We would like to take this opportunity to thank the seven members of our "Hurricane Crew" who volunteered to work through the days of not one, but two, potential hurricanes.  Glenn Martin, Shawn Brown, Andre Tapo, Stephen Messa, Justin King, Stephen Gravolet and Josh Magan certainly answered above and beyond their calls of duty when they each agreed to stay for over 24 hour periods during two possible hurricanes.  With all of their families either evacuated or in safe housing, these members of our team decidedly reported for duty, and in the process sacrificed their own safety for the welfare of our patients and their fellow co-workers.  Dr. Melissa Perez and Dr. Rick Richmond are also to be commended for the long hours they put in making sure all remained well throughout the two storms.  We are very appreciative of the great work accomplished by all those involved.  Without the hard work and dedication of people such as these, Metairie Small Animal Hospital could not continue to offer such a  level of care and responsiveness, both in normal and emergency conditions.  Once again...Thank You!

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                      Volume 4, Issue 11                               

A Word To The Wise

This month, families in Louisiana will gather together to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.  This is a wonderful holiday to share with loved ones and to enjoy great southern food and good times.  We all agree that our pets are part of the family and should enjoy our festivities with us.

Although we all know not to give table scraps to our pets, Thanksgiving seems to be one of the exceptions to the rule.  The problem comes when our pets actually get more than "just a little piece of turkey."  From the mashed potatoes and gravy to the corn on the cob and turkey bones, our pets will eat anything they can.  They don't realize what an ill effect some of these foods can have on their bodies. 

After a holiday such as Thanksgiving, we see many pets that have had "too much people food."  This can cause stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea and even pancreatitis.  If your pet is given bones to eat, it is possible for the bones to splinter and injure your pet's digestive tract.  Bones have also been responsible for intestinal obstruction--bones can be a foreign body and require surgery to repair.

We ask our clients to be aware of the consequences of their pets eating the wrong foods.  It is important, especially around the holidays to make sure foods are not left in your pets reach and be aware of foods falling to the floor.  At the end of the day, be sure to remove leftovers and trash completely so that your pets can not get into them.  It is much easier to prevent problems before they arise than it is to worry about your pets' recovery after a holiday.

                      Volume 4, Issue 11                               

Kelly Lupo is November's Employee of the Month.  Kelly has worked for MSAH for ten years and is currently the office manager of our West Esplanade Outpatient Clinic.  Kelly is a graduate of Grace King High School and a life-long resident of Metairie.  In her free time Kelly enjoys gardening and rock-climbing.  We would like to thank Kelly for ten great years of service.  Keep up the good work!

A 2 year old male German Shepherd presented for restlessness and vomiting.  On physical exam, his abdomen was tense and painful.  His capillary refill time (time it takes for color to reappear in an area of the gums after pressure is applied) was about 3 seconds--normal refill time is less than 2 seconds.  His rectum was dilated and contained a clear gelatinous material instead of normal stool.  A radiograph of the abdomen was taken and is pictured at right.  What's your diagnosis?

(Answer on Page 5)

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                      Volume 4, Issue 11                               

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                      Volume 4, Issue 11                               

Pictured from left:  Lauren, Tara, Julie, Andre, Laurie, Kerry, Rachel, Dr. Leslie, Dr. Allison, Dr. Melissa, Dionne, Audrey, Stephen, Glenn, Carey, Connie and "Kirby."

As you can see, Halloween was an exciting day at MSAH.  Many of our employees dressed up for the occasion and are pictured above.  We also held a small costume contest which proved to be a lot of fun.  The winners were:  Funniest Costume--Dr. Allison dressed as Dr. Siggy Mayer and Stephen dressed as Dr. Chris Fabacher;  Most Original Costume--Audrey as a lighthouse; Best Costume--Dr. Melissa as a hippie; and Cutest Costume---Kerry as a scarecrow.  See their pictures 7 below!