Animal Medical Clinics of Rockford Welcome Waggin' Tails

We would like to welcome the newest addition to the Animal Medical Clinics of Rockford, Waggin’ Tails. Drs. Cary Thompson and James Buhl are pleased to announce that Julie Jackson has joined the staff of Animal Medical Clinics of Rockford as the Behavior Wellness Director. She will be managing the clinics’ new venture-Waggin’ Tails Training and Day Care Center, located at 4109 Morsay Drive.

Waggin’ Tails doggie day care program specializes in small and medium-sized dogs with indoor and outdoor play areas. The facility’s priority is providing each day care dog with a fun and safe environment. Dogs will be evaluated, observed and grouped with appropriate play partners to ensure a good time for all. While there will be plenty of time for play, there also will be down time each day giving the players a chance to settle. Call Waggin’ Tails at 815-391-8101 for more details.

Waggin’ Tails also offers Puppy SmartStart classes for puppies 8-12 weeks of age. This class is designed to be both an informative and fun learning experience for puppies and their humans. Waggin’ Tails will also begin offering Puppy 101 classes for pups 13-16 weeks of age and Good Manners for older pups and adult dogs.

With Julie on staff, Animal Medical Clinics is able to offer private in-home or in-clinic training/behavior consultations for their clients.

Julie has 16 years of animal welfare experience, including 11 years of animal shelter work and 16 years of positive dog training. She is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, a graduate of Purdue University’s DOGS! Course, co-developer of the GoodPuppy™ Social Club curriculum (early learning for puppies), co-author of Early Learning for Puppies – A Program Guide for Humane Societies and Veterinary Clinics and co-author of Evaluation of association between retention in the home and attendance at puppy socialization classes published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. She has lectured and presented wet labs for veterinary students, veterinary technician students, animal shelter staff and volunteers, and veterinary clinic staff and developed and presented hands-on training seminars for professional organizations, national meetings and local groups. She keeps up-to-date on new training and behavior trends by attending seminars and conferences each year.Julie is a Rockford native and shares her home with 3 dogs – Lucy, a 15 year old “wild haired” Beagle; Maddie, a 5 year old black Goldendoodle; and Lady, an American Staffordshire Terrier, who is a failed foster dog, now a permanent member of the Jackson family. All three dogs were adopted from shelters.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FECAL TESTING

Bringing in a stool sample every six months may sound gross, but it is beneficial to you AND your pet! Spread by passing wildlife or other dogs or cats, intestinal parasites can hide out in our beloved family pets causing nothing more than diarrhea. However, should these little beasties transmit to a human, they can result in severe GI upset...even blindness. Checking a stool every six months will help find any parasites that may take up residence in your loved dog or cat. They are easily treatable, and your entire family will be safer.

Hip Dysplasia and Large Breed Dogs

Owners of large breed puppies are justifiably worried over the risk that their new puppy will eventually develop hip dysplasia. Large breeds, whether from a kennel, private owner or a pet store are at risk of this crippling disease. It can be very painful, and by the time it is diagnosed and treated the dog has often suffered for weeks or even months. Preventing this suffering has been everyone's goal for many years.

Treating hip dysplasia is expensive. In mild cases aspirin and other pain relieving drugs can be used, but must be given for the life of the dog and are eventually irritating to the gastrointestinal tract. Surgery, which is very expensive and a lot more debilitating to the patient can treat more severe cases. The most common surgical options are:

1. TPO (triple pelvic osteotomy) -- This $1,200-$2,000 per hip surgery cuts and then re-attaches 3 bones in the pelvis to change the angle of the hip socket. Only done early in life (6-10 months of age), there is a loss of range of motion.
2. FHO (femoral head ostectomy) -- This $700-$1,000 per hip surgery removes the femoral head. This surgery results in a loss of the normal hip anatomy, and the larger the dog, the less successful the surgery is.
3. THR (total hip replacement) -- This hip $3,500-$5,000 per hip surgery replaces the abnormal hip joint with a prosthesis. It is only done at specialty and university clinics.

Different surgeons recommend different procedures based on their skill level, instrumentation, age of the pet, severity of the disease, and finances available. The entire process can be very complex, costly and emotionally draining. Most of all, this very painful disease is now largely preventable!

Hip Screening

Testing is now available that can predict which puppies are at greater risk of developing hip dysplasia. Furthermore, a surgical procedure is now available that should allow the hip bones of a puppy to develop and form a better hip joint.

Screening of large breed puppies (over 50lb adult weight) MUST be done before eighteen weeks of age (the earlier the better).

The screening consists of general anesthesia and palpation of the hips. If palpation is positive, this indicates a loose or lax joint. "PennHip" x-ray may be done to provide further verification.

Those puppies that test positive benefit from a procedure (Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis) that destroys the growth plate in the pubic bone. This causes early fusing which changes the angle of the hip as the puppy grows, ultimately providing the puppy a much better hip joint. Benefits of the surgery, compared to those required for hip dysplasia, are remarkable. There is very little discomfort after surgery. There is no "bone" surgery and no loss of range of motion of the joint; integrity of the hip joint is maintained. There is rapid healing with few complications. Also, the cost is low when compared with dysplasia surgeries.

This surgery reduces the degeneration of the hip joint beginning at a very early age. The most important factor in its success is the timing of the surgery -----IT MUST BE DONE AS CLOSE TO FOURTEEN WEEKS OF AGE AS POSSIBLE! Early detection is imperative.

Hip screening total cost only $150.00: Office consultation, pre-anesthesia blood tests, isoflurane gas anesthesia, and palpation.

**Dogs that receive JPS surgery should not be bred and spaying or neutering is MANDATORY at the time of the JPS surgery.

Remember: This surgery SHOULD BE DONE AT 13 WEEKS OF AGE OR IT BEGINS TO BECOME LESS EFFECTIVE!!

Call Animal Medical Clinic, Animal Medical Clinic North, or CherryVale Animal Clinic to make an appointment with Dr. Thompson or Dr. Buhl for your puppy's hip screening today.