Pet of the Month - December 2012 - Tank Nelson

Meet Tank! Tank is a Black Lab/Rottweiler mix who is 10 years old. When Tim picked him out, he noticed the size of his paws and knew that Tank would be a good name for him!

Tank loves to take walks, go for rides in the car or truck, people and dog watch from the window, be social and get attention from people.

Tank's parents, Tim and Stephanie started to notice some problems with Tank's mobility in the spring of 2011, but attributed it to his age or the medication he was on. Then it got really bad - he couldn't make it up much of an incline, stairs, small hill in their yard, etc. They took him to the vet in the summer of 2011 for his yearly checkup and he weighed 170 pounds! It was time for them to make a few changes! He had gradually gained weight because of treats, not measuring food and occasional people food. Tim and Stephanie did the hard work of measuring food, limiting the amount of unhealthy treats and instead gave him mostly carrots which took him a while to get used to, and cutting out all people food. They brought Tank in for monthly visits to the vet to get weighed and each time Tank had lost a lot of weight and he started getting around a lot better!  Tank currently is down to 103 pounds!  He is able to do more of the things he loves to do. 

Tank Before

Tank After Weight loss

Pet of the Month - November 2012 - Mason Stuber

Mason is also known as the miracle cat.  He was up for adoption at Cedar Bend Humane Society, and when Dave walked in, Mason picked him.  Darla visited next and Mason's fate was sealed.  He found his forever home with them.  While he was just a kitten, they noticed that he was wheezing and panting when he would play.  They brought him in to the vet and he was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) which means that the ventricles in his heart have thicker walls, which makes the heart have to work harder to pump blood.  He is now on twice daily medicines and lives life like a fairly normal 4 year old cat.  He lays in Darla's lap for his pills and takes them without a fuss.  He still plays some, but mostly wants to lay down in a pile of toys and be played with.  He does play with the other cats that share his home and he gets a lot of extra cuddling and love.  Many indoor cats who have HCM don't have warning signs and don't get the treatment they need.  It is the number one cause of spontaneous death in indoor cats.  Mason is an important part of Dave and Darla's home and they are thrilled that he has survived the odds.  

A Safe Halloween for Your Pets

As the anticipation of a fun-filled Halloween draws near, don't forget to keep an eye on your furry members.  Halloween can be a dangerous time for any pet.  The following are some tips to ensure a safe and happy holiday.

Minimize the amount of time your pet spends outside alone on the days preceding Halloween, the day of, and for a few days after.  This is especially important for black cats.  There are numerous accounts of malicious pranks involving animals that can result in injury or even death.

Do not share your Halloween "loot" with your pets.  Items such as candy wrappers and lollipop sticks can be harmful if ingested, and chocolate can be poisonous.  If your pet does eat something inappropriate call your veterinarian to determine what should be done.  

Keep Jack-O-Lanterns with lit candles at a safe distance from pets.  Curiosity or a wagging tail could easily cause a pumpkin to get knocked over and potentially start a fire.  A lit candle could also singe an animal's fur or cause serious burns.

Many people love to dress-up their pets, but your pet may not feel the same way.  Some animals love the attention, but others are already nervous with the Halloween festivities, and a costume only exacerbates the situation.  Even the nicest animal can become aggressive if his/her breathing, vision and movements are restricted.  If you decide to dress-up your pet, choose an appropriate costume, and avoid using hair gels or paints as they can cause health problems if licked off and swallowed.  

Consider confining your pet to a separate room when trick-or-treaters start arriving.  Strange people in strange costumes can frighten animals and cause them to react in various ways.  Animals may feel the need to protect the house and its occupants and respond by barking or biting, or your pet may try to escape when the door is opened.  Make sure proper identification is on your pet's collar to make for a quick return in case your pet does escape.

There is no doubt about it, Halloween can be a stressful time for your pets.  As much as you would like to include them in your holiday activities, remember that pets don't understand what all the excitement is about.  Look at Halloween from a pet's point of view.  For more information on keeping your pets safe this Halloween, contact your family veterinarian.

Pet of the Month - October 2012 - Hambone Gibson

Hambone Gibson has lived a lot of life in his almost 16 months. He was adopted by Brian and Jody as a young puppy from a friend. When he was just 7 months old, he suffered a broken right front leg from jumping off a chair. Our doctors surgically repaired it in late January. Once the leg had healed, they removed the pin and sent him home. A few weeks later, Hambone was playing as puppies do, and jumped again. His leg broke again. Our doctors sent him to Iowa State Veterinary Medical Hospital in Ames. They fixed the leg again and put Hambone on strict cage rest. The Gibson family is thrilled that Hambone is once again whole and healthy with as much energy as he always had. He loves Gibson’s 4 year old son and is a vital part of their family. He has figured out that a favorite thing is watermelon and will run to the kitchen when anyone is eating it. The Gibson family can’t imagine life without Hambone, and we are all so thankful that he has healed and is able to live life to the full. 

 

Pet of the Month - September 2012 - Casey and Joey Schmadeke

Ida and Elmer Schmadeke have always loved animals, when their Yorkie died, they knew that they needed to find another animal to love and help fill the void that she left. They found a tiny Australian silky Terrier who was needing a home, whose litter mate had just been adopted. He was so sad, the kennel staff called him Cry Baby. They put a teddy bear puppy in the cage with him and they became inseparable. Ida and Elmer ended up adopting both dogs and named them Joey and Casey. They became amazing therapy dogs for Elmer as he struggled with Parkinson’s and gave him great comfort. Casey and Joey have become best friends and have helped Ida through the difficult days. They love to run and play in her fenced back yard. Casey will sit in the shade and watch Joey find something to chase and then he will join in. They have even begun to embrace Sophie the cat who decided that she liked the dog sleeping kennel better than the bed. They all now cuddle together in it. These animals have been constant companions for Ida – her life would not be the same without them.

Pet of the Month - August 2012 - Cinder Ella Smith

We would like to introduce Dr. Smith’s newest addition to his family, Cinder Ella Smith!  Cinder is a grey tiger stripe playful kitten who gets almost constant attention from his three children.  She has boundless energy, would play all day long with unsuspecting toes, fingers, pant legs, and anything else that happens to be on the floor.  She especially loves to harass and torment Dr. Smith’s other older cats.  She seems to think that they are constantly teasing her with their tails.  They are not so thrilled with her unending energy, but they will sit next to her when she is sleeping at least!  Cinder loves to snuggle up when she is tired, and first thing in the morning she wants as much attention as she can get.  She has become a vital part of the Smith family and we are thrilled that we get to share in her energy! 

Pet of the Month - July 2012 - Mica and Jake

Mica (10 years old) and Jake (5 years old) Young are Jenny Young’s “furbabies”.   This is how she describes them:

I had Mica 5yrs before I even considered getting another kitty. Jake was being fostered and both of his siblings had been adopted and I felt so bad that he was left alone. I debated back and forth on whether to bring a new kitty home because I was so concerned on how Mica would react....being the only spoiled kitty for 5 yrs. After much debate I brought Jakey home and it was the best thing I ever did for Mica and for myself. They are the best of friends. Mica has always been able to entertain himself with his toys....the boy LOVES his crinkle balls but Jakey keeps him a lot more active with chasing each other around the house, and wrestling. So now I have TWO spoiled kitties.

I have always loved cats and I can't imagine not having these two in my life. I love being greeted by them every time I walk through the door, I, for the most part, love being woken up by them in the morning and just having them there on the good and bad days....they can always sense when you're having a good/bad day. No matter how bad of a day I've had....just looking at them makes me smile and warms my heart.

They each have their little quirks....don't we all. Mica likes being picked up, having his head rubbed and playing with his "crinkle balls". He is not a lap kitty at all and is definitely the alpha kitty. Jakey is definitely my lap kitty. The minute I sit down or lay down, he has to be right on my lap. I can get up out of the chair ten times and each time he will get back up in my lap the minute I sit down. He LOVES having his belly rubbed and playing with his little furry toy balls.

Maisie and her brothers (Spenser and Fletcher, ages 7 and 6) were all adopted from Minnesota Old English Sheepdog Rescue (MOESR) in Bloomington, MN.  They have been a part of the Blair family for 6 years.   Maisie is the alpha dog in this sheepie three-pack.  She is 7 and a diva, no question.  She came from a surgeon's family with four girls.  They played dress-up with her, so she loves to wear clothes.  She also likes lattes if she can find one unattended.  She knew all about Starbuck's when she was brought home, and she orders at the drive-up.  The director of MOESR received a call from Great Clips asking if she had a suitable dog for their commercials.  She recommended Maisie, who is a splendid actress as well.  They  just tell her what the director wants and she does it.  All three sheepies love Dr. Jim, and hug him every chance they get. 

Laser Therapy Testimonials

Taylor Vet now offers laser therapy to help our patients speed their healing and decrease their pain.

“Laser therapy provides a sterile, pain-free, surgery-free, drug-free treatment which is used to treat a variety of injuries, wounds, fractures, neurological conditions, numerous dermatological problems, and pain. Whether your pet is rehabilitating from trauma or injury, healing from wounds, or simply aging, your companion will benefit from this revolutionary new approach to Veterinary medicine.

Laser therapy is the only course of treatment that actually stimulates the body to heal from within. Non-thermal photons of light are administered to the body and absorbed by the injured cells. The cells are then stimulated and respond with a higher rate of metabolism. This results in increased circulation from the body, an anti-inflammatory reaction, relief from pain and an acceleration of the healing process.”  ~Companion Laser Therapy website

Read the testimonials below from some of our owners who have seen how well the laser has worked for their pets.

"This summer (2011) we experienced success using the laser therapy with our dog “Skylar”. “Skylar” was obsessively licking a spot on the ankle of her rear foot; so much that it created an open, raw “hole” that would not heal and she would not leave it alone. After trying other treatments, Dr. Smith suggested using laser therapy. The treatments were easy on “Skylar” (and us) as they lasted only a few minutes and were pain free. The technicians were awesome by even getting on the floor to administer the therapy so that “Skylar” would not have to be put up on the table! After each laser treatment, “Skylar” would leave her leg alone, with the time between treatments increasing. We are happy to say that using the laser therapy broke the cycle! “Skylar” has stopped the obsessive licking, giving her leg time to heal. We were very satisfied with the laser therapy and would definitely use it again if needed.” ~ Clarence, Wende and “Skylar”

“We brought “Tuffy” in with a back injury that made him paralyzed in the back legs. Dr. Smith suggested that we try the laser therapy. He said it would help to reduce the swelling and make the healing process faster. Within a few treatments we noticed improvement. We have continued on with the laser therapy and now “Tuffy” can walk. It’s not pretty, but at least he can walk around now. I’m so thankful for all the helpful staff at Taylor Veterinary Hospital that helped with “Tuffy”. We believe “Tuffy” wouldn’t have gotten better without the laser therapy treatments.” ~ Nicki and Tuffy

“Spike” is a 12 year old German Shephard who is a guard dog at Precieux Art Jewelers, as well as a pet. He is constantly with me 24/7, so I am lucky to be able to observe even the smallest changes in his abilities and behavior. He developed a licking sore on his front leg joint, and he has failing hip strength from joint problems. Since he is already on powerful pills for Cushing’s disease, I didn’t want to use additional medication for his joints, so I looked into laser light treatments. I didn’t expect great results but they are inexpensive and have no side effects, so I figured I had nothing to lose. Wow! I was very surprised! The first treatment seemed ineffective for about a week, but after a week, his hips regained a noticeable and constant gain in strength and coordination, and the lick granuloma is virtually gone. “Spike” has had single follow up treatments as needed, which seems to be about 2 to 3 months apart. Every time I can see the difference, it is measurable with how high he lifts his rear legs as he walks on a flat surface. This has greatly extended his mobility, and therefore, his life. I recommend it without hesitation.” ~ Dave and “Spike”

“I must admit that I was somewhat skeptical when Dr. Smith suggested laser therapy for “Buddy”. However, after several treatments I must say I'm a believer. The laser therapy greatly helped reduce the inflammation around the area of Buddy's wound. It also aided in reducing the size of the wound. One more benefit was an increase in Buddy's mobility. He went from almost dragging the leg with the wound on it, to jumping around and even playing with my other dog. This laser therapy is well worth the cost.” ~Dan and “Buddy”

“Our Black Lab, St. Bernard mix “Simon” would chew on his once broken leg, because of the arthritic pain, during the winter until he had large sores. He was given several laser therapy treatments and the areas affected cleared up. Due to the laser therapy, now we have been able to maintain his pain with a small amount of medication in the morning and the chewing has stopped”. ~ Sandy and “Simon”

Heart Disease in Pets

Dogs and cats, like people, may develop heart disease as they get older, some are even born with some type of heart disease and some are genetically prone to it. A good physical examination will make the doctor aware of the problem but sometimes the owner will pick up signs before they are visible in the examination room. The most common signs are that your pet (cat or dog) is not running as well or for as long, is panting more, has developed a cough, difficult breathing or has a bloated abdomen. A less well known sign is a soft moist cough at about 3-4 am in the morning. This early morning cough will seldom awaken you but if you are up for any reason, listen for it.

When the veterinarian is concerned about the possibility of heart disease there are a series of tests that we use to confirm the diagnosis. The first is a good evaluation of the heart valves with a stethoscope listening for murmurs or abnormal rhythm. We usually follow that up with radiographs (X-rays) of the chest looking for changes in the heart’s shape. An electrocardiogram (EKG) will tell us about the electrical system that powers the heart. We use ultrasound to look for heart tumors. We also use a blood test called NT-proBNP. The blood test looks for the enzyme NT-proBNP that is produced by the heart when it is in heart failure. I spoke with the Iowa State Cardiology Department and they use this test only when there is a question of whether the dog or cat’s problem is respiratory in origin versus heart in origin. This helps separate the two. Sometimes it is very difficult to tell if a dog is in heart failure so this test helps on those occasions. After our detailed work up of your pet’s heart, and we are still not quite sure of the problem, we will ask for a second opinion at the Iowa State Veterinary College.

There a number of things that you as an owner can do to prevent heart disease in your pet. The most important thing that you can do for your pet’s heart health is to have a veterinarian do a good, complete examination of your pet each year. This allows the doctor to evaluate your pet, look at its history, talk to you about feeding, treats, exercise, symptoms of disease, and answer all your questions.

The next most important thing is to keep his/her weight under control. This requires several things. The first is to measure the amount of food that you feed. This keeps track of the major source of calories for your pet and if the weight goes up, we can show you, to the teaspoon, how much food to take out to lower the weight to the optimum level. Also remember that for every pound of fat on a dog or cat, there are an additional 5 miles of blood vessels for the heart to pump blood through.

The next item to look at is treats. I always recommend feeding baby carrots to dogs as treats and nothing else. This raw food is not digested in your dog’s intestine so there are no calories to cause weight gain. I believe cats should not have treats due to excess calories. The advertisements on TV make all of us feel guilty if we do not buy this treat or that treat. The problem is that they all taste good but just make your pet fatter. There is absolutely no benefit to feeding commercial treats. (Yes, I know some that claim to keep the teeth clean but weight gain is a far greater threat to your pet’s health.) The best “treat” that you can give your dog or cat is your undivided attention 2-3 times per day.

Exercise is always good. It keeps the muscles toned and helps to control weight by burning more calories. I want to point out that in late in 2010 the American Medical community came out with a position statement on exercise and weight control. The AMA said that you are more likely to gain weight from what you eat rather than from lack of exercise. This does not mean to stop exercising but it means we really need to control our food intake.

I hope this gives you an over view how to try to prevent heart disease and also how we diagnose heart disease. If you have any questions, please call us at 277-1883.

Pet of the Month - May 2012 - Mr. Wrinkles

Mr. Wrinkles was born on February, 13th 2010.  The Dittmer family got him about two years ago. He is a very friendly black Sphynx cat. The Dittmers have two children ages six and three and Wrinkles is very tolerant of them carting him around and loving on him. His skin is very warm, it actually feels like a hot water bottle. His favorite spot to sleep is under the comforter on the bed. His other favorite spot is on your shoulder.  Wrinkles likes to play with his little toy mouse and has torn nearly all of its appendages off. He also likes to chase after feathers on a string. Wrinkles does not eat any table food, nor does he get treats, only cat food. The Dittmers got Mr. Wrinkles from a breeder in Minnesota. They liked the Sphynx breed because they have no hair. No one in their family is allergic, but that wouldn't matter because he still has cat dander. They’ve had furry cats in the past  and they just didn't want the messy hair everywhere. Wrinkles does have very little hair around his paws, nose, and tail which feels like peach fuzz. Wrinkles is a good jumper. He can jump from the counter top to the top of the cupboards. He likes to sit up high and watch the activity.  It is also his safe spot from the children.  Mr. Wrinkles is a perfect addition to the Dittmer family.  What a lucky cat he is to be secure in his forever family!

Pet of the Month - April 2012 - Sookie and Tiri Gavin

In June 2009, the Gavin's picked up their ferrets from a breeder in Ohio and have loved them ever since.

Sookie ~ Born April 16^th, 2009
Dad picked out and named Sookie after the character in the Trueblood series.
They say that ferrets pick a human they love the most and Sookie sure does love her daddy, who she shares the same birthday with. She rarely bites him, however uses mom as her personal chew toy. Sookie’s favorite toy (other than her mom) is a rainbow colored hacky sack. She loves fetching it and putting it away in her stash of other favorite things. Ferrets are normally quiet animals except for their little chattering when they play. Sookie is the talker of the two girls. She really gets chattering when she is playing and doing the war dance.

Tiramisu (Tiri) ~ Born April 17^th, 2009
Mom named Tiri because she thought her colors looked like her favorite Italian desert, Tiramisu.
Tiri is a mommy’s girl. She loves it when mom cradles her like a baby and gives her kisses. She pretty much turns into a dollop of fluff when mom picks her up, however daddy doesn’t get the same response. Unlike her sister, Tiri rather have her head in the food bowl than to chase her toys around. Maybe that’s why she is so fluffy. And although she is a bit bigger in size, Tiri is actually not the dominate ferret. There are times Sookie will drag her across the floor by the back of her neck. The one furry sibling Tiri loves to chase and terrorize is her feline brother, Dapper Dan. They really have a good time chasing each other around the house.

Tiri and Sookie love being outside. They go camping, trips to the local pet stores and even get to visit Santa and the Easter Bunny! People always wonder what kind of animal are and were we got them. They have to be two of the most spoiled ferrets.

Pet of the Month - March 2012 - Napolean

On November 2^nd we had our first cold rain of the fall season.  Lacey was working at the Cedar Bend Humane Society when man came in holding a wet towel.  Little did she know Lacey was about to meet her new best friend.  The man told her that he saw the car in front of him toss a cat out the window, with other cars swerving to avoid hitting the kitten.  Inside the wet towel was an 8 week old kitten with his right hear dangling from his head.  Lacey quickly took him to the back and started to warm and clean the kitten.  One severed ear, a broken tail and some pretty bad scrapes.  The kitten was so tired it couldn’t even eat.  Lacey thought to herself “If you make it through the night, I will try my best to save your life.” 

The next morning, the kitten, “Napolean,” was waiting for her return.  She took him to see Dr. Smith who carefully removed the rest of the dead ear and started him on an antibiotic.  The bad news was that he would need surgery.  After a couple of weeks of tender loving care, Napolean was gaining strength and healing.  After checking around, Lacey found out that the surgery to finish fixing his severed ear was going to cost $1200.  Then a call came in from a surgeon who heard of this sweet kitty and offered to do the surgery for free.  Dr. Brent Reimer used Taylor Vet’s surgical suite, anesthesia and medications and through that partnership, Napolean had a complete ear ablation on November 21^st. 

Napolean is now healthy and happy – the two things Lacey never thought he would be!  A HUGE thank you goes out to Dr. Brent Reimer and Taylor Vet for dedicating their time and resources to helping an abandoned shelter cat. 

Pet of the Month - February 2012 - Chaos and Jinxx

Chaos is a 9 year old German Shepard rescue dog. When he was adopted he was 5 1/2 months old and a mere 37 pounds. Chaos was seized from a residence where he was greatly neglected. He was being fostered by a gal from Animal Control. She knew the Pilchers were looking for a German Shepard, so she brought him down to the the Humane Society for them to meet him. They walked him around the back yard, and he decided this was his forever family by jumping on Dawn and smearing her white shirt with mud. That decided it! He has been a cherished addition to their family, but they felt he may like a younger canine friend. Jinxx is a purebread Siberian Husky they adopted from family in New Mexico, and in Jinxx, Chaos got more than a friend, he now has a little brother!

Chaos loves to chase tennis balls, although his arthritis gets the better of him sometimes. Jinxx also likes to chase balls, as well as play tug-of-war. He also loves to rip the squeakys out of his toys, then the squeaky keeps him busy for HOURS!!! But mostly they like to play together in the back yard.

Pet of the Month - January 2012 - Sophie Butters

Lindsey heard through a friend that there was a little terrier mix puppy that was tied to a tree in Brooklyn, IA.  Lindsey walked up to her and saw this sweet puppy was tiny, dirty, had tangled hair and overgrown nails, and had a tag on her that said “Free.”  Lindsey has always had a soft spot for animals, even has volunteered at animal shelters, so she knew she had to bring this little girl back to Cedar Falls.  She planned on trying to find a friend or family member to take her or possibly to bring her to the animal shelter. The first night in Cedar Falls “Sophie” went and sat next to Lindsey’s bed at bed time and waited for help on the bed, Lindsey knew then that “Sophie” was hers forever “Sophie” has been an easy-going dog who is quite outgoing.  She loves to take walks, play and eat turkey with peanut butter for a treat.  “Sophie” found her forever home with Lindsey and they both are better off because of it.