From the Client Perspective: Our Story of Caring for Our Best Friend

Posted on March 29, 2016 by admin2

Each one of our clients has a unique story to tell, but they all have a common theme: mutual love and devotion between pet and pet-parent. We received this story from clients of ours who were absolutely committed to taking care of their best friend in the same way that friend had been there for them over the years. This is the story of Christopher. It may remind you of your own story about caring for your furry best friend in their time of need. If it does, let us know in the comments below.

In May of 2010, a handsome little miniature pinscher joined our family. He came to be known as Christopher.

It didn’t take us long to see how smart, loveable and human-like Christopher was. He understood every word, especially any word starting with a “P.” He would perk right up hearing the word “pizza.” He loved riding in a car, more so if he heard “Wawa” or “Dunkin Donuts.” He became my wingman!

Christopher loved being hugged and kissed. Then he would close his eyes and hug you back. His way of talking to us was a blooping sound. On the other hand, nothing was allowed in his yard. No birds, no squirrels, not even planes could fly overhead. Chris would trot around to chase the planes away. He acted like the older brother to the other dogs, and would bark if they didn’t obey.

In July of 2014, his regular veterinarian found a problem with Christopher’s kidneys. We then took him to a veterinarian we had known for more than fourteen years, Dr. Tammy Anderson at NorthStar VETS. After tests and ultrasound, he was diagnosed with renal failure. Our hearts sank and a sick feeling came over us. Dr. Anderson told us there was no cure, but we could try to slow it down. We started fluids and changed his food to what was recommended.

Three days later, when Chris began vomiting, we took him back to NorthStar VETS. We met Dr. Nancy Vail-Archer in the Emergency department. She ran tests and diagnosed Chris as having severe pancreatitis. He was admitted and put in ICU. On Wednesday, Dr. Anderson took him back under her care. He spent five days in ICU at which time Dr. Anderson told us we could take him home. In our hearts and minds, we figured we were going to lose him then.

Christopher went on a routine of fluids every day, and bloodwork every three months to keep track of his values. We changed his food again and he never had another outbreak of pancreatitis.

Along the way, he developed eye problems. Again, we called on a veterinarian at NorthStar VETS we had known for more than fourteen years, Dr. Kristina Vygantas.

He was on numerous medications, some for the renal issue and some for his eyes. With the help, care and compassion, and the hugs and kisses, our Christoper lived another year and half.

Christopher with NorthStar VETS technician, Sabrina
Toward the end of December 2015, Christopher wouldn’t eat anything on his own. We could see the sparkle in his eyes fading and he couldn’t keep standing on his own.

On January 3rd, 2016, we guided Christopher to the stairs that led to doggie heaven. No more pain, no more needles. Just peace where he would forever be a pup.

With very humbled hearts, we would like to thank our family veterinarian, as well as the team at NorthStar VETS including Dr. Vail, Dr. Anderson, Dr. Vygantas and all the techs and receptionists who helped Christopher along the way. Everyone showed warmth, care and much love to our Chris. Christopher was loved to pieces and will be kept in our hearts forever.

Lorraine and Michael

Posted in Pets | Tagged Kristina Vygantas, Nancy Vail, NorthStar VETS, Tammy Anderson | 4 Comments

NorthStar VETS Receives AAHA Accreditation in Maple Shade

Posted on March 18, 2016 by admin2

NorthStar VETS is proud to announce that it has received AAHA Accreditation at its Maple Shade location. Now pet owners can feel confident in the standard of care they receive at both locations!

NorthStar VETS was first accredited in 2010, named AAHA Specialty and Referral Hospital of the Year in 2013, and now in 2016, both facilities (Robbinsville, New Jersey and Maple Shade, New Jersey) are AAHA accredited!

The following services are included

Behavior
Cardiology
Clinical Pathology
Dentistry
Dermatology
Emergency & Critical Care
Internal Medicine
Interventional Radiology
Neurology
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Radioiodine (I-131)
Radiology
Rehabilitation and Pain Management
Surgery
Theriogenology (Reproductive Medicine)

Veterinary hospitals are evaluated on approximately 900 standards of veterinary excellence in order to become accredited. AAHA-accredited hospitals are recognized among the finest in the industry, and are consistently at the forefront of advanced veterinary medicine. Pet owners can feel reassured about the care their pets receive at AAHA-accredited hospitals. There is a saying among business leaders: Good management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things. Accreditation assures you that your veterinarian does both!

To find out more on the importance of AAHA Accreditation, please visit www.aaha.org.

Posted in Veterinary Medicine | Tagged aaha, american animal hospital association, NorthStar VETS | Leave a comment

The importance of why NorthStar VETS stays accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association

Posted on February 5, 2016 by admin2

NorthStar VETS has been a member of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) for years and was named their referral practice of the year in 2013, which is one of the highest honors in our industry, and one of the many awards we’ve received of which we are most proud. Here is the statement we made when we were named.

“Our AAHA accreditation reflects NorthStar VETS’ commitment to consistently fulfilling our purpose statement: to improve the quality of life of our patients, our clients, the family veterinarian and our staff. AAHA accreditation highlights the importance of our 5 core values: professionalism, excellence, compassion, teamwork and service. As one of the few AAHA accredited referral practices, the importance of increasing public perception regarding the sophistication of our profession is paramount to us. Incorporating referral practice standards for quality patient care raises the level of care provided; it maintains a commitment to practicing quality, state-of-the-art veterinary medicine. Maintaining our AAHA accreditation holds us accountable to that commitment. The AAHA accreditation process itself was a wonderful team-building experience and our entire staff takes great pride in our AAHA achievement. As leaders in the veterinary referral field, we hope that our accreditation will inspire other practices (referral and general) to join AAHA’s commitment to meeting the highest standards in veterinary excellence in the ever-growing and rapidly-advancing veterinary industry.”

We are working here to get re-accredited and encourage all pet owners to learn more about AAHA accreditation and why it is important to the quality of veterinary care your pet receives. To get more information, visit www.aaha.org.

Rosalie LoScrudato, DVM, CVA, CCRP
Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner
Dr. LoScrudato received her undergraduate degree from Cook College, Rutgers University, and graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. After graduation, Dr. LoScrudato returned to New Jersey and practiced small animal medicine for 17 years, developing an interest in emergency and critical care medicine. She joined NorthStar VETS in 2007 as an emergency clinician.

Dr. LoScrudato earned her certification in veterinary acupuncture in 2009 from the Chi Institute. Dr LoScrudato started the Acupuncture service at NSV in 2009, giving our hospital another avenue to improve our patients’ comfort and function. Beginning in 2011, she transitioned from our ER department and dedicated her time to building the rehabilitation and pain management service at NSV along with Dr Pamela Levin. She completed her certification as a canine rehabilitation practitioner from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012. Dr LoScrudato was certified in companion animal pain management in March 2015. She considers her greatest achievements her four beautiful children. Dr LoScrudato enjoys music, spending quality time with her children, and fishing.

Posted in Veterinary Medicine | Tagged aaha, american animal hospital association, NorthStar VETS, Rosalie LoScrudato | Leave a comment

Does My Pet Really Need Blood Tests Before Surgery

Posted on January 30, 2016 by admin2

The short answer is “yes.”

The minimum standard includes a Complete Blood Count (CBC) and Blood Chemistry Profile, however, other tests may be needed for specific situations. These might include X-rays of the chest, ultrasound of the abdomen, ultrasound of the heart, or urine checks.

There are several reasons why bloodwork should be rechecked prior to any anesthesia.

The complete blood count provides information regarding the red blood cell count, platelet count and white blood cell count.
- If your pet is anemic, a blood transfusion may be necessary.
- If the platelet count is low, your pet could have serious risks of bleeding during and after surgery (which can be fatal if unchecked).
The blood chemistry profile provides information regarding your pet’s overall body function. This enables us to choose the best anesthetic medications to use for your pet, making his or her anesthesia as safe as possible.
- Some medications can cause severe reactions if the liver is not at its full capacity.
- Your pet may require special fluid needs if the kidney values are elevated.
- Certain fluid types may be necessary if electrolyte disturbances are present.
- There are other metabolic problems that can be identified on the chemistry that would require a change in the anesthetic planning.

Our goal is to make your pet’s anesthesia smooth, painless, and as low risk as possible. There is always some risk to anesthesia, no matter how prepared you are; performing pre-anesthesia screening helps us to make anesthesia as safe as possible and helps us to tailor the anesthesia protocol to your pet’s specific needs.

Daniel Stobie, DVM, MS, DACVS – Chief of Staff
A New Jersey native, Dr. Stobie completed his undergraduate work at Cook College/Rutgers University and is a 1990 cum laude graduate of the University of Missouri-College of Veterinary Medicine. He completed an internship in small-animal medicine and surgery at the Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, then went on to complete a three-year surgical residency at the University of Minnesota and earn a Master’s Degree in Veterinary Surgery, Radiology, and Anesthesia in 1994. Dr. Stobie became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1995. In 2007, he completed the mini-MBA certificate program at the Rutgers School of Business.

To read more about Dr. Stobie, see his full bio at northstarvets.com.

The information presented on this web site is not intended to take the place of your family veterinarian’s advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Discuss this information with your own veterinarian to determine what is right for your pet. All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. We can not and do not give you medical advice via this blog. The information contained in this online site and emails is presented in summary form only and intended to provide broad understanding and knowledge. The information should not be considered complete and should not be used in place of a visit, call, consultation or advice of your veterinarian. We do not recommend the self-management of your pet’s health problems.

Posted in Pets, Veterinary Medicine | Tagged anesthesia, blood, CBC, Dr. Daniel Stobie, NorthStar VETS, surgery | 2 Comments

Welcome Shady to the NorthStar VETS Family

Posted on December 15, 2015 by admin2

“Shady” is the newest member of our NorthStar VETS family and goes by many different names. Mr. Shady, Shady Aquaman, Slim Shady, Nigel, the list goes on and on. His official name is Shady, and we had that name kind-of picked out before we even had him in our arms. We saw pictures of Shady when he was 8-weeks old. Considering he would be the hospital cat for our Maple Shade facility and the fact that he is a lovely smokey grey color, the client service representatives at the Maple Shade facility thought “Shady” would be perfect! Dr. Kimberly Hammer, in charge of the NorthStar VETS Blood Bank for Dogs and Cats, took multiple names from the ones suggested on our Facebook page and had the employees vote on the best one and well, Shady won! He certainly lives up to his name. He will stay in your shadow if you are walking around the facility. He does not like to be left alone, even during bathroom breaks he must tag along. The way he walks suits his name well too as he has this strange, slinky, low to the ground movement when he’s lurking behind you. Shady is the most affectionate kitty if he knows you, and will instantly turn over for a belly rub if you offer them. He loves chasing imaginary things in our huge windows at Maple Shade and he will eat anything you put in front of him. All of us at NorthStar VETS who have had the chance to meet Shady have fallen in love with his fluffy fur and his sweet heart.

Shady also has a rare blood type for cats. He is blood type B which is only found in one percent of the domestic shorthair population. Cats with type B blood who need a transfusion can only receive type B blood. When Shady is full-grown, he will join our blood donor program to help cats in need. His rare blood type will be life-saving! If you have a cat or dog who you think would make a good blood donor, please visit the Blood Bank page on our web site and take the quiz to see if he/she would be eligible.

Kimberly Hammer, VMD, DACVIM
Dr. Hammer graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2000. She then spent a year at Mississippi State University for a small animal internship and then returned to UPENN for a 2-year residency in small animal internal medicine. She earned board certification from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2004. Dr. Hammer’s professional interests include endocrinology, hepatic and gastrointestinal disease, renal disease, and critical care medicine to name a few. Deeply committed to her patients, Dr. Hammer’s primary goal is to provide the very best patient care, both diagnostically and therapeutically. She joined the NorthStar VETS team in September 2007.

Posted in Pets | Tagged blood bank for dogs and cats, hospital cat, kimberly hammer, maple shade, NorthStar VETS, shady, south jersey | Leave a comment

Winston the Westie battles Craniomandibular Osteopathy

Posted on December 8, 2015 by admin2

Winston is an 8-month-old, intact male, West Highland White Terrier who presented to our hospital for lethargy. He was the first puppy owned by this family. Everything was normal and he seemed in good health until the day after he went to see his family veterinarian. After his visit, he was lethargic and reluctant to eat, which was cause for concern for his owners. At the time of admission to NorthStar VETS, he was eating small amounts of soft food with some effort. Labwork done by his family veterinarian showed mild anemia and an increase in ALP and phosphorus which was considered normal in a puppy. A 4DX test was negative. He had seemed painful when eating for the past few days.

Upon examination, he was reluctant to move, but the most dramatic finding was reluctance to open his mouth. He cried if his mouth was opened more than 2 inches. He also had soft tissue swelling on the top of his head.

The technicians who took care of Winston overnight noted his painful state while they kept him on IV fluids, antibiotics and pain medication. By the next morning, his fever had resolved.

Radiographs showed changes consistent with craniomandubular osteopathy, a congenital disorder common in the Westie breed, that is an excessive and abnormal bone growth on the skull (cranium) and lower jaw (mandible) causing pain and discomfort. It is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait in West Highland White Terriers. It can be seen in other breeds as well. It occurs in growing puppies (3-to-10-months of age). In this disease, normal bone is replaced by fibrous bone. It most commonly affects the mandible, but in Winston, the bones of the head were severely affected. If the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) is affected, then difficulty grasping, chewing and swallowing food is seen. Fever occurs frequently and there is pain associated with palpation on petting the head and pain upon opening the mouth. Weight loss and progressive loss of the muscle of chewing can be seen. Prognosis depends on the areas affected and the ability to provide supportive care.

Supportive care includes treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics (pain medications). Dogs on chronic therapy should be monitored closely and will require therapy adjustments based on clinical course and monitoring of labwork (chemistry and cbc). In some cases, feeding tubes can be used to help maintain nutrition.

Prevention of this disease can only occur if affected animals carrying this recessive gene are not bred.

Winston responded very well to anti-inflammatory doses of prednisone for 6 weeks. Unfortunately, after 8 weeks off of prednisone, his signs recurred and the prednisone needed to be resumed. He will need monthly rechecks and in a few months he will be taken off of the prednisone once again. He is becoming more puppy-like now that he is feeling better. It is a benign disease, that Winston should grow out of as he gets bigger, so the prognosis for this adorable little guy is favorable at this time.

Tammy Anderson, DVM, DACVIM
Dr. Anderson is a New Jersey native who received her veterinary medical degree from Ohio State University in 1995. She completed her small animal internship at Michigan State University in 1996, and her residency in small animal internal medicine at the University of Tennessee in 1999. She remained at UT as an assistant professor of small animal medicine until 2001, when she returned to New Jersey and entered private practice. Dr. Anderson joined NorthStar VETS in 2004.

Posted in Pets, Veterinary Medicine | Tagged craniomandibular osteopathy, Dogs, NorthStar VETS, tammy anderson dvm, west highland white terrier | Leave a comment

Hills Science Diet issues voluntary market withdrawal of eight popular products

Posted on December 7, 2015 by admin2

For reasons that have yet to be disclosed, select Hill’s Science Diet products have been removed from PetSmart retail locations as a result of a “voluntary market withdrawal.”

Shoppers were surprised to find out that as many as eight canned dog food products were affected by the withdrawal, which will continue through the 18th of December.

But this is not to be confused with a product recall – according to the Food and Drug Administration, a Market Withdrawal “occurs when a product has a minor violation that would not be subject to FDA legal action. The firm removes the product from the market or corrects the violation,” as per the FDA website. “For example, a product removed from the market due to tampering, without evidence of manufacturing or distribution problems, would be a market withdrawal.”

Pet owners who did not come in contact with the posting should note that the following products have been affected:

Science Diet Dog Adult Perfect Weight
12.8 oz
SKU 5210092
UPC 5274229750
All Date Codes/All Best Before Dates
Ideal Balance Slim – Healthy Chicken
12.8 oz
SKU 5210280
UPC 5274230770
All Date Codes/All Best Before Dates
Science Diet Dog Small – Toy Adult Beef Entrée
5.8 oz.
SKU 5092280
UPC 5274249660
All Date Codes/All Best Before Dates
Science Diet Dog Small – Toy Mature Beef Entrée
5.8 oz
SKU 5092282
UPC 5274249680
All Date Codes/All Best Before Dates
Science Diet Dog Adult Beef Entrée
13 oz.
SKU 5117274
UPC 5274270390
All Date Codes/All Best Before Dates
Science Diet Dog Adult Beef – Chicken Entrée
13 oz.
SKU 5117273
UPC 5274270400
All Date Codes/All Best Before Dates
Science Diet Dog Mature Beef Entrée
13 oz.
SKU 5117275
UPC 5274270560
All Date Codes/All Best Before Dates

Those with outstanding questions should contact Hill’s Science Customer Service by calling 800-445-5777 between the hours of 8am and 5pm CST, Monday through Friday.

Posted in Pets, Veterinary Medicine | Tagged Hills Science Diet | Leave a comment

Deadly Amanita “Death Cap” Mushroom Toxicity

Posted on November 19, 2015 by admin2

Alert from the Emergency and Critical Care Service at NorthStar VETS:
We have had four cases (one confirmed, and three other suspected) of young dogs with acute liver failure secondary to suspected Amanita mushroom ingestion. These cases have been in Robbinsville, Princeton Junction, Hamilton, and Mt. Holly New Jersey.

Signs start with vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and low blood sugar, and progress to severe clotting disorder, ALT liver value elevation, neurologic impairment, and ultimately death.

What to do:

Inspect your yard for any mushrooms, take pictures, remove them, and try to identify them.
Consider walking your dog on leash to monitor and try to prevent ingestion.
If your dog ingested mushrooms, bring them to the hospital right away so that vomiting can be induced, and further options discussed based on the type of mushroom ingested.

How to Identify:

Look up pictures of Amanita online.
Call HUMAN Poison control and email them a picture, they may help identify them.
Visit NAMYCO.org, an organization of mycologists that can help identify these mushrooms from pictures via email.

How to Treat:

Prevent exposure.
The earlier the recognition and intervention, the better. There are measures we can take to decontaminate beyond emesis, but we must intervene very early.
Supportive care for liver failure with antioxidants, vitamin K, plasma transfusions, and other medications. At this point prognosis is guarded to poor.

If you have questions about these mushrooms, contact the North American Mycological Association. If your pet is ill or you suspect they ate one of these mushrooms, contact your family veterinarian immediately or bring them to NorthStar VETS.

Barbara Maton, DVM, DACVECC
Dr. Maton is originally from Florida, where she earned her undergraduate degree in biology from the University of North Florida, and studied veterinary medicine at the University of Florida, obtaining her DVM in 2006. She completed a rotating internship focused on emergency medicine at SouthPaws Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Center in Virginia, then moved to Pittsburgh where she worked as an emergency veterinarian for two years and completed her residency in the specialty in 2012. After helping to start a critical care service at an established veterinary referral hospital in Delaware, she joined NorthStar VETS in 2014. Her clinical and research interests include trauma, electrolyte derangements, anticoagulant therapies and CPR medicine.

Posted in Pets, Veterinary Medicine | Tagged 24 hour emergency vet, amanita death cap, Barbara Maton, deadly mushrooms, NorthStar VETS | Leave a comment

National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day

Posted on November 6, 2015 by admin2

Lymphoma is a cancer of the white blood cells. When it comes to discovering this disease, typically, pet owners will feel lymph nodes under the chin, and that’s the first sign of disease. Sometimes, our patients come in for other signs, such as drinking more or lethargy. Fortunately, this disease carries a good prognosis with 80-90 percent responding to treatment and going into remission with a good quality of life for a year. This disease is treated with chemotherapy.

I really try hard to not let my patients get sick, and most patients do not have any significant signs through treatment. In fact, I had one patient continue to compete in dog agility while on chemotherapy! So if your dog is diagnosed with lymphoma, I urge you to talk to your family veterinarian about treatment and referral to a Veterinary Oncologist for treatment.

Here is the story behind getting November 7th officially named Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day.

Jennifer Kim, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)
Dr. Kim grew up in New York and received her BA from the University of Pennsylvania. After two years at the National Cancer Institute performing cancer genetic research, she attended veterinary school at Tufts University. Dr. Kim completed a rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan, New York, and an oncology internship at Cornell University. She began at NorthStar VETS as an emergency clinician in 2005 and returned in 2010 to treat oncology patients after completing her residency in medical oncology at Michigan State University School of Veterinary Medicine. In her free time, Dr. Kim is an avid foodie and knitter.

Posted in Veterinary Medicine | Tagged canine lymphoma, Jennifer Kim, northstarvets | Leave a comment

Good n Fun Beefhide Chicken Sticks recalled for potential Salmonella contamination

Posted on October 21, 2015 by admin2

If you have recently purchased Good ‘n’ Fun Beefhide Chicken Stix from a Dollar General or Dollar Tree store, do not give them to your dog and do not take the sticks out of the package. Salix Animal Health is voluntarily recalling one lot of the product that may have been contaminated with Salmonella potentially affecting both dogs that eat the sticks and humans who handle the sticks.

Although no reports of illness in pets or people have been reported, the affected packages should be disposed of properly.

Good 'n; Fun Beefhide Chicken Sticks

Recall specifics

The recalled packages are 2.8 ounce bags of Good ‘n’ Fun Beefhide Chicken Sticks that were distributed in only Dollar General or Dollar Tree stores.

To determine if you purchased the recalled product, look at the lot code and expiration date on the product package. The bags are stamped on the backside with lot #AO15010 and the expiration date of 03/2018. The UPC code on the bag is 0 91093 82247 1.

Disposing of the recalled packages

Leave the sticks in the package and either dispose of the product in the trash or return it for a full refund. For information on returning the product, contact Salix’s consumer affairs team at 1-800-338-4896, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Affects of Salmonella on dogs

Dogs and other pets that have been infected with Salmonella may have the following symptoms:

Lethargy
Diarrhea or bloody diarrhea
Fever
Vomiting
Decreased appetite
Fever
Abdominal pain

Not all dogs that have been infected with Salmonella will have these symptoms, but they could be carriers of the bacteria and infect other pets or humans. If your dog has consumed Good ‘n’ Fun Beefhide Chicken Sticks and has any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Affects of Salmonella on humans

Salmonella can infect anyone, but the elderly, those who are pregnant, and the very young are most vulnerable to the bacteria. People infected with Salmonella may have the following symptoms:

Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea or bloody diarrhea
Abdominal cramping
Fever

According the FDA, Salmonella can also result in more serious problems, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms, but this is rare.

If you have handled Good ‘n’ Fun Beefhide Chicken Sticks and exhibit any of the symptoms of Salmonella, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Customers with additional questions about the recall can call Salix’s consumer affairs team at the number listed above.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment