Blood Work: A Window into the Body

One of the things that makes Hulen Hills stand out from other vet clinics is our belief that running routine blood work is important. So important, in fact, that we strongly recommend it during annual wellness exams and absolutely require it prior to any surgical procedure.

A blood test reveals to our doctor a window into the body. When our pets get sick, their natural instincts kick in and they do everything they can to hide that they aren’t feeling well. Prior to any anesthetic procedure, our veterinarians will order blood work. Although it adds to the cost of the procedure, the results enable us to understand fully the health status of your pet before anesthetizing him. In some cases, we spot problems that need to be dealt with before going forth with the surgery.

Such is the case with two patients who recently were scheduled for surgery. Blood work revealed that Avery, a 6-month old Labrador who was scheduled to be neutered, was anemic. If our doctor had proceeded to surgery without checking his blood, Avery’s anemic condition would have left him at a heightened risk under anesthesia. Instead, Dr. Dailey postponed Avery’s neuter and went to work to uncover what was causing his lowered red blood count.

Dr. Nigliazzo was preparing to perform an Ovariohysterectomy on a seemingly healthy 5-month old puppy. He was surprised to see the results of the pre-anesthetic blood work, which revealed that this sweet baby had cancer. Although on the surface she appeared healthy, we can only imagine how difficult it would have been for her to endure the surgery that was scheduled and to recover smoothly. We postponed her spay and are now focused on an appropriate treatment plan to help her overcome this disease.

These are two wonderful examples of how routine blood work pays off by allowing our doctors a clear window into the body. It’s just one more step we take to ensure an underlying issue doesn’t jeopardize your pet during routine surgery.

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Barks!

The Grand Pet Resort & Salon is proud to announce our new partnership with Smug Mug, a high-quality digital photo sharing service. Powered by Smug Mug, you will now be able to access photos from The Grand. Just click here to access Smug Mug images.  We will upload new image galleries each week for you to enjoy. The best part is, you can download photos to your computer free of charge or purchase printed copies. Smug Mug offers you a wide-selection of print sizes and gifts, including T-shirts, mugs, mousepads, etc. You can customize any of these products with a special photo of your pet — just in time to buy thoughtful holiday gifts for friends and family!

Giving Back to our Community

At Hulen Hills Animal Hospital, we know that giving back to our community is important. We appreciate all the wonderful work that is done by so many non-profit organizations that work to enrich and better all of our lives. To that end, we are happy to donate free services from Hulen Hills or The Grand Pet Resort and Salon to help raise funds for these important causes. To date, we have participated in fundraising events  for The Lena Pope Home, American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, Fort Worth Opera, LifeLine, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Symphony, Fort Worth Ballet, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, and many more! We look forward to continuing these partnerships in the future. For donation requests, please email KThomason@hulenhills.com.

Our company also supports Canine Companions for Independence, an organization that provides service dogs to people with disabilities. We love dogs, and we especially love dogs who help improve the quality of life of their owners. We stand ready to offer these dogs in training complimentary emergency care, when and if the need should arise.

Stick Trauma

No one knows how it happened, but Little Baby somehow got herself in a big heap of trouble. After disappearing for a week, this stray cat reappeared outside of the house of the nice lady who fed her. But her shocking condition proved that life is dangerous for our homeless friends — she had a large stick protruding out of her back just next to her spine. Luckily for this kitty, the lady who found her is a client at Hulen Hills. She gently scooped Little Baby up and brought her in. After Dr. Hotchkiss performed emergency surgery to extract the stick and repair the extensive damage, our staff offered Little Baby lots of TLC and socialization. We’re happy to report that Little Baby has recovered fully and now has a new, loving home free of sticks and other sharp items (we hope!).

New Technique Stimulates Skin Growth

Annabelle is a very special patient. She came to us quite bruised and battered after being attacked by two dogs that were much bigger than her. Her severe trauma caused extensive tissue damage that required many surgeries and hydrotherapy sessions. It quickly became clear that Annabelle’s wound would take several more weeks or months of healing and that scar tissue would most likely cover a big portion of her backside. To help promote her body’s wound healing capabilities, we decided to utilize a cutting-edge product call ACell Vet patch. The ACell Vet patch is applied to an injury to encourage new blood vessel formation and offer a foundation for the new tissue. The graph allows host cells to attach to it, grow into it, and, eventually, replace it with healthy skin tissue. The results have been astounding. As you can see by the photos, Annabelle’s wound is healing fast and she has plenty of healthy new skin growth. We are excited by the success of this case and by the opportunities that lie ahead to use this technique again to repair and restore damaged or missing tissue on our severe trauma patients.

Caring for Pets During Tough Times.

The economy is in bad shape and may be for months to come. Whether it’s the stock market falling or crazy bail outs, saving money in tough economic times is a challenge. Pet owners also feel the stress of trying to make ends meet and many may be tempted to take shortcuts with their pet’s healthcare. So, when and where can pet owners cut back? 

Studies have repeatedly shown that a large majority of pet owners consider their pets to be family members. We spoil them with birthday parties, presents, toys and treats to keep them happy. But, when money is tight, extra expenses need to go. Sadly, some pet owners choose to avoid veterinary visits as one means to save money.  And believe it or not, others might give up their pets completely.  

Knowing what you can safely do at home to lower your pet’s healthcare costs is a good way to ensure a healthy pet and a healthy wallet. You should also know what to avoid!

First, don’t skimp on wellness or preventive care. Vaccinations and parasite prevention are important parts of maintaining your pet’s health and yours as well. Diseases like rabies and Leptospirosis are zoonotic, meaning they can be spread between animals and people. Similarly, intestinal parasites or even fleas and ticks, are capable of transmitting serious diseases to our families.

Some owners might choose to buy vaccines online or from a pet store. While this idea sounds like a cost-saving measure, there are many risks. It is easy enough to learn how to give a shot, but can you trust that the supplier properly stored the vaccines? Vaccines are delicate biological suspensions and require constant refrigeration to be effective. Some need proper mixing in order to work correctly.  Improper preparation could make the whole process worthless. 

Choosing a lower cost flea product or a “do-it-yourself” dewormer at a general merchandise store is another option a pet owner might investigate to save money. Recently a client told me the guy behind the counter at the Feed Store told her to buy the large breed dose of flea prevention for her dog and to put a couple of drops on her new puppy. I was relieved she didn’t take his advice, as it could have brought on seizures (or worse) in the puppy.

Sadly, according to the Center for Public Integrity, these over-the-counter products are likely responsible for a sharp increase in pet deaths and adverse events in recent years. 

Just a few months ago I had a patient named Ruby that nearly died after her well-intentioned owner gave her “just a dot” of a horse dewormer he already had on hand. In his attempt to save $10, Ruby’s owner spent nearly $4000 for 7-days of hospitalization and life-saving medical treatment. An expensive lesson, for sure.

Pet emergencies shouldn’t be a place for shortcuts either. At Metro West Emergency Veterinary Center, we see many owners who simply use topical antibiotics on bite wounds or lacerations in order to avoid treating the pet when initially injured. But, most of these animals end up coming in with out-of-control infections. We caution owners against bandaging their pets without proper training.  If put on too tight, homemade bandages act like tourniquets, causing swelling of the limb and serious loss of circulation. 

And always check with your veterinarian before giving any over the counter human medication to your pet! Many pet poisonings are caused by human medications, including Tylenol. 

But don’t worry; you can still save on your veterinary bills with a few simple steps at home. 

First, (and this sounds very simple) play with your pet! Veterinary behaviorists all agree that a tired dog is a happy dog and happy dogs don’t tear up furniture or get into trouble.  Since behavior issues are the number one reason for abandoning pets, this fun task might literally save your pet’s life. 

Playing with your pet has health benefits as well. A well-exercised pet is less likely to be overweight and suffer from obesity related problems such as arthritis, certain cancers, or diabetes.

Next, when exercising your pet, use appropriate restraints and confinements. Pets who roam freely are often hit by traffic, get into fights or eat something dangerous.  Emergencies like these can end up hitting your wallet very hard.

Even loving your pet has money saving benefits. Petting and caressing your pet can help find those little lumps and bumps sooner.  This week alone, I found four cancerous tumors just by doing physical examinations. Cancer is very common in our pets and can be very expensive to treat. Earlier detection generally means a better outcome and usually less expensive treatments.

Despite all of these precautions, some pets will just get into trouble or develop a serious disease. Although veterinary medicine is still a bargain compared to other health services, most of us would be hard pressed to pay a big veterinary bill out of pocket. Companies like Pets Best Insurance (www.petsbest.com) offer a variety of insurance plans to assist owners with unexpected costs. But even today only a small percentage of pet owners insure their pets’ health. 

If paying a premium every month isn’t appealing to you, consider investing in a Pet Health Savings Plan. PetVetPro (www.petvetpro.com) helps people save money for potential pet emergencies. Unlike insurance, the money you pay into the program is yours. This allows you the flexibility to use the savings for car repairs, dental work, or whatever – including emergency surgery for your pet!

We all want to keep our furry friends safe and healthy, but it is challenging when just feeding the family stretches your budget. Come on in to Hulen Hills and talk with a veterinarian about your pet’s specific health needs and see what should be addressed immediately and what can wait.

19-Pound Tumor!

Losing weight is usually a good thing. But it’s frightening when it results from the removal of a 19-pound tumor from the abdomen of one of our patients. That’s exactly what happened this week when a patient was referred to us for an ultrasound of the spleen. After a physical exam and a review of the radiographs, Dr. Hotchkiss determined that the patient had a very large mass in the abdomen. As you can see from the photos above, he performed a Splenectomy to remove the spleen and the attached tumor. 

The clinical name for this condition is Hemangiosarcoma (HSA) which is a common tumor of the spleen usually seen in older dogs (8 – 10 years of age). Any large breed dog appears to be at an increased risk, especially German Sheperds, Golden Retrievers, Labradors and Poodles. Symptoms of this condition can be subtle and can include lethargy, weakness, inappetance, or may be more obvious and severe if the mass ruptures and bleeds internally.

In this patient’s case, the treatment plan required a tricky surgical procedure. But we’re happy to report that she has already returned home –19-pounds lighter — to continue her recovery.

Follow Up: After sharing photos of this amazing case with medical vendors and professional colleagues, we received the following email back just a few days later. Although we are thrilled when we get the chance to save a life here in our clinic, we feel just as proud knowing our good work helped to save the life of a dog far away …

Moose (our dog) had surgery this morning. He was diagnosed 3 years ago with Congestive Heart Failure and has been taking meds ever since.  Thanks to a friend’s email about a dog in Fort Worth that had an 18-pound tumor removed, I decided to get a second opinion. Well, the doctors removed a 28-pound tumor this morning from Moose. Always trust you instincts, I did. His heart is in great condition…I’m sure in part due to the meds. He is still not out of the woods, he has 5 days until he can get the “all clear” to come home. Please keep Moose & our kids in your prayers. 

Congrats Grads!

The Canine Obedience Academy wrapped up its latest session of the S.T.A.R. Puppy Class and The Good Citizen Beginner Class. Our puppies learned how to obey basic commands and practiced being S.T.A.R puppies by socializing with other pups and people. The adult class continued these basic lessons and taught the students how to display good manners at home and in the community.

Many of you may already know our Academy Trainer, Kat, as she is a nurse at Hulen Hills Animal Hospital and Metro West Emergency Veterinary Center.  Kat has taught all levels of canine obedience and agility to dogs of every breed type for well over 10 years.  Kat is assisted by Tara, the manager of The Grand Pet Resort & Salon, who brings with her a lot of experience working with dogs in all capacities. Tara takes wonderful care of your pets who visit our resort, and she does the same for our students at The Academy.

Our fall classes begin Wednesday, Sept. 2. Please call Hulen Hills today to sign up your best friend. Classes are filling up fast!

Snake Bite!

Meet Dixie. She’s was one of our first snake bite victims of the season. As you can see from her swollen nose, Dixie suffered a bite after sniffing out a slithering member of one of Texas’ 15 varieties of poisonous snakes. In general, snakes want to be left alone. But when an inquisitive dog comes along, probing every mysterious hole in the ground, sniffing under downed logs, slogging along the riverbank, and digging up leafy patches on the forest floor, they can easily get struck by lightning – of the serpentine kind!

Fortunately, if your dog happens to be bitten by a poisonous snake, the odds are in favor of a complete recovery. The degree of damage inflicted by a venomous snake is determined by the age and species of snake, the intensity and depth of the fang penetration, the amount of venom injected, the location of the bite, and the size of the dog. Just like we did for Dixie, our doctors will implement an aggressive treatment plan that involves I.V. fluids, pain medicines, plasma transfusions, and, in extreme cases, administration of antivenom.

Hulen Hills also offers the Rattlesnake Vaccine, which can help pets stay protected against the most severe of snake bites.

• Rattlesnake bites can destroy skin and muscle, can cause permanent liver, kidney, neurological, and joint damage, and the bites are severely painful. 
• Even when dogs survive, rattlesnake bites to unvaccinated dogs can take months to heal because of the necrosis of the skin and muscle around the bite site. This muscle destruction and neurological damage may never fully heal. 
• The vaccine is designed to simulate the dog’s natural immune system to produce antibodies that can neutralize rattlesnake venom. 
• The vaccine can be used with healthy dogs over 4-months old. It’s especially recommended for dogs that run and romp in the woods out in the country.
• The benefits of the vaccine include reduction in the severity of the bite and a potential reduction of the cost of treatment. 
• If you think your dog could be exposed to rattlesnakes, ask one of our veterinarians about the Rattlesnake Vaccine.  They’ll help you make the right vaccine decision for your pet.

Babies Abound!

The stork has been making frequent visits to Hulen Hills and Metro West Emergency. The happy events began with Dr. Pleimann performing a Cesarian Section and successfully delivering four healthy Yorkie puppies. The proud mom is Daisy who weighed in at 5-pounds! As you can image, her puppies are tiny, but healthy, strong and very hungry.

Next came six puppies –four boys and two girls — born via C-Section. Mom is a long-haired Chihuahua named Baybee. As you can see from the pictures, delivering a litter of puppies or kittens takes a team of people working together. As the doctor removes each puppy from the uterine horn, he or she hands them off to our nurses who stimulate each one to encourage their first breaths. Once the babies are breathing strongly on their own, and once mom has woken up from anesthesia, the happy family is reunited!  It’s always thrilling when we get the chance to bring cute babies like these into the world!

Although some dogs and cats are able to successfully give birth to their babies at home, many others need assistance. Here are some common things that can help pet owners know when it’s time to seek out the help of their veterinarian. We are here 24-hours a day, 7-days a week — when and if you should need us!

• 30-60 minutes of strong contractions occur with no puppy being produced.
• Greater than four hours pass between pups and you know there are more inside.
• She fails to go into labor within 24 hours after her temperature drops below 100.
• She is in obvious extreme pain.
• Greater than 70 days of gestation have passed.