dogs who missed their annual exam).  This is a disturbing trend considering that cats tend to be much better at hiding subtle signs of illness that—when detected early—might be managed or even cured with the help of your veterinarian.

Part of this trend may be due to the fact that veterinarians, in our effort to minimize the risk of vaccine-related tumors in cats, have been making changes to feline vaccine protocols over the last several years; this often means that cats aren’t vaccinated every year.  While current evidence suggests that this is good medicine, we may ultimately be failing our feline patients by not emphasizing the benefit of annual physical examinations, which are a critical opportunity to screen for disease and discuss optimum health care with cat owners. 

Both Dr. Burns and I have recently met cats who, after a long hiatus in veterinary care, were euthanized because a disease that may have been managed with early detection was permitted to progress to the point where little could be done.  While cats seem independent, they still need the help of their owners and veterinarians to protect their health.  So, rather than let the scene (from LOLCats) below play out at your home, don’t forget to include your feline housemates in your pet-care plans.

Posted on July 6th, 2008 by Dr. G
Filed under: Cats, Pet News, Headlines | No Comments »

OK folks, it’s time for a feline wake-up call.  Not like the mewing, purring, and cold nose in the ear that Drs. B and G get every morning ten minutes before the alarm goes off, but a mental wake-up call.  I’m tired of the human-canine-centric tone this blog has taken on, and I’m spending a few minutes before the family gets home adding a little feline point-of-view (and attitude—cats don’t do anything without a little attitude).

Cats are America’s most popular pet as far as the numbers go, but any veterinarian can tell you that we’re second-class citizens when it comes to health care, exercise, and other essentials that dogs take for granted.  You’ve taken us into your homes and hearts by the millions, but most of you still act like we’re just here to catch rats and don’t need any of the things you give those drooling canines you always let up on the couch.  It’s no wonder we scratch your furniture.  Well, this three-legged cat is here to tell you that cats are people too.  We have needs, and it’s time you know about them.

Lucky for you, there’s the Indoor Cat Initiative (ICI), a neat movement that aims to enrich the lives of indoor cats.  Their website says that “indoor enrichment is as important as an excellent diet and health care,” and I couldn’t agree more.  It’s finally becoming more and more clear to veterinarians, behaviorists, and others that many health problems that affect pet cats have multifactorial (that means “controlled by many factors,” dogs) causes, often including inactivity and stress.  How does a pet that sleeps 23 hours a day get stressed?  Look here and find a pretty comprehensive list—although they forgot finding the food bowl empty when I wake up at 5 am.  The ICI goes even further, and offers a number of ways you can make our lives more interesting, more active, and less stressful.  Let me tell you about what Sarabi, Delta and I trained OUR people to do here…

We’re indoor cats.  Here in the Phoenix suburbs, it’s just not safe to live any other way; we all run under the bed when our people start swapping stories about cats hit by cars, mauled by dogs, shot with pellet guns, poisoned by drinking antifreeze found below a leaky radiator, and even bitten by other cats.  It’s a jungle out there!  But just like all those kids you see in the brief moment between getting off the school bus and retiring to their Playstation in the air conditioning, indoor life makes us fat, pale, and boring.  So we taught our people to let us go outside with supervision.  We eat grass, chase bugs (Delta chases birds!), climb the fig tree, you name it, all while our people weed gardens, pick up dog poop (gross!) or whatever.  When our people are ready to let us back inside and give us a treat, we taught them to use a clicker to communicate that to us so we don’t miss out.

When we’re back inside, we have plenty of things to do.  I used to open folding closet doors for fun until our people bought a baby latch.  Now I just stand by the door and stare when I want our people to get our chasing toys out.  We have plenty of toys we can use on our own–fuzzy, feathery, rolling, crinkly, you name it.  And then we have plenty of furniture:  soft beds, a tall tree (I can climb to the top faster than the four-leggers), scratching posts and boxes, and all the stuff we let the people sit on, too.  Then there’s tweety vision when the people remember to fill the bird feeder outside our bench seat, and the occasional cricket that sneaks out of the reptile room at the end of the hall.  Sometimes I just sit there and stare at that door waiting for a bug…

So, as you can see, we’re very busy cats.  All this fun sure keeps us happy, and I like to think that it helps keep us healthy, too.  It takes a lot of effort to cram all that activity into three or four hours every day, but, given the opportunity, maybe your cat would, too. 

And people think cats are lazy…

Posted on May 1st, 2008 by Cassidy
Filed under: Cats, Fun Stuff, Pet Health, Feature Stories | 1 Comment »

I recently realized that I must’ve fallen from Dolittler’s subscription list during a recent upgrade and wasn’t getting Dr. Patty’s daily post by e-mail anymore.  I clicked over to do some catching up and started following some links on her blogroll, and—as often happens on the internet—ended up in places I’d never intended reading things I wasn’t even looking for.   Happily, I found something I should share with you:

The Daily Woof: Keeping your Canine cool part I

The Daily Woof is a well-maintained and active blog, and this recent post really hit home as a timely piece for our clients and patients.  I’m sure my colleagues at the Emergency Animal Clinic are feeling it:  as parvo season ends and the steady flow of incompletely- or inappropriately-vaccinated puppies begins to slow, heat stroke season is just warming up (pun intended, of course) here in the Valley.  I dreaded heat stroke during my five years as an emergency veterinarian.  Not because the cases we saw were absolutely devastating and frequently fatal to our patients, but because every case was preventable.

From the Saint Bernard found dead near his dry water bowl one July by Mesa PD’s animal control officers (and presented for examination as part of a cruelty investigation), to two dogs tragically and accidentally trapped in an aluminum shed during the summer’s heat, to countless jogging partners who literally ran themselves to death to please their humans, each and every case of heat stroke I have treated was due in part to the actions and ignorance of their people—people who unquestionably loved their dogs and made terrible mistakes.

Fortunately, ignorance is cureable; all it takes is a little bit of knowledge.  Follow the links above.  Familiarize yourself with the signs of heat stroke and first aid measures that can be taken on the way to the veterinarian.  Keep in mind that even the most well-conditioned and athletic dogs can succumb to this deadly disease as the seasons change.  Don’t forget that short-faced (brachycephalic) breeds like boxers, pugs, and bulldogs are really sensitive to overheating, even during seemingly mild temperatures.  Use particular caution during the next few weeks as we go from blissfully cool spring days to dangerous 3-digit temperatures (and sometimes back) overnight, and again as the humidity rises during the monsoon, but keep your guard up and use your new-found knowledge about heat stroke until fall temperatures arrive.

Your dog will thank you.  And one less case of heat stroke to treat this year will make some veterinarian’s day, too.

Posted on April 20th, 2008 by Dr. G
Filed under: Pet Health, Feature Stories | No Comments »

Thanks to everyone who came out today to meet us and have a look at the hospital!  We had a steady flow of visitors all day, and were thrilled with the enthusiastic faces who toured the hospital, stopped to ask questions, and picked up fun stuff provided by our vendors and distributors.  We were joined by the doctors and staff at Vista Dorada Dental, who treated visitors to popcorn and pizza between tours of their great practice, and Valerie and Kevin from In the RAW, who provided mutt muffins for canine visitors and graciously donated a gift basket for our raffle.  Winners of all the raffle prizes will be drawn and notified when we return to the office on Monday.

The PPH “Gang.” From left: Dr. Griswold, Dr. Burns, Shea, Natasha, and Alana.

Natasha shares a look into the surgical theater and explains the steps Priority Pet Hospital takes to minimize the risks associated with general anesthesia for our patients.

Shea talks to visitors about dental care for pets and Priority Pet Hospital’s dentistry services, including advanced diagnostic capabilities like digital dental X-rays.

While we met many new friends during the day, it was nice to see some old friends, too.  We were particularly pleased to receive visits from existing patients and their families, who took time out of their day to come spend a few minutes with us.  Bailey, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, is making a rapid recovery from a recent case of pneumonia; he was all tail wags and kisses today.  I had to chuckle at Gauge and Lil Rock, two American bulldogs who were nervous about the inflatable “noodles” flapping out in front of the festivities but were happy and comfortable inside the practice; it’s great to meet patients who’d rather be at the vet’s than outside.  I also like to think that it speaks volumes about our staff and doctors!

Dr. Guffey at Vista Dorada Dental was just as happy with the outcome of this joint venture.  While PPH’s crew and his staff were looking forward to a cat nap this afternoon, he was already thinking about how we can make next year even bigger!  The success of our first open house was due in part to the help of neighbors, friends, vendors, and distributors.  We would like to thank Bev, Tiffany, Dr. Guffey and Dr. Roper from Vista Dorada Dental, Valerie and Kevin from In the RAW, and our supportive representatives at Butler Animal Health, MWI Veterinary Supply, Hill’s Science Diet, Iams/Eukanuba, Royal Canin, Pfizer Animal Health, Novartis Animal Health, Merial, Virbac Animal Health, Midmark/Matrix, Boehringer/Ingelheim, and DVM Pharmaceuticals/IVX Animal Health.  Most of all, however, we would like to thank you and your four-legged family members, who are why we are here and able to look forward to work every day of the week.

Posted on April 19th, 2008 by Dr. G
Filed under: Events, Headlines | 1 Comment »

This dog is healthy, wealthy, and abused. - By Jon Katz - Slate Magazine

I was turned on to this article by a short blurb in Trends, a publication of the American Animal Hospital Association, during my travels to a recent veterinary conference in Florida.  Although it was written in 2004, the article–describing the life of Ernie, a suburban golden retriever who seems to have everything–is really timeless; veterinary professionals, shelters, and rescue groups see cases like Ernie’s every day.  The type of neglect (Katz says “abuse,” and this may not be too strong a word) described in the story is eye opening:

His abusers aren’t lowlifes who mercilessly beat, starve, or tether animals. Quite the opposite: His owners are affluent, educated people who consider themselves humanistic and moral. But they’ve been cruel nonetheless, through their lack of responsibility, their neglect, their poor training, and their inattention.

Few dog owners–myself included–can say that they’ve never engaged in this sort of cruelty.  From time to time, it’s unavoidable for most of us.  But reading Katz’ article reminded me what an important commitment we’ve made by taking pets into our homes.  And it reminded me of why we take hikes like this morning’s jaunt at Boyce Thompson Arboretum, and spend a few minutes in the yard three or four days a week doing clicker training with a seven-year-old dog (let alone the pup!), and help them learn rules and manners and generally get along with other dogs and people.

We all bring pets into our lives with good intentions.  But it’s easy in our busy lives to forget what those intentions were at some points.  Spend some time with your dog to remember why (s)he’s a part of your family—hit the dog park, work on “down-stays” in the yard, hike a trail in the Superstitions, enroll in a group obedience class, join an agility club, wrap up your Canine Good Citizen title, or visit us together at our Open House next weekend—you’ll be glad you did!

Posted on April 12th, 2008 by Dr. G
Filed under: Editorials, Feature Stories, Human Interest | No Comments »

Editor’s note:  Many of you followed Archie’s progress as he underwent surgery on both shoulders early last fall.  We’re all happy to tell you that Archie’s blogging haitus hasn’t been because he hasn’t had much to say, but because he’s had so much to DO.  He spent much of December and January in the field with Dr. Griswold and Rana, and has barely paused in his activity since, accompanying the family on numerous spring hikes and other adventures.  He has been free of lameness, and shows no signs of the discomfort present before his surgery.  Thanks, Dr. Lirtzman!

Now that I’m back on my feet, it takes a lot to stop me, but after a long walk at Gilbert’s Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch last weekend,  mom and dad found us all a nice place to relax.  We drove over to In the RAW, a cool coffee bar/juice bar/dog bar—a DOG bar!—on the southeast corner of Higley and Elliot.  Dad, Rana, and I met owners Valerie and Kevin (along with their wisecracking friend Susan) the day before at the Gilbert Spring Fair, and we just had to check it out.  The Mutt Muffins they were handing out at the fair were great, so I was pretty sure we were all in for a treat. Read more…

Posted on April 9th, 2008 by Archie
Filed under: Reviews, Pet's Eye Views, Feature Stories | No Comments »

If you haven’t come by for a tour yet, now’s your chance!  Priority Pet Hospital and our neighbor Vista Dorada Dental are teaming up for a joint-effort open house on Saturday, April 19th from 10 am to 2 pm.  Our entire team will be on hand to meet and greet, answer questions, and provide guided tours of the hospital.  We’ll also have raffles, pet-related giveaways, and all sorts of pet health information. Read more…

Posted on April 6th, 2008 by Dr. G
Filed under: Events, Headlines | No Comments »