Doctor's Corner / Meet The Staff / Every Pet Needs A Great Vet Series
Meet Dr. Matt Sturos - our NEW
Associate Veterinarian!
We are all excited to announce that Dr. Matt Sturos has joined the
staff at Countryside Veterinary Clinic. He recently graduated from the
University of Minnesota and is very excited to meet and care for the wonderful
patients (and their people, too!) of Countryside.
Dr. Sturos grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and moved to Fridley,
MN in 2006. He initially attended Michigan Technological University in
Houghton, MI with the intention of becoming a Mechanical Engineer. After
taking a three year vacation from school – courtesy of the U. S. Army, he came
to his senses and completed an undergraduate degree in Animal Science at the
University of Minnesota. Dr. Sturos earned his Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine from the University of Minnesota in May 2012 and accepted the position
with Countryside Veterinary Clinic. His veterinary interests include soft
tissue and orthopedic surgery, Small and Large Animal internal medicine,
preventative medicine and herd health management.
Dr. Sturos has had an eventful and full life so far. He served
in the U. S. Army, Michigan and Minnesota Army National Guard for 9
years. He spent 2003-2004 in Iraq and was selected as the
Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year for Minnesota in 2007. Some of his
extra curricular activities include: 3 years of service as a volunteer
firefighter/first responder in Michigan, participation in numerous school
organizations, such as the Student Chapter of the AVMA, the Veterinary Business
Management Association, and Production Animal Medicine Club.
Dr. Sturos and his wife, Diana, have been blessed with three wonderful
little boys: Tristan (5 years old), Garrett (3 years old), and Emmett (4
months old). There are also two four-legged family members that help keep
life interesting. Shaggy, a 6 year old Pug/Beagle mix, is a loving and
patient best friend for Tristan and the family. He mostly enjoys sleeping
in the sun or on the couch. Shimmy, a 5 year old Bichon/Spaniel mix, is a
loveable lap dog that has extraordinary abilities at finding food that is not
hers and eating it, determining when a garbage can is ripe for knocking over,
and keeping any and all wildlife out of the backyard.
In his spare time, Dr. Sturos enjoys watching his boys grow, hunting,
fishing, tinkering in the garage, reading and biking.
Nobles County Horse Tests Positive
for Rabies
Last
rabid horse found in Wright County in 2009
On April 8, 2012, the owner of a yearling horse noted the
horse was vocalizing, which was not typical for this animal. The following day
the horse tried to bite the owner. The horse was examined by a veterinarian and
appeared uncoordinated and aggressive towards another horse. Four days after
the symptoms started the animal died and later tested positive for rabies.
The owner has seen skunks on the property in the past several months.
There are other horses on the property as well as one outdoor cat. The owner is
being advised by the Minnesota Department of Health to receive post‐exposure
prophylaxis due to his exposure to the horse.
To date this year, there have been 3 positive domestic animals including 2
cattle and this horse. There have also been 2 bats and 9 skunks that have
tested positive for rabies. A year ago at this time, there were 6 positive
domestic animals and 6 positive wild animals.
Please continue to advise clients owning dogs, cats, ferrets, and
horses to keep them current on their rabies vaccinations. Vaccinating cattle
and sheep may also be advisable if these animals are handled regularly, such as
livestock routinely attending fairs, competitions, or petting zoos.
For information on rabies in animals, visit www.bah.state.mn.us/diseases/rabies or call 651‐296‐2942. If you
have questions on rabies in people, please contact the Minnesota Department of
Health at 651-201-5414.
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Rivet Saw A Great Vet at Countryside
Veterinary Clinic
Rivet Nutzmann – a 5 year old Wire-Haired Fox Terrier - had a pretty
exciting New Year’s party at his house this year. On New Years Eve – Mike
and Julie had a lovely dinner including Prime Rib before they went out for the
evening. As they have done in the past, they shared some of their prime
rib dinner with Rivet. Julie questioned the wisdom of giving Rivet the
fat portion of the prime rib – but since Rivet had gotten table scraps before –
it seemed like it should be ok. In fact – the conversation was “Are you
kidding?” and the response was “He’ll be fine” according to Julie! Mike
and Julie went out and celebrated New Year’s Eve and by Monday – Rivet was not
feeling well at all. He started vomiting and was very lethargic. By
9 pm Mike and Julie rushed Rivet to Countryside to see the on-call doctor, Dr.
Heather Johnson. Dr. Johnson did x-rays to rule out an obstruction, gave
Rivet fluids under his skin, prescribed medications and he went home for the
night. By the next afternoon, Rivet was back at the clinic to be
rechecked – because he was not better – in fact he was in worse shape.
Dr. Meredith Smith saw him at the medical progress appointment and re-x-rayed
Rivet as a precaution, did several lab tests and admitted him to the hospital
into the intensive care unit for several days. It was a tough time for
Rivet – the prognosis wasn’t good. Rivet was diagnosed with
Pancreatitis. He was physically depressed, not eating, very painful and
very weak. Dr. Smith monitored Rivet very closely while he was in
our care at the hospital and also after he went home with Mike and Julie.
Rivet had a long, slow road to recovery. He was a lucky boy. Mike
and Julie provided the necessary care at the right time and have followed
doctors orders completely to get Rivet back to the bouncy happy boy he was
before New Year’s Eve.
Julie wants everyone to know what happened to Rivet so no one else has
to go through the same trauma with their pet. “Just don’t do it – just
don’t give your dog any table scraps and especially nothing fatty” Mike
and Julie spent a lot of time scared for Rivet and afraid of what the outcome
might be. This experience stops everything they have “always” done with
Rivet. He is on special food now for the rest of his life – they need to
monitor everything that goes into his mouth. His treats consist of
carrots and dentastix – he doesn’t feel so deprived when he can still have a
“treat”. The personal trauma that Mike and Julie went through as they did
everything they could for Rivet while he was so sick and through his recovery
will never be forgotten by them.
Rivet is their beloved pet and Mike and Julie understand so clearly
what could have been the outcome for him. The “treat” was meant as a
reward for Rivet - but as they found out – the best thing you can do for your
pet is feed them a high-quality balanced diet free of people scraps and
treats. What you don’t know – can unintentionally hurt your pet.
Rivet is a lucky boy. Going forward - he will be prone to pancreatitis if
he gets any fatty treats or food – so they will have to be very careful with
him – and they are committed to keeping Rivet healthy.
Every Pet Needs A Great Vet...and Mac Pingel saw a GREAT vet!
Mac Pingel is an adorable 8 week old puppy that no one could resist! Josh
& Jennifer brought him in for his 1st puppy visit in February and Dr.
Smith did a complete health evaluation along with the necessary
vaccinations. Keri Johnson, one of our certified technicians, went over all
of the puppy info that we send home along with dewormer, a free dose of
Frontline Plus for tick and flea control, ...his free dose
of Heartgard Plus for heartworm/roundworm,hookworm prevention and numerous
brochures and a bumper sticker that says "My Pet Saw A Great Vet At
Countryside Vet!" We are excited to see Mac as he grows up (and he will do
so very quickly!) and matures. He is already doing very well with
potty-training. Welcome Mac! Thanks for choosing us for your veterinary
care.
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Meet The Staff! Keri Johnson,
CVT
My name is Keri Johnson and I am a Certified Veterinary Technician at
Countryside Veterinary Clinic. I have an Associates Degree in Applied
Science from Globe University. I have been with Countryside for just over 4
years now and love it here. I am a HUGE cat lover at heart and currently
have 3 cats. Pumpkin is 6 years old and still lives with my parents
beca...use my dad would not let me take him when I moved out,
but he is still mine. He has adapted to farm life very well by sleeping all
day in his chair. Once in a while he will go a little crazy and try to go
thru the window for birds. My other cat, Smokey, is 3 years old and is my
very handsome grey cat. Smokey is a special kitty who is very independant.
Putting it nicely, don't touch him EVER. Aside from that - he is a
sweetheart and is very photogenic. His favorite thing to do besides sleep
is eating grass outside and going for walks in his stroller. Yeah - we get
crazy looks on those walks! Simba is 9 months old and is my newest
addition. He is very entertaining. He is so full of energy and loves to
play with toy mice. He is also my lap cat wich I LOVE! So I don't forget to
mention - he is a pretty cool looking cat and sooo CUTE!!! So now a little
about me. I grew up on a farm so I have been around animals my whole life
and I knew I wanted to make a career out of it - so I did and I love it. I
am a HUGE Twins fan, especially a Joe Mauer fan, and we go to many games
during the season. We do occasionally go to Florida for their Spring
Training. Some of my other hobbies include bowling, scrapbooking, baking
and watching movies. And of course -playing with my cats!
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Meet The Staff – Beth Renstrom
Beth joined the Countryside staff in April of 2005. She graduated from
Argosy University in October of 2002 and is a Certified Veterinary
Technician.
Beth shares her home with:
- Kona - a 10 year old Labrador Retriever that would retrieve until
he expired.
- Rowen - an 8 year old Irish Wolfhound that loves to lick people's
faces while having a back scratch.
- Ophelia - a 6 year old Miniature Schnauzer that loves agility and
barking.
- Gilbert - a 5 year old Miniature Schnauzer that is nicknamed
"Tigger" because he bounces on his back legs.
- Mara - a 4 year old Irish Wolfhound who is the sweetest, most
adorable girl in the world. She likes to sleep on Beth's bed and race
around at top speed. She also loves lure coursing.
- Rocket - a 12 year old Long-haired Whippet - who is totally blind
but very sweet. He loves to squeak toys and get petted when he's not
napping.
- Jeressa - a 4 year old Irish Wolfhound that can be found either
bossing the other dogs around or napping on the bed, on her back with
her legs in the air.
- Naraya - a 3 year old Irish Wolfhound that loves squeaky toys (and
destroying them), going on walks, stealing and eating kleenix, and a
long snuggle every evening with her Mom.
- Eclipse - a 7 year old Irish Wolfhound who loves canine massage,
walks, and lure coursing when she is not napping.
- Jolie - a 5 year old Irish Wolfhound that loves going on walks (for
about 5 minutes) then loves sleeping the rest of the day away. She
can often be found lying in Beth's lap.
- Spock Fishe' - a midnight blue short tail Betta Fish.
Beth avidly participates in lure coursing with her Irish Wolfhounds and
shows them occasionally. She loves to participate in fun/educational
activities with her Irish Wolfhounds such as the St. Patrick's Day parades in
the cities and the St. Paul Irish Fair. Beth visits the Hudson Hospital
with Jeressa who is a Therapy Dog International Certified Therapy Dog..
She is taking agility classes with Ophelia and is just starting to compete with
her. In her spare time, Beth also enjoys working on her own website and
the website of Northstar Irish Wolfhound Club. She enjoys doing
anything crafty, writing, reading, walking with her dogs and taking
photographs of them.
Every Pet Needs A Great Vet...and we HAVE great vets! Learn from our
experts.
Pictured: Dr. Meredith Smith, Beth and
Kitty
Kitty is a very lucky 1 ½
year old cat! - Dr. Meredith Smith
In November Kitty’s owners came home to find her sitting on their
doorstep covered in blood. They immediately called our emergency number and
arranged to meet Dr. Smith at the clinic right away. When Kitty came into
the clinic she was in pretty tough shape – she was in shock, having a hard
time breathing and was bleeding from a large wound in her armpit area. As
Dr. Smith examined Kitty’s wound she heard air moving through the wound.
Kitty had somehow gotten a wound severe enough to puncture deeply into her
chest cavity. X-rays showed severe bleeding in her chest, broken ribs
around her sternum and a pneumothorax (air around her lungs).
After much discussion with Kitty’s owners they decided to proceed
with treatment and try to close her chest wound - despite the odds being
stacked against her. Beth, on of our on-call veterinary technicians,
was called in to assist Dr. Smith. It took over an hour on fluids,
medications, and removing air from her chest cavity to get Kitty’s blood
pressure high enough to even consider surgery. Finally, Kitty was
anesthetized and prepped for surgery. Dr. Smith found a large 2cm hole that
went directly into her chest cavity, it was packed with broken rib bone and
hair that needed to be removed. Luckily the wound was near her sternum
where there were muscle layers that Dr. Smith used to close the wound.
Since Kitty had a large wound in her chest she was unable to breathe on her
own once surgery started so Beth had to breathe for her the entire
time. The wound closed nicely, the remaining air was removed from her
chest cavity, and Kitty was snuggly wrapped in a bandage.
Kitty woke up purring. She started eating the next morning and
hasn’t looked back since.
She is a sweet and affectionate cat that was blessed to have owners that
loved her so much that they wanted to give her every chance to recover!
Kitty’s owners say: “Kitty is
not really her name. We had two kittens before her and they both just
disappeared so I guess we just never got around to naming her. And when it
comes down to it why name a cat? They don’t come anyway. To say she had a
complete recovery is an understatement. Thanks for the great care. Another
one in the win column”. Nick and Barb
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Molly Brandeen saw a great vet at
Countryside Veterinary Clinic - Dr. Brian Keller
Molly – a 2-year-old Shih Tzu – came in for her annual health
evaluation along with updating a couple of vaccines. Dr. Keller did a
thorough examination and administered her vaccinations along with
prescribing additional Heartgard for year-round protection from heartworm,
roundworms and hookworm. Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes but
roundworm and hookworm are year-round threats that can be transmitted to
her owners – so she is going to get a beef chewy once a month to keep her
parasite and worm free. The Brandeens also received a 10% Client
Loyalty Discount as a "Thank You" for being a returning
client.
**************************************************************************************
A Chocolate Holiday Disaster Averted - Dr.
John Swingle
The clinic had just closed for the day when I received
a call about Pete. Pete, a 7-year-old, 12 pound chihuahua, had found
a large number of milk chocolate bars and had helped himself!
Only 3 ounces of chocolate can be fatal to a 10 pound
dog - so I was immediately concerned for Pete's health. When he
arrived at the clinic, his stomach was slightly distended from all of the
chocolate but he seemed normal otherwise.
Chocolate toxicity is caused by theobromine. This
compound at toxic levels causes neuromuscular excitation, seizures,
increased heart rate and cardiac arrest.
Pete's heartrate was 206 when he was admitted (more
than twice normal rate) meaning he was already showing significant signs of
toxidity.
We immediately gave him apomorphine to induce
vomiting. He vomited multiple piles of food and chocolate filling the
clinic with the smell of chocolate. Next we gave him activated
charcoal orally to bind up any remaining chocolate in his digestive
tract.
We then gave him 300 cc's of Lactated Ringers Solution
subcutaneously to prevent dehydration and a valium injection to help
prevent seizures and muscle tremors. Pete went home with
instructions to bring him back into the clinic if additional symptoms
developed during the night.
Happily - Pete responded well and was back to normal by
the next afternoon. I feel confident he would have died without
treatment.
Be careful with chocolate - especially during this
Christmas season - and if your dog accidently ingests chocolate, please
call us right away. Waiting until symptoms appear can be fatal.
Holiday Pet Hazards
While you are busy making your festive plans for Thanksgiving,
Hanukkah, and Christmas, please don’t forget to include your pets.
The holidays are a time for giving, but there are some things you
should not share with your furry friends. Once you know the
hazards, a little precaution and prevention will make holidays a
happy time for everyone.
Some of the more common holiday hazards include:
Bones:
The holiday turkey or chicken will leave a lot of tantalizing
bones, but don’t feed them to your pet. Beware of steak bones, too.
Small bones or bone chips can lodge in the throat, stomach, and
intestinal tract.
Holiday plants:
Holly and mistletoe are extremely poisonous when eaten. The
lovely poinsettia may not be truly poisonous but its milky white
sap and leaves can certainly cause severe gastric distress. With so
many hybrid varieties available each year, the best approach is to
keep the plants out of your pet’s reach.
Electrical cords:
Holiday lights mean more electrical cords for kittens and
puppies to chew. Be sure you have cords secured and out of the
way.
Candles:
Lighted candles should never be left unattended and that is even
more important if left at kitty’s eye level or within puppy’s
chewing zone. An exuberant tail or a swat of a paw can turn candles
and hot wax into an instant disaster. Anchor candles securely and
away from curious faces and feet.
Pine needles:
Check around holiday trees frequently. Ingested pine needles can
puncture your pet’s intestines.
Holiday tree:
Make sure your tree is well secured. If you have a tree-climbing
cat or large dog with a happy tail, anchor the top of the tree to
the wall, using strong cord or rope. Preservatives often used in
the water in a tree stand can cause gastric upsets, so be sure it
is inaccessible or not used. Avoid sugar and aspirin additives in
the water as well.
Ornaments:
Sharp or breakable ornaments, dreidels, and even aluminum foil
should be kept out of reach. String objects, especially tinsel and
ribbons, are to be safeguarded at all costs. They are thin and
sharp and can wrap around intestines or ball up in the stomach.
Stress and company:
With everyone coming and going, watch out for open doors and
sneaky pets. Make sure your pets have updated collars and tags on
in case of escape. Microchipping your pet will also help if your
pet escapes. All pets should have at least two forms of id on them
at all times. Ask guests to keep an eye out for pets under foot and
remind them that sometimes your normally friendly dog or cat may be
less than willing to deal with enthusiastic children and rooms full
of unfamiliar people. Provide a special quiet place with a blanket
and fresh water for your pets to retreat to when the festivities
get too stressful.
11/1/11 Post
Cuterebra Kitty! - Dr. Meredith Smith, DVM
Scarlet is a cute 1 ½ pound kitten that showed up unexpectedly on someone’s
doorstep. She was lucky enough to have picked a couple that brought her in and
cared for her. Right away they noticed a rather large swelling with a hole on
the side of her face. After a week of taking care of her, the wound was not
getting any better so they brought her in for a wellness exam.
On her physical exam, the left side of Scarlet’s face was swollen
twice the size of her right side, there was a hole up near her ear that was
draining large amounts of pus. Once the pus was cleaned up it looked like
something was moving within the hole!
The wound was cleaned and numbed with some lidocaine cream and then the hole
was enlarged to allow for a more thorough exam. Sure enough, there was a large
cuterebra larva living in the swelling. The larva was gently removed by
grabbing it with a forceps and carefully pulling it out. The larva was an
impressive 2 ½ inches long – almost as big as poor Scarlets little face. Her
wound was flushed out thoroughly and she was given an antibiotic injection for
the infection. Scarlet’s face immediately looked more normal and she is healing
well.
Cuterebra larva are found commonly in this area. They are a type
of bot fly that normally lay their eggs around rodent and rabbit burrows. When
a cat (or sometimes dog) is out hunting and comes in contact with the burrow,
the eggs hatch into larva and climb into the unsuspecting mouth or nose of the
cat. The larva then migrate to the throat region and then eventually burrow
underneath the skin where they create a breathing hole. Here they grow into a
“warble”. We typically see cuterebra in late summer and early fall. They
usually present as a swelling around the head or neck, other times they may
just cause an “upper respiratory infection” – sneezing, laryngeal swelling, and
congestion. Treatment for cuterebra larva involves carefully removing the larva
and cleaning the wound that it has caused.
Check out our Facebook page for a photo of Scarlet and the cuterebra!
10/27/11 Post
Accidental Overdosage of Rimadyl - Dr. John Swingle, DVM
In the last month I have seen 3 cases of accidental overdosages of
Rimadyl.
Rimadyl is a very effective pain reliever and anti-inflammatory drug for
dogs. If often has great benefit for dogs suffering from arthritis.
My 8 year old springer, Buddy, has been taking Rimadyl daily for 3 years
because of his arthritic knees. It allows him to run and play with much
less discomfort. Rimadyl comes as a chewable tablet which makes
administration easy.
Unfortunately, if given the opportunity, dogs will eat more than their
normal dosage.
Monster is a very energetic 4 pound Yorkie who lives with Duchess, a 50
pound springer. Duchess suffers from arthritis. Duchess takes 1
Rimadyl chewable tablet each day. Unfortunately, on day Monster grabbed
Duchess's Rimadyl and ate it faster than you say "Oh No!". Because of
Monster's size, one tablet is 12 times his normal dose and in the toxic
overdose range.
This resulted in an emergency rush to our clinic where we induced vomiting
and retrieved the medication. Due to Monster's owners quick response all
turned out well - but the potential for major problems was certainly
there. If the owner had not been aware of the stolen medication, Monster
could have experienced liver failure, kidney failure and/or bleeding stomach
ulcers.
Please keep all medication (and especially "good tasting" medications)
stored safely and do all you can to prevent any sharing (or stealing!) of
medications between your pets.
10/3/11 Post
Close Call for Alex - Dr. John Swingle, DVM
Alex is an 11-year-old Akita that I saw on emergency at 7 am one
morning. He had been slowing down over the last few months and now
wouldn't eat and didn't want to go on his walks that he always enjoyed.
On presentation, Alex was very weak, his gums were pale and tacky - and I
could feel an enlarged spleen in his abdomen.
His bloodwork showed he was anemic and that his platelet count was very low
(thrombocytopenia).
X-rays and an abdominal ultrasound confirmed my suspicion of a splenic tumor
that had ruptured, causing internal bleeding - causing the anemia. By
noon Alex had received a blood transfusion and was in surgery where Dr. Smith
removed his cancerous spleen, the hemorrage from his abdomen and flushed the
abdomen with antibiotics.
Alex went home the next day and is doing great. Long term - chances
are that the cancer will come back in his liver or another organ, but for now -
Alex is feeling great and back to enjoying his food and his daily walks.
Amazing Advancement in Feline Hyperthyroid Treatment! - Dr. John
Swingle, DVM
I am always amazed when veterinary medicine comes up with a food that treats
or assists with treatment of a serious disease. It seems like magic to me
when feeding a special diet helps treat a specific disease. I would never
have guessed that a food could treat a cat with Hyperthyroidism making daily
medication unnecessary.
Hill's Pet Nutrition has developed y/d - a food for treating cats with
Hyperthyroidism. This development is especially exciting because many
cats are not thrilled about having to take pills twice a day - which is
currently the most common way we treat Hyperthyroidism. This new
treatment won't be for every cat with Hyperthyroidism, but it gives us another
tool to fight this common feline disease.
For more information about Hyperthyroidism contact us directly at
715-246-5606 or go to http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/diseasesconditionscat/a/Feline-Hyperthyroidism-Hills-Y-D-Diet.htm
