I just returned from another trip to Mongolia. These trips always remind me of how lucky we are – and how lucky our pets are. My take-home message for you this time is to stay vigilant. I saw so many animals that could have avoided undue suffering and even death if only their owners had been more aware and better educated. Poor little Emcee came to us because he wasn ™t eating. The owners felt he had been urinating and defecating normally, but we discovered stones in his urethra and bladder that burst! He may have been lifting his leg and trying to urinate, but he hadn ™t truly relieved himself for at least 48 hours! Emcee had a rough time, but he survived! Other animals weren ™t so lucky. A feral dog with severe orthopedic injuries developed a systemic infection before a good citizen found him and brought him in for care – it was too late for that little guy. Little Shamee had such severe dental infection that his lower jaw fractured! Please know that these people love their pets as much as we do. They simply don ™t have the education or financial ability to do more for them.
Please keep in mind that your beloved pets can’t talk. Survival instincts cause them to suppress signs of illness. You must be aware of minor changes in your pets ™ behavior. We strongly recommend regular exams and wellness screenings so that we can document changes from year to year and catch illness in its early stages. It is always better to be safe than sorry! Call us about our wellness programs.

by Bonnie Markoff, DVM, ABVP