The holidays are quickly approaching!

This is a special time for everyone, including your furry family members. When preparing for the festivities, it is always important to consider your pets because we often don't realize that they can get sick from the things we take for granted...like the plants that we bring in for the holiday! Mistletoe, Poinsettias and Holly are a few that can be dangerous if consumed. Protect your pet as you start to decorate for the holiday season.

My name is Cassandra and I’m a veterinary technician at the Princeton Animal Hospital. We work with healthy animals, sick pets, and life-or-death situations on a daily basis. Having worked here for almost 2 years, I already knew the staff was knowledgeable and friendly. I never realized the impact the Princeton Animal Hospital’s staff really has on the families of our patients until I experienced it first hand.

            On Sunday, October 10, 2010, my dog Luna, a four year old Welsh Corgi, started showing abnormal urinary signs. She urinated a normal amount at 11 AM, but shortly after, she was straining to urinate. I brought her to work with me that day to have Dr. Jones examine her. She had a normal temperature and heart rate, and her lungs sounded clear. The only abnormality Dr. Jones found was a slight tenseness in her abdomen. This tenseness can be associated with urinary tract infections or bladder stones. Dr. Jones recommended x-rays, blood work, or sending her home on antibiotics. Because she is a young, healthy dog, and was having no other urinary issues, I decided to take her home with antibiotics.

            As soon as I got home that night, she passed a stone and began urinating large amounts of urine with blood in it. I assumed this blood was normal because she had just passed a stone, but, just to be safe, I immediately called Princeton Animal Hospital. The doctor and I discussed whether this was an emergency: should I bring her right out or could it wait until the morning? The doctor said there wasn’t a major blood vessel that would cause any profuse bleeding. I decided to wait until morning since she would only be alone for a few hours overnight.

            When I woke up the next morning, Luna was laying on the floor, cold, covered in bloody urine, and barely responsive! At the Princeton Animal Hospital, there are technicians available 24 hours a day to help with emergencies, so I called immediately. I told them she had taken a sudden downhill turn and was very sick, and I was on my way. I was nervous I wasn’t going to make it in time, and blasted the heat in my car to keep her temperature up.

            Once I arrived, Aleisha, the overnight technician, helped me take her inside. She placed an I.V. catheter in her leg and started giving her fluids. Dr. McCann took her temperature, checked her blood pressure, and ran blood work. While they were working with her, the rest of the morning staff arrived. All the doctors and technicians helped with my sweet Luna! They took x-rays and found she had a bladder full of stones. The owner of the Princeton Animal Hospital, Dr. James Miele, assured me that he would perform the surgery to remove the stones once she was stable. I knew this surgery would be costly, but I was willing to do anything to save my Luna’s life! After the diagnostic tests were competed and Luna was stable, Dr. Miele performed the surgery. Luna was ready to go home after a few more days in the hospital! I will never be able to thank everyone enough for saving Luna. I am so happy to have her back! It’s a relief to know I can call anytime, day or night, for emergencies. Today, Luna is again, a healthy happy dog thanks to the staff at the Princeton Animal Hospital. 

Discounted Dental Cleaning for your pet!

For the entire month of December, and last two weeks of November, we are offering our most conscientious pet owners a chance to get their pet’s teeth cleaned at a discounted price.  The lower cost is designed so you have the chance to learn about how healthy your dog or cat’s mouth is. Make your pets dental appointment at Princeton Animal Hospital today!

Missing a turkey wing?

Missing a turkey wing? To make sure your dinner doesn't fly away, we want to remind you to have plenty of food and treats for your four-legged friend on Thanksgiving. Remind your guests to please “do not” feed the pets. Those tasty turkey bones can splinter and perforate the stomach and other major organs. Ingesting a bone is a common holiday hazard. Cooked poultry bones may seem like the perfect gift for your pet, but do him a favor and save them for the soup. Even large cooked bones are prone to splintering, which can pierce through the animal’s intestines. Keep pets safe this Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving Pet Safety Tips

A Message from Princeton Animal Hospital...

Dear Valued Client,

If you have been coming to us for awhile, you no doubt have heard us talk about oral health care for your pet.  Well, now we would like to give you an opportunity to make it happen.  For the entire month of December (and last to weeks of November) we are offering our most conscientious pet owners a chance to get their pet’s teeth cleaned at a discounted price.  The lower cost is designed so you have the chance to learn about how healthy your dog or cat’s mouth is, to see how straight forward a dental prophylaxis procedure is, and to teach you ways to keep your pet’s teeth clean long into the future, even if you have failed at brushing them in the past.

Dental prophylaxis or dental scaling is done at our office in the same way that it is done when you go the dentist (except we do your pet a favor by giving them something to sleep through the procedure).  During the scaling, a veterinarian will thoroughly examine the oral cavity, diagnose any decay and proceed to clean up the mouth to get it on its way to sound health. In one afternoon, years of tartar and plaque are ultrasonically scaled away and the source of billions of cells of harmful bacteria is removed.  Without the scaling, these bacteria would continue to bleed into the venous system causing long term and irreparable damage to vital organs like the heart, kidney and liver, but once removed, the bacteria load will be eradicated and the harmful effects of the germs entirely wiped away.  We even provide your loved one with a fluoride treatment when they’re finished, just like mom and dad get when they go to the dentist.

Please call us today to book an appointment.  Once your pet’s mouth is cleaned, you’ll immediately notice how much healthier your dog or cat behaves, how much better they chew and eat, how much better they feel.  During your phone call, our well trained Animal Care Providers will be able to answer any questions you may have and also be able to generate an estimate of how much the procedure will cost.  So let’s make sure that this holiday season, if someone encounters your pet under the mistletoe, they’ll want to receive that sloppy kiss J  Appointments are limited, so please call quickly.

As always, we look forward to seeing you,

Jim and Terry Miele and the rest of the Princeton Animal Hospital, Carnegie Cat Clinic Gang. 

Celebrating the holidays at your house this year?

We want to remind you to keep an eye on the foods your pet eats during this time. Some foods like chocolate or onions can be toxic to your pet, while other fatty foods such as meats and cheeses can cause pancreatitis, a painful GI condition that often requires hospitalization.  To keep your pet safe and healthy, keep hard to resist items out of reach and feed only foods and treats made specifically for him or her. Just a fall reminder from the staff at Princeton Animal Hospital.