Welcome Dr. Linda Pesek

Joining the Hope Vet team on May 7, Dr. Linda Pesek brings with her many years of experience of avian and exotics medicine. She offers exam services, laboratory services and husbandry on Mondays, with additional surgery services on Wednesdays. Dr. Pesek's professional experience includes being an Exotics and Avian staff veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center, teaching avian and exotics medicine at LaGuardia College, and columns in multiple publications.

April 2012

Hello, Friends!

April is Senior Pet Month at Hope Vet - 50% Off Senior Profiles!

At Hope we believe that prevention of disease and maintaining an optimal level of health and wellbeing is the key to living a long and happy life. April 2011 marked our first senior focused pet month. This April, we are happy to announce that we are again partnering with our laboratory, Idexx, to offer 50% off Senior Profiles (blood work and urinalysis) for all dogs and cats over the age of 8, through the end of April.

Why seniors? Simply put, they are the family members who visit the doctor the least often� until something serious happens. After the first few years of vaccines, spays, neuters and microchips, pets tend to not be taken for annual exams, meaning that underlying diseases often do not get diagnosed until they have reached an advanced stage. National statistics illustrate the problem: According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) only about 14% of senior cats and dogs receive regular yearly or twice yearly exams from veterinarians.

What is a Senior?

The term �senior� can be confusing and varies according to species and breed within that species. As nutritional care and general attention to health has improved we are beginning to see much older pets. Most problems begin to develop in middle age, which is generally considered to be about age 8-10. As medical breakthroughs emerge, options for treatment and prevention of these diseases improve. The key is catching them at an early stage. Much like middle aged and senior humans, pets benefit from visiting their doctors for the following reasons: � Screening for common medical issues such a thyroid disease, diabetes, kidney disease, Cushings disease (dogs), cardiovascular disorders, dental disease, and weight management � Disease onset can be treated as early as possible to minimize symptoms and maximize longevity and quality of life � Exams provide a baseline to establish norms for future testing in years to come � We can outline principles in assessing and managing pain � We can review recent advances in nutrition and lifestyle strategies that will promote longevity and enhance quality of life.

What Happens During an Exam?

Blood Work and Urinalysis

Although we all get our blood and urine tested when we go for our own annual exams, many people don�t know what is being measured. The following is a very simple overview of these tests. Blood work consists of two types of test, a Chemistry and a CBC (complete blood count), plus a thyroid test for senior pets.

Chemistries Measure: � Kidney and liver function � Electrolytes � Blood sugar (or the presence of diabetes) � A variety of additional factors that can be useful �puzzle pieces� in diagnosing diseases.

CBCs Measure: � White blood cell count, which shows infection or inflammation � Red blood cell count, which shows anemia � Morphology of cells, which means the type of red and white blood cells. Knowing this sheds light on the type of disease process present.

Thyroid Test This is an additional blood test that measures the thyroid gland, which tends to run high in cats (hyperthyroidism) and low in dogs (hypothyroidism).

Urinalysis Urinalysis gives us a bountiful amount of information, including: � Kidney function (a different indicator than blood work) � Diabetes � Urinary tract infections � The presence or absence of urinary crystals � The ph of the urine, which is important to know if crystals are present so that we know how to treat it.

Alternative Therapies for Conditions of Old Age

As a practice committed to complementary medicine, we are happy to be able to offer an increasing array of alternative therapies for common conditions of older age, including supplements and physical therapies.

Neutraceuticals, Chinese Herbs and Essential Oils

The importance of natural medicines should not be underestimated. At Hope we use a myriad of supplements, herbs and essential oils tailored to your pet�s needs. The range of health issues that can be treated include heart and kidney disease, arthritis, immune support, upper respiratory infections and urinary diseases. These medicines play an important role in your pet�s health by detoxifying the body, boosting your pet�s immunity, and providing essential nutrients needed to treat disease processes.

Acupuncture, Hydrotherapy, and Massage Therapy

Acupuncture has been used to great effect to treat many of the diseases of older age, including arthritis and GI disorders, as well as improving the quality of life in terminally ill patients. Massage therapy, acupressure and hydrotherapy are all effective modalities for many issues but especially for supporting joint and muscular conditions. Please see the Hope Vet website to read more about all of these therapies available to your senior pet.

Please give us a call at 718.852.4219 to schedule your senior pet's comprehensive exam and 50% Off Senior Profile through the end of April.

New Vaccine Protocol: Clarification

Following the release of our March newsletter, many of you have been asking for details about the new vaccination recommendations. The feline FVRCP and the canine distemper parvo vaccines have both been shown to be effective for seven years after the adult booster. For those wishing to take a more cautious approach, however, we will be alerting you to your pet�s vaccine status every five years. At that time we can decide together whether or not a vaccine is warranted in your pet�s specific case. In the case of rabies, leptospirosis, lyme and feline leukemia vaccines, we will continue to follow previous recommendations. We hope that this helps to clarify our recommendations, but please give us a call if you have further questions: 718.852.4219. We're always happy to help.

Hope Vet Staff Updates

are pleased to announce that Dr. Jessica Faigle has returned to us from maternity leave. She will be working a slightly reduced schedule: Thursdays, Fridays and alternate Saturdays. She is looking forward to catching up with many of you!

Dr. Erica Morgan, who many of you have met during the last three months when she has been covering for Dr. Faigle�s maternity leave, has joined us on a permanent basis. Dr. Morgan practices acupuncture, allowing us to now offer acupuncture services every day except Tuesdays.

Calling all Animal-Loving Chocoholics!

Rescue Chocolate, founded and operated right here in Brooklyn, donates all of its profits to animal rescue. We are happy to offer their delicious vegan chocolate bars in a variety of flavors. And for a limited time just for Easter, we now have Rescue Chocolate's vegan cream-filled eggs and adorable chocolate bunnies! Stop by the front desk at Hope Vet to select your sweet treats�some for yourself, and some to give as gifts. The best gift of all: rescue animals will benefit from your purchase.

Infinite Hope Adoption Corner: Help Us Spread the News

Become an Infinite Hope Facebook fan to stay updated about our success stories, upcoming events, and who is available for adoption. Be sure to let your friends, family and colleagues know about Infinite Hope too! If interested in adopting any of these amazing animals, please email infinitehope@hopevet.com.

Happy spring, from your friends at Hope Vet and Infinte Hope!

Winter 2011

Dog's Life magazine interviews Juliet Sternberg

Juliet was interviewed by Dog's Life magazine for their hospice care issue. Click here to read the full interview.

NEW ADDITION TO OUR TEAM

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Konstantine Barsky has joined the Hope Vet team. We have known and respected Dr. Barsky for many years. He has finally settled down in New York, his home town, and we are delighted that he is joining us full time. Dr. Barsky is a graduate of Ross and Cornell Colleges of Veterinary Medicine. He shares a strong commitment to the values of animal welfare and holistic medicine that we hold at our core.

HOUSE CALLS ON BIKES

Hope Vet started out as a house call practice, with our vets riding bicycles to clients' homes. Dr. Barsky is enthusiastically returning us to our roots! He is now offering routine house calls via bicycle, initially on Wednesdays, within a 5 mile radius from our clinic. Please call if you would like further details, or would like to schedule an appointment. Help support green veterinary medicine!

STEM CELL THERAPY

Hope Vet now has the ability to offer regenerative, or stem cell medicine. Stem cells are multipotent, which means they can differentiate into other tissue such as tendon, bone and cartilage. Currently, stem cells are utilized to aid in the treatment of osteoarthritis, ligament injuries and immune medicated arthritis. The stem cells are surgically harvested from the animal�s own adipose (fat) tissue, sent to the Vet-Stem laboratory where they are concentrated and sent back to the veterinarian for injection into the affected site. In clinical studies, over 80% of owners report improvement of varying degrees. For more information, please contact us or visit vet-stem.com.

HOPE VET GETS SOCIAL - SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT IS!

Hope Vet is now available on Facebook and Twitter. Please follow our new Facebook and Twitter pages, so we can keep you informed about health issues, new treatment options and important regional health alerts such as infectious disease outbreaks. We promise to keep it relevant, and not to overwhelm your inboxes! We do value your feedback, and invite you to post on our Wall, and to explore the videos and other resources we'll be making available on our Facebook page. First up: instructional videos on how to brush your pet's teeth! Facebook: hopeveterinaryclinic Twitter: @hopevet

February 2010

Veterinary Pet Insurance

We have noticed over the last year a significant increase in client questions about pet health insurance, fueled perhaps by the ongoing health insurance debate for us humans. According to AAHA, only about 3% of pet owners in the USA currently have insurance, although there has been a significant increase in coverage over the past 5 years. Our general opinion about Pet Insurance is that it is very much an individual decision as to whether or not it makes sense for your particular animals and circumstances, with some notable pros and cons.

Like any insurance, one can argue that it is only financially worth obtaining if you receive as much in return from it as you pay in monthly fees. A few years ago Consumer Reports published a report which concluded that, rather than purchase pet insurance, the majority of pet owners would be better off opening a savings account designated for their pet into which they deposited a regular sum every month. For dedicated people, this can work well, especially if the pet owner opens the account when the pet is young and before diseases of older age, and their resulting increased costs, tend to occur.

For the rest of us less organized people, the benefits of obtaining pet insurance are as follows:

1. Peace of Mind: this intangible, but none-the-less important quality of insurance cannot be overstated. Knowing that an unexpected event, such as an accident or unanticipated illness, will be covered can far outweigh the costs of not using the insurance during healthy times.
2. Coverage for routine procedures: Most surveys of pet owners conclude that people who have insurance tend to obtain routine care for their pets more than those who don’t have insurance. Annual wellness checks provide the opportunity to screen for conditions that might otherwise not be noted until clinical signs demand that treatment is sought, at which point the disease may be more serious than if caught earlier.
3. No gatekeeping HMO’s: currently, there is no HMO-type system in place for Pet Insurance, meaning that an owner can seek treatment at any veterinary hospital or specialty center. The owner pays the hospital upfront and submits paperwork to the insurance company for reimbursement.
4. “At risk” breeds: Owners of purebred animals, especially those breeds that have tendencies to develop breed specific diseases, can be helped by obtaining insurance, provided that the disease is covered by the policy (see downsides below). The same is true for dogs who engage in “risky behavior” such as athletic endeavors, off leash activities etc. Comparatively, indoor-only domestic shorthair cats are far less likely to require the same kinds of intensive treatments until their later years so a savings account might be a better option. It should be noted that purchasing insurance for a younger animal is almost always cheaper than an older one, especially an older at-risk breed.

The main downsides to insurance as we see them are as follows:

1. Cost versus benefit ratio: as previously mentioned, pet insurance can, depending on the plan, be expensive, so it is up to the individual to determine whether it makes sense.
2. Choosing a plan: there are about 20 pet insurance companies offering plans ranging from basic care to those offering very comprehensive coverage. The most popular plans of Hope Vet clients are those offered by the ASPCA and Trupanion, but these are by no means the only plans that we encounter. Assessing the companies and choosing a plan can be time consuming and confusing. Below is a link of plan websites for your own research.
3. Denial of care: When choosing a plan it is of critical importance to understand what is and is not covered. Plans very widely, and what may be considered routine care under one plan (eg dental cleanings) may be denied under other plans. Most plans do not cover existing conditions, many will not cover breed-specific conditions. Although we find that the majority of insured pet owners express satisfaction with their plans, we have certainly encountered many cases of owners battling with the insurance company over treatment that appeared to be covered under their plan.

Some questions to ask potential insurance companies:

1. Can the pet owner use any veterinarian?
2. What are the policy’s conditions and exclusions? Routine care, emergency care, and diseases.
3. Do they cover breed predisposed diseases? (eg intervertebral disease in dachshunds)
4. What is the cost per month?
5. Does the policy cover multiple pet discounts?
6. What is the application process and is there is waiting process?

In conclusion, we can’t make a blanket statement that obtaining health insurance is a good thing. Although we believe that it is probably a worthwhile investment, especially for at-risk breeds, individual animals and personal circumstances must always determine decisions about your pets.

Resource list of Pet Insurance Companies commonly subscribed to by Hope Vet clients:

ASPCA www.aspcapetinsurance.com 888-592-7387
Embrace www.embraceinsurance.com 440-386-2406
Pets Best www.petsbest.com 877-738-7237
PetHealth www.petcareinsurance.com 877-738-4584
PetPartners (AKC) www.akcphp.com 866-725-2747
PetPlan www.gopetplan.com 866-467-3875
PetSecure www.petsecure.com 800-268-1169
Purinacare www.purinacare.com 866-787-7676
Trupanion www.trupanionpetinsurance.com 800-569-7913
Veterinary Pet Insurance www.petinsurance.com 800-USA-PETS

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January 2010

Pet Toxins and Where to Seek Help

During the holidays we received many calls from clients worried that their pets had swallowed everything from chocolate covered malt balls, to dates, to an entire plate of sugar cookies. Especially during busy holiday times, none of us (ok, few of us!) are able to be as vigilant as usual when keeping potentially harmful things out of the mouths of our ever-eager pets.

While there is reason to be very worried about ingestion of some substances, others will probably just result in messy clean up the next morning. We cannot emphasize enough the importance of being aware of toxic substances, including food, plants, household cleaners and medications that can injure or kill your pet.

Amongst the most common household items that poison pets are as follows:

Foods
Chocolate (particularly baking chocolate)
Grapes and raisins
Xylitol (commonly found in chewing gum)
Macadamia nuts
Mushrooms
Onions

Plants
Lilies
Poinsettias
Azaleas
Sago Palms

Chemicals & Medications
Insecticides
Rodenticides
Home Improvement products (eg paint chips, paint thinners, drain cleaners)
Human medicines (especially pain killers and prescription medicines)
Veterinary medicines (when given or applied inappropriately)
Household cleaners (including bleach

The ASPCA poison control center has an excellent website that provides information about
common household toxins:

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control

We are happy to answer questions and concerns on the phone and help you to assess whether or not you need to seek emergency treatment. Please call the front desk for help assessing how to handle your emergency. Please do not leave a voicemail for your doctor or a technician as we cannot guarantee that your call will be returned before your pet needs treatment. If the clinic is closed please call your closest emergency clinic.

As well as being aware of toxins and calling for help, you should also keep on hand the telephone number to the ASPCA poison control center. Available 24 hours a day, their staff maintains a comprehensive database of current ingredients of commercial products and medications.

The ASPCA Poison Control telephone number: 888-426-4435

Here’s wishing you a happy and healthy 2010

BROCHURES

Click PDF to view

Information and Services

Nutrition for Cats and Dogs

Dental Care for Cats and Dogs

Flea and Tick Management

Palliative Care and End of Life Support Group

Canine Heartworm Disease and Prevention