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Welcome Dr. Christine Wilford, Cat Medicine Specialist
We are immensely pleased to introduce Dr. Christine Wilford, who recently joined our staff, bringing her feline expertise and Texan sense of humor.
Dr. Wilford has a special interest in cat medicine. During 16 years at a feline-only practice north of Seattle, Dr. Wilford developed a special interest in geriatric cats, particularly kidney disease, high blood pressure, heart disease and intestinal disease. She enjoys fine-tuning the care of older cats to gain the highest quality of life with the least intrusion.
Dr. Wilford is well known throughout the Seattle veterinary community for her efforts with the very successful Feral Cat Project, a non-profit she founded in 1997 that has sterilized more than 15,000 un-owned cats in Washington. She was recognized for her efforts with the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association’s Achievement Award in 2004. Dr. Wilford lectures nationally on feral cats issues and high volume/high-quality spay and neuter programs.
Outside of work, she enjoys time with her husband (also a veterinarian) of 20 plus years, two wonderful teenage daughters, three rescue horses, five rescue cats, and a dog who believes she’s a cat.
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Veterinary Medicine: It’s a Person-Pet-Vet Connection
On Valentine’s Day we celebrate relationships – not just romantic relationships, but the bond we have with all the people who make our world a better place.
In this fast-paced, online, corporate world, it’s the relationships with people we often miss – REAL people. I’d rather speak to a real person on the other end of the telephone line, even if I have to hold for a few minutes, than a corporation’s telephone tree, or worse yet, a “talking” computer voice.
Have you ever felt more ridiculous than when talking to a computerized “help” line, the likes that utility and airline companies now use? How much more impersonal can you get?
When people learn I’m a veterinarian, I invariably hear, “Wow, you must love animals!”
My answer: “Yes, but I love the people part of my job just as much.”
Every animal we see comes with a person.
Working in a family-owned veterinary practice that has been in the neighborhood for more than 50 years, we’re privy to some amazing relationships that have developed between Atlantic Veterinary Hospital and our clients. We thrive on the people parts of our jobs and enjoy the relationships we develop as we work together to care for four-legged family members.
I like to get to know the people behind the pets.
When I’m putting in a late night finishing medical charts, working through my lunch time to answer the many calls that come into the practice every day, or missing dinner with my family to care for a sick pet, knowing that I’m working for people I care about makes it worthwhile. In fact, our veterinary oath includes a promise to protect human health.
It’s all about person-to-person-to pet relationships
And I promise you will never, ever talk to a computer when you call us. You’ll get a real person on the phone or answering your email, one who wants to help you or put you in contact with someone who can. Veterinary medicine is just as much about people as it is about animals. Thank you for being in relationship with us.
February is National Pet Dental Health Month!
“Pets Need Dental Care Too” is a theme that has gained momentum over the past two decades as we’ve recognized that our furry family members need the same kind of attention to their dental health we do to ours.
We offer 10% off all dental services provided in the month of February.
Benefits of Oral Health
Besides improving their breath, caring for pets’ oral health is an important part of maintaining their overall health and quality of life. Poor oral health can affect a pet’s entire body, including their ability to eat, as well as their immune system and internal organs.
Abscessed or broken teeth and severe gingivitis hurt, yet many pets hide their pain. Pet owners often don’t recognize the changes they are seeing in their pet’s behavior, thinking the pet is “just getting old” when in fact the pet is dealing with constant pain. Some pets completely mask their pain.
Chronic inflammation in the mouth can also lead to oral cancer, a very serious, life-threatening situation that may be treatable if detected early.
Non-Anesthetic Teeth Cleaning
Besides traditional dental care services and digital dental x-ray, Atlantic Veterinary Hospital is one of the handful of veterinary hospitals in Seattle offering the very popular non-anesthetic teeth cleaning (dental prophylaxis) for carefully screened pets with early dental disease.
Pets with mild tartar and gingivitis may be good candidates for the procedure, which is done with an awake pet lying across the lap of the veterinary dental hygienist. The hygienist carefully charts each tooth; cleans the teeth and under the gums; then polishes the teeth – just like the procedure we have done at our dentist’s office.
If any problems are found, they are brought to the attention of one of our supervising doctors, who develops an alternate treatment plan.
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Now I’ve Seen It All: Skijoring
Skijoring (‘skē-jȯr-iŋ) is a winter sport in which a cross country skier is pulled by dog(s) or a horse in harness. The word is derived from the Norwegian word skikjøring, meaning ski driving.
In skijoring with a dog…
- One to three dogs assist a cross-country skier by providing additional pulling power.
- The dogs and skier each wear a special harness that is connected by a tugline of 8 feet or more in length.
- There are no reins to control the dogs; the dogs are trained to respond to the skier’s voice commands.
Skijoring has been popular in Scandinavia and Alaska for years, but is growing in popularity in other parts of the world. Skijoring competitions are now held throughout the northern United States, Canada, and Scandinavia, often in conjunction with dog sled races.
Many breeds of large dogs are used for skijoring, in addition to what we traditionally think of as sled dogs, such as Huskies and Malamutes. Large, obedient, mixed breed dogs with thick fur and ice-resistant pads often enjoy skijoring.
Dogs who love skijoring live for the exercise, excitement, attention from their owners, and the opportunity to run like crazy in the great outdoors.
Some designated cross country ski areas allow dogs, but most leisure skijoring is done on other snowy trails, fields, and backcountry roadsides.
Have you tried Skijoring? What do you think of it?
How to Keep Outdoor Cats Warm in Winter
I found the neatest websites with great ideas for keeping outdoor cats (owned and feral) cozy in winter. Although I’d prefer your cats are curled up at your feet on a cold winter night, not all cats want to or are able to live indoors.
Clever Outdoor Housing Ideas
Check out these ideas from the P.A.C.T. Humane Society for inexpensive, relatively easy-to-construct outdoor housing options for kitties that need a warm place to curl up at night.
Outdoor cats also need more calories and fresh water in the winter. Leaving a bowl of cat food outdoors on the back stoop is a great way to attract other creatures searching for a meal, including those that may potentially harm the cat you’re trying to protect, such as raccoons, coyotes, and possums (let alone rats).
Water bowls can also freeze in the winter. Here are some great ideas from IndyFeral for outdoor winter food, water, and shelter for kitties.
SnuggleSafe Heat Pads are a wonderful means of providing warmth on a cold night without the worry of electrical cords. They’re used in veterinary hospitals, as well, to keep warm our recovering, young, and geriatric patients. After microwaving the Frisbee-size disk per the manufacturer’s specific instructions, they provide warmth for 6-8 hours, sans cord.
Help Stop the Spread of Feral Cats
All cats, whether feral or owned, need to be spayed or neutered to help prevent the sad perpetuation of the feral cat problem in the United States. Feeding unaltered cats, while noble, contributes to the birth of more feral kittens.
Trap/neuter/release programs, such as the Feral Cat Project, started by our very own Dr. Christine Wilford, provide a safe, no-cost or low-cost means of altering un-owned cats. These programs help thousands of cats every year.
Avalanche Rescue Dogs (Video)
Several years ago, when I first learned to ski, I almost fell out of the chairlift at Steven’s Pass because I was gawking at a yellow Labrador retriever wearing a bright red vest. The dog had jumped into a lift chair behind me and was riding the lift up the mountain.
Wondering what in the world a dog was doing on a ski lift, I waited at the top after disembarking, pretending to adjust my ski mittens while I stared in amazement at the dog and its handler.
It turns out the dog was an Avalanche Rescue Dog, used to find skiers and snow boarders trapped in a snow slide. These dogs are also used to find skiers who have fallen and are covered by new snowfall, or have become lost and are holed up in a snow cave.
Once buried by snow, the victim is impossible to find with the naked eye and may have only a short time to live if not rescued. Many avalanche victims owe their lives to dogs trained in avalanche rescue.
In the late 1930s the Swiss Army started training search dogs in avalanche rescue, techniques that have been refined in the decades since. The dogs are taught to alert when they find “pools” of human scent.
Highly trained and organized volunteer rescue groups across the US, Canada, and Europe now provide avalanche search and rescue service to ski areas.
I hope none of us ever needs the services of one of these fantastic dogs, but their dedication to their task and their joy in the snow make them a beautiful (and comforting) sight.
Here’s an informative 4-minute video of avalanche rescue dogs in training:
Martin Luther King, Jr.: ‘Take the First Step in Faith’
January: the first month of the year and a time for new beginnings.
Ever hopeful, many of us make a resolution or two on New Year’s Eve, promising ourselves we’ll accomplish something special in the coming months.
Sometimes, however, what we want to accomplish can soon loom very large in the light of day after New Year’s Eve.
Afraid to fail, we ask ourselves: “What was I thinking?”
We begin to rationalize — even before the holiday decorations are stowed away — that a challenging goal is really too difficult or enormous to be attainable, so why bother? And another year goes by.
This month we also celebrate the birthday and amazing life of American hero, Martin Luther King, Jr. Dissatisfied with the status quo, King encouraged people to imagine a better world – a world no one had actually seen before. Goals don’t get much bigger than his, but King was a man who believed in the power of our collective individual efforts to bring about massive positive change.
“Take the first step in faith,” King said. “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
Join us in celebrating the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Honor his legacy by mustering the courage to dream big, coupled with the tenacity to see your dream as a series of achievable steps.
One of our big dreams for Atlantic Veterinary Hospital is the installation of digital X-ray, a new technology that allows better and faster diagnostic capabilities for our patients. While upgrading our X-ray equipment is not world-changing in a global sense, the technology can be positively life changing for our pet patients. Right now, digital X-ray seems out of our reach due to the cost of the new technology, but we’re working on smaller steps to achieve that goal, and we’ll keep you updated.
What are your goals for 2012?
Why Indoor Cats Should Be Vaccinated for Rabies
Officials in North Carolina recently confirmed rabies in a woman likely bitten by a bat found in her home a few months ago.
“There are only one-to-three cases of human rabies each year in this country,” said Dr. Eric Brenner, a medical epidemiologist, in a newspaper story about the incident.
“Tragically, rabies almost always ends in death.”
All mammals, including bats and humans, can contract rabies through a bite or contact with saliva from a rabies-infected animal (alive or dead). Unfortunately, bat bites in humans can be tiny and often go undetected.
Bat Facts
According to the Washington State Department of Health, the incidence of rabies in wild bats in Washington is estimated to be 1%.
However, the incidence of rabies in bats found indoors and submitted for testing is as high as 10%.
While rabid raccoons, skunks, foxes or coyotes have not been identified in Washington, the virus can be transmitted from bats to these mammals. In the past 20 years, two humans and several domestic animals have died of rabies in Washington.
Bats are a tremendously important part of our ecosystem and found on every continent except Antarctica. Thanks to flight, they are one of the most widely disseminated groups of animals in the world. There are more than 1000 different species of bats throughout the world, ranging in wing span from 5 inches to 5 feet. Many species of bats help control noxious insects, like mosquitoes and insects that damage food crops. Other species are important to fruit pollination.
How Bats Enter Homes
Washington bats, for the most part, are quite small, and can squeeze through an opening as small as 1-inch by 5/8-inches, according to information found on Bats Northwest. Attics and walls provide good roost sites and bats often enter homes where the sides of a house meet the roof or chimney.
“Cats are especially susceptible because they are natural hunters of flying creatures and often catch bats. The bat’s only defense is to bite.
“It is very important to have your pets vaccinated against this disease, even if they are ‘indoor’ pets. Bats sometimes find their way into houses and an unvaccinated pet that is exposed may have to spend months in quarantine or be euthanized,” the website states.
Beware the ‘Winged Mouse’
Even the sleepiest house cat cannot ignore the Call of the Wild when a “winged mouse” is flapping around the house, looking for a way out. If you find a bat inside your home or outside on the ground, don’t touch it with bare hands or release it outside. Trap the bat under a container and contact your county health department to have the bat tested for rabies.
If a bat is found in the house while you’re sleeping but escapes before you can trap it, health officials often recommend rabies prophylaxis for people and pets in the household to safeguard against a potentially unknown bite.
New State Rule Requires Rabies Vaccine
As of January 1, 2012, rabies vaccines are mandatory for all cats, dogs, and ferrets living in Washington State. According to Ron Wohrle, a veterinarian for the Washington state Department of Health, pets can get their first shot when they are 12 weeks old. A booster shot should be administered one year after the first vaccination and then three years after that. (Everett Herald, Dec 31, 2011)
To schedule a rabies vaccination for your cat, call Atlantic Veterinary Hospital at 206.323.4433 or e-mail us.
Make a New Year’s Resolution for Your Pet: Diet and Exercise
Many of us make resolutions this time of year regarding our health. These resolutions often pertain to our waistline.
Sadly, many pets need their owners to make – and keep – resolutions pertaining to their waistlines too. Obesity rates in pets are increasing and now parallel the growing number American adults with a weight problem.
Fifty-four percent of dogs and cats are overweight or obese, according to reports from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.
Fat Cats
Fat is a biologically active tissue, and excess fat tissue can wreak havoc on a pet’s metabolism. Cats with excessive body weight are at significantly higher risk for developing insulin-dependent diabetes, arthritis, breathing problems, and cancer.
Plump Pups
Overweight and obese dogs also have increased risk of arthritis, heat exhaustion, and cancer. Obese animals also have increased anesthetic risk should they require surgery.
Weight Loss Tips for Pets
Like humans, losing weight involves strategically and carefully decreasing calories (while preserving critical nutrients) and gradually increasing exercise.
At Atlantic Veterinary Hospital, we have an arsenal of creative and time-proven strategies that may be helpful in your efforts to improve your pet’s weight, including what to do if some members of your family have a hard time accepting or adhering to a pet’s new health régime. Please call us at 206-323-4433 for an appointment if you’d like to discuss your pet’s weight.
Happy New Year! Here’s to the health of you and your family, both human and furry.
Light Up the World
Light. We sure could use some this time of year! We go to work in the dark. We come home in the dark. We often walk our dogs in the dark.
Light is an integral part of the traditions of Hanukkah and Christmas, both celebrated this week by many around the world, and beautiful candles abound.
Yet, the winter solstice and the longest night also occur this week, a time that can be very difficult for those amongst us who are dealing with major losses, disappointments, layoffs, etc. Sadly, sometimes the lights of the season only feel like a reminder of the things we hoped had turned out differently, a time to “just get through” until the days get longer and life looks brighter again.
Fortunately, the furry loved ones in our families are ready, willing, and able to offer the kind of unconditional acceptance and love many humans especially need this time of year. Our pets offer respite from the crazy, busy, over-scheduled pace we often find ourselves caught up in around the holidays. They listen without interruption and keep advice to themselves. They don’t care about our pay stubs and our worries, but will snuggle up whenever we ask to offer their healing physical contact.
Remember to stop a moment today to accept and return that love (without extra calories). Our pets need us too. It’s free; it doesn’t come with a gift tag; and it doesn’t require writing a thank you note!
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