Friday, August 1, 2014
Welcome Dr. Kate Onasch!
Welcome Dr. Kate Onasch! Dr. Kate started with us on July 21st! Dr. Onasch is a graduate of Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating from Veterinary School, Dr. Onasch completed a prestigious one year internship at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, KY. Dr. Onasch practices all aspects of equine medicine including lameness, reproduction, internal medicine, and preventative medicine. She will be taking over the large animal practice at Town and Country and also doing Small Animal preventative medicine and surgery with Dr. Ayres. Outside of work Dr. Onasch enjoys riding, hiking, fishing, and spending time with her dog, Jake. We are so happy to have Dr. Onasch on our team!
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Caring for pets during emergencies
Nothing says it better than the horror story from Hurricane Floyd:
A man was leaving his flooded home when he noticed a neighbor’s dogs swimming
in circles around the yard. Wondering why the dogs didn’t simply swim to
safety, the man swam over to investigate. To his horror, he found that the dogs
had been left chained to a stake in the yard and were swimming frantically just
to stay alive. He was able to rescue the dogs, but stories such as this
pointedly demonstrate the need for to you to have a good action plan in place
in case a natural disaster strikes your home. In this case, the dogs’ owner
most likely had been told to leave everything behind and flee as quickly as
possible. Unfortunately, his dogs nearly lost their lives as a result.
In the event of an emergency, your life and your family’s lives
are the first you should be concerned with. You should only look to save your
animals once you are sure you and your family will be safe. But once you are
safe, you most likely will want to ensure the safety of your pets. Are you
prepared?
Consider your location
First things first. You can only be prepared with a plan of action
if you know what you’re planning for, so take some time to think about the area
you live in. Some areas are naturally prone to certain disasters California
If You Leave, They Leave
In the event that you have to leave your home, take your pets with
you. If it isn’t safe for you to be there, it isn’t safe for them either. Too
often people rationalize that their pets’ instincts will kick in, and they’ll
be okay. Even if your cat, who has spent the last six years of his life hunting
only the fake mice you pull around on a string for him, does have the instincts
to survive, it doesn’t mean that the conditions are survivable. No drinkable
water for you means no drinkable water for him too. Of course, you have to have
somewhere to take your four-legged friends--Red Cross disaster shelters cannot
accept pets. Make a list of all the places with in a 100-mile radius of your
home where you might be able to take your pet if the need arises, include
boarding facilities, veterinarians with boarding capabilities, hotels that will
accept pets (ask if they’ll allow pets during a disaster situation), and animal
shelters. (Use animal shelters only as a last resort, as they will be
overburdened with other animals whose owners did not plan for them). Also, you
need to gather your critters inside the house as soon as you are aware that you
may have to leave, so that you can easily get them when it’s time to go. Then,
when you do leave, make sure you have your little friends under firm control--even
the best behaved dog can become scared during an emergency, making his behavior
less than predictable.
Be prepared
Like a Boy Scout, you should always be prepared. This means having
a disaster kit in your home as well as a smaller version in the trunk of your
car if your pet routinely rides with you. Make sure that your pet’s kit is
contained in something that is easy to pick up quickly and take out the door
with you. You should replace this food and water every six months and rethink
your pet’s needs for the kit once a year to make sure that the supplies meet
your current needs the same collar that fits your new kitten is not likely to
fit him a year later.
The kit should include a week’s supply of food and water in
nonbreakable, airtight containers to ensure safety and freshness. If you pack
canned food you’ll want to make sure you have a hand-held can opener too. And
don’t forget a plastic dish that can double as a food and water dish. An extra
collar and leash are also important things to have in your kit. You should also
have a portable kennel for each of your critters handy. The San Francisco
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says that the official Red
Cross policy is that there are no animals allowed in emergency shelters, but
they have been known to make exceptions if the animal is securely confined.
Pets such as birds will obviously have to have a carrier of some sort as they
cannot be leashed. You will want to make certain that you have a well-stocked
first-aid kit for your pet that includes tweezers, gauze bandages, first aid
cream, antiseptic spray, and hydrogen peroxide. Ask your veterinarian about
storing any medications that your pet may need to take regularly.
All the right papers
Many people have their home telephone numbers on their pets’ ID
tags. You may want to have an extra set of tags made that list the number of a
friend or family member outside the area so that if your phone lines are down,
or you’ve been evacuated, your pets can still make it back to you. Another option
is to simply include an out-of-area number on your pets’ everyday tag, which
can be useful if you’re away on vacation too. And many people don’t have tags
for their cats at all, even though they should. According to the 1996 National
Council on Pet Population Study, out of one million dogs and 580,000 cats that
were taken in as strays, only 17 percent of the dogs and two percent of the
cats made it back to their owners. The American Humane Association strongly
believes that tags are your pets’ ticket home. You may also want to consider
having your pet microchipped or tattooed. And finally, don’t forget the
paperwork. Have a copy of your pet’s recent vaccination records in your
kit--some boarding facilities may require them before they will take your pet in.
A recent picture of your pet may also come in handy if you should become
separated and need to make "Lost" posters. Hopefully you won’t ever
have to put them up, and hopefully you’ll never have to use your disaster plan.
But if you do ever need it, you’ll be very thankful that you were prepared; it
could make a trying time a bit easier for you and your faithful companion.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Pet Appreciation Week
We’re
sure your pet means the world to you.
During this Pet Appreciation Week, take time to celebrate your pet and
THANK them for all that they do for you and your family.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Disaster Preparedness Tips
You may have heard about, if you were not part of, the
natural disasters that have happened around the world. One thing we know for sure is that hey can happen at any moment, so it is important to be well
prepared.
Emergencies come in many forms, and they may require
anything from a brief absence from your home to permanent evacuation. Each type
of disaster requires different measures to keep your pets safe. The best thing
you can do for yourself and your pets is to be prepared.
Here are 3 easy steps that will help you get started on
disaster preparedness.
Step 1: Get a Rescue Alert Sticker to let people know pets
are inside your home.
Step 2: Arrange a Safe Haven in the event of evacuation.
Step 3: Keep an Emergency Supplies and Traveling Kits handy
and make sure everyone in your home knows where it is kept.
Monday, April 28, 2014
2015 National pet Week Creative Writing Contest
The
Auxiliary to the American Veterinary Medical Association (Auxiliary to the
AVMA) is pleased to announce their annual creative writing contest. This contest
will be for the 2015 National Pet Week theme, “Adopt a Pet – A Promise of
Love.”
The
creative writing entry should center around the NPW theme, should include the
NPW theme in the writing, may be a story, essay, or poem, must be no less than
20 words and no more than 200 words in length, must be the writer’s original work,
and must be previously unpublished. An
adult may help type the entry but may not change the content or style. The creative writing contest is open to
students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade. All entries must be accompanied by an entry
form which has all pertinent information filled in.
To
obtain an entry form and ask questions, contact the Auxiliary to the AVMA
office, Mary Ellen Bowgren, at mbowgren@avma.org
or call 1.847.285.6747.
Send
the creative writing entry with the entry form:
By
email (the entry form and writing should be in the body of the email and not as
an attachment) to mbowgren@avma.org. The date of the email transmission shall be
considered the postmark date.
By mail (the entry form should be attached to the rear of
the creative writing in some way) to:
NPW
Creative Writing Contest
Auxiliary
to the AVMA
1931
N. Meacham Road Suite 100
Schaumburg,
IL 60173
The
national winner will receive a $100.00 cash award. Judging will be based on
originality, content, and the use of the National Pet Week theme. Immediate or extended family members of the
judges will not be eligible to participate.
Submission
of a creative writing entry and entry form entitles the Auxiliary to the AVMA
to publish and promote the writing in their projects, promotions or
publications. Entries will not be returned and become the property of the Auxiliary
to the AVMA.
Send
the creative writing entry with the entry form:
By
email (the entry form and writing should be in the body of the email and not as
an attachment) to mbowgren@avma.org. The date of the email transmission shall be
considered the postmark date.
By mail (the entry form should be attached to the rear of
the creative writing in some way) to:
NPW
Creative Writing Contest
Auxiliary
to the AVMA
1931
N. Meacham Road Suite 100
E-mail
questions to mbowgren@avma.org or call
1.847.285.6747.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Welcome Dr. Kate Onasch
We would like to welcome Dr. Kate Onasch to our team. She will be starting late June, early
July. Dr. Onasch is a graduate of Ohio
State University College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2013. After graduating from Veterinary School, Dr.
Onasch completed a prestigious one year internship at Hagyard Equine Medical
Institute in Lexington, KY. Dr. Onasch
practices all aspects of equine medicine including lameness, reproduction,
internal medicine, and preventative medicine.
She will be taking over the large animal practice at Town and Country
and also doing Small Animal preventative medicine and surgery with Dr. Ayres.
Outside of work Dr. Onasch enjoys riding, hiking, fishing, and spending time
with her dog, Jake.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
We are Accredited by (American Animal Hospital Association) AAHA
Town & Country Animal Clinic is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). AAHA is the only organization that accredits veterinary hospitals, both general and specialty practices. Our clinic has been evaluated against a pool of approximately 900 standards that represent best practices in veterinary care and hospital management. Pet owners can feel reassured about the care their pets receive at our facility, because we are AAHA accredited. There is a saying among business leaders: Good management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things. Accreditation assures you that we are doing both!
In the United States, all hospitals that serve people with Medicare must be accredited through an accrediting body, that is, they must undergo regular reviews and quality checks to ensure they meet standards of quality for every aspect of medical care. You might be surprised to learn that the same is not true for veterinary hospitals. When it comes to pet health care, accreditation is voluntary. In fact, only about 12% of veterinary hospitals (also called clinics or practices) are accredited.
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is the only organization that accredits veterinary hospitals — both general and specialty practices — in the United States and Canada. Practices are evaluated against a pool of approximately 900 standards that represent best practices in veterinary care and hospital management. A national task force of veterinary professionals created and continually updates the standards to reflect the latest developments and improvements in patient care, surgery, medical records, cleanliness, staff safety, leadership, and a host of other areas essential to excellent patient care. After applying to become accredited, a veterinary practice usually spends several weeks or months examining and fine-tuning its systems, processes, and protocols (procedures) to be sure every aspect meets AAHA’s standards of quality.
Often the whole practice team becomes involved, which builds collaboration across the entire clinic — an important factor in quality pet care. When the practice is ready, AAHA sends consultants — trained professionals with veterinary backgrounds — to conduct an on-site evaluation. Practices are awarded points for each standard they meet, and they must amass a certain score in order to pass the evaluation. Accreditation is by no means guaranteed, and practices that pass evaluations often host parties for staff and clients to celebrate achieving the milestone.
To maintain accredited status, clinics must be re-evaluated every three years. This ensures that every AAHA-accredited practice represents the most current thinking about what constitutes the best health and medical care for pets. Pet owners can feel reassured about the care their pets receive at AAHA-accredited hospitals. There is a saying among business leaders: Good management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things. Accreditation assures you that your veterinarian does both.
Source: http://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/about_aaha/why_accreditation_matters/about_accreditation/how_the_accreditation_evaluation_works.aspx
In the United States, all hospitals that serve people with Medicare must be accredited through an accrediting body, that is, they must undergo regular reviews and quality checks to ensure they meet standards of quality for every aspect of medical care. You might be surprised to learn that the same is not true for veterinary hospitals. When it comes to pet health care, accreditation is voluntary. In fact, only about 12% of veterinary hospitals (also called clinics or practices) are accredited.
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is the only organization that accredits veterinary hospitals — both general and specialty practices — in the United States and Canada. Practices are evaluated against a pool of approximately 900 standards that represent best practices in veterinary care and hospital management. A national task force of veterinary professionals created and continually updates the standards to reflect the latest developments and improvements in patient care, surgery, medical records, cleanliness, staff safety, leadership, and a host of other areas essential to excellent patient care. After applying to become accredited, a veterinary practice usually spends several weeks or months examining and fine-tuning its systems, processes, and protocols (procedures) to be sure every aspect meets AAHA’s standards of quality.
Often the whole practice team becomes involved, which builds collaboration across the entire clinic — an important factor in quality pet care. When the practice is ready, AAHA sends consultants — trained professionals with veterinary backgrounds — to conduct an on-site evaluation. Practices are awarded points for each standard they meet, and they must amass a certain score in order to pass the evaluation. Accreditation is by no means guaranteed, and practices that pass evaluations often host parties for staff and clients to celebrate achieving the milestone.
To maintain accredited status, clinics must be re-evaluated every three years. This ensures that every AAHA-accredited practice represents the most current thinking about what constitutes the best health and medical care for pets. Pet owners can feel reassured about the care their pets receive at AAHA-accredited hospitals. There is a saying among business leaders: Good management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things. Accreditation assures you that your veterinarian does both.
Source: http://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/about_aaha/why_accreditation_matters/about_accreditation/how_the_accreditation_evaluation_works.aspx
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