"Spring has sprung
The lilies have riz
I wonder where
Your kitty cat is"

It's spring and the bulbs are bursting from the ground and many people have received potted Easter Lillies as gifts for the holidays. Did you know that your cats could be in danger?
Easter lilies, Tiger lilies, Rubrum lilies, Japanese lilies and some Day lilies can cause kidney failure in cats. All parts of the lily plant are considered toxic. Just a small amount of plant material can be life threatening. Cats love to chew on plants and within a few hours of ingestion a cat may vomit, become lethargic or just stop eating. As the kidney damage progresses, these signs worsen. Complete kidney failure can occur within 36-72 hours without prompt and aggressive treatment.
Every moment counts- if you suspect your cat may have come into contact with a lily plant call us immediately.
(Dogs do not seem to have the same reaction or sensitivity to lilies)

Tamara Cox RAHT

A Final Goodbye

Lewis Messner has been a good friend to me for the last 16 years. I have known him longer than my husband, children and many of my friends. He had seen me through college, moving from Prince George, new jobs, single hood and marriage. He was the kind of cat that was always involved with you- gave himself baths at the side of the tub while I was soaking, went for walks along the beach when we lived in Roberts Creek, and pestered me every morning for forbidden canned food. We have a rule in our house that if your lap is occupied by a child or pet, the other spouse must do your bidding-coffee refills, getting desert etc… Lewis was my little ace in the hole as he always came when he was called and preferred my lap to my husbands.

On February 25 I had Lewis put down. He was 16 years old and had developed cancer in his abdomen, causing him rapid weight loss and great discomfort. I had known in my heart that something was wrong with Lewis before he was diagnosed. He still ate and swatted at the kids and other pets, like he always had, but something had changed. He was missing his spark! When the medication I was giving him was no longer effective, I knew it was time.
I brought him in the morning and we sedated him. I held and stroked him while the sedation worked and told him all the things I liked best about him. I scratched all his favorite spots and saw him through the final injection. I had a good hard cry, hugged my co-workers and felt sickly for the rest of the day.
We decided to have Lewis's ashes returned to us and bury him in our yard under a new shrub. I like the idea of having a Lewis Tree that can live and grow with our family. I also like the thought that somehow Lewis lives on, just in a different way (sort of an ashes to ashes...).
One of the toughest things to get used to is forgetting that Lewis is gone and then remembering. Often I think I see him out of the corner of my eye and it turns out to be something else. That moment of realization gives me an ache in my heart, and sometimes brings me a tear.
Over the past 1 1/2 years Dr. French, Tamara and I have had to euthanise our own pets. Solli, Gizmo and Lewis will always be fondly remembered by stories (lost kongs and carpet gifts) pictures and memories. We loved them and considered them members of our family.
When a client calls and knows it is time, we genuinely understand the grief that they feel. We are committed to you throughout your pets life, even when the decisions are tough and the goodbyes are final.

Darla Messner

SPRINGING FORWARD

Spring has sprung and along with all the growth we enjoy in our gardens I'm pleased to let you know that our practice has grown also. Most notably, I want to welcome Dr. Laura Madsen who, as many of already know, joined our healthcare team this spring.
I am very excited to be expanding our professional expertise with such an experienced and compassionate doctor. This is part of our commitment to continually enhance the quality and availability of care to our patients. Dr. Madsen brings 12 years of clinical and surgical experience, a passionate interest in veterinary medicine and immense dedication to the patients under her care. She is a welcome addition to our highly qualified and dedicated team.
This spring is also the first anniversary of the opening of our Gibsons clinic, The Landing Veterinary Clinic at Kern's Plaza. Its been an exciting year and I want to personally thank all of you for your support and referrals. The addition of Dr. Madsen to our team means we now have a veterinarian available Mon. to Fri. at The Landing. Drs Murray, Madsen and I will rotate through both Eagle Ridge and The Landing facilities to be more widely available. So please let us know if you have a particular doctor preference - we would be happy to accommodate you.
Dr. Don French

Who's Who in the Zoo:

Dr. Laura Madsen

I was born in Ottawa, Ontario and moved to Agassiz, B.C. when my father was transferred there to continue his research in nutrition of Agriculture Canada's dairy herd there. I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian from the time I was seven years old. My stuffed toys often wore various bandages and I enjoyed accompanying my dad on the nights that he had to check the cows in the maternity barn.
After graduating from Agassiz High School in 1985, I attended the Agriculture program at UBC before being accepted into the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon.
I worked at the Prince George Veterinary Hospital for five years before coming to the Sunshine Coast in 1997.I enjoy Sunshine Coast living with my husband John, daughters (Serena-5 and Anna-3) and our two big Shepard cross dogs, Kaos and Abby. The dogs are very forgiving now that the girls and I are learning how to play the violin. Anna has been helping me train on the trail-a-bike by not pedaling when we go uphill. A lot of the rest of our spare time is spent cultivation organic Vegetables and helping John rebuild our 1980 Jeep CJ-7 on our small acreage in Roberts Creek.

The Pre-Anesthetic Blood Screen.

If you've ever had a pet in the hospital for an anesthetic procedure, u've probably been offered a pre-anesthetic blood screen. Maybe you've wondered exactly what that entails and do you really need it?
Essentially, the pre-anesthetic blood screen is a set of specific blood tests that help determine your pet's health status, especially the function of those organs that will be responsible for eliminating the anesthetic agents from the animal's system.
If your pet has never had any blood tests before, getting a pre-anesthetic panel is a great way to get a baseline picture of organ health. It tells us what's "normal" for your pet. If your pet is getting on in years, knowing how well his organs are working is especially important when considering anesthesia.
While any general anesthesia carries a certain level of risk, you can greatly reduce that risk by opting for a pre-anesthetic profile. Finding out your pet has a serious health problem during an anesthetic procedure is not in his best interest. Knowing in advance if your pet has any health issues allows your vet to modify the anesthetic protocol to best meet your pet's needs.
So, just what are these pre-anesthetic tests and what do they tell your veterinarian about your pet's health?

*Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT): This test measures a liver enzyme that may signal liver disease if elevated.
*Alkaline Phosphatase (ALKP): A test to measure an enzyme from cells lining the gall bladder. This enzyme level may be elevated with liver disease or Cushing's syndrome.
*Creatinine (CREA): This is a test aimed at determining kidney function. Kidney or urinary disease may cause elevated levels.
*Blood Glucose (GLU): If this test reveals high levels of glucose in your pet's blood, diabetes may be indicated. If the level is low, liver disease, infection or some tumors may be the cause.
*Total Protein (TP): Measuring the level of total protein helps determine various liver, kidney or gastrointestinal illnesses. It can also detect dehydration.
*Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): Both liver and kidney function are examined by this test.
*Quantitative Blood Count (QBC): This test gives a detailed look at your pet's blood cells and is able to help indicate infection, leukemia, anemia or bleeding problems
*Electrolytes: Looking at levels of Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), and Chloride (Cl-) helps evaluate vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and cardiac function. Normal levels of these electrolytes are vital to your pet's health.
will look for when he or she requests a pre-anesthetic blood screen. It's simply a safer way to send your pet into a general anesthetic procedure. Wouldn't it be better to know about underlying health problems your pet may have than remain in the dark? And the peace of mind normal tests results provide is priceless. Pre-anesthetic blood tests are a vital tool in your vet's arsenal aimed at keeping your pet healthy throughout his or her life.

Ever wonder how veterinarians come up with the fees they charge for their services?

The British Columbia Veterinary Medical Associations (BCVMA) comes out yearly with a suggested fee schedule for veterinarians to follow.
We follow this schedule closely and feel it is a fair reflection of the quality services that we provide at our hospital. You can rest assured that the fees you pay at our hospital are the same as ones paid throughout the rest of the province in similar types of veterinary practices. Due to the ever increasing cost of pet healthcare (just like our own) we strongly recommend that pet owners purchase on of the various pet insurance program available.