Archive for February, 2012
Bold Black Ink
It was windy and cold that day. A small brown box was blowing around in the clinic’s parking lot. Closer inspection showed excessive tape and some writing on the box in bold black ink.
There were random pencil sized holes…
…but for what?
…maybe air holes…
What was in the box?
A Good Samaritan carried the box into the clinic and said, “Don’t know what this is, but it sounds like a small animal is in there. It was blowing around the lot and I scooped it up from behind someone’s rear wheel just before they backed up!”
What ever was in there was lucky to be alive. The bold ink on the box said, “my name is Tye.” Other parts of the box said things like “I need help” and “Please don’t kill me!!!” The small brown box was almost entirely covered in these few phrases over and over again on all six sides.
The reception desk phoned back to the treatment area and said a small package was brought in from outside. Someone brought the box back we all stared at it for a minute or two and read the bold inscriptions on it. I volunteered to open it expecting a small rodent inside. Peeling the tape took what seemed like forever and I tried to peek inside. It was too dark to see without opening the box. Eventually one box flap opened and crouching inside was a small bird in less than a 10th of a second she had burst into flight heading towards our large windows.
It must have been reflex to grab her out of the air and the thought that she would certainly get hurt if she flew into the solid glass windows. She was in my hand now the way one would hold a pigeon. At that point I had limited experience with birds and most of the avian work had been with my uncle and his racing pigeons. She was breathing hard and looked scared but she never tried to bite.
She was not in good shape; one of her wings was very raw and irritated underneath. This was a job for Dr. Weinstein. After an exam and several tests it was determined she had some sort of follicle problem that made her itchy and that is why she was in bad shape. The staff here decided she was a good fit for the hospital and decided she should stay. With her medical condition she would be difficult to re-home and she seemed very happy here. Dr. Weinstein agreed to treat her condition and other medical needs as they arise and she has lived here ever since. The main solution to her problem…a special made tiny e-collar and some ointment for her wing.
The e-collar has been a work in progress for several years. The first one was hard plastic with two metal snaps. It weighted her down and made her clumsy. The next one was a scrunchy type thing that was lighter but she figured out how to pick at herself so we had to do something different. Next was an e-collar made out of x-ray film which was lighter but somewhat pokey and with all the padding still somewhat heavy (6 grams is heavy for a bird to wear around their neck). I was determined to make a lighter one and modified the x-ray film collar until it was only 5 grams. The one she wears now is made from IV fluid bag plastic, and cast padding it only weighs 4 grams. What will we come up with next? Maybe it’s time to have a contest to see who can build an effective bird e-collar that weighs 3 grams or less.
Tye is lucky to say the least. She survived the parking lot, and found a home with us at the hospital. Though she has a medical condition that prevents her from being without her e-collar she can do many of the same things a normal bird can do. She has everything she needs here: people who love her, place to stay, and the medical care she needs to thrive. I will never forget the day I opened that box.
-by Leslie Dempsey CVT
Interesting Medical Case — Squirrel
Squirrel's stone was a bit camera shy, but this one looks strikingly similar!
Recognizing February as Pet Dental Health Month
You may have seen signs around advertising that February is Pet Dental Health Month. At North Portland Veterinary Hospital, we honor Pet Dental Month all year long. When you bring in your pet for their wellness check-up, our doctors assess their dental health. Sometimes we recommend an anesthetic dental cleaning, sometimes we simply talk to you about what you can do at home to improve your pet’s dental health. If an anesthetic dental cleaning is recommended, we give you a coupon for $50 off that procedure if it is performed in the next 3 months. We even are able to make payment arrangements in most cases. These deals are available all year long, you just have to follow your veterinarian’s recommendations!
Dental health is important!
Bacteria in the mouth is part of what makes bites so dangerous.
Bacteria build up turns to plaque and than to calculus. Each stage is more difficult to remove from teeth than the last.
Did you know that your pet can get cavities?
Gum inflammation (any chronic inflammation) can lead to heart disease.
Did you know that the best thing that you can do for your pets teeth is to brush them every day?!
(Please don’t sting me up, I’m just the messenger!) We know that this is a hard task to accomplish. Developing good habits takes time, yes. But overall, you should be able to reach a point where brushing your pets teeth takes less time than brushing your own.
Need help getting started?
Give us a call, we can schedule appointments with the technicians for demos, or with your veterinarian for an oral check up. We also have goodie bags that take you through the steps to brush on your own.
Or you could check out these links:
The American Veterinary Medical Association has a great video on brushing. Cornell University also has a great video on Brushing Cat Teeth, and how to get your cat to like it!
