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Category: Pet Owner Tips

Mar-17

Category
Emergency Pet Care Miscellaneous Pet Owner Tips
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The 9 Most Common and Serious Canine Diseases and Ailments

A large part of being a good dog owner means taking care of your pet’s health. That means making sure your dog’s food is healthful and nutritious, going for long walks every day, playing at the dog park, and of course giving your pup plenty of love and attention. It also means taking care of his or her health by scheduling regular visits to the vet for checkups, and monitoring them for signs of disease or ailments.

No one knows your dog better than you do. You know how he or she walks, sleeps, and eats. That means you are your pet’s first line of defense. It’s important to pay attention to your dog’s sleeping, eating, and exercise habits. Sudden changes may indicate a medical issue that ought to be checked out by VRC, your local veterinary specialist in Philadelphia. Here are ten of the most common dog health issues we see, and some of the early symptoms:

• Gum Disease: Just like you and your children, dogs can get gum disease. If you notice that your dog’s gums are bleeding, red, or swollen, or that they’re eating in a way that indicates gum tenderness, it’s time for a checkup.
• Flea- and Tick-Borne Diseases: Dogs go outside, which means they’re susceptible to painful bites from fleas and ticks. But fleas and ticks also carry disease. Dogs that have sudden fevers, or diarrhea, vomiting, and reduced appetite, may have caught something from a pest.
• Obesity: Overweight and overfat pets are at risk for many types of illnesses.
• Arthritis: Dogs may show signs of arthritis by exhibiting a change in gait, an aversion to going up stairs, or difficulty walking or standing, making sounds of pain when being picked up, or demonstrating a general reluctance to move.
• Diabetes: In dogs, the first signs of diabetes can include increased or frequent thirst, weight loss, increased urination or urge to urinate, and fatigue.
• Blindness: Cataracts aren’t just something that affect humans. If your dog seems disoriented, or can’t find their way around, it may be time for an eye exam.
• Kidney Disease: Kidney diseases in dogs may manifest as an urge to urinate more, having accidents in the house, and drinking more water.
• Heartworms: If your dog is reluctant to move, seems fatigued, and is plagued by a persistent cough, it’s time to call the vet.
• Cancer: Early signs of cancer include lumps or bumps on a dog’s body, sudden changes in weight, and tiredness.

If your pet is diagnosed with cancer, the experienced oncology team at VRC in Malvern, PA will stage your pet’s cancer and treat their disease. When you bring in your pet for oncology at VRC your dog will receive comprehensive diagnostics and care so that they receive the most effective medical care available. We take a multidisciplinary approach to treating your dog’s cancer, and will recommend a host of treatments that improve your pet’s quality of life while supporting the healing process.

The oncology department at VRC in Malvern, PA specializes in cancer care for your pet. We take your pet’s health seriously. If you see an early sign of disease, give us a call at (610) 647-2950.

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Dec-31

Category
Medical Oncology Pet Owner Tips
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Radiation Therapy at VRC

When you hear about radiation therapy, your mind may be brought to images of the Toxic Avenger, or news stories about victims of radiation accidents. Radiation therapy and how it works may seem like a mystery, and mystery can lead to apprehension. Rest assured that this treatment for cancer has evolved along with many advances in technology, resulting in highly accurate and safe treatments.

One main goal of radiation therapy is to deposit high doses of radiation in the unwanted tumor tissue, while exposing the surrounding normal tissue to the least amount of radiation possible. It is the normal tissues in the treatment area that limit the overall dose of radiation that we can safely prescribe. Quality of life is of utmost importance, and so the way radiation treatments are planned is to limit the number and severity of radiation side effects as much as possible. As with other treatments in veterinary medicine, there are side effects that must be managed to provide the best experience for the patient.

Perhaps you have heard of “radiation burns” from previous accounts of treatment with radiation therapy. This is a bit of a misnomer, as radiation does not incite a thermal injury. Rather, if tissues close to the skin surface experience some radiation dose, we get what is called “moist desquamation”.

Moist desquamation is when the lower layer of skin cells are affected on the first day of radiation therapy, and it typically takes these cells three or four weeks to rise to the surface during natural skin replenishment. When these cells reach the surface, they turn wet and fall off in a layer, leaving the underlying pink, healthy tissues. This is similar to if you’ve ever scraped your knee on asphalt: the underlying pink tissue gives off a fluid (plasma) that hardens into a crust (scab).

Moist desquamation may occur with mild inflammation. Our patients at VRC are prescribed a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and other low-dose pain medication to help with comfort while this early radiation side effect heals. Whether treated or not, most early effects of radiation therapy are healed within two-to-three weeks after treatment. It has been found that daily cleansing of the radiation site will help to hydrate the crusts that form and allow them to exfoliate naturally, accelerating the healing process.

Many accounts of “radiation burns” from therapeutic radiation come from older treatment plans using orthovoltage. This treatment modality utilized a lower energy beam that had higher radiation dose deposition in skin and preferential radiation dose absorption by bone. The early radiation effects from orthovoltage treatment included severe inflammation of the skin, while the late side effects (effects present 6 months after radiation therapy) included death of bone tissue, scarring of soft tissues, and secondary tumor formation. With the advent of the linear accelerator, which treats with a higher energy radiation beam (megavoltage), there is a skin sparing effect and no preferential bone absorption of radiation dose. This is why our patients look so good after treatment!

Another way to limit radiation dose to the normal surrounding tissues is to dose radiation over multiple beams from different angles. The multiple beams converge on the treated tumor, while the surrounding tissues experience a fraction of the dose. High dose conformity over the tumor is further enhanced by planning with Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which uses individual lead leaves in the machine’s radiation window that are in constant motion during treatment. This action shapes the radiation field, “painting” the dose across the tumor and sparing more normal tissue than is possible with conventional radiation planning. IMRT can be used with nasal tumors, heart base tumors, prostate tumors, and more tumor types are being added to the list.

To learn more about Radiation Therapy at VRC or any other services that we offer, please give us a call at 610-647-2950 or email us at info@vrcmalvern.com.

 

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Dec-15

Category
Community Events Pet Owner Tips Veterinarians
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Important VRC Announcement

To Our Referring Veterinary Community and Clients,

As we approach the end of 2015, all of us at VRC would like to express our gratitude for the trust and confidence you have placed in us to care for your clients and their pets. We recognize that you have many choices in where to refer your clients or receive specialty care for your pets and we appreciate that you have chosen us.

We have spent the greater part of this year learning and listening to the community and our referring veterinarians. We have heard and understood the importance of having all of our services under one roof to enable better patient care. This is why we are proud to announce the initiation of two changes to occur on January 4 that further elevate our medical offerings and increase client service.

Our first announcement is that we are relocating all of our services to the VRC hospital at 340 Lancaster Avenue in Malvern, PA. We know after 44 years in this community how important it is to have immediate access to all services. Combining the Cancer Center and VRC will create efficiencies, elevate our care and streamline communications for both referring DVMs and pet owners alike.

Our second announcement is that our very own Dr. John Anastasio, the current Director of Emergency and Critical Care will expand his role to become the medical director for the entire hospital. Dr. Kenneth Sadanaga and Dr. Dietrich Franczuszki both look forward to turning their attention fully on their surgical procedures and client communication. They are as eager as I am to see these exciting changes implemented and to witness the enhancements in customer experience that we know will accompany them.

We have always understood the importance of the customer experience, from interactions with our reception to the journey that both our patients and clients undertake while in our care. We also recognize the significance of a strong communication line between a referring veterinarian and the veterinary specialists on our team. These aforementioned changes will create a more unified environment in our hospital that will even further develop the client care and communication with the referral community that we already so deeply value. Under one roof, we will have the ability to work together and hold ourselves to the same high standards that we have in the past, while simultaneously striving to raise the bar and exceed expectations. We hope that these changes even further reinforce the confidence you already have in us as we enter 2016.

From all of us at VRC, we wish you, your staff, and family a happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Best Regards,

James Gregory
Hospital Director
VRC Veterinary Hospital
340 Lancaster Ave
Malvern, PA 19355

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Nov-30

Category
Miscellaneous Pet Owner Tips
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How to Schedule an Appointment with a Veterinary Specialist in Philadelphia

Important Notice: If you are having an emergency with your pet, we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call (610) 647-2950 for emergency medicine and critical care.

The Internet was supposed to make everything so much easier for us, wasn’t it? Doctor SadanagaBut we all know that sometimes that isn’t the case. While it’s easier than ever before to look up something like “veterinarian in Philadelphia,” sometimes we’re spoiled for choice by the results. It can be hard to sift through everything, especially if you’re looking for something like a veterinary specialist in Philadelphia.

What is a veterinary specialist? Well, veterinary specialists are comprehensive, specialty healthcare centers, like VRC in Malvern. We’re not your typical vet. VRC specializes in advanced diagnostic testing, as well as comprehensive cancer care. Our services include cardiology, internal medicine, reproductive services, ophthalmology, cardiology… even ongoing management of pain and rehabilitation services. We provide all the care of a normal veterinarian, with extras that mean we can take referrals from your vet (though a referral is not required to be seen by our specialists). That said if you are referred, please ask your primary vet to give you any copies of your pet’s medical records, lab reports, and so on, to be submitted with our referral form. We like to make sure to review your pet’s history and needs before you come in, in order to provide the best care possible.

And speaking of that referral form, we love ours. It’s a tool we use to make your visit as good as it can be. The first question we ask is the name of your preferred doctor—so view our Veterinary Team page and get to know us! You can then select what sort of specialist you’re looking for, so we understand your exact needs. It’s also a good idea to include in our message field why you want to come in, so we can get to the heart of the matter when it comes to specialty veterinary care.

VRC is only 25 miles from Philadelphia, which means we’re close-by when you need specialty care—but we’re also close when you need emergency care. VRC is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and if you’re having an emergency, don’t wait! Call us at (610) 647-2950.

VRC in Malvern, PA is here for your pet. We’re dedicated to providing top-notch medical care for your furry friends, and helping you manage their illness through the healing process. We believe we offer the best in specialty care for animals, and we’d love to provide that for your pet, too. When you need us, we’re here: so get in touch. We’re close by, and eager to help.

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