Greenbriar Animal Hospital

In May, we closed down the hospital one Friday

and Dr. Olson took most of the staff to a veterinary conference (the CVC) in National Harbor. We had fun and ended up with lots of new information and products. We’ve made changes since the CVC! One of these is that we now use a local anesthetic block for all our spays and neuters (in addition to general anesthesia and regular pain meds). Our long-lasting local numbs the skin and deeper tissues. It takes hours to wear off, so when your pet wakes up, the surgery site is pain-free and they are SO much more comfortable! Our patients are happily running around a very short time after their surgery is completed. We’ll never do surgery again without this procedure!

This time of year anyone can have a brush with wildlife.

Birds, mammals, and more – they are all out there! If you find an injured/possibly abandoned wild animal or bird, please do not pick it up and take it home. It may be fine if left alone! For more information, go to:

www.humanesociety.org/animals/wild_neighbors/

Or www.wildliferescueleague.org

Wild critters are not pets. Many carry diseases, parasites, and more. Only trained and licensed wildlife rehabilitators are allowed to care for wild critters, so please do not try to care for them yourself! It is illegal and harmful to the critter.

Could your senior pet have ‘Furry Alzheimer’s’?

Signs of senility include restless wandering, seeming lost even in their own home, and (often intermittent) stool and/or urine accidents. Some pets also develop poor eating habits and can be variably grumpy for no reason, or be much more vocal (you can hear him/her crying for no reason, especially during the night). Senilife is a new special vitamin supplement developed to help combat senility in our senior pets. A 30-day regime is enough to see significant response in many pets.

Dr. O wishes we had Senilife in 2009 when Molly (at right, photo by Rachel Olson) began developing her senility! Rest In Peace, Molly (1993 – 2/28/2011). We really miss you, Mol!

Going green = doing what’s best for the environment,

which in Dr. Olson’s opinion includes avoiding prescription drugs when other treatments are available, or at least minimizing the drugs we use. Drugs definitely have their place, but many pets can really benefit from nutritional support, special supplements, enzymes, and pheromones, too. Some of the drug-free products we carry and recommend include Zymox, Vetericyn, Fortiflora, Osteo-3, DAP, Senilife, Feliway, Joint Care Gel, and more. There are many drug-free treatments that may help; ask us if there are any that we would recommend for your pet.

Do Thunderstorms And/or Fireworks upset your dog?

What about car rides, groomer visits, the kennel, or the vets office? Without giving drugs or just toughing it out, what can you do? Use DAP. This is ‘Dog Appeasing Pheromone’ - it was developed from lactating dogs (mama’s comfort!). It is odorless to humans and cats. DAP can also help with separation anxiety, dogs that get scared or aggressive out walking (when they see other dogs or children, for example), and lots more. DAP is available in a plug-in diffuser, diffuser refills, and spray. Ask us about which DAP products could help your dog, and how to use them! Feliway is a similar product for cats – it can really help lessen stress and decrease behavior problems, too.

Probiotics can help your pet’s health in many ways.

They help digestive issues like recurring diarrhea, gas, and intermittent vomiting. These products have ALSO been shown to help many pets with allergies, recurring skin and ear infections, stress due to boarding and/or owner vacations, and more! They are 100% guaranteed so if your pet won’t eat the probiotic or you give it for 30 days and it doesn’t help, you’ll get your money back. Try some probiotic Fortiflora for your pet and see how much it helps!

No time to Brush your pet’s teeth? Try Brushless care!

Do you struggle with your pet’s teeth and gum care, or not do much about it and wish you could? Brushing daily is the best thing for your pet. But if, like most people, you can’t do this, try our Brushless Oral Care Products (we have several to choose from)! NOTE: Some pets really do need to have their teeth cleaned before any products can really do their job.

Please do not be taken in by groomers who do “Teeth Cleaning”! Non-veterinarians who do teeth cleaning are “Practicing Veterinary Medicine Without a License”. It is dangerous and it is illegal in every single state in the USA and Canada. For details, read “Companion Animal Dental Scaling Without Anesthesia” at http://www.avdc.org/statements.html.

Did you know? Little known Facts From Dr. O:

(with the help of baby Madison, at 9 weeks of age – photo by Dr. Olson)

Canned or wet food is MUCH lower in calories than any dry food. It’s yummy, too (Madison’s opinion)! For a quick-start diet, feed only wet food for 30 days. For cats, make sure your cat likes the wet food (cats can make themselves ill by not eating if you give them something they don’t like). For all pets, do a gradual food change over 7 to 14 days. Ask us for specific diet tips and recommendations!

In the USA, cats are much more likely to get Rabies than dogs (even indoor cats can interact with rabid bats that find their way indoors). We have had 2 Rabies positive skunks in our neighborhood recently. Check your pet’s Rabies vaccine dates, and get a booster if needed. Call us if you have any questions about Rabies vaccinations and your pet!

If your pet gets into tar, bubblegum, or pine pitch, use mineral oil to soften and dissolve the sticky stuff (wear gloves and massage very well for 15 to 20 minutes), then use Dawn detergent to remove the oily mess. You may have to repeat the process once or twice, but it works well.

New treatment for Cats with Asthma?

Cats with asthma usually have wheezing (noisy breathing you can hear without a stethoscope), and often some coughing. This is an allergic disease, made worse by stress. It is common in Northern Virginia. Standard treatment involves steroids (side effects of weight gain and more). This is a disease that we do our best to manage, but some asthmatic cats are never symptom-free.

New research has shown that asthmatic cats are often really helped by a holistic approach. If your cat has been diagnosed with asthma and you’d like to be referred to a holistic specialist, please let us know. We have a terrific local specialist we refer to – Dr. Jordan Kocen at South Paws. He has been able to help many asthmatic cats lead happier, healthier lives with lots less medication! If you have questions about your asthmatic cat, don’t hesitate to call or send an email to us.