Garden Hose Hazards

In the summer we all spend more time outside with our pets, and many of us let our dogs drink from the hose, or use the hose for bathing our dogs.

An article recently published in the magazine Veterinary Medicine suggests that during hot days, using the hose for bath time can be dangerous. As the hose sits in the sun, the water inside can heat up enough to cause second or third degree burns. During one experiment, on a day when the temperature reached 94 degrees, the water inside the hoses reached 120 degrees after 2 hours in the sun. If you suspect your dog has been scalded by the hose, see your veterinarian or come see us here at VACC. It has also been suggested that the water sitting inside a hose can contain dangerous chemicals like BPA, and lead.
The safest thing you can do when using the hose with your dog is to let the water run for a few minutes before you start the bath or fill the bowl. Click here for more warm weather safety tips.

Thank You for Voting Us #1!

The 2012 Reader's Choice Awards have been announced, and Veterinary Associates of Cape Cod was voted number 1 animal clinic in Cape Cod, and in Yarmouth! Thanks to all who voted!

Therapeutic Laser

At Veterinary Associates of Cape Cod, our doctors have the option to prescribe therapeutic laser treatments to their patients. Laser therapy is pain-free and non-invasive, and can often reduce or eliminate the need for pain medications. The laser penetrates deep into the tissue of the patient and often results are immediate.

The therapeutic laser we use at VACC is the same one used in human medicine, and provides the following benefits for our patients:

• Pain relief
• Reduction of inflammation
• Acceleration of healing through tissue repair
• Improved circulation
• Reduction of scar formation
• Improved nerve and immune function
• Stimulation of acupuncture points

Laser therapy has a cumulative effect, but many owners report improvement after the first session. At VACC, we routinely use laser therapy immediately following certain procedures, like ACL repair.  Post surgical therapeutic laser treatment is also part of our laser surgery package. In addition to acceleration of post surgical healing, the laser can be used to treat the following conditions:

• Arthritis, hip or elbow dysplasia, or degenerative joint disease
• Neck or back pain
• Wounds
• Chronic ear infections, hot spots, or other skin conditions
• Muscle, ligament, or tendon injury

If your pet is suffering from a chronic condition, or is taking regular pain medications, you may want to consider non-invasive, side effect- free, laser therapy. To make an appointment to consult with one of our veterinarians, call us at (508) 394-3566.

A Laparoscopic Neuter at VACC

At Veterinary Associates of Cape Cod we are proud to offer our patients some of the highest quality care in the area. Our surgeons have a variety of options when deciding how to approach each procedure, including the use of laser and laparoscopic equipment. Recently a patient came in for a cryptorchidectomy with Dr. Burns (this is a neuter where one or both testicles are retained). In this case, one of the dog's testicles had not descended into the scrotum. Normally this would be a major abdominal surgery with a very large incision, but because we have the ability to perform procedures laparoscopically here at VACC, Dr. Burns was able to find and remove the retained testicle in a minimally invasive way.
In the video below, you can see the part of the procedure where the doctor locates and secures the retained testicle for removal.

Just after the video, doctor Burns used a piece of equipment called the LigaSure to detach the testicle from the body. The LigaSure is a device that uses a combination of energy and pressure to seal blood vessels as it cuts through tissue. When our surgeons use the LigaSure there is no bleeding, and no sutures are needed.

Laparoscopic procedures require more equipment, and therefore more training for our surgeons and technicians, but we feel that the benefits to our patients are worth it!

Feline Nutrition

Here is a video from our friends at the CATalyst Council with information on feline nutrition and tips on dealing with feline obesity. As always, if you have any questions about changing your cat's diet or exercise routine, contact your veterinarian, or come see us here at VACC.