December Pet Of The Month

“NALA” YOUNG

 

(Birth date: April 7, 2008)

  For December, 2011, the honor of our Pet Of The Month goes to “Nala” Young. Nala is almost 4-years-old and is a brown and beige female mix-breed dog belonging to the Young family of Parsippany. The way in which the Young’s obtained Nala is very unique and special. On June 7, 2008 Ms. Young was leaving an event in Nashville, Tennessee, and while walking to her car in the parking lot, spotted Nala laying quietly in the grass nearby. She had no tags or any form of identification on her. According to Ms. Young, she and Nala were immediately drawn to each other in a way that’s hard to put into words. Ms. Young knew she just had to do everything she could to find out if Nala had a home or had merely been abandoned. Weighing a mere 14-lbs at the time, Ms. Young discovered there was no record of a missing dog fitting Nala’s description. She checked the local pound and police department for any leads but nothing. It seemed it was meant to be for Nala to become the newest member of the Young family. Patiently tackling the considerable amount of red-tape involved, Ms. Young was finally able to have Nala transported to Pennsylvania where she was able to pick her up on June 28, 2008. How everything fell into place was so amazing that Ms. Young said she would one day like to write a children’s book about this wonderful story.

Stem Cell Therapy for Dogs and Cats

     Since 2005, the American Animal Hospital has been administering stem cell treatments to dogs and cats to help increase mobility, decrease pain and generally improve quality of life.  It’s proven to be beneficial in combating hip dysplasia, arthritis, degenerative joint disease and ligament injuries. We were the first practice to perform canine stem cell therapy in the United States, and were the first practice on the East Coast, in 2010, to offer the entire process in house (We use technology from Medi-Vet America)!  Not only does this mean that your pet can go home the same day, with only normal follow up exams (sending it out took three days!) but we get over 33 TIMES MORE stem cells per sample. 

     So what are stem cells? First, let’s dismiss any controversy by saying that these are adult stem cells, not embryonic!  The adult stem cells are autologous (meaning that they come from the same patient from which they’re taken) and do not need a host. They occur naturally in the body and work to repair damaged cells. A stem cell is unique since it has no set role in the body; they are essentially a blank slate.  This blank slate can become almost any cell in the body as  needed and functions as an internal repair mechanism when cells are damaged. We obtain the stem cells from our patients by extracting a small sample of fat (about one tablespoon).  Fat tissue contains an amazing amount of stem cells, and from just about a tablespoon of fat, we can extract almost 500 million stem cells.  These are called adipose derived stem cells, meaning that they come from the same animal that they are being administered to.  They are different from the embryonic derived cells that you read about in the news, since they don’t need a donor nor do they come from an embryo.  After extracting the stem cells, we then “supercharge” them using a mix of platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) and light activation to ensure that we are getting the most active and voluminous amount possible.

     The way the stem cells adapt and work in the body is fascinating.  Once intravenously injected, they home in on damaged tissues, following distress signals produced by injured cells.  When stem cells arrive at a damaged region, they go to work regenerating tissue as well as acting as an anti-inflammatory.  The PRP, which contains many growth factors, aids in hard and soft tissue healing as the stem cells go to work.  This combination works especially well in joints.

     We continue to have great success using veterinary stem cell therapy, with all of our patients going home the same day and many feeling positive effects in less than a week from their initial injection.  Follow along here to learn about some of our cases!

July Pet of the Month

 

Our Pet Of The Month for July, 2011 is an adorable 6-month old female Tea Cup Pomeranian named “Juicy.”  Her loving owner is Bonnie Brecher of Randolph.  Ms. Brecher was referred to a breeder in Long Island by a friend who knew she was looking for a special little Pomeranian.  Born January 5th, 2011, Juicy soon became the pride and joy of the Brecher family and adapted well to her new home.

When asked where she got her name,  Ms. Brecher said the breeder started calling her “Juicy” and her sister  “Chiclet” which kind of goes with “Juicy,”  so it seemed right to keep that name.  Her formal name is Juicy Boo Couture.  As a result, Ms. Brecher was actually inspired to write a song for Juicy.  It’s sung to the tune of “The Barbie Song” and depicts her quite well, Ms. Brecher claims.
  
Juicy’s one and only food is Vets Choice little bites, dry.  Her favorite treats are kongs filled with something that looks like “cheeze whiz.”  She also gets some other special gourmet treats.

Juicy loves to play ball, especially with other dogs in the neighborhood while on a walk with her mom.  Sometimes the ball looks bigger than she is!  She also loves to dance like a circus bear on her hind legs.  She likes to cuddle -- with anybody, she’s not fussy, as long as she’s getting attention, she’s a happy pup!

She also likes to “announce” herself by a short bark when she is taken outside, as if to let everyone within earshot know she’s outside and available for attention!

She often sleeps in her pink donut bed but may also be found relaxing in her crate!

Everyone who meets her falls in love with her and wants to “get one just like her” so she may be helping to increase the Pomeranian population!

What a wonderful little dog, so very loved by her mom.  We at AMERICAN ANIMAL HOSPITAL are so pleased to celebrate “Juicy” Brecher as our Pet Of The Month for July, 2011.  Congratulations Juicy!

June Pet of the Month

Lacey is a beautiful 5 year old Rottweiler belonging to Gene and Felicia Lopez  of Parsippany.  Right around August of 2006 the Lopez’s went searching for a female Rottie. They found Lacey at a kennel in Paramus, the only Rottie available.  Lacey gravitated towards them and it was “love at first sight,” for both of them!  She quickly adjusted to her new home.  Lacey was about 4 months old.

She makes friends with everyone she comes in contact with.  She loves people and other dogs, although some dogs are a little intimidated by her.  According to Mrs. Lopez, Lacey is a big mush!  The one thing Lacey hates is sirens!  Unfortunately, she lives very near a fire house.

Lacey sure enjoys her Beggen Strips -- her favorite treat.  She can often be found munching on a knuckle bone too.  Her favorite toys are small toys, especially small stuffed animals.  Right now she’s very attached to a gorilla toy that makes gorilla noises.  The toy and Lacey are both black and tan in color.

Lacey lost the use of her back legs back on March 11th, just before her 5th birthday.  She chipped a bone from her vertebrae, causing paralysis of her hind legs.  So one would think she’s a special-needs dog with much difficulty in getting around.  That’s what one would think -- without knowing Lacey very well!  I guess you could say she “forgets” she has this handicap, especially since she received her cart.  Getting her cart was like a teenager with their first car.  Once in her cart she’s ready and raring to take off -- and has on several occasions!  In fact, Mr. and Mrs. Lopez almost lost Lacey a couple of times when she took off out of the yard.  Fortunately, each time resulted in a happy reunion.  She also loves to ride in cars, so naturally looks forward to her recent trips to AMERICAN ANIMAL HOSPITAL to see Dr. Cheng and all of us when she comes for her special acupuncture treatments.

There’s something else very special about Lacey.  She’s a Yankee fan!  That’s right, she loves to watch the Yankees on TV.  Her favorite commercial is the one where Derek Jeter says everything looks better in pin stripes.  Coincidentally, her “mom” and “dad” are also avid Yankee fans!

You can see that Lacey is very unique and special!  All of us at AMERICAN ANIMAL HOSPITAL couldn’t be more pleased to honor “Lacey” Lopez as our Pet Of The Month for June, 2011!  Congratulations Lacey.

May Pet of the Month

"Tank"

Tank is a wonderful and handsome Rottweiler puppy belonging to the Modica family of Old Bridge, NJ.  He was a gift from Mr. Modica to Mrs. to help ease the heartbreak following the loss of their beloved Brutus in January, 2011.  Tank came from a breeder in Toms River, NJ and he came as a complete surprise to Mrs. Modica.  He was just 10-weeks old.  He has quickly adapted to the Modica family including Onyx, age 7, Tank’s new big brother.  Tank has been a real blessing to the family, according to Mrs. Modica.

Tank is on Pro Plan as his main diet and he enjoys pig ears as his favorite treat.  He has lots of toys of all kinds, especially stuffed animals.  One, a stuffed duck, he carries all around the house.  He can often be seen playing with his big brother, Onyx.  They both frequently play together with a pull-rope toy.  When asked what Tank’s favorite activity is, Mrs. Modica replied:  “he just loves playing with Onyx, and sometimes won’t let him alone!”

Tank also loves to be part of the family activities.  He enjoys playing in the yard, sometimes with a ball but other games as well.  He has tons of energy!

Mrs. Modica says she just adores him and Onyx so much.  Tank has the cutest look (as we all can see from the picture).  He sleeps in his crate at night.  He feels comfortable there.  Mrs. Said she’d probably let him on furniture and the bed, but Mr. Would rather not allow that.

We at AMERICAN ANIMAL HOSPITAL are excited to celebrate Tank Modica as our Pet Of The Month for May, 2011!  Congratulations, Tank, you are a winning puppy indeed!

Top tips for boarding your pet this summer!!

It’s official! Summer is finally here, and with it comes road trips, vacations with the family and long weekends with friends.  Unfortunately, your best friend isn’t always invited. There are several dangersWhile you’re looking for a trusting source to leave your furry friend, (or scaly sidekick) here are some points to look for when selecting a facility to board at.

What kind of exercise will my pet get?

So admittedly this will vary with the type of pet you have (it’s rare that a cat enjoys a leash walk, but it’s always available) but you exercise your pet when you’re around, why should it be a couch potato while you’re away?  We include four outdoor walks a day at our hospital for all dog’s boarding (large dog’s stay exclusively in large runs), and cat’s have the option of condo’s to stretch and jump from level to level.  It’s important to maintain your pets active lifestyle, outdoor bathroom habits, keep them in the fresh air and sunshine and interacting with people on a daily basis!

What monitoring services are available?

We know your pet get’s a lot of attention at home, why should it stop while you’re away?  By monitoring your pet’s daily actions, they can see if there is any abnormality in their daily behavior.  In our experience it isn’t usual, however once we received a dog from an outside kennel that hadn’t been urinating for an extended period of time (more than two days before it was noticed!).  It turned out that this Dalmatian was suffering from bladder stones, and actually ended up with a tear in it’s bladder.  Fortunately, our very own Dr. Stockmal was able to accurately diagnose and perform the life saving surgery before the dog suffered septic poisoning.  Without proper constant monitoring, this best friend may not have been around to greet it’s owner when they came home.

What kind of environment do they stay in?

Many pet’s can be anxious when they’re away from their owner.  You should check to make sure that the facility is playing calming music, supplies toys to keep your pet’s mind active and that they have plenty of fresh blankets to sleep with. 

What access is there to a veterinarian?

Most facilities will not have a veterinarian on hand 24/7, but they should at least have a standing relationship with a local veterinarian or emergency veterinary clinic!  At American Animal Hospital we’re fortunate to be an animal hospital first, so there are multiple doctors on hand six days a week and a veterinarian on call, and it makes a difference when we have a boarder that may need regular shots or has medical conditions that require more attention during its stay.  Be sure to check your pet’s needs with the facilities abilities.

And of course, how does your pet relate with the staff?

You wouldn’t stay at a hotel where you constantly think the staff is inattentive, so why would your pet?  A loving and gentle kennel attendant can make a huge difference.  Our borders occasionally join us for lunch or spend some time with our receptionists in addition to their daily walks; and you may notice this comment on your pet’s report card! Keeping a personal relationship between the facility and your pet makes it easier for them to adjust when you’re forced to say goodbye.


Hopefully these tips will help your pet have just as much fun as you do this summer!

Congratulations Amber Schwartz!

Amber is the lucky winner of this year's 23rd Annual Open House at the American Animal Hospital.  She beat out some fierce competition, including a beach bum, a blind dog, and a bad girl!  It was Amber's attention detail including straw and accessories that made her the Scarecrow to beat.  She gladly took home the grand prize, a bag of doggy treats and pet accessories.  It was so hard picking a winner, with all these great costumes!

One Cool "Beach Bum"

The "Blind Dog" and "Bad Girl"