Bright Eyes & Bushy Tails Veterinary Hospital 3005 Highway 1 NE Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 351-4256 March 2006 Newsletter Jennifer Berger, DVM Allan Berger DVM, PhD Sue Delaney, DVM Jennifer Brown, DVM Dear friends and clients, Welcome to the first combined Kolder Pet Hospital (KPH)/ Bright Eyes & Bushy Tails (BEBT) newsletter. While BEBT used to publish a quarterly newsletter, we fell behind in schedule. We're renewing our efforts now, in part to provide updates on our impending plans. As many of you know, KPH and BEBT are building a new hospital, and we are in the process of merging. We are extremely excited about the care and services we can offer after we combine! In this newsletter, you will find a FAQ (frequently asked questions) section, a brief history on both KPH and BEBT, plus some general interest articles and humor. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please contact us! You can reach us by e-mail to Allan at ab@bebt.com; by phone to BEBT (3514256); or by phone to KPH (643-7480). As always, thank you for being our clients! Gratefully yours, Jen Brown; Sue Delaney; Jenn Berger; Allan Berger FAQ (frequently asked questions): 1) Where is the new clinic? 3030 Northgate Drive; Iowa City. This is just off I-80, exit 246 (Highway 1/ North Dodge Street). Only one turn off I-80, we'll be easy to find, even if it's a middle-of-the-night emergency. The first time you come visit, call us for detailed directions. This location is closer to 70% of current KPH clients than the West Branch location. And we'll be closer to more than 80% of existing BEBT clients. 2) What will it look like? We chose the Northgate Drive location in part because we have two acres of space for people and dogs to walk. While close and convenient to I-80, it's at the dead end of the road, so it's quiet. An architect designed the
building, and an interior decorator furnished it. What will it look like? We are kind of proud of it--it will look like no veterinary clinic you've ever seen before. You'll just have to trust us until you can see it for yourself. 3) Will you be raising prices? A straightforward question that deserves an honest answer. Our general prices are not changing: what we charge now for vaccines will remain similar after we move. What we charge now for spay surgeries, neuters, blood work, etc. will also remain similar. There will be some differences. For example, right now KPH charges a separate fee whenever blood is drawn for lab testing, plus the cost of the specific test performed. BEBT does not charge for blood draws, but generally charges slightly more for the specific test. But in general, the total amount charged for similar services is comparable and will not be changing by more than inflation. The biggest difference is that the new hospital will be able to offer substantially more advanced care than either of the smaller clinics could offer individually. From dental X-rays, to ultrasound, to 24-hour round-the-clock overnight nursing care, we will have much greater capabilities than we had before capabilities that no other veterinary hospital in Johnson County has. There will, of course, be new prices associated with the new services, should you choose to take advantage of them. 4) OK, so you're not categorically raising prices. So where did the money for a new building come from? This venture represents the life savings of four veterinarians. We believe in the care that we can provide by combining, and we're backing up that belief. (It helps that US Bank also believes in us.) 5) Can I still see my favorite vet? When you schedule an appointment, ask for Jen Brown, Sue Delaney, or Jenn Berger if you have a preference. Each will be maintaining separate appointment schedules. If you have an emergency or need urgent care, it is possible that your regular vet won't be available. But at least one of the four veterinarians will be on site at all times (there will be a vet there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). 6) Will I still see familiar faces? All of the current staff of KPH and BEBT are moving to the new building with us. The only change is that Sara Stoppelmoor will switch from being a veterinary assistant at BEBT to being the owner of The Animal Inn Pet Resort--a full-service boarding facility adjacent to the new hospital. 7) When are you moving? Probably in April, although the exact date is still hard to predict. (The contractor is saying April 1, but we don t really believe him.) Approximately one week before the actual move, we will send post cards. We will also be doing reminder phone calls before appointments, so you should get ample advance notice. Other questions? E-mail us (Allan Berger at ab@bebt.com) or phone (351-4256 or 643-7480)! Toxicology Corner by Jennifer Brown We would like our clients to know that there are a few human foods that can be harmful to animals. A relatively newly known problem is grapes and raisins causing kidney failure in dogs. Affected dogs may become lethargic, have vomiting and diarrhea, or not want to eat within 24 hours of ingesting grapes or raisins, and be in full renal (kidney) failure within 2-3 days. If enough kidney tissue is damaged, it can be fatal.
As with all toxins, the key is prevention and early treatment. If the dog is presented to a veterinarian within a few hours of ingesting grapes or raisins (long before demonstrating signs of illness), there is a much better chance of survival than if the dog is treated after he has absorbed and metabolized the toxins. You may know someone who says, "I have fed my dog grapes for years, it doesn't seem to bother her." They are probably telling the truth--there is considerable variation in how grapes/raisins affect individual dogs. However, given the severity of harm that can occur, it is best to take precautionary measures with every dog that has recently ingested them. The toxic dose can be quite low for certain. There are cases of dogs becoming ill after ingesting 0.1 oz raisins/kilogram body weight. This is equivalent to a 22 lb. dog eating a 1 oz box of raisins! Frequently Asked Questions: Q: Is one grape harmful to my dog? A: We don't know. There is a documented case report of a dachshund becoming ill after ingesting 10-15 grapes. Q: Will all dogs that eat grapes or raisins become ill? A: No. There are numerous reports of dogs eating large amounts of grapes with no signs of illness. Q: Why is that? A: Unknown. The variable reaction and lack of a dose-sensitive response suggests a variable concentration of the toxic principle among the grapes/raisins, or a variability in individual dog susceptibility, or both. Research is currently being done to locate the toxic principle of grape/raisin toxicity. Q: What type of grapes cause problems? A: All types--with or without seeds, commercial and organic grapes, home grown grapes off the vine, and grape-pressings left over from winemaking. Q: Are children at risk? A: This syndrome has not been reported in humans. There are some anecdotal reports in cats, perhaps few because cats are not as likely to eat grapes as dogs. In ferrets it is still unknown, experts are recommending avoiding feeding raisins to be safe. Q: Can dogs recover from grape/raisin toxicosis? A: Yes! However, prognosis depends on early and aggressive treatment. A few other foods that your pets should avoid: Onions and garlic; chocolate; macadamia nuts; coffee beans BEBT history from Jenn Berger I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to our first joint newsletter. BEBT used to do a quarterly newsletter until our first and only human child came along a little over two years ago. While all of our other children seemed to be very understanding
when it came to newsletter writing time and would happily either lie at my feet by the computer or sit on my lap, Max just wasn t as forgiving. Thanks to Dr. Brown s and Dr. Delaney s help we look forward to starting the newsletter again, but with improvements. First a little bit of history on Jenn and Allan Berger. We moved to Iowa in the early summer of 1998. We are both transplants from upstate New York (for all you Hawkeye fans, read NO ties to the Cyclones!) and Cornell University s College of Veterinary Medicine (Allan has a PhD from there as well). Upon arriving in Iowa City, there were no job openings in Iowa City, so I worked in Quad Cities full time for a year while Allan was at the U of I working on post-doctorate research. On my days off, I started off by doing housecalls out of our old Ford Escort wagon, and after just a year, we were able to hire our first very part-time employee! I then took several part-time jobs and continued to do housecalls on days off, evening, and weekends; all the while gradually increasing the amount of time that I could commit to BEBT. Allan and I built most of our current clinic ourselves. After it became clear that Iowa City was a great place to live and we wanted to stay long term, Allan decided to start seeing after-hour emergencies. In December of 2000, Allan officially started the Emergency Veterinary Service of Iowa City. Over the past 5 years, Allan has gained the confidence of other area veterinarians for referrals for emergency services. Over the years we have expanded quite a bit. We now have a veterinary technician and a veterinarian in house 24/7 to monitor your sick pet. Gold standard care is what is most important to me- both treating you as I would want to be treated if I were taking my pet somewhere (which unfortunately for me, I ve had to go to a referral hospital 3 times in the past 2 years for my own pets), and giving your pet the same level of care I would do for one of my own, all while maintaining a family atmosphere. Since Allan and I have no family here, our staff and our clients truly ARE our family. We ve been here for each other through the sadness of losing a beloved older pet as well as the joy of adding on a new addition. Many of you have been there for me through pregnancy and have watched our son grow into the outgoing animal-loving toddler that he is. This is a very exciting time for all of us. The merger of BEBT/EVSIC and Kolder Pet Hospital is like a marriage. We are uniting two big happy families to become one. While there will certainly be an adjustment period like a regular marriage we look forward to getting to know all of you and your pets. KPH history from Sue Delaney Kolder Pet Hospital opened its doors in 1992 when Dr. Katrin Kolder moved her veterinary practice from Lone Tree to West Branch. The clinic quickly became known for providing quality veterinary care in a compassionate and friendly atmosphere. The dedicated veterinary technicians Julie Kienzle, Gina Harrison and Kendra Stuart helped Dr. Kolder create an environment where pets are recognized as family members and treated accordingly. Kolder Pet Hospital grew steadily, and in 1998 Dr. Kolder added me (Sue Delaney) as a
full time associate veterinarian. I had started as a client of Kolder Pet Hospital, and then worked as a volunteer until I graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at ISU in 1998. In 2000, Dr. Kolder decided to move to Wyoming to realize her long time dream of living on a ranch. Dr. Jennifer Brown, also a 1998 graduate from ISU s veterinary college, bought the practice from Dr. Kolder. Dr. Brown had worked in Solon prior to her decision to join KPH. With all of the long-term staff and the newest team member, Angela Bleeker, KPH has continued to strive to provide excellent service to our community, with the same caring and compassion that our clients have enjoyed from its inception with Dr. Kolder. Drs. Allan and Jennifer Berger approached us with the idea of merging Kolder Pet Hospital and Bright Eyes & Bushy Tails into one practice. We four veterinarians had become acquainted with one another and helped each other from time to time for a few years. It was apparent that each of us shared the same philosophy that we should always aim to provide the highest quality care possible for our patients. Merging the two veterinary practices provides the opportunity for better veterinary care around the clock, as well as the ability to purchase the technological equipment necessary to provide the most advanced care. All of the staff at Kolder Pet Hospital are looking forward to joining with the Bright Eyes & Bushy Tails staff to make this better care a reality. We want to thank each and every one of you for being our clients, see you soon in our new hospital! Next Mailing: Postcards just before the move, in March or April? As always, ideas for topics for the next newsletter are welcome. Gratefully yours, Jennifer and Allan Berger Sue Delaney and Jennifer Brown