Website Relaunch

By Ray Schmitt
CCVSEH Marketing/PR Executive

We all use websites every day for an untold number of reasons. The information that they provide can be invaluable whether they are instructing us, keeping us abreast of current events, or simply entertaining us and giving us a chance to escape for a little while. But how often do we, as website users, take a step back and consider what it takes to run and maintain the websites that we love so much? How often do we think about what it takes for website administrators to keep their site competitive among an almost infinite number of other sites in the battle for clicks and views?

Here is a snapshot of our new-look homepage for
www.circlecityvets.com.

My appreciation for those considerations has grown exponentially as a result of the last few months of work. Months ago I teamed up with our hospital's IT company to begin a total overhaul of Circle City Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital's website - www.circlecityvets.com. It was due for a refresh and it's current version was launched before the proliferation of smart phones and the need for mobile responsive sites. We also wanted to stand out from our competition when it came to the look/feel of the site as well as the quality of content provided within.

I had never had such deep involvement in a website overhaul before and couldn't fully wrap my head around how much work it was going to take to achieve our goals. The hard work has paid off, though, and now comes the fun part - the chance to show everyone the fruits of our labor. On Monday, April 6, 2015 we will launch the brand-new www.circlecityvets.com.

The crown jewel of the relaunch will be an improved mobile version of the site. Improving this experience was of utmost priority to us because our research showed that between 35% and 40% of visitors to our site on a monthly basis were doing so via smart phones or tablets. Our old site wasn't designed to display on those devices so there was a lot of scrolling and re-sizing required. With our new mobile-responsive site that simply won't be the case anymore. It will boast features such as tap-to-call and one-tap directions so that you can contact us quickly and have easy access to turn-by-turn directions if you need us in an emergency.

This snapshot of our staff page gives you a peek at one of the
best features of our re-designed site.

Part of the challenge in designing an effective site for our hospital is that it has to provide information to two
audiences - the general public and our referring doctors. We think we've created a site that will effectively reach both. One feature that exemplifies this is the "Useful Forms" button that will be located on the home page. One click on the button will take both pet owners and/or referring veterinarians to a database of forms that will make their visit or referral efficient. Pet owners can download and print new client forms or questionnaires before they ever step foot inside the hospital while veterinarians can download referral forms for any of the specialties we offer here; from dentistry all the way to surgery. Both audiences will also love our staff page which features high-resolution head shots of each of our doctors and a full bio. This allows anyone to get to know our doctors better before meeting them face-to-face, and helps to improve the comfort level of clients and referring doctors.

There will be much more to discover inside of our new website once it launches on April 6 and we hope that you enjoy exploring it. With this new version we will have direct access to manage the content which means we will be adding new information on a regular basis. Hopefully you'll come back and visit often to see what we've been up to. And while you're visiting please take a moment to consider all of the photographers, developers and administrators who worked long hours to bring the site to you.

Keeping Pets Active in Winter Months

By Ray Schmitt
CCVSEH PR/Marketing Executive

Last night I got home from the hospital shortly after 5:30. I had battled rush hour traffic on the north side of town and pulled into my driveway with a few minutes of daylight remaining - just enough to walk my dog before it got dark. When I woke up in the morning the rain was falling and made every inch of yard, street and sidewalk a slushy mess. By the time I got home the falling temperatures had frozen almost all of that same territory completely over.

Normally I love walking my 50-pound beagle/lab mix around the neighborhood when I wake up in the morning and when I get back from work. It provides me quiet time to collect my thoughts, gets me out of the house for some light exercise and gives me quality time with my pup. It also gives her the essential exercise and stimulation that she needs to be happy. There are times where she could certainly walk two or three hours non-stop just smelling all the smells on the ground. But yesterday was miserable. For both of us. Between the rain, the wind, the cold temperatures and complete lack of a good surface to walk on neither of us enjoyed our regular walk. And it's been that way almost every day since the frigid temperatures set in.

My dog is typically a high-energy dog that needs an hour, or so, of activity every day to be happy. Our walks took up a big chunk of that time, but what are we to do now? Without a doubt there are a lot of you out there who are wondering the same thing; "How can we keep our dogs active and happy when, at this time of year, their time outdoors is so limited?"

Luckily there are a ton of great resources at my disposal - more than a handful of veterinary specialists who had insightful advice on this very topic. I'm not a selfish person and didn't want to keep all of that sound advice to myself so here I am sharing it with all of you. These are the best tips from the staff at CCVSEH to keeping your pet active during cold, dreary winter months.

• Keep Going Out for Walks. The elements create a challenge when it comes to taking our dogs for walks in the winter. Luckily there are ways to combat the elements. You can start by looking into booties to cover their paws. This will help protect them from painful deicers that can wedge themselves between toes. They'll also help to hold in some warmth on particularly cold days. For dogs with short coats or single-layer coats you can add a layer with a dog-friendly sweater or jacket. You can also look into reflective leash covers to make you more visible to drivers since it gets dark earlier.
• Indoor Fetch. If you have a pup that love to play fetch out in the yard or the park, the games don't have to stop because of the weather. A staircase is a great place to get a game of fetch going. You can start at the top and let the ball roll to the bottom or toss it up from the bottom to the landing at the top. Running up and down the stairs will provide a great workout for your dog.
• Go Shopping. Many pet stores allow you to bring your dog with you while you shop. So why not take your buddy with you on a trip for a new toy, a new treat or even a comfy new bed? He or she would love to sniff out their new favorite thing from the store whatever it may be.
  
• Play Hide-and-Seek. What dog doesn't love treats? You can use these tasty morsels to get your pup off of the couch. Take some of his or her favorite treats and place them strategically throughout the house. Once they're all hidden it's time for "Fido" to hunt them down! It's also a good chance to work on obedience and commands because you're going to want the pup to stay put while you hide the treats.
• Learn New Commands. Dogs are eager to please their humans, that's not a secret. They get satisfaction and mental stimulation when they work with you to learn new commands and tricks. Break out of the winter routine by spending some time learning new commands or tricks. If you don't want to do it at home on your own you can also enroll in a local obedience class.
• Work For Their Supper. Dogs get most of their mental stimulation from the scents that they
  
  detect. A lot of them are also highly motivated by food. You can make mealtime a stimulating activity by hiding their food in an unusual location or by creating an obstacle course they have to navigate to reach their food.
• Underwater Treadmill: Our physical rehabilitation department has a state-of-the-art underwater treadmill that is a wonderful way for dogs to get exercise. The water is kept at a balmy 96 degrees, which will provide relief from the cold temps, and it allows them to bear 60 percent less weight thannormal because the water is filled to hip-level. The extra resistance provided by walking underwater helps to strengthen muscles and burn calories.

Our New Year's Resolutions

From the CCVSEH Staff

At our hospital we take our work, but not ourselves, very seriously. We are constantly striving to provide top-notch care to every single patient that walks through our door, and that's something that will not change with the coming new year. There is, however, some truth to the "All work and no play..." credo so some of the staff wanted to have some fun with our New Year's resolutions. Here they are for you to enjoy!

Ray Schmitt, Public Relations/Marketing Executive
 - I resolve to do whatever it takes to get Dr. Lemmons to stop calling me Bigfoot. Since most of the time I'm either at meetings or working on projects at my desk, a day or two can go by without Dr. Lemmons and I seeing each other. As a result he has dubbed me with the same moniker as the mythical creature that roams the woods, but is never really seen by anyone. If I can keep my resolution he'll be calling me "Shadow" by this time next year!

Rachel Kulaga, Client Services Administrator
 - I resolve to not walk as hard in my heels when I'm upstairs. People on the first floor sometimes worry that I'm going to stomp a hole in the ceiling.

Dru Arnold, Director of Human Resources and Accounting
 - Rachel and I both resolve to eat much more Japanese food in 2015! With any luck in the next year the wait staff at our favorite Japanese restaurant in town will know us both by name. And probably won't even have to give us menus to order from.

The Entire Business Office Staff
 - We resolve to keep the plants in the front lobby alive. It might be a good thing we're not the ones in charge of keeping the animals in the back alive.

Jamie Riddle, Registered Veterinary Technician
 - I resolve to invent shoes with lifts in them that are also comfortable. This way all the shorties that I work with can reach the high items in the hospital and stop asking me for help all the time. It's not easy being the tallest person in this whole hospital (except for maybe Dr. Birchard).

From all of us at Circle City Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital, Happy New Year! We hope that 2015 brings you nothing but happiness and joy. And good luck with your resolutions, too.

Coping With Loss During the Holiday Season

by Ray Schmitt
Circle City Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital Marketing/PR Executive

"It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you 'Be of good cheer'
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
It's the hap - happiest season of all
With those holiday greetings and gay happy meetings
When friends come to call
It's the hap - happiest season of all"

Lyrics to "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" performed by Harry Connick Jr. courtesy www.azlyrics.com

If you stop a bunch of people on the street and ask them, "What is your favorite time of the year?" a good majority of them will probably say Christmas. During the holiday season, more than any other time of the year, we as a society focus our energy on getting together with friends, family and loved ones to celebrate.

For adults we draw joy in remembering the Christmases of our childhood, in the act of gift giving, in hosting and attending parties and, likely, having some time off from work to relax. Children, of course, revel in all the new toys they receive and indulging in all the Christmas cookies they can possibly eat.

The bond between humans and our pets is incredibly strong.

But there is one inevitable part of life that can put a major damper on the holiday good cheer; the loss of a loved one. And because we are in the veterinary field all of us at Circle City Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital know that our pets are loved members of our family just as much as any human. Pets are a huge part of our holiday traditions, too, and their loss can cause just as much pain as the loss of a human family member.

If you are having a hard time dealing with the loss of a beloved pet at this time of the year you might find helpful this information we came across and discussed at our December C.A.L.M. meeting. In case you were unaware, we hold C.A.L.M. meetings monthly to provide support to those who are grieving the loss of a pet. The meetings are free to attend and there is no obligation; you can come to as many or as few as you wish.

This article was written specifically about dealing with the loss of a person, but the principles can still apply to dealing with the loss of a pet. The most important idea, the first one mentioned in the article, is talking about your grief. Everyone needs a caring, supportive, non-judgmental environment to discuss their feelings of grief in dealing with a loss. That all-important first step can be taken by simply attending one of our C.A.L.M. meetings.

The next C.A.L.M. meeting will take place at Circle City Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital (9650 Mayflower Park Dr. in Carmel) on Monday, January 5, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. The theme for that meeting is "New Year's Resolutions" and if you want to come prepared you can bring your on resolutions on how you want to feel in the new year. Make a list of feelings you want to let go of (anger, guilt, sadness, doubt, anxiety..) and a list of feelings/memories you want to cherish. You can even RSVP for the event on our Facebook page.

If you are dealing with the loss of a beloved pet this holiday season our entire staff offers its sincere condolences. And we hope that we can help ease the grief through our C.A.L.M. meetings.

In the Market for A New Pet Bed? Get Crafty!

by Ray Schmitt
Circle City Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital Marketing/PR Rep

Up until today I had never heard of the term "Upcycling." But when I started researching a picture that Dr. Kate Fitzwater emailed me last night that all changed. Here is the picture that sparked my education:

How cool is that!? Someone, somewhere came up with the idea that they could turn a sweater into a pet bed. After I saw the picture I had to investigate and find out how these were made. This led me to a number of websites dedicated to "Upcycling" projects which essentially take old/unwanted/unused household items and turn them into something better. Hopefully the term is a fad that will fade away, but the concept can stick around for a while.

Enough about my disdain for the word "Upcycling," though, and on to the real reason I'm writing this entry. I have shopped for pet beds more than once and they are fairly expensive! So a do-it-yourself project that costs way less money and, in my opinion, looks a good bit cooler and would probably be a good conversation starter is going to grab my attention every time.

I'll admit that I'm not the most handy person around the house, but even this pet bed seems fairly doable. And the supplies are easy to come by. You need an old sweater (obviously), a pillow to fill the body of the sweater and some combination of rolled up towels and/or cotton stuffing to fill the sleeves. That gets you most of the way there but you'll also need some method of binding the sleeves together as well as closing the neck hole. Some versions I found feature zippers so you can remove the stuffing and wash the sweater while others are sealed more permanently by sewing or hot glue. I suppose it's really just a personal preference.

I have not undertaken this project myself just yet because I still wear all of the sweaters I own, my dog is too big to use one and I don't know if either of the cats would actually like it. Although, I suppose I could make one anyway and donate it to a local shelter or humane society. Maybe all of us reading this post could make one and donate them. It would certainly be in the spirit of giving that the Christmas season embodies. We could also make them all out of sweaters like the ones on the right so that the dogs and cats could enjoy ugly Christmas sweaters as much as we all do.

Since I'm no expert (yet) on how to make one of these here are some links to websites that offer full instructions:

http://empressofdirt.net/diy-sweater-pet-bed/
http://www.handimania.com/diy/sweatshirt-pet-bed.html
http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/photos/10-enviable-upcycled-pet-beds/wooly-buddy-bed
http://www.icreativeideas.com/how-to-diy-pet-bed-from-old-sweater/

If you end up making one of your own we want to see the final results! Share a photo with us on our Facebook wall or hit us up on Twitter @CircleCityVets.

Until next time, cheers and happy sweater pet bed making!

Happy Thanksgiving From the Staff at Circle City Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital

Few days on the calendar year are as closely associated with family and tradition as Thanksgiving. And as diverse as America is, so are the memories and traditions of American families' Thanksgiving celebrations. In the spirit of the holiday we here at Circle City Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Hospital thought it would only be appropriate to share some of our favorite Thanksgiving memories and traditions. We hope you enjoy

Our Thanksgiving food drive was a success!
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours.

reading these and want to wish you and your family the happiest of Thanksgivings.

Aubrey Barth, Registered Veterinary Technician: I loved waking up to the sound of the Thanksgiving Day parades on TV in the living room, helping my dad mix the stuffing by hand in a huge foil pan, and that it took my brother 18 years to figure out how to correctly eat cranberry sauce (not by itself, but along with a forkful or turkey, potatoes, or stuffing).

Amy Rader, DVM, Director of Emergency Services: The first time I met my husband's family was at Thanksgiving. I met the ENTIRE family, everyone made me feel welcome and part of the family.

Jamie Riddle, Registered Veterinary Technician: My favorite moments of Thanksgiving are getting together with my crazy family. Each year the table has been getting bigger and bigger, but I love taking a breath, not worrying about the world and being able to look across every angle of the table and see someone that I love, then stuffing our faces :).

Megan Anderson, Registered Veterinary Technician: Before my grandparents passed away, we would always go to a buffet type brunch around 10:00 a.m. No one in my family likes cooking, but there would be an "in the spirit of the holiday" turkey cooked by my mother, to be nibbled on for the following weeks. After joining the Anderson family, and attending a true dinner with the family, it's a weird transition into a hustling and bustling clatter and clash of bodies packed into the tiny kitchen, preparing several dishes at once. I quickly learned to bring a cold dish as contribution so as to not need space in the oven or an electrical outlet. After the rest of the family leaves, we build a fire in the fireplace and trim the tree. We sip hot cocoa and talk about gifts we are considering and tease the young kids about making sure to get their letters done to Santa. Thanksgiving passes quickly into Christmas.

Kiely Clark, Registered Veterinary Technician: One of my favorite holiday memories was while working on Thanksgiving. Dr Grieshaber bought us a big 'ol turkey. We got it out of the oven and went to carve it but couldn't find a knife! We carved our turkey with a pumpkin carving knife...later we found a real knife in the pumpkin roll :).

Rachel Kulaga, Client Services Administrator: My favorite tradition is always going out with my family to pick out our Christmas tree the night of Thanksgiving. My favorite memory is making it home just in time for Thanksgiving the year I studied abroad in Europe. I've never been so happy to eat Thanksgiving Dinner and watch the Lions lose ;)!

Ray Schmitt, Public Relations/Marketing Representative: There was always a battle between myself, my brother, my sister and our cousins as to who would get to lick the beaters from the electric mixer after the mashed potatoes were made. Even now that we're all grown we all want them. Also, to close out the night my family always gathered around the table for a card game we call Blackout. It's similar to Spades and a lot of fun.

Danie Lodge, Registered Veterinary Technician: I like dipping my turkey in mashed potatoes & gravy!

Amanda Audo, DVM (Emergency Dept.): To me, Thanksgiving always meant driving from Detroit to Columbus to visit my great-grandmother. Her favorite restaurant was the Brown Derby, so we would go there every year for Thanksgiving dinner. Then we would get to play with our favorite toys we kept at her house.

Cassi Naden, Customer Service Representative: Everyone knows that the wishbone is a "prized" part of many Thanksgiving traditions. In my family, after everyone is done eating we play the card game Phase 10. The first and second place winners are the ones that get to break the wishbone.

Katherine Good, Veterinary Assistant: It was the first time I was in charge of Thanksgiving dinner - the turkey, sides and dessert. My first time ever making turkey. I did the normal; season the turkey, add water and butter to it. Set in the oven to slowly cook overnight. Well in the middle of the night we woke up to the smoke detector going off and smoke everywhere. Turns out I put too much water in the pot and it boiled over with fat in it. Elvis my dog wasn't too concerned he wanted to see if there was anything he could eat. My nephew slept through the whole thing. Everything else went great. The turkey had a smokey taste to it.

Tina Beers, Registered Veterinary Technician: My favorite memory is going up to Wisconsin to my aunt and uncle's house. My mom, aunts and grandmother would cook (I would try to help, but it never worked out for me), while my grandpa and uncles watch football (usually the Bears) and having a house full of kids. Afterwards we would set up the Christmas tree and all of my aunts would get ready for black Friday shopping.

Kelly Fisher, DVM, CCRP: After getting married, Kreg and I wanted to start our own family tradition. The morning after Thanksgiving we get up early and go to the tree farm to pick out, and cut, our Christmas tree. Two kids later, we still look forward to Friday morning and picking out that special tree.

Kate Fitzwater, DVM, MS, DACVS: One aspect of Thanksgiving that I look forward to are the leftovers, I can eat them for lunch and dinner all the way until Sunday! Good thing no one else likes them that much in my family, the more for me :).

Kim Wirth, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology): My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is my parents fighting over the time of the meal and my Dad disappearing into the garage for the remainder of the day.

 

Cataract Surgery in Dogs

Cataract Surgery in Dogs

By Rachel Mathes, DVM, MS, DACVO

Cataracts are opacities or white areas in the lens which is located inside the eye and functions to focus light on the retina (back of the eye) for visual processing. Cataracts in dogs have many causes with the most common type of cataract being heritable, or breed related. Another common cause of cataracts in dogs is systemic diabetes. In fact, up to 80% of dogs will develop diabetic cataracts within sixteen months of a diagnosis of diabetes. Whether a patient develops cataracts is not dependent on how well the diabetes is regulated. Cataracts may remain stable for long periods of time or may progress over time, with a variable rate of progression. Cataracts cause inflammation inside the eye and may cause other serious diseases such as glaucoma, lens displacement or retinal detachments. The biggest concern, however, with cataracts is that they often cause vision loss or blindness.

The diagnosis of cataracts may not be straightforward because other conditions of the eye can cause “cloudiness” or white discolorations. A full ophthalmic examination with a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist is recommended to assess cataracts. If cataracts are diagnosed, they may be treated with phacoemulsification, otherwise known as “cataract surgery.” Surgery is typically pursued if there is significant vision loss causing changes to a patient’s lifestyle or behavior. This may vary depending on the dog’s level of activity and daily routine. Often, vision loss may not be recognized until the pet is taken to a different environment with which he/she is not familiar. Common signs of vision loss include bumping into objects, falling on or missing stairs, increased sleeping due to reluctance to move around, hesitancy to move in unfamiliar environments or increased contact with the owner (e.g. following the owner around more than usual). These signs may appear gradually or may occur quite suddenly depending on the progression of the cataracts. 

Cataract surgery involves removal the abnormal lens and replacement with a new, artificial lens. This is done through a very small incision on the side of the eye. The new lens is foldable and able to be placed through this small incision. The small incision decreases overall anesthesia time and complications after surgery. The procedure in dogs is the same surgery that is performed in humans for cataract surgery, even though the canine or dog lens is approximately four times the size of the human lens. The success rate of cataract surgery in dogs is 90-95 percent. While no surgical procedure carries a 100 percent success rate, the success rate of this surgery is very high, especially if done by a skilled board-certified ophthalmologist. The surgery is able to restore normal vision for a blind or significantly visually impaired pet, often completely changing their behavior and activity level. Many people state that cataract surgery “gave their dog back their life,” enabling them to play with toys, run outside and interact with other dogs again. The change in a patient’s demeanor after cataract surgery is often dramatic and one of the best events to witness for a veterinary ophthalmologist. This surgery is offered here at Circle City Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Hospital with myself (Dr. Rachel Mathes), a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, so be sure to ask your veterinarian about options for a referral here.   

A cross section of the eye is depicted with the black arrow indicating the lens. This structure is normally clear, but may become milky or whitish with cataract formation. 

A photograph of a patient with cataracts is depicted. The lens is whitish-gray and this patient was blind before surgery. 

 

A photograph of a patient after cataract surgery is depicted. The new, artificial lens can be seen. This patient had normal vision after surgery.  

A photograph of a patient after cataract surgery is depicted.  The new, artificial lens can be seen.  This patient had normal vision after surgery.