Veterinary Care Specialists Assists Local Veterinarians

The medical team members at Veterinary Care Specialists have the experience and training to assist other local veterinarians with their patients who need intensive medical services and post-surgical care .

For the patient who presents to the general practice veterinarian or to the emergency veterinary hospital with a disease or traumatic injury that that may benefit from ongoing intensive care services, Veterinary Care Specialists can provide continuous monitoring, ongoing diagnostic procedures, and ongoing therapy.

With some patients who present to the general or emergency veterinarian, it may not be readily apparent that they are critically ill. Exposure to certain toxic substances, for example, may not produce clinical signs until several hours or several days after the exposure. For these patients, Veterinary Care Specialists can provide critical care treatment services to avoid clinical consequences or to monitor the patient for the earliest signs of toxicity and initiate therapy prior to the development of catastrophic consequences.

Additionally, for high-risk surgical patients, anesthesia can be tailored to minimize detrimental effects. For these patients, Veterinary Care Services can provide the extensive monitoring needed during and after the anesthetic event to identify potential complications of the anesthesia and surgical procedure.

If you are a veterinarian in the community who has a patient in need of more intensive medical or post-surgical services than are available in your office, we at Veterinary Care Specialists are ready to help you. We will work closely with you to coordinate your patient’s referral, provide written reports at admission and discharge, update you regularly on your patient’s status, and coordinate your patient’s discharge back into your care for ongoing follow-up.

Traveling this Summer?

By Air – Many airlines will not ship animals during summer months due to dangers caused by hot weather. Some will only allow dogs to fly in the early morning or in the evening. Check with your airlines for specific rules.

If you do ship a dog, put icepacks or an ice blanket in the dog's crate. (Two-liter soft drink bottles filled with water and frozen work well.) Provide a container of fresh water, as well as a container of frozen water that will thaw over the course of the trip.

By Car – Keep your dog cool in the car by putting icepacks in his crate. Make sure the crate is well ventilated.

Put a sunshade on your car windows.

Bring along fresh water and a bowl, and a tarp or tent so you can set up a shady spot when you stop. Keep a spray bottle filled with water to spritz on your dog to cool him down.

By RV – A dog's safety should not depend on the air conditioning and generator systems in an RV or motor home. These devices can malfunction, with tragic results.

If you leave your dog in an RV with the generator running, check it often or have a neighbor monitor it. Some manufacturers have devices that will notify you if the generator should malfunction.

Never leave an RV or motor home completely shut up, even if the generator and AC are running. Crack a window or door or run the exhaust fan.

Never, ever leave a dog unattended in a vehicle in the summer months. Heatstroke and death can occur within minutes in warm temperatures.

Beach Tips

Make sure your dog has a shady spot to rest in and plenty of fresh water.

Dogs, especially those with short hair, white fur, and pink skin, can sunburn. Limit your dog's exposure during the day and apply sunblock to his ears and nose 30 minutes before going outside.

Check with a lifeguard for daily water conditions. Dogs are easy targets for sea lice and jellyfish.

Running on the sand is strenuous exercise. A dog that is out of shape can easily pull a tendon or ligament, so keep a check on your dog's activity.

Do not let your dog drink seawater; the salt will make him sick.

Salt and other minerals in ocean water can damage your dog's coat, so rinse him off at the end of the day.

Not all beaches permit dogs; check local ordinances before heading out.

Heat Hazards

Hot weather can make us all uncomfortable, and it poses special risks for your dog. Keep the following safety concerns in mind as the temperature rises, and follow our tips to keep your dog cool.

If your dog is outside on a hot day, make sure he has a shady spot to rest in. Doghouses are not good shelter during the summer as they can trap heat. You may want to fill a child's wading pool with fresh water for your dog to cool off in.

Never leave your dog in a closed vehicle on a hot day. The temperature inside a car can rise to over 100 degrees in a matter of minutes.

Always provide plenty of cool, fresh water.

Avoid strenuous exercise on extremely hot days. Take walks in the early mornings or evenings, when the sun's heat is less intense.

Try to avoid prolonged exposure to hot asphalt or sand, which can burn your dog's paws.

Dogs that are brachycephalic (short-faced), such as Bulldogs, Boxers, Japanese Chins, and Pekingese, have an especially hard time in the heat because they do not pant as efficiently as longer-faced dogs. Keep your brachycephalic dog inside with air-conditioning.

Is it okay for my pet to lick the incision?

•    If a dog licks his incision it will actually delay the healing process because they usually lick too much and traumatize the area. 
•    Licking can remove stitches and cause the incision to open 
•    Licking can become a severe habit that is difficult to break 
•    Licking can cause infection as the mouth has many bacteria 
•    Dogs will frequently lick the incision when the owner is not watching such as at night time; if the skin looks red or excoriated the most common cause is from licking. 
•    To stop your pet from licking the following can be tried:

• Elizabethan collar can be placed on the neck; this will not help stop your pet from scratching at the region
• Cervical collar (bite not collar) is a less awkward device and can be effective at stopping a pet from licking the surgical site
• If the incision is over the chest a tee shirt can be put on your pet and the waist of the shirt fastened in place with an ace bandage or duct tape.
• If the incision is over the paw or lower limb a bandage or sock could be put on and kept up with tape.
• Bitter apple can be applied around the incision; many dogs will continue to lick  after application of this topical
• Bitter Apple can be applied next to the incision

How do I know that my cat is in pain following surgery?

•    Pain is more difficult to assess in cats versus dogs as signs can be more subtle and they usually do not vocalize 
•    Signs of pain in a cat include the following:

• biting if you get near the surgical site
• growling or deep cry
• not wanting to eat
• hiding and not wanting to be near owner (remember that this could also be caused by the cat just being upset about leaving home and coming back)

What can be done for pain at home for my cat?

•    Pain medication such as buprenorphine or a Duragesic (fentanyl) patch 
•    Tylenol will kill a cat as they lack abundant glutathione enzyme in the liver 
•    Anti-inflammatories can be used, but the dose is much less than dogs and they should be given only for a few days.  Discuss the use of any Anti-inflammatory drugs with your doctor prior to use.

How do I know that my dog is in pain following surgery?

Signs of pain include

• crying
• biting if you get near the surgical site
• grimacing (lips are pulled back and the the dog looks anxious)
• tragic look of the face
• restlessness and not wanting to sleep; pacing
• if abdominal surgery was done the pet will not lie down on the incision, or will continually sit up in spite of appearing very tired
• the worst pain will be for the first 2 to 3 days after surgery