You can never laugh too much

Momma cat and her kittens are thriving and giving us lots of opportunities to laugh daily and that is a good thing on those extra tough days we have had lately as we have said goodbye to too many of our patients, including an unexpected euthanasia of a family's dog while I was writing this. This family has seen personal tragedy lately and the kittens helped a young boy as he said goodbye to his dog.

Though she is very young herself, Momma has been a great mother. She is starting to want to spend more time away from them as they get closer to being weaned. Sometimes, it is easy to forget that she is still a kitten herself and likes to play with us, too. The kittens are providing us with unending entertainment as they learn about the world around them. I'm not sure how it works, but kittens seem to see lots of things to chase and leap at that are invisible to the human eye. They are big into developing their predatory skills right now - watching them get into position to ambush and pounce (mostly unsuccessfully) on each other is hysterical. At times, there is a line of 4 kittens each stalking the kitten which is directly ahead in the line - usually the ambushes fall apart as the kittens are easily distracted by unseen objects that require their immediate attention. In order to boost the kittens' confidence, we act suitably threatened when they puff themselves up and bounce at us sideways while hissing; however, it is very hard not to laugh as they are trying to scare us.

Hoping you are able to find laughter in your life,

Jan Hueben, RVT

I just want to say thank you to all of our wonderful clients who cut us some slack for being a little forgetful once in a while. I had forgotten about a recent urinalysis performed on a patient and recommended the test again. This wonderful client reminded me and forgave me for my forgetfulness knowing how many clients/patients we see every day. In no way does my "mommy brain" (that's what the staff calls it) reflect how much I care about your pets and it's nice to know that the majority of you understand that.
We are all human here and once in a while we forget what day it is or what test we ran a month ago. Thanks to those of you who understand and forgive. We also appreciate how much you keep on top of your pet's medical issues. Your pet's health relies on a cooperative effort between us and it's a huge asset to have clients that are aware of their pet's condition and treatments.
I try to extend the same courtesy to my pediatrician when he doesn't remember every last detail of my most glorious children's happenings. Although the staff here at Trailridge has to take a pop quiz every week...ha ha...or lol, as the youngsters say.

Dr. Maasen

I'm still here! 5/18/10

I had another client say to me today, "I haven't seen you in a while, I thought maybe you left". I'm still here! As things get busier around the clinic, I tend to rely on my great team members, Roxanne and Laci more to take care of you while I take care of things behind the scenes. I am flattered that some of you miss me and I miss you too! I'm usually around someplace, just ask for me and I will pop up and say hi! :)

Alisha

Suffering in Silence

I spoke with a client this morning that has a big problem. Her dog has separation anxiety. She can't stand it when her owner leaves and starts barking and nipping when she goes for her purse. Last night her anxiety worsened with the storm (also a common anxiety problem). The worst part is this poor gal didn't tell us sooner. She's being driven crazy by her dog's crazy behavior, but she's so in love with her pup she wouldn't dare part with her. There are other options! These anxieties are very common and there are lots of treatment and training options available.

So this is a plea to all of our clients. Please tell us if you are having any problems with your pets. If we can't help, I'm sure we know someone who can. There are specialists in many areas of veterinary medicine including behaviorists. Many pets have "issues" just like the rest of us.

Dr. M

May 10, 2010 - Special Delivery

Last Wednesday, the clinic had a visit from the Cat and Kitten Fairy. During the afternoon, someone left a taped-up box in front of the clinic. Luckily, here in the Midwest we are pretty laidback so we did not think to call Homeland Security and just opened the box ourselves and discovered a cat and her 4 kittens. Momma is very young but doing a great job with her kittens. She is a striking tabby as are 3 of her sons. The fourth son is grey with a hint of tabby markings to come. Obviously, momma was someone's pet. She is healthy and sweet and loves our attention. The kittens are about 3 weeks old now and growing quickly. Somehow, during our busy day, we have to find time to go give momma and the babies some cuddling - oh, the sacrifices we have to make sometimes. We are looking forward to the next few weeks - it is very hard to have a bad day when there is a litter of kittens around. Needless to say, the momma cat got a very good Mother's Day gift when someone who decided that they could not keep her was responsible enough to bring her and her babies to a safe place. Stay tuned for regular updates. Gotta go - I'm off to play with the family.

Jan , RVT