Tis the Season

We went home this weekend for the Maasen family Christmas which is essentially a family reunion that we usually have in December, but due to inclement weather was postponed.  While there our dog, Riggs, had a run in with the neighbor dog.  I'd like to say that he was an innocent victim, but he sure wasn't backing down.  Luckily neither dog nor human was seriously injured. Since being back in the office today I have seen two more dogs that have been in dog fights.  This is unfortunately a big problem this time of year most likely increased by our more frequent outings with good weather. 
So just in case your dog is in a fight I want to give you some ways to break it up without getting hurt.  Start with a lot of noise such as clapping and yelling, try kicking dirt in their direction or throwing a handful of grass and if possible a water hose is a great way to distract them.  In the case of Riggs, I happened to use gin slush and the cup that previously held my tastee treat.  Happy Holidays.
Dr. Maasen

Joy and Sorrow

Last week we had a day of joy and sorrow.  Some of you may know that we have a few pets that are up for adoption.  Two of those pets found forever homes last week.  It is so wonderful to be able to place a dog or cat in a home where they will give and experience love.  Unfortunately on the same day we also had to say goodbye to an older patient.  These times are always sad, but we have a sense of duty to help these pets be relieved of pain and help their owners through this time of grief. 
All I can say is, it was quite a day!

Dr Maasen

Spring Is Here

Spring brings April showers of rain...and showers of puppies and kittens.  Let's face it, puppies and kittens are "the bomb", but there can be too much of a good thing if people aren't breeding pets conscientiously.  We recently had a beautiful puppy relinquished to our hospital because the owner was unable to care for it properly.  She was purchased at a pet store.  Unfortunately many pet stores don't help new owners with selecting the right pet for that person's situation and many of those pets are not a right fit for the family.  Don't forget they are in the sales business and some are not going to take the time to match the perfect pet with the right family.  We are also aware that there is litigation pending against a pet store in town for purchasing puppies from puppy mills.  Luckily in the situation mentioned above, the puppy has now found a forever home and is doing well. 
It is very important to chose the pet that is right for you and your family.  Feel free to call us for help in the selection process.  It is also critical to spay and neuter our pets to control overpopulation and avoid unnecessary euthanasia.

Dr. Maasen

Hello from Alisha!

Hello to all of you Trailridgers out there! It is truly surreal for me to believe that I have been gone for almost 6 months now. Seems like just yesterday I was saying goodbye. I am loving Los Angeles and the gorgeous weather and variety in culture the city offers. I followed my dreams of becoming a web designer/marketer and now I am designing an ad for the New York Times. I feel fortunate and grateful every day. Even though I have started a new life, my old life as a receptionist at the clinic is always a click or phone call away.

Along with near daily updates on how you all are doing from my old co-workers, I also have the privilege of keeping the Trailridge website up to date and writing the monthly newsletters. This gives me a chance to see pictures and hear stories that have been shared (so keep them coming… not just to share with the world, but to share with me too!) My current day-to-day job leaves me a bit disconnected with the world, which is quite a change from working at the hospital. In fact, I have weeks that go by without an emotional breakdown, (I thought this was a good thing). What I forgot was how much love I felt before feeling that pain, a sequence of emotions familiar to all pet owners. I was reminded recently of these emotions when posting an obituary on the site for one of my favorite Trailridge visitors. As I began to type out his beautifully written obituary, tears came streaming down my face. I began to really sob. You know that kind of crying that makes your belly hurt? That was me, sitting at my laptop, looking at this happy faced brindle boxer in the picture that accompanied the obit. I wished I had been there for the owners and for this dog during his last moments. I guess in the midst of everything, you do tend forget just how attached you become from the other side of the reception counter. Even 1,600 miles away, I love and care for you all whole heartedly. Each of you and your pets changed who I am forever. For that, I wanted to say Thank You. The memories we shared and your willingness to continue to share with me is invaluable.

~Alisha Ahern

TPH receptionist 2006-2010

Never had a good chance

We had a 10 week old Boxer puppy come in on Monday that was very sick.  Labwork indicated a viral infection and by Tuesday, he had all the classic symptoms of parvo virus - something that we fortunately don't see too often anymore.  He was part of a litter of 4 puppies and the only one that was sick.  The owners - who have both the father and mother - had vaccinated the adults but had not had any of the puppies vaccinated.  The only way to treat dogs with parvo is supportive care and pretty much hope they can fight off the virus and recover.  Unfortunately, this morning he had gotten much worse and so we euthanized him.  It is particularly hard to euthanize a pet that has an illness that can be prevented with vaccinations.  All of us who were involved in his treatment will be haunted by his sweet face for quite a while.  Puppy and kitten vaccinations and boosters beginning around 6 weeks are extremely important due to the way their immune systems develop. The antibodies they receive from the mother protect them beginning at birth but these decrease over the next few weeks and the puppy and kitten need to develop their own antibodies through vaccinations.  Because it is not known how long the maternal antibodies will interfere with the vaccinations, we give a series of vaccinations for up to 16 weeks of age.  The owners have let us know today that 2 of the 3 surviving puppies now are showing symptoms of parvo.  Situations like this are heartwrenching for us and it is a sad day.
Jan Hueben, RVT

I'm Allergic to Cats

True story...I was just tested for allergies and it turns out I'm allergic to cats and highly sensitive to dogs.  I must say I laughed out loud in the doctor's office.  I thought some of you and/or your furry friends would get a kick out of that.  Make sure you tell your pets that the doctor will now be getting shots too. 
Dr. Maasen