Behind the Scenes at SAH

Hello! Murphy, the movie star here!

Yup, that’s right, I’m in a movie! Ok well, maybe not the type of movie ya’ll are thinking of… it is actually a video tour of SAH! Oh man did I have fun! My girls at the office have been putting this video together. We thought it would be a great idea for our clients to see the whole hospital and know where their pets are being cared for. Personally, I love it here. The layout and all just works! Everything is nice and clean and open, you can be involved in everything that is going on. Since I am so passionate about SAH, they let me help with the tour! We all know I don’t work for free so, I was compensated with some cookies! You will see me flying through all the areas of the clinic hunting wild treats.

We started with our welcoming reception area where everyone, human and pet, is greeted with a smile (and a head butt from me)! While waiting, pets can snack on a few treats and their humans can sip on a warm cup of coffee or tea. Kids even have an area to play doctor and read. I then zip through an exam room to the treatment area.

The treatment area is where most of the magic happens! Pets get their vaccines, blood drawn, nails trimmed and prepped for surgery. We have comfy mats everyone can sit on while being treated and a large cookie jar of course! This is also where the kennels are located so the technicians are able to monitor patients throughout the day.
 

Adjacent to the treatment area we have our radiology suite and surgery suite. The radiology suite is equipped with a digital x-ray processor so films can be viewed and shared with pet parents in the matter of seconds! Our modern surgery suite consists of sophisticated equipment to help monitor and keep all of our patients safe!
 

I then round the corner at warp speed and enter the pharmacy and laboratory area. This is where medications are stored and in house laboratory tests are performed. Our pharmacy stocks most of the medications needed by our patients, allowing the convenience of having prescriptions filled and in hand when you leave the office. The laboratory is equipped with microscopes, centrifuges, in house microbiology capability and other equipment needed for routine tests. 

My favorite place to hang is of course the reception area! I love greeting all humans and pets as they walk in the door. I’m even very helpful at check out when processing credit cards! We all work very hard to make SAH feel like a second home and that every room is clean, organized and welcoming so everyone feels comfortable and safe!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and look for the upcoming video!

Until next time,

            -Murphy Cat
 

       

Murphy's Story

Hello my followers!

            Today, I thought I would take some time to share my story with you. Some of you might like to know the Murphy behind the blogs. My life is definitely not dull! It has taken me several years to mold into the fine man I am today!

            Well, it all started in June, 2009. My previous parents were moving away and could not take me with them. Bummer, I know! SAH was already my second home, Dr. Ellis has been seeing me since I was a wee kitten. I was hoping SAH would adopt me but, I’m not your typical cat and I came with some baggage!

            Does everyone remember the scars on my face? Well, I had a condition where I would self-traumatize. So basically, I would scratch and beat myself up to the point that I would create large wounds. Silly, right?! I couldn’t tell you why I did this; it was a mystery for all of us. Luckily, SAH loved me even though I was an odd one so, I became part of the SAH family! Little did I know this was a huge turning point in my life, everything was about to change.

            At first, we were hoping my behavior was due to an environmental allergy. Ya’know, pollen, dust mites, something along those lines. Wrong-o! No improvement with environment change. I continued to traumatize my face with my dagger claws so they tried to put these silly things called Soft Pawz on me! Nice try humans! Well that didn’t last long, no way was I going to keep those plastic caps over my nails so, I just pulled them off with my teeth! Have I mentioned I can be a pain in the caboose?!

            Next, they changed my diet to a hypoallergenic form in case a food allergy was the issue. I was treated monthly with a flea preventative to make sure fleas were not adding to the problem. They even treated my sores with the therapeutic laser to help decrease swelling and promote healing. I was treated like a king!  My wounds started to heal and I was feeling a little better, but not 100%. We started to think that maybe stress was the main reason for my odd behavior. Now don’t get me wrong, I was very happy and loved my new home but something was off.

            So, anxiety medication it was! This actually helped a lot! I calmed down, became more relaxed and the traumatizing slowly decreased. I was on the road to recovery! Wahoo! Then my ladies at the office and clients started to notice I was not around as much. No more greeting them at the door as they came in, no more helping with check out, I vanished. When I did decide to be social, I was actually really rude! It didn’t take long for me to get annoyed so I would just swat with my claws and yell at clients to leave me alone! Yikes, that is not how a kitty is supposed to act! I was always tired and just slept my days away. Dr. Ellis decided it was time to wean me off of my medication, change my diet to the Young Again diet and get me to lose some weight. (See blog #2 for more details about my diet and weight loss!)

            I feel AMAZING! I have lost weight, I have so much energy, and I’m incredibly happy and social. Clients don’t even recognize me anymore! Every time the door opens, I am ready and waiting for a nice head butt or a butt scratch! I don’t even swat at people any more… well I do sometimes!

            So, that’s me! I hope this helps you get to know me a little better and understand my ways. Thanks to the love and support from the SAH family I am the healthiest I’ve ever been. Here’s to many more years of supervising the front desk and getting to know all of our clients!

Until next time,
      

              -Murphy Cat

Don't Lose Your Pets!

Do you remember what #2 was on my Top 10 Tips for a Purrfect New Year!? Well, if you all have been reading along, you would remember that it was Update Pet ID Information. So today, I will give you some ways to make that happen!

What if your pet was lost? Are you prepared? Will people be able to contact you and reunite you with your fur baby?! Let me tell you, if I ever decided to go on a stroll outside and got lost, I would hope the tags I wore would let people know where my home is! How does one make sure their babies get home you ask? Have a microchip implanted and have your pet wear a Pawdentify ID Tag! Yup, it’s that simple!

First, I shall tell you about the Pawdentify ID Tags by Links-It. This is a great new product offered here at SAH. I’m usually hanging out next to the colorful display at the front desk! This light weight, durable tag contains the contact information for the two most important humans in your pets’ life, you and your veterinarian. This makes it easier and quicker to be reunited with your fur baby! These tags are easy to read, come in fun colors and don’t make that annoying jingle sound like other metal tags do. Pawdentify ID Tags are made of a high tech polymer so, noise free! Check them out at the office.

Secondly we have microchips. No, No, this doesn’t hurt, I promise! A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice. This gets implanted in your pets’ skin in the shoulder area. Once they have this, every veterinary clinic and animal shelter will be able to scan for the chip and know the pet belongs to someone. Your information is safe, don’t worry. The finder of your pet will contact the microchip company, then the microchip company would contact you to let you know the where abouts of your baby! Simple as that!

Now your pet is covered! Of course you can call and chat with my girls at the office for more information. Click Here to check out the Pawdentify website!

Until next time,

Murphy Cat

Murphy's 10 Steps to a Purrfect 2016! Part Two

Back again! As promised, here are the remaining Top 5 Steps to that Purrfect New Year!

#5. Groom Your Pet Daily. Not only is this a great way to bond but, it will also keep your pets skin nice and healthy. Brushing will remove excess fur and distribute natural oils to help keep their coat nice and shiny!

#4. Good Oral Hygiene. Yup, pets should brush their teeth too! Just like people, animals can get tartar and plaque buildup which can lead to dental disease. Daily tooth brushing can help keep these issues at bay. Even using oral health treats is a great idea!

#3. Teach an Old Dog a New Trick. No matter the age, animals love to learn. Try teaching your fur baby a new trick or two. This will help keep their brain active!

#2. Update Pet ID Information. Did you recently move? Get a new phone number? Now is the time to update your pets ID tag! Or, if you don’t have one yet, get one! Check out Pawdentify Tags by Links-It, these new tags are great. Check them out at the office too!

And last but not least! Drum roll please!

#1. Consider Fostering. Thinking about adding a furry family member into the mix? Not sure what would be the proper fit? Foster! This is a great way to help out your local animal shelter. You may even fall in love and have a new addition to the family!

So there ya’ have it! 10 tips to a Purrfect New Year! Now believe me, there are several more ways to have a wonderful year but, this is a good place to start! I think I’m going to get my girlfriends at the office to tackle some of these tips to help my new year be a great one! Wish me luck!

Until next time,

             -Murphy Cat

Murphy's 10 Steps to a Purrfect 2016! Part One

Happy 2016!

                The new year is a time to set some new goals, make some changes in your life and such but, don’t forget about including your pets in these changes! Talk about a great way to bond with your fur babies! Create these goals so they include your pet and improve the both of you! Trust me, we like to be involved in EVERYTHING you humans do! I did some research during my down time at the office and stumbled upon a list of the Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Pet (and you). I happen to love all of the ideas so I thought my readers would as well.

#10. Measure your Pets Food (and yours I suppose!) It is so easy to over feed your pets (and yourself) so measuring out all servings is a great way to control portions. You don’t want to be consuming too many calories. That’s how we get plump!

#9. Choose an Age Appropriate Diet. Make sure the diet you are feeding is formulated to give your pet all the nutrients necessary. Ya’know, they do have puppy, kitten and adult specific diets for a reason!  Read, read and read! Do your research about what diet is best for your pet and of course consult with Doc Ellis for his suggestions.

#8. Try Something New! How about a new activity or adventure for you and your pet?! Seek out new hiking trails, try a training class together, find fun interactive games to play at home, the possibilities are endless my friends! This keeps everyone active and healthy and even strengthens your bond with your fur babies.

#7. Incorporate More Playtimes. I know I know, everyone is crazy busy but you can do it! Even if adding an extra ten minutes here and there is better than nothing. Try some simple, quick games, a walk, play with a favorite toy, whatever you want! Just make more time to bond with your babies.

#6. Make a Date with Your Veterinarian. There is no better way to start off the year then with a visit to the doctor. This applies to humans and pets of course! Get some routine blood work done, update vaccines, discuss preventive care, discuss diet (#9 and #10 come into play here) and address any concerns you may have. Just make sure everyone is on the right path to a healthy new year!

If you ask me, those are Purrfect tips to starting the New Year right and we are only half way there! Tune in next week to hear the top 5 on the list!

 Murphy Cat

 

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays!

I thought it would be appropriate to share some safety tips with everyone to make sure all fur babies have a safe and happy holiday season.

Now, if your pet is anything like me… (Yikes!) Then you need to be extra careful with decorations and how much stress is in the air. For me, any type of ribbon, string, ball etc. I’m all over it and think it is a great new toy! Naughty! All these things are major hazards to cats and dogs. If ingested, they can block our pet’s intestines and cause big problems. Now that isn’t fun for anyone! To help avoid this from happening try:

• Keep all decorations out of reach (remember, we can still jump!)
• If you have a tree, keep it in a corner and block it off when your pet is not supervised
• This goes for gifts too! Keep those blocked off as well, our noses work well and can sniff out all goodies! (even if they aren’t meant for us)

Plants! Man, I love to chew on plants! Did you know Holly, Mistletoe and Poinsettias are poisonous to cats and dogs! Yikes! I don’t want to chew on those plants!

As for stress, everyone gets stressed and overwhelmed during the busy holiday season. Us fur babies do too don’t forget! Here are a few pointers to help ease some of that stress:

• Go for an extra walk or two with the pups (helpful for both human and animal!)
• Have a separate, cozy, quite room for fur babies to escape to for some alone time.
• Keep treats handy. Don’t feed human food, this can add extra stress on the belly!
• Always keep Sunderland Animal Hospital’s number handy, just in case!

Well, I hope these tips help everyone have a stress free, wonderful holiday season! Don’t forget to check out our Facebook page for some more helpful suggestions, and you can always call to speak with my girlfriends at the office! They are always here to help!

Tune in next week!

                 Murphy Cat

 

 

Murphy's Diet

Hello Again!

Another week gone, this year is just flying by!

Well, last week I had mentioned the whole, me being overweight issue, and wanted to give ya’ll some more information. I hope I can help out my other kitty friends who may be struggling with the same problem. Don’t worry guys; I’m here for moral support!
So, let me take you on my weight loss journey. It all started with my pal Dr. Ellis. I was due for my annual exam so we checked some blood work (not as scary as it sounds, promise!), took my vitals, weight (boo), and did an overall exam. Glad to report, all looked good, well except my weight of course. Now, no one ever wants to hear that dreaded word DIET but, that was exactly what came out of Dr. Ellis’ mouth! My kitty claws were ready to strike! Until… He started to explain why…

*        Depression
*        Stress on the heart
*        Respiratory Problems
*        Skin Conditions
*        Diabetes
*        Liver Disease
*        Arthritis
*        Shortened lifespan! Come on now, I need to live FOREVER!

Meow! That list is just too long, time to listen to the doctor and get my life back on track! First, diet change, I was pleased with this because they FINALLY figured out that I’m a carnivore! My current diet did not support this, Young Again Zero Carb Cat food however, does!  Yup, everyone needs to try this, delish! Even better, my food bowl is never, I mean, never empty. I don’t binge eat because I know my food is not going to disappear and my body is able to regulate better when I graze (typical carnivore behavior that Young Again understands). Ya’know, us domestic cats are spitting images of lions and tigers! Our natural diet would consist of meat and fat. The Young Again diet reflects this. It is high in protein, has less than 1% starch and avoids plant proteins that we don’t need. That’s not the only good thing…

*        Tastes AMAZING!
*        Contains Enzymes and Probiotics (my tummy feels great!)
*        I have more energy
*        I’m Friendlier (a lot of you agree with this)
*        My fur is silky smooth
*        It helps me build muscle

Now tell me, who wouldn’t want to eat this!? Call the office and speak to one of my girls or Dr. Ellis if you want more information on the diet.

Now that my diet has been changed, the next step is to wait… Weight loss is a long process and one must be patient. I also have become more active, the girls play with me all the time and I love chasing my cat nip pillow down the hallway! Being active is a very important piece to this puzzle as well. 

Now to recap, what does one need to do to take charge of their weight loss…

1.       Schedule an exam with your veterinarian
2.       Run some blood work to make sure your body is functioning properly
3.       Get together a game plan with your doctor
               a.       Diet change
               b.      Exercise schedule
               c.       Any additional changes that may be needed…
4.       Wait… and wait… for results!

There ya have it! On the road for success! Take it from me; it is well worth the work. I’m here if you need me, along with the lovely girls at the Sunderland Animal Hospital and Dr. Ellis.

 

Murphy Cat