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.

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. 

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.

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

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.   

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:

DR. BAILLIE WILL LEAD STATE-WIDE VET ORGANIZATION

In February, Dr. John Baillie will be appointed president-elect of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association, taking his place in the leadership of the 1979-member state-wide group, which is the professional association for all veterinarians in the state.   The MVMA names, among its missions, goals of advocating effectively for animal welfare, enhancing the knowledge and skills of veterinary professionals, and identifying and mentoring future leaders of the veterinary profession.  Dr. Baillie will assume its presidency in February 2013.  
 
At the same meeting next month, Dr. Baillie will be inducted as a Life Member, having joined the organization shortly after his graduation from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1972.   

 "It wasn't easy to come up with the dues at that point, as I recall", he laughs, "but I think I already knew that the MVMA was in synch with my own commitment to supporting the human-animal bond.  And so I've stayed a member for forty years.   I'm glad for the opportunity now to give back something to the organization and particularly for the opportunity to support and encourage students and new graduates into the field state-wide, as we've always done in this practice."   Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo, and Dr. Baillie, have launched staff members into veterinary school over the years;  both current associates Drs. Anna Ulfeng and Noemi Plantz began work as junior staff members with Dr. Baillie, went to vet school, and came back to work for him after their graduations.  

 "For the MVMA, I had the opportunity a few months ago to participate in a 'white coat' ceremony at the University, welcoming new graduates into the profession.  It was very rewarding for me," said Dr. Baillie.  He also recently attended the Leadership Development Conference for the national veterinary professional organization, the American Veterinary Medical Association,  in Chicago.  

Amazing youtube video on Dr. Baillie and the Wildcats

We thank The Wildcat Sanctuary for making and posting a youtube video about our work caring for their rescued cats. We are the doctors for the lions, tigers, cougars, bobcats, and many other cats who have found a forever home at the Sanctuary; Dr. Baillie is the volunteer Medical Director, and time, goods, and services are donated by the clinic, by Dr. Plantz, and by our staff.

"These creatures, many of them, have had hard lives and have now landed in a safe and caring place. We care about keeping them healthy...all of them," said Dr. Baillie.

 And follow this blog for an upcoming behind-the-scenes story as Dr. Baillie visits the sanctuary in May for veterinary work on the big cats.