Super bowl fun

One thing we do at our house is have an appetizer party for the super bowl. The kids love this, and it helps allow me to watch the game. :-)

Pets love it too because they get some of their food treats. - No none of the chips and salsa.

This week we have seen a few patients that have been itching -and in the dead of winter. If you have this, call us. We have created a steroid sparing strategies worksheet for clients to work on that is very helpful at reducing itch, and therefor reducing the expense involved.

The oother thing causing itching this time of year is food allergies. We used to think this was mainly a problem if you changed food, but it is more common when the dog or cat has been on the same food.

So for food allergies, we do a food trial, and we have some homemade recipes for folks to use if you don't want to get the specialty food for the pet.

Have fun on SSuper bowl Sunday!

Peanut Butter recall expands to pet foods

If you are not on our email newsletter list, we sent out a note yesterday about the Petsmart dog biscuits that are involved in the latest recall.

This is caused by the peanut butter that is suspected of having caused some salmonella problems in people. The problem with Salmonella bacteria (greatly simplified) is that the bacteria can create many problems in people, and the pets can act as a reservoir.

Check out the link here:
Petsmart press release

for the Petsmart press release.

What to do in the cold weather?

Hopefully soon this cold weather will change. I'm sure in July we will be wishing for a reprieve.

Two thoughts, as if you are looking on the Blog, you have access to this. A company who's new heart medicine we have been using with great success has been Vetmedin. They have put together a website that talks about the symptoms of heart disease. if you go to www.vetmedin-us.com they have some good accurate information.

This is also a time to be conducting a food trial if your dog has had allergic reactions or itching even during the cold time of year. During this time, there are no other pollens or grasses causing your dog to itch, so there are less 'sabotage elements' that are being involved in the test.

Let us know if you need help getting this plan.

Happy new Year

A belated happy new year to all. As I begin the new year, I frequently think about how I want this year to be different than last year. Not that I make 'resolutions' but I try to reflect on what my life is like, and - can I say this in public - what is God's plan for me.

I recently recounted the story of how my wife and I came to purchase Dr Huwe's practice here in East Peoria.

Many of you who knew Dr Huwe, know his side. Now you get 'the rest of the story'.

I have been doing relief work since 1989. I started in Milwaukee, WI, 'temporarily' until I found a practice to buy. As I helped out my colleagues, I saw how difficult it was to get some time away for family, and I enjoyed that freedom.

Then we moved to central Illinois in 1993 to be closer to my family in Springfield, and I continued doing the relief work because at that time, there was only one emergency clinic (here in Peoria) and I liked the evenings for my family.

That freedom for my family would fluctuate, but was very good to me until Jan of 2007, when I noticed that to keep my relief book full I was in Chicago or St. Louis and only home on weekends. In March, we realized we had to do something different, and we looked at a practice in Macon county, but the seller never did want to sell, only talk about it- which took 4 months to figure that out. So when the Huwe family contacted me to help them when Dr suddenly died, we thought this might be an option.

Then it all worked out. Interestingly, 5 months after we bought this practice, another practice was for sale in my county, and was sold within 3 months.

Someone recently told me God has 3 answers for our prayers and what he wants us to do:
No
Not yet
I have something better

He has something better in store for us here, and I am very excited to be involved in our community.