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Consider the Source
Yoda's Advice to the Unknowing
Dear Yoda,
Are you going to work at the new veterinary clinic in
Gibson's?
Nelly Furcato
Dear Miss Furcato.
I was offered a position as Chief Goodwill Ambassador
with a 2 treat/hr raise, but I felt it was my duty
to stay at Eagle Ridge and supervise the staff to
make sure they maintain the same level of compassionate
care. You know the saying “when the cats away…
Dear Yoda,
Is it true that if you eat fleas you can get worms
from them or is it an old veterinarians tale?
Doubting Tom
Sorry Tom,
Its actually true—pets can get worms by grooming
themselves when they have fleas. Worms make your coat
look bad, make you vomit and can give you diarrhea.
Don’t worry though, my people can hook you up
with a number of safe, effective products to comfortably
kill and prevent Fleas. Here’s a little song
I created to help you remember not to eat your fleas
“ Eat eat eat
your fleas
They’re yummy
and they’re fun
If you eat enough
of them
You’ll
get worms in your bum”
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Your
Eagle Ridge Veterinary Hospital Healthcare Team
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"Yoda"
the Cat
Dr. Don French
Dr. Shelley Murray
Tamara Cox
Ramona Doucet
Darla Messner
Jaime Dragan
Kristy Hemstalk
Paige Ryan
Dominique O'Brien
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Goodwill Ambassador
Veterinarian/Owner
Veterinarian
Reg. Animal Technologist
Reg. Animal Technologist
Veterinary Receptionist
Veterinary Recept/Assist.
Veterinary Assistant
Veterinary Assistant
Veterinary Assistant
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FIV Vaccine
NOW
AVAILABLE!
Feline AIDS is caused by infection with Feline
Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) This is transmitted
between cats by biting and is present on the Sunshine
Coast. This virus is not infectious to people
or dogs.
FIV infection interferes with the cats’
immune system and stays with the cat for life.
An infected cat may appear to be healthy for as
long as six years or more before showing any signs
of ill health.
Signs caused by the virus are wide ranging but
can include weight loss, mouth ulcers, recurrent
infections and the virus can cause some cancers
in cats. There is at present no cure for FIV infection.
A vaccine is now available to greatly reduce
the risk from this virus. The primary course is
a set of three injections at 2-3 week intervals,
followed by single injections yearly. We usually
recommend a blood test prior to the vaccination
because current tests cannot tell the difference
between an FIV positive cat and a vaccinated cat.
1) Does your cat ever
go outside?
2) Has your cat ever
escaped out of the house?
3) Does your cat ever
come into contact with outdoor cats?
4) Does your cat ever
get into fights with other cats?
5) Has your cat ever
been treated for a bite wound?
6) Do you have a multi
cat household?
7) Are stray cats ever
brought into your household?
8) Do you ever board
your cat?
9) Does your cat ever
travel with you?
10) Is your cat vaccinated
against feline leukemia?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions
your cat may be at risk– please contact our
office with any questions or concerns
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SANDCASTLE
CHAMPIONS!
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On Sunday,
July 18, Dr. Murray, Tamara, Jaime, and Katrina
entered the Davis Bay Sandcastle competition.
They won first prize in the group section with
a stunning rendition of Yoda eating stolen cat
food (I wonder where they found the inspiration
for their work?).
Congratulations!
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Who’s who in the zoo…
Ramona Doucet, RAHT
was born in Edmonton but grew up mainly in Fraser Lake, B.C.
She attended college in Pasadena, CA, where she met her husband
Steve. After living in California and Indiana for 22 years,
they and their two children, Matthew and Sharon, moved to
the Sunshine Coast to be near Ramona’s parents who live
in Sechelt. The Doucett household consists of four people,
four dogs, four horses and thirty odd chickens. During her
leisure hours Ramona loves to trail ride, hike and play board
games.
Welcome to the Family, Ramona!
Visit
us in Gibsons
"The Landing Veterinary Clinic"
(604) 886-8511
in Kerns Plaza
Your dog or cat might require a buster collar
after surgery to prevent them from licking or chewing at their
incision
If they do lick or chew this will cause an
infection to start.
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The Eagle Has Landed
Last year,
we conducted a survey of randomly selected clients and many
of you told us we needed more convenient service for our
Gibsons patients. We listened and I am proud to announce
the opening of our new satellite clinic in Gibsons, The
Landing Veterinary Clinic.
The Landing Veterinary
Clinic offers diagnostic consultations, vaccinations, pharmacy
services, minor treatments, laboratory tests, blood collection,
diagnostic panels and monitoring (using our IDEXX blood
analyzer at Eagle Ridge). Our new facility also has a full
range of flea and tick products, high quality diets, prescription
diets and superior pet care products.
Our new clinic is staffed
by the same caring and knowledgeable people that you’ve
grown to depend on at Eagle Ridge. Both Veterinarians and
support staff are rotating between the two facilities so
you will have the warm, compassionate care we pride ourselves
on. We have recently added to our team with people we feel
will enhance our hospital’s philosophy.
This has been an exciting
time for everyone here, from developing the initial concept,
to design, construction and opening a contemporary clinic.
The new clinic opened May 17, 2004 and we have enjoyed a
warm reception from many pet owners in the area (and experienced
patients who relish a new supply of liver treats).
I would like to thank
all our clients for your loyalty and referrals over the
years. Without your continued support, our growth would
not have been possible. I also want to assure our Eagle
Ridge clients that we are committed to providing you the
quality care for your pets that you have come to expect
from us.
If you or your friends
(furry or otherwise) are in need of veterinary care, please
call our office and speak to one of our friendly staff—we
would be happy to accommodate you. (604) 886-8511
Don French DVM
Are
You My Type?
In the corner, draped leisurely
across the top of the scratching post, is our world
famous clinic cat, Yoda. His jobs are many and varied:
Quality Control Supervisor for the Medi-Cal sample
bags, Chief Reception and Telephone Supervisor,
and Good Will Ambassador. One of Yoda’s lesser-known
but vital functions in the clinic is to be our resident
feline blood donor. In this way, Yoda has been instrumental
in saving the lives of 4 cats over the past 5 years.
Cats have 2 blood
groups, not quite the same as people’s, but called
A and B anyway. Most cats (more than 97% in North
America) including Yoda are Type A blood; a small
number of cats are Type B blood, and very rarely a
cat may have Type AB blood. Cats, like people, and
unlike dogs, usually have antibodies against the other
blood type – so you can’t give Type A blood
to a Type B cat. Fortunately, we have commercial kits
for typing kitty blood in a matter of minutes.
After we have
blood-typed our recipient to make sure he is a Type
A, we need to collect some red stuff from Yoda –
we weigh and examine him to make sure he’s perfectly
healthy. Yoda is given a sedative so he’s very
relaxed, and we draw some blood into syringes, which
contain anticoagulant. A safe amount of blood to donate
for our 7 kg donor is up to 60 cc (1/4 cup), which
is about one legful.
The recipient
kitty (who does not normally need to be sedated) is
given the donated blood into an intravenous catheter
in a front leg, through a special blood filter, which
removes any tiny little clots that might have formed.
They are watched very closely; the transfusion is
given over a period of 20-40 minutes, depending on
amount. The patient usually feels better very quickly.
When Yoda is completely
awake and yowling for food (it’s hard to keep
Yoda’s mind off his stomach) he gets extra cuddles
and extra dinner (he manages to get these much more
often than he gives blood). Throughout the year we
make sure he’s healthy by keeping him indoors,
fully vaccinated, deflea’d, dewormed, and we
try to keep his diet and his weight sensible –
difficult, when he’s the Sample Bag Thief…
So next time
you see a shaved patch on Yoda’s bib, be as proud
of him as we are – he’s just saved someone’s
life!
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WHEN YOU’RE
ITCHY AND YOU KNOW IT…
Why is my dog scratching? This is
a question that we deal with on a daily basis.
If your pet is suddenly starts scratching excessively, if
when you comb them there’s little black specks (which
is flea dirt/feces) throughout their fur or if you see fleas
on them or on yourself - they have an flea infestation;
the most common reason for excessive scratching .
The products we have found best
suited to eliminate adult fleas are REVOLUTION, ADVANTAGE
or CAPSTAR. Revolution and Advantage both kill adult fleas,
applied the same way (an application on the back of the
neck) and lasts for a whole month. But Revolution does more:
it prevents flea eggs and larvae from hatching, deworms
against some intestinal parasites, treats ear mites, certain
species of ticks, sarcoptic mange and heartworm. Capstar
kills only adult fleas, its in pill-form, can be given once
a day until all the fleas are gone and is usually used along
with Program.
Once you get the flea population
under control its best to put your pet on a flea prevention
such as PROGRAM and keep them on it year round (as there
is no end to the flea season on the coast). This “birth
control for fleas” will basically prevent the fleas
from reproducing thus wiping out the population in your
home and your pets’ environment.
It’s less traumatic for your
pet and more economical to prevent the fleas rather than
treat an outbreak. Some animals are very sensitive to fleabites
and can cause a lot of damage to themselves by chewing to
the point of breaking the skin causing an infection. This
requires trip to the veterinarian and often antibiotics.
There is also another parasite that comes with having a
flea infestation – as you pet grooms it will swallow
fleas that could be carrying a tapeworm cyst. So your pet
should be dewormed on a regular basis with Drontal, (available
over the counter). 
Please do not hesitate to call us
or drop by if you have any questions regarding your pet’s
flea issues and protect your animal from these critters
year round.
Please refer to www.sunshinecoastvet.com for more information.
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