February is Dental Month at Jefferson Veterinary Hospital!

February is dental month at Jefferson Veterinary Hospital! Dental health is an important part of your pets care and we are offering a 15% savings on all dentals performed in the month of February.

The Importance of Dental Health in Pet Care

When it comes to caring for our pets, many of us focus on diet, exercise, and routine veterinary check-ups, which are important. However, dental health is a crucial aspect of overall pet care that often goes overlooked. Just like humans, pets are susceptible to dental diseases that can lead to serious health issues if not properly managed. Unlike people, dogs will often mask the pain that dental disease can cause.

Understanding Veterinary Dental Health

Regular dental cleanings play a vital role in maintaining your pet's oral health. Most pets will develop some form of dental disease by the age of three. Plaque and tartar accumulation can lead to gingivitis, periodontal disease, and ultimately tooth loss. These conditions not only affect a pet's ability to eat and enjoy their food, but they can also lead to painful infections.

Consequences of Poor Pet Dental Health

Neglecting dental care can result in far more than just bad breath. Bacteria from gum disease can enter the bloodstream, impacting vital organs such as the heart, liver, and kidneys. This systemic effect highlights the importance of maintaining not only dental hygiene but overall health. Pets suffering from dental problems may show signs of discomfort or pain, which can lead to behavioral changes and a reduced quality of life.

Benefits of Regular Veterinary Dental Cleanings

Regular dental cleanings involve a thorough examination of the mouth and teeth, scaling to remove plaque and tartar, and polishing to reduce future buildup. Here are key benefits of scheduling these cleanings for your pet:

• Prevention of Dental Disease: Cleanings can catch early signs of dental issues before they escalate into more serious problems.

• Improved Breath: A clean mouth often leads to better-smelling breath, which is a huge benefit for us.

• Enhanced Quality of Life: Regular dental care helps prevent pain and discomfort that can affect a pet’s behavior and appetite.

• Longer Lifespan: By reducing the risk of systemic diseases linked to dental health, maintaining your pet's oral hygiene can contribute to a longer and healthier life.

Tips for Maintaining Dental Health at Home

While professional dental cleanings are essential, there are additional steps pet owners can take at home to support their pet’s dental health:

• Regular Brushing: Using a vet-approved toothpaste and toothbrush designed for pets can significantly reduce plaque buildup.

• Dental Chews and Toys: Chew toys and treats designed to promote dental health can help reduce the build up of plaque.

• Routine Checks: Regularly inspect your pet’s mouth for signs of gum inflammation, tooth discoloration, or bad breath.

Incorporating dental health into your pet care routine is as important as vaccinations and regular check-ups. By prioritizing dental cleanings and proper oral hygiene, you can help ensure your pet lives a healthier, happier life. Don't hesitate to consult your veterinarian about a dental care plan that suits your pet's specific needs. Your companion deserves the best, and oral health is a significant piece of that puzzle.

Welcome to Jefferson Veterinary Hospital’s Newest Veterinarian, Dr. Sneha Parna

Jefferson Veterinary Hospital is thrilled to welcome Dr. Parna to our team! With two veterinary degrees and over two decades of experience, Dr. Parna brings a wealth of knowledge to our small animal practice, along with a passion for providing top-quality care to your beloved pets.

Dr. Parna enjoys providing emergency veterinary services, soft tissue surgery and spays and neuters on large dogs and likes to focus on preventative veterinary care, emergency veterinary care and clinical pathology, which is kind of like a veterinary detective, where your pets clinical symptoms are considered together with any diagnostic tests or imaging to determine any issues with your pet’s health.

Whether your pet needs a routine check-up, surgical care, or urgent attention, Dr. Parna is here to help! Call us today to schedule an appointment and meet our newest veterinarian.

Jefferson Veterinary Hospital Celebrates Veterinary Technician Week!

Gabriella has been working as a veterinary technician at Jefferson Veterinary Hospital since 2017. She enjoys working with all of our patients and their owners. Gabriella is very caring, eager to learn more, and she always lends a hand in any way she can to help. She loves her Starbucks every day, she has to have her coffee!

Jefferson Veterinary Hospital Celebrates Veterinary Technician Week!

We are celebrating veterinary technician week here at Jefferson Veterinary Hospital! Your veterinarians are lucky to have such a wonderful, caring and supportive team behind them. Your veterinary technicians truly love your pets and care for them like their own when they are away from you!

Valerie has been with Brunswick Veterinary Office / Jefferson Veterinary Hospital since 2010. Valerie comes in to the veterinary hospital each day with the most cheerful attitude every morning. She is reliable, always eager to learn more and help anyone out. You will see Valerie doing a lot of our laser treatments on our patients.

Celebrating Veterinary Technician Week!

We are celebrating veterinary technician week here at Jefferson Veterinary Hospital! Your veterinarians are lucky to have such a wonderful, caring and supportive team behind them. Your veterinary technicians truly love your pets and care for them like their own when they are away from you!

This is Melissa, she has been with Brunswick Veterinary Office / Jefferson Veterinary Hospital since 2016. She came to us with years of experience and she is very knowledgeable, dedicated. She always cares deeply when it comes to you and your pets. We can always rely on her to keep us laughing!

Veterinarians and Staff Celebrate Veterinary Technician Week!

Desiree started working as a Veterinary Technician in May 2020. All the veterinarians and staff enjoy working with her, she comes in and gets her job done! She is great with sign language, which we are thrilled about as she can help us communicate more effectively with some of our clients during appointments!

Leo's Story

The other day the very handsome Leo came to visit veterinarian Dr. Ahalt for the first time. Unfortunately he was very scared, but Dr Ahalt took his time with him and they became close and Leo then trusted him. We showed this to his family and they were beyond thankful for the time Dr. Ahalt took to make Leo comfortable.

Veterinary Orthopedic Surgery

Dr George, a board certified surgeon who does JVHs TPLOs, came in to help teach Dr A a few new things during an orthopedic surgery. They have a relationship like father and son. JVH ❤️ both of these two while taking care of your pets and ours.

COVID-19 OPERATING PROCEDURES

Veterinary Hospitals are specified as an “essential business” under the executive order issued by Maryland governor Larry Hogan on March 23, 2020. Jefferson Veterinary Hospital will continue to operate with the safety of you, our clients, our patients and staff as a paramount consideration. We are taking the following measures to keep you, your pet, our veterinarians and staff safe during this time:

• Social Distancing (Maintaining a Distance of 6 Feet Between People)

  • Limiting the number of people present in our lobby.

  • Limiting the number of people going in and out of the hospital

  • In cases where social distancing measures cannot be maintained, we may call and request you to wait in your vehicle and one of our staff will arrange to get your pet from you.

  • Taking your pet out of the examination room to conduct exams in our treatment area.

  • Requesting help from clients by having only one person accompany your pet to their appointment.

  • Requesting that cats be brought in carriers to the hospital.

  • Not accepting walk-in appointments for nail trims.

• Sanitization

  • Increasing the frequency of our already stringent sanitization methods of the hospital.

  • Sanitizing high contact areas of the hospital (e.g. door handles) on a constant basis.

  • As per our regular operating protocol, exam rooms are thoroughly sanitized between clients.

  • As per our regular operating protocol, soap, water and sanitizer are available for client use throughout the hospital.

• Social Distancing for Prescription Pick up

  • Please call us at least one hour in advance, or more if you can, with your refill information.

  • We prefer to take your payment over the phone with a debit/credit card.

  • When you arrive, please call us from the parking lot and we will meet you to deliver your medication and receipt.

If you are sick, we are happy to reschedule your appointment. If you are sick and your pet is sick, or needs emergency care, please have another person bring your pet to us. If this is not possible, let us know so that we can make arrangements with you to get your pet to the hospital. We do not want any animal to suffer due to the current restrictions and will do our best to work with you.

How do these measures affect me?

One of the main results from following recommended social distancing measures is that we are reducing the number of people in the hospital. What this means for you is that we will have to communicate more over the phone with you about your pet. It may also take longer than normal to get on the schedule for a well pet exam as we are limiting the number of these appointments. We continue to prioritize sick and emergency cases.

We continue to follow the requirements from the State of Maryland and the recommendations from the CDC and we will move back to our regular operating protocol as soon as these bodies deem it is safe to do so.

By taking these actions together we will get through these unprecedented times and we will continue to provide the best quality veterinary medicine to your pets in the process. Thank you for helping to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Emergency C Section for a Great Dane

Jefferson Veterinary Hospital received a call that a pregnant Great Dane in labor had delivered two puppies but had stalled and that no puppy had been delivered for five hours but the dog was still in active labor. This is known as dystocia. One of our Veterinarians, Dr. Ahalt, examined the patient and it was determined that a c-section was necessary to save the life of the remaining puppies and the mother. Dr. Ahalt performed an emergency c-section surgery on the patient and retrieved the remainder of the puppies.

Halloween tips to keep your pets safe!

Heartworm Disease | Veterinarian Knoxville MD

When an infected mosquito bites a dog, microfilaria (heartworm larvae) are deposited on the skin and enter the bite wound, making their way into the dog’s bloodstream.  The larvae then migrate to the heart and develop into adult worms, which takes about 6 to 7 months. Once the larvae develop into adult worms they begin reproducing.  

Sometimes the dog will not show any clinical signs if they have just been infected by a mosquito. Dogs that have been infected for a long time will develop a cough, have a reduced appetite, fatigue, and even weight loss. 
Jefferson Veterinary Hospital recommends that you give your dog a chewable heartworm preventative (Sentinel Spectrum) once a month. If your pet is not currently on a heartworm preventative, we highly recommend that you bring your dog in to get a quick and easy heartworm test to be sure your dog is negative before starting your monthly heartworm prevention.

Caution: Silicone Cupcake Wrappers Causing Intestinal Blockage in Dog | Surgery to Remove Foreign Body in Dog Frederick MD Veterinarian

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone! Dr. Ahalt and his family are at the hospital today to discharge Maggie so she can go home and be with her mum and family! Maggie counter surfed and ate a cupcake, complete with reusable silicone cupcake wrapper that caused a blockage and required surgery to remove - if you own a dog that likes to cruise for food, you might want to keep a close eye on your cupcakes before they go rogue or go back to paper wrappers, which are less likely to caused a blockage if eaten. Happy Mother’s Day!

Prescription Refills at Jefferson Veterinary Hospital

Spend more time with the ones you love. Jefferson Veterinary Hospital is pleased to offer a time saving and convenient way to refill your prescriptions without having to call the veterinary hospital! Simply fill out this form for prescription medication refills, or this form for prescription food refills, at any time and your veterinarian will review your refill request and either approve it, or contact you for more information.

Please allow us 24 hours, excluding weekends, to process your request. If you are out of medication, or have any questions about your prescription, please call the hospital at 301-473-4111.

Please note: if we have not seen your pet within the last 12 months, or this is a medication that your pet has not been previously prescribed, we will be unable to refill or prescribe the medication without first seeing your pet for an exam. Please schedule an appointment by calling us at 301-473-4111, or you can also schedule online by clicking here.

Growing Vegetables Safely with Pets in Maryland | Veterinarian Point of Rocks MD

Growing Vegetables Safely with Pets in Maryland

The weather is now perfect to start a vegetable garden, but when you have pets there are some plants to avoid that can make your pets sick. We have listed some safe and dangerous fruits and vegetables for our pets. Just some things to think about while getting your gardens ready: 

Safe vegetables around pets:

Asparagus; blueberries; broccoli; cauliflower; cantaloupe; carrots; celery; cucumber; green beans; peas; watermelon; and pumpkin

Dangerous vegetables for pets:

Avocado; eggplant; grapes; mushrooms; garlic; and onion.

Garden Plants that are Toxic to your Pets | Veterinarian Point of Rocks MD

It is spring time in Maryland and we are getting our yards ready, and looking pretty. But unfortunately some of our plants can be very dangerous to our pets. In the list below, we have both safe plants and dangerous plants. We want our pets to have fun outside. It’s very rewarding to have our 4-legged family members with us.

Dangerous plants: Aloe Vera; Ivy; Elephant Ear; Philodendron; Sago Palm; Camellias; Fuchsias

Safe Plants: Begonias; Day lilies; Marigolds; Hyacinth; and Snapdragon.

Microchip Your Pets | Point of Rocks MD Veterinarian

Microchipping your cat or dog is a simple procedure with an overwhelming benefit of your pet being returned to you quickly if they get out and are found by a person who takes them to a local veterinarian or animal shelter. Your veterinarian can place the microchip at Jefferson Veterinary Hospital. The microchip, which is the size of a grain of rice, is injected under your pets’ skin between the shoulder blades. The microchip is a permanent form of identification for your pet. When the microchip is scanned, there is a unique ID code that can identify your pet’s information. Statistically 1 in 5 pets go missing every month, but there have been over 2 million microchipped pets reunited with their families. Please call us at 301-473-4111 or contact us to get your pet microchipped or for more information.

Pet Portraits at Jefferson Veterinary Hospital | Frederick MD Veterinarian

COMING SOON!

Jefferson Veterinary Hospital is pleased to partner with Clare Ahalt Photography to provide a very limited set of studio pet portrait sessions.

These sessions will take place in Jefferson Veterinary Hospital and includes a 15 minute “Chomp it” session of your dog catching treats, as pictured below, one 8 x 12 photographic print, a low resolution digital file of the same portrait for online sharing and printing up to size 8 x 10. These pet portrait sessions will occur in mid-May.

If you would like to be put on the priority list and get priority at securing a spot, please email Clare at info@clareahaltphotography.com or use the contact form here

TPLO and Stem Cell Therapy on a Dog with a cranial cruciate ligament

Veterinarian Dr. Ahalt saw a dog and diagnosed him with a torn cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) in March 2018 and recommend that the dog have surgery by a board certified veterinary surgeon coming to Jefferson Veterinary Hospital to perform a tibial-plateau-leveling osteotomy, commonly known as a TPLO, rather than the traditional cruciate surgery due to the dogs’ size. Dr. Ahalt has found that dogs over 40lbs have an easier recovery from TPLO surgery, rather than the traditional surgery, which for that size of dog is likely to result in the affected knee being re-injured. Dr. Ahalt still performs cruciate surgeries on smaller dogs, who have a lesser likelihood of causing injury to the repaired joint.   After much debate and research the owner chose to have the TPLO surgery performed at Jefferson Veterinary Hospital by a board certified veterinary surgeon approximately 1 year after the initial diagnosis. The owner also elected to have the dog undergo stem cell therapy in both the affected joint and the joint in the opposite leg, which had started to develop arthritis. The surgery was a success and the owners were wonderful at keeping the dog quiet and calm during the recovery period at home and the dog made a full recovery .