Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays from Moe the clinic kitty…. and the rest of us, too!…from your friends at Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo.

BOARD YOUR SMALL PETS AT CEDAR

We board cats, birds, small pets and exotics!

Don't forget that we board cats, birds, small pets and exotics, who are in our practice, right here on-site. We do not have room for dogs, but we do welcome other creatures of most species. We know your pet and you know that we can be trusted; be sure your pet is getting the very best care while you are out of town. Your pet must be in our practice. Call to make inquiry or to make your reservations.

Farewell to Dr. Anna Ulfeng

November 20 was the last day for Dr. Anna Ulfeng with Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo. After eighteen years working for Cedar Pet, Dr. Ulfeng is changing her focus to all emergency medicine. Here, Dr. Baillie recalls her time in the practice.

Dr. Baillie and Dr. Anna Ulfeng

"Dr. Ulfeng started with us at Cedar Pet Clinic Minneapolis when she was an undergraduate in college, working in animal care which involves feeding animals, walking dogs, and a lot of cleaning kennels. When she started at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, she worked assisting the veterinary technicians with medical and surgical care. We were proud to welcome her as her first job after she graduated as a veterinarian in 1999; she started just a few weeks after her June graduation, and has been with us ever since.

At the beginning of her career, Dr. Ulfeng worked full time at both our clinic locations, Minneapolis and Lake Elmo. After her first child was born in 2004, she went to part-time in Lake Elmo, and has developed strong relationships with clients and with their pets with her tremendous work ethic, her dedication to good medicine, and her genuine love for the work. She has been committed to continuing education for all the species we work with here, and a great staff person. She has been especially good with children who come in with their sick animals, and stepped up to assist in our volunteer veterinary work for The Wildcat Sanctuary. She's been a wonderful colleague and an important part of Cedar Pet Clinic for nearly twenty years.

Dr. Ulfeng will be working at the Animal Emergency Clinic, a new opportunity for professional growth, expanding her knowledge of emergency veterinary medicine. We wish her all the best in her new work."

FROM OUR VETS: Dr. Baillie Talks Chickens

The first city chicken I ever saw in practice, back in the seventies, was an orange rooster named Jerry.   Jerry and owner Tammy lived in Phalen in St. Paul and they'd been calling all over the Cities trying to find a vet to help her with Jerry's health concerns; he was her favorite in her backyard flock.  This was at the original Cedar Pet Clinic in south Minneapolis.

Today, backyard or urban chickens are one of the fastest growing areas of our practice.   As many owners discover, chickens are a delight to have as pets...although the roosters can be a little noisy.  Many communities are starting to recognize that they be safely kept in town, and ordinances are changing to allow them as pets.  Some chickens live in the house and go outside during the day, and others have fancy coops and pens to live in year round.  Chickens form strong lifelong emotional bonds with each other as well as other species.  They are routine- and home-centered and can thrive in a space the size of a normal urban backyard and home.  They can coexist happily with compatible dogs and cats and have similar life spans.  

We see a variety of health issues in chickens including injuries, respiratory, intestinal, reproductive and parasitic issues, but most are treatable with the owners providing most of the care. We see chickens in all different sizes and colors. Breeds include Bantams to Wyandottes, and everything in between.  Some of the Bantams only weigh a couple of pounds and the largest breeds may go over twenty pounds.  And you can only imagine the colors -- reds, white, orange, black, grey and many different combinations.  

Just another of the many different types of pets we see at Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo, and you may get to see (or hear!) them in the reception area.

Howl-o-Ween!

Sometimes it's good to hang on the holidays!   We can't bear to retire the fun photos YOU sent in for Halloween.    Watch for our holiday photo opp, coming up in just a few weeks, just as more holidays are arriving!!

2012 Staff Pumpkin Carving Contest!

Pumpkin Carving Contest 2012

Here are some entries from our staff pumpkin-carving contest for 2012.  Spooky!

From Dr. Baillie, in honor of Moe the clinic kitty!

From Kristen, a pumpkin remembering our dog friends.

From Dr. Plantz,  a wolf howling at the full moon!

From Kathleen

From Sue,  a witch holding out a tiny pumpkin.  

Halloween Hints for Pets

Our vets and staff have a few suggestions to make sure this wonderful holiday is as much fun for pets as it is for humans!

1. Keep the candy away from your pets, and your pets away from the candy. Many people know that chocolate can be poisonous to pets. Small dogs can be affected by small amounts, even a snack-sized bar or two. Some ingredients in hard candies and other human treats are bad for our pets. And of course, our excited pets sometimes eat wrappers, too; foil and plastics are not digestible and can cause serious health concerns.

2. We all know to be careful of candles. But if you're using dry ice to create a creepy mist, keep pets away; the fog is composed of carbon dioxide gas.

3. Strangely-dressed strangers coming repeatedly to the door! Bells ringing, ghosts wailing, sound effects! And we ourselves put on costumes, looking and sounding differently than usual. Minimize stress for your pets and if they are anxious, put them in a quiet room with the door shut. Don't take your pet trick-or-treating and remember that a scary mask can frighten a dog as much as it can a small child.

4. Many people enjoy putting costumes on their pets. Remember that some pets can become scared, irritated, or uncomfortable in costumes. A Halloween bandana might be enough!

5. Remember our curious cats, some of whom are attracted to the glow sticks which have become popular in recent years. Using a glow stick as a chew toy can cause mouth irritation and foaming.

We go to a Jungle Boogie...and Dr. Plantz wins an award!

On Sunday, October 7, Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo was well-represented at the annual Jungle Boogie, a fundraising party for the Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone.  Dr. Baillie is the volunteer medical director for the Sanctuary, in charge of the health of  120 rescued wild cats from Bengals to bobcats, from servals to cougars, and tigers and lions as well.  He sits on the board of directors and our whole staff is involved in caring for the big cats (see wildcatsanctuary.org for some amazing stories about this wonderful organization.)  The clinic always takes a table at the fundraiser, and Dr. Baillie shows another side of his personality, serving as the live auctioneer.   

Our Dr. Noemi Plantz was honored at this year's event with the Lion Pride Award, for her volunteer work at the Sanctuary.  Director Tammy Thies named the award for a "pride" of lions, noting that it takes a group of individuals to keep the Sanctuary going.   Dr. Plantz started helping out  even before she went to veterinary school, and now works with Dr. Baillie in primary medical care for the Sanctuary residents.   (See an earlier story in this blog about our doctors' work when tiger Titan received four simultaneous root canals!)   "I enjoy working on the big cats", Dr. Plantz said, "many of whom arrive at the Sanctuary with significant medical problems."  

Dr. Baillie is a previous recipient of a Lion Pride Award. 

Everybody Wins Children's Pet Show

The doctors and staff at Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo thank all the participants and all the observers of this year's free Everybody Wins Children's Pet Show, presented on September 8 as part of Lake Elmo Days community festival.   We include here a list of the winners --- every entrant is a winner!   We particularly thank David Falbaum for photography, the festival organizers from the City of Lake Elmo,  Public Works and Park Superintendent Mike Bouthilet, whose staff set up our area in a shady spot near the fire station, and the staff at Lake Elmo Elementary School for helping us get the word out to children and families about the show.   A good time was had by all... and it's one of our absolute favorite days of the year!!

Afton with Piper Rose - Curliest Hair

Calvin with Carter - Best Dancer

Chase with Lexi - Most Unforgettable 

Ciara with Nino - Best Hula Hooper

Jacob with Dutchess - Biggest ears

Henry & Claire with Gunny - Prettiest eyes

Holly with Snickers - Best Mouser

Kiera with Whisker/Digger- Best Friends 

Malaina with Daisy - Most Social

Mary/Kaelie and Maggie - Healthiest eater

Molly with Karl - Best Game Player

Molly with Murphy - Best Hand Shaker

Emma with Rosie - Highest Jumper

Raquel with Hershey Serena - Best Spikes

Scarlett with Cutie Pie - Cutest Ears

Julia with Snickers - Most Outdoorsy

Whisky and Digger

Only a Few Days Left for Cat Art Exhibit...see Clinic Kitty Moe's new portrait!

This is the final week for the art exhibit at Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo. Artist Kat Corrigan's work, some of which is drawn from her annual Thirty Cats in Thirty Days project, is still on display. Several paintings have sold and several people have commissioned her to do portraits of their cats during the exhibit. Do stop by during business hours and enjoy. A special feature: Corrigan has painted Clinic Kitty Moe, seen in this photo examining his own portrait. "I was amazed how much she caught the spirit of Moe", said Dr. Baillie's wife Peg Guilfoyle. "She took a quick snapshot on her phone and turned it into a portrait." How do we know she caught his spirit? She titled the painting "The Boss"!

Summer Safety Tips

 

Tackle boxes – Cats find the fishing lures very interesting, as they look like cat toys. Be mindful of where your tackle box is left out and open. Dogs like to grab the fish with the lure still in the fish’s mouth.

Hot cars - We know this is a very common one but it still happens.  Cars heat up so much faster than we think even with the windows open. Please leave your dog at home on these hot days.

Hot temperatures – Make sure on hot days animals have plenty of shade and water. An interesting fact is that hosing a black dog down in the sun will make him even hotter.  Shaving a double coated breed (a dog that has a fluffy under coat and a more coarse outer coat) will not help them stay cool. Their coat, after shedding the way they should (losing the fluffy undercoat), will keep them cool just fine.  Dogs who have a double coat require a good bath, and blow dry (with a special dog blow dryer  that blows cool air at a higher force then a human handheld dryer) to shed that thick undercoat.  Brushing with a brush that is designed for their coat type, after a bath to loosen the coat, helps also. Make sure to check with your groomer about brushes designed for your dog’s coat.

If you suspect your dog has heat stroke, contact your veterinarian immediately and move the dog to an air conditioned area or the shade. Do not use COLD water to cool his skin, this can cause problems if the body is cooled too quickly when they have a high temperature.

Water safety – Make sure to watch dogs when around any sort of water, whether it be a pool, lake or on your boat. They can fall in just like kids can. A lifejacket is recommended for any dog, even if he is a strong swimmer, when in a boat or retrieving a toy from shore. Get your dog used to wearing it around the house and make sure it fits properly.

Pool covers can also be a deceiving safety guard. Dogs can step on them and break through.  Pay attention to posted warnings around lakes; blue green algae can make humans and dogs sick.

BBQ safety- Cooking food around a campfire or a grill is a very inviting smell for our four legged companions. Burns or accidental eating of fatty foods, meat included, can be dangerous for your pet.  Corn cobs are another hazard that doesn’t come up as a danger to dogs. Many eat the whole cob!

Other foods to be careful of at picnics are grapes, cherries, onions, avocados and alcohol.

Make sure to keep an eye on your grilling meat (raw or cooked) and especially those kabobs.  Another thing that lures dogs in is grease in a fire pit after cooking over a campfire.

FROM OUR VETS: Dr. Baillie Talks Chickens

The first city chicken I ever saw in practice, back in the seventies, was an orange rooster named Jerry.   Jerry and owner Tammy lived in Phalen in St. Paul and they'd been calling all over the Cities trying to find a vet to help her with Jerry's health concerns; he was her favorite in her backyard flock.  This was at the original Cedar Pet Clinic in south Minneapolis.

Today, backyard or urban chickens are one of the fastest growing areas of our practice.   As many owners discover, chickens are a delight to have as pets...although the roosters can be a little noisy.  Many communities are starting to recognize that they be safely kept in town, and ordinances are changing to allow them as pets.  Some chickens live in the house and go outside during the day, and others have fancy coops and pens to live in year round.  Chickens form strong lifelong emotional bonds with each other as well as other species.  They are routine- and home-centered and can thrive in a space the size of a normal urban backyard and home.  They can coexist happily with compatible dogs and cats and have similar life spans.  

We see a variety of health issues in chickens including injuries, respiratory, intestinal, reproductive and parasitic issues, but most are treatable with the owners providing most of the care. We see chickens in all different sizes and colors. Breeds include Bantams to Wyandottes, and everything in between.  Some of the Bantams only weigh a couple of pounds and the largest breeds may go over twenty pounds.  And you can only imagine the colors -- reds, white, orange, black, grey and many different combinations.  

Just another of the many different types of pets we see at Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo, and you may get to see (or hear!) them in the reception area.

FROM OUR VETS: Dog Bite Prevention Always Worth Talking About

From Dr. Baillie:

As school gets out, and summer activities hit high gear, it's a good time of year to be talking about dog bite prevention;  almost 5 million dog bites occur every year in our country.   Bites accounted for more than one-third of homeowners' insurance liability claims in 2011 according to the Insurance Information Institute.  

Teaching children how to interact with dogs--even if you don't own one--can go a long way in preventing injury. Kids aged 5-9 years old are most often the ones injured, and usually the dog that bit them is not a stranger. The AVMA estimates that of the children under the age of 18 who have been bitten, family dogs are responsible for 30% of the bites, while the neighbor's dog is responsible for another 50% of the bites.

Tips from the AVMA include:

*Carefully select your pet,  considering the breed and your own lifestyle.  Puppies should not be obtained on impulse.  We are happy to consult with you about finding your best dog breed match (in fact, we love to talk dogs!)  

*Make sure your pet is socialized as a puppy so it feels relaxed around people and animals.

*Don't put your dog in a position where it feels threatened or teased.

*Train your dog. Basic commands help dogs understand what is expected of them and can be incorporated into fun activities that build a bond of trust.

*Walk and exercise your dog regularly to keep it healthy and provide mental stimulation.

*Avoid highly excitable games like wrestling or tug-of-war.

*Use a leash in public to ensure you are able to control your dog.

*Keep your dog vaccinated against rabies and preventable infectious diseases. Parasite control and other health care are important because how your dog feels affects how it behaves.

*Neuter your pet.

*Make sure gates are secure.

If you are bitten by a dog, here is a checklist of things you should do:

* If the dog's owner is present, get the owner's name and contact information, and request proof of rabies vaccination.  

* Clean bite wound with soap and water as soon as possible.

* Consult your doctor immediately or go to the emergency room if the bite occurs after office hours.

*  Contact the dog's veterinarian to check vaccination records.   

We have sent several Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo staff members for special training in dog bite prevention and have, in the past, presented programs for day camps and elementary schools.  If you have questions or problems regarding dog bite situations feel free to call us at 651-770-3250 for help or advice.   

For more information on dog bite prevention, visit http://www.avma.org/public_health/dogbite/ for helpful tips and resources for the whole family.

National Pet Week--May 6-12

Animal Maze!  

Can you help the sick pup get to his veterinarian?

National Pet Week

Animal riddles
Can you guess them all?

National Pet Week May 6-12

Fun and Games! Follow image link below to play several different pet games--all celebrating the fun our pets can bring us!

(and yesterday's mystery animal--did you guess "Tapir"? Although they are not a "pet", you'd be able to see them at local zoos.  They are related to horses and rhinoceroses.)

Match the animal baby to its parent!

And.....can you identify this animal and her baby?  Answer to follow tomorrow!

Photo credit: 

Tapir And Baby by Vera Kratochvil

National Pet Week--Memory Game!

Test your memory, challenge your family, and see who knows the important things that our pets need to be happy and healthy!

"Being this adorable is a team effort!"

Print and enjoy!

National Pet Week!

Can you match all of the animals to their correct outline?  Let us know how you did!

Celebrating National Pet Week: Have fun!

National Pet Week is widely celebrated throughout the United States and other parts of the world. In 2012, National Pet Week is celebrated from May 6-12. The goals of National Pet Week are to promote responsible pet ownership, celebrate the human-animal bond, and promote public awareness of veterinary medicine.  We thought we'd celebrate by posting pet-oriented games for families -- enjoy!

Connect the dots activity (printable)

Poetry for Cedar Pet!

Stillwater poet Ann Bushnell offered a commissioned poem this winter as a fundraiser for her church, and we signed up.  She made several visits to the clinic, visited with Dr. Baillie, and here are the results.  We enjoyed it, and hope you do, too.  (We like reading it out loud!)

Poetry for Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo
by Stillwater poet, Ann Bushnell

CEDAR PET CLINIC LAKE ELMO

Doctors Baillie, Ulfeng, Plantz

are here to offer a fighting chance

for those with feathers, fur or hide.

Sick or hurt, they're brought inside

so their lives can be enhanced.  

The entire staff helps everyone,

owners, patients, all who come.

On the counter sits big Kitty Moe

who watches the ever-changing show

and he may let you pet him some.

They'll treat a parrot or your pet rat,

a beagle, a basset, a calico cat,

lizards, chickens, chinchillas, too.

I bet they'd take a kangaroo

if it should come to that.  

Clinic's in Lake Elmo, a country town,

but people come from miles around,

bring Buddy and Max, Bailey and Beulah,

Fifi and Daisy, Amelia, Tallulah,

some striped or spotted, brindled or brown.

It's not just patients that come through

to visit the Clinic, it's Girl Scouts, too,

and each first grade class across the street

is shown around. They think it's neat, and

draw animal pictures to say, 'thank you.'

Doctors and staff have been together 

for so many years, they have the measure

of each other.  They know their need is

for owners and patients to succeed;

these efforts give them pleasure.

Essential to the clinic is Peg, Doc's wife,

who designs the website,, cheers his life,

reads telephone holds, writes the blog,

appreciates every cat and dog,

and knows they are treated right.

This clinic has been Doc Baillie's dream

for forty years and now it seems

at last it has been realized.

Lake Elmo knows it has a prize --

The Cedar Pet Clinic and its team.   

The Numbers are in! 846 pounds!

Clinic Kitty Moe Posing Atop the Pile

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to our annual Pet Food for the Food Shelf drive this year.  If you were in during the month of March, you will have seen the gigantic pile of pet food, for all species,  donated by the community as part of March FoodShare month.  Clinic kitty Moe got into the habit of posing atop the pile and demonstrated considerable interest in sniffing all the different kinds.   We eventually loaded it into staff vehicles and delivered it to the Valley Outreach Food Shelf in Stillwater, which weighed us in at 846 pounds of pet food.   The Food Shelf is grateful;  they know, as we do, that feeding a beloved companion animal is an important part of many people's lives.   Thank you very much;  next year we may have to add on a room to hold the donations!

Visiting the Elementary School Science Fair

We're proud to be regular visitors at the Lake Elmo Elementary School Science Fair, and one night a few weeks ago, Drs. Baillie and Plantz, and five staff members travelled across the street to join in the fun.   We had a classroom, a few tables, and a laptop or two, but the real stars of the evening were Joso (Dr. Baillie's golden retriever), Red the Tortoise (owned by vet tech Kris), and  Crackers the Amazon Parrot (from practice manager Mila).  "There were so many people in there, that we mostly responded to questions from the children", said Dr. Baillie.  "Kris talked about the proper set-up and care for Red the Tortoise, and we fielded many questions about heartworm and tick-borne diseases.  Crackers was very vocal and entertaining and the kids were fascinated by a talking bird.  And Joso, who adores children, may have actually gotten his fill of petting;  he was pretty tired when I got him home!"  The children... and the adults...enjoyed a laptop display of radiographs showing, among other things, a chicken with an egg inside, and we also showed a program on Dog Bite Prevention for children.  (We have staff trained in this kind of work, and sometimes take Dog Bite prevention programs to summer festivals in the area.)

 All in all, we think the children had a good time, and we know that we did.  The Science Fair is one of our favorite nights of the year.  

FROM OUR VETS: Spring is springing already?

Early Spring in MN!
Photo Credit:  Colorful Tulips by Vera Kratochvil

Dr. Baillie was featured on KARE 11 TV last week talking about wildly early warm temperatures this year... 75 degrees before St. Patrick's Day!... and the Baillie family golden retriever Joso has been doing his own demonstration.  Joso is very light-colored, and he's been showing wood ticks and deer ticks frequently over the last few weeks as he comes in from the yard. As the vet's dog, Joso is protected year round, and that is what we advise -- all parasite control should be used twelve months of the year for both dogs and cats.  We have Frontline Plus in stock, as well as Heartguard for heartworm/intestinal worm protection.   There has been a significant increase in other tick borne diseases (Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichia) in the last few months,  and we are recommending to clients to get started now to protect your companion animals from these pests.  

View the news clip: