March, 2001

Volume 3,Issue 3

  Hospital News

Inside this issue:

Dr. Erin Reif is doing quite well.  She paid us a visit just before Mardi Gras.  Hopefully, mid-March will find her back at work.

Dr. Wendi Smith has joined our team!  She will be graduating from Auburn this year.  More information on Wendi and her husband Steve coming later.

Dr. Martin is engaged to Dr. Nanette Mollere.  Nanette is a professor of history at Nichols State.  She is a very special lady with a great love of life in all its forms (this includes her 16 pets!).  Good luck to both of you.

Shawn Brown and Stephanie Mitchell have become engaged!  See what happens when you put good people together?  Some want to stay together forever.  Congratulations!!

Pick-up and Delivery Service

Pick-up and Delivery is another service our clients really Appreciate. This service is offered Monday through Friday and is usually done by our long time employee Herbert Mack. Medications and food can also be delivered. Please contact Julie Plauche, our head receptionist, at the hospital (835-4266) to coordinate pick-ups and drop-offs.

Page 2

Volume 3,Issue 3

            Employee of the Month

Our three new technicians, Shawn, Audrey, and Dionne are just about finished their months of training.  The light at the end of the tunnel can be seen.  This will add three more skilled people to our ranks.

Volume 3,Issue 3

Page 3

                           Geriatric Profiles

Is your pet growing old gracefully?  Just like people, as your pet ages, its organs will slowly deteriorate and lose their ability to function.  With modern medical tools and in-house blood analysis, veterinarians can take a more proactive approach to maintain your pet's good health.

Geriatric animals are prone to many of the same diseases older humans experiences -- diabetes, renal disease, heart disease, cancer, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism. 

Geriatric testing helps establish healthy baseline values and identify problems early, rather than waiting for obvious signs of tragic illness.  The recommended health screenings for geriatric pets and humans are identical except for two notable differences -- cost and turn around time.  This health profile also serves as a complete pre-anesthetic screen for a dental procedure or surgery.  In addition, a geriatric profile helps us avoid using mediations that may be unsafe for the pet's condition or health status.

Is my pet a good candidate for geriatric testing?  Geriatric testing is recommended for all geriatric animals, as well as any pet that may exhibit one or more of these symptoms:

Metairie Small Animal Hospital
101 Metairie Rd             (835-4266)
5040 West Esplanade     (455-2345)
4041 Williams Blvd.       (443-4400)

Phone: 555-555-5555
Fax: 555-555-5555
Email: xyz@microsoft.com

        Case of the Month

Gall bladder disease (cholecystitis) is an uncommon disease in dogs.  Peaches did not know this when she was presented on December 28th.  She did know that her abdomen hurt and that everything she ate came up.  Her owners were very concerned because Peaches was also a diabetic.  She required daily insulin injections and regular meals to stay normal.  Vomiting can be life threatening under these circumstances.

On being admitted to Metairie Small Animal Hospital, an IV catheter was placed, blood and urine samples taken and rehydrating fluids started.  Peaches felt better, but was not her normal self.  The lab work reflected an infection and very abnormal liver enzymes.

Cholangiohepatitis, inflammation of the biliary ducts and liver was suspected.  Appropriate therapy was started.  After a few days in the

hospital, Peaches was eating and holding food down, but not with her usual gusto.  In addition, her abdomen was still uncomfortable upon palpation.  An ultrasound was ordered and the problem was immediatiately evident. 

Peaches' gall bladder was diseased:  the walls were thickened and the content was very dense and heterogeneous.  Fluid had also started to collect around the gall bladder, which indicated a severe inflammation process.  The liver and the rest of the abdomen appeared normal.  If the gall bladder were to rupture, a painful death would follow.

The dilema was whether to risk an operation to remove the diseased gall bladder or to continue a non-surgical approach.  A geriatric, diabetic patient with an acutely painful abdomen is quite a challenge.  The anesthetics that are available are excellent.  With monitoring devices, fluids to keep the blood pressure up and IV antibiotics the surgical risk was greatly reduced.

The surgery went very well.  There were numerous adhesions between the gall bladder and the other abdominal structures.  This was lucky for Peaches as they helped to support the weakened wall of the gall bladder.  Careful dissection and  strict aseptic technique allowed the infected gall bladder to be removed without contaminating the abdomen.  Cultures were taken from the gall bladder and antibiotics were adjusted accordingly.

Peaches woke up from surgery and never missed a beat.  Her appetite and strength returned and in a few days she was herself again.

Unusual case, unusual surgery, good results, happy Peaches, happy owners.