Don't miss, A K9 Cause Fundraising Event for the Retired K9 Officers Healthcare Fund!!!!!!!!

VCA Hollywood is proud to share "A K9 Cause Event", created through the partnership of Sheriff's Foundation of Broward County, American Heritage School and VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital to raise money for the healthcare costs of retired K9 officers in Broward County.

Started almost two years ago, the Retired K9 Officer Healthcare Fund RK9OHF, in partnership with VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital has touched the lives of  the K9 officer that protect our South Florida community.

In retirement, canine officers are no longer financially supported by the department they served. Their handlers, or partners, often voluntarily ‘adopt’ these animals to live out their retirement in comfort. It is the belief of the RK9OHF that the cost of healthcare should be supplemented. In accordance with that belief, a partnership was established with the RK9OHF and VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital to provide the best in wellness care to these officers and to cover a portion of those costs. American Heritage School supports this goal.

American Heritage School is hosting a Silent Auction of original works or art, including drawings, paintings, ceramics and photography Saturday April 6, 2019 in the lovely Black Box Theatre on campus. These special works of art will be available this "A K9 Cause Event" 100% of all funds raised from this event will benefit the Sheriff's Foundation of Broward County's Retired K9 Officer Healthcare Fund.

Inspired by a little boy's passion for animals and art, A K9 Cause is meant to raise money to "fund this fund". 

Where: Black Box Theatre, American Heritage Campus
             12200 W Broward Blvd,
             Plantation, FL 33325

When: 7pm-April 6, 2019

What: Original Artwork Auction
For information about how you can support and attend visit, https://www.retiredk9cause.org/

VCA Boarding, 24 Hour Monitoring Saves Lives!!!!

Nearly one month ago, during a typical boarding stay in VCA Hollywood's Boarding Kennel, retired Ft. Lauderdale K9 Officer Boris' life was saved by our attentive Boarding Staff.

Boris is a 14 1/2 year old Belgium Malinois that retired afer a career of service with the Ft. Lauderdale K9 Unit. When he arrived with his former handler and now pet parent for his mid-week reservation, he was set up for a regular stay and made comfortable in his regular spot. However, this visit would be far from regular. As a boarder in our facility, both pre and post retirement, Boris is a regular visitor. His health and medical history is well know to our Doctors and his personality and preferences are well known to our staff.

Two days into his visit, as our 24 staff was monitoring the patients in our care, Boarding Attendant Dillon, notices Boris was not himself. He was salivating excessively and retching it seemed from the salivation. His abdomen appeared larger then normal and Dillon knew something was wrong. Dillon brought Boris to our ICU and our Emergency Doctor immediately performed a physical exam. Boris'  abdomen was very tense. Xrays were performed  and revealed a Gastric Dilation and Volvulus (GDV) Emergency surgical derotation was recommended. 

Gastric Dilation and Volvulus (GDV) is also known as a twisted stomach or gastric torsion. This medical condition affects dogs in which the stomach becomes overstretched and rotated by excessive gas content. GDV is a life threatening condition and requires prompt treatment. The word Bloat is often used to refer to a GDV but that general term really means gas distention without the twisting or torsion of the stomach.

Historically, GDV held a guard prognosis but more recent studies have determined that with prompt treatment and pre-operative stabilization success rate significant in crease. For Boris, immediate  stabilization was begun and his long time Partner/ Parent approved surgery to untwist his stomach. Surgery went without incident and while under anesthesia, a gastropexy was also performed to secure his stomach by suture to the inner side of his body wall thus, preventing this from ever happening again. 

Boris recovered from anesthesia without incident and spent the next several days in our Intensive Care Unit. Post-operatively, Boris experienced some significant hind end weakness, an immediate unwillingness to eat and mild anxiety and tachycardia (increased heart rate). However, with 24 hour care and monitoring, all of these symptoms resolved and he was prepared for discharge.

Today, Boris is back to his business as usual. We are proud of the trust his family placed in us to care for Boris and proud of the work our team did to ensure he gets to enjoy his retirement.

Caring for the officers that care for us!! #familymembers

VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital is proud to share our inaugural partnership with the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County Retired K9 Officers Healthcare Fund (RK9OHF) to raise money for the coverage of veterinary care costs to canine police officers that have worked to protect our S. Florida community.

In retirement, canine officers often live out their years in comfort with their handlers, or partners. Yet, after a career of service these officers are prone to advance orthopedic and service related conditions in addition to issues associated with simply being a senior pet. Typically, there is no financial support for these officers after retirement.

It is the belief of the RK9OHF that the cost of healthcare should be supplemented. The Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County could not agree more.  As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that collects and manages donations to memorial/ healthcare funds, training programs, education programs and other local nonprofit organizations the Retried K9 Officer Healthcare Fund seemed a perfect extension of their mission. 

 

Under the supervision of the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County, the RK9OHF and VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital provide the best in wellness care to these officers and cover a portion of those costs.

With this partnership, retired K9 officers receive preventative care from VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital at a negotiated rate and the RK9OHF cover a portion of those fees. Total cost to the handler/partner is 35% of the initial bill. 

Please consider donating to the RK9OHF to support our South Florida K9 Police Officers in their retirement.  

Donations can be made directly at VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital

Or by mail at

VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital

c/o Sheriff Foundation of Broward County

Retired K9 Officers Healthcare Fund

2864 Hollywood Blvd

Hollywood, Fl 33020

100% of all donations made to the Retired K9 Officer Healthcare Fund go to the cost of care for these K9 Officers.

For additional information about this fund please phone VCA Hollywood at 954-920-3556, email us at RK9OHF@gmail.com or reach out to the Sheriff Foundation of Broward County at http://sheriffsfoundationofbroward.org/

Retired K9 Officers Healthcare Fund is a 501(c)(3) serving under the supervision of the Sheriff's Foundation of Broward County- 85-8013389700C-0, tax ID# 65-0898338

Retired K9 Officer Healthcare Fund!!

VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital is proud to share our inaugural partnership with the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County Retired K9 Officers Healthcare Fund (RK9OHF) to raise money for the coverage of veterinary care costs to canine police officers that have worked to protect our S. Florida community.

In retirement, canine officers often live out their years in comfort with their handlers, or partners. Yet, after a career of service these officers are prone to advance orthopedic and service related conditions in addition to issues associated with a senior pet. Typically, there is no financial support for these officers after retirement.

It is the belief of the RK9OHF that the cost of healthcare should be supplemented. The Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County could not agree more.  As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that collects and manages donations to memorial/ healthcare funds, training programs, education programs and other local nonprofit organizations the Retried K9 Officer Healthcare Fund seemed a perfect extension of their mission. 

 

Under the supervision of the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County, the RK9OHF and VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital provide the best in wellness care to these officers and cover a portion of those costs.

With this partnership, retired K9 officers receive preventative care from VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital at a negotiated rate and the RK9OHF cover a portion of those fees. Total cost to the handler/partner is 35% of the initial bill. 

Please consider donating to the RK9OHC to support our South Florida K9 Police Officers in their retirement.  

Donations can be made directly at VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital

Or by mail at

VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital

c/o Sheriff Foundation of Broward County

Retired K9 Officers Healthcare Fund

2864 Hollywood Blvd

Hollywood, Fl 33020

100% of all donations made to the Retired K9 Officer Healthcare Fund go to the cost of care for these K9 Officers.

For additional information about this fund please phone VCA Hollywood at 954-920-3556, email us at RK9OHF@gmail.com or reach out to the Sheriff Foundation of Broward County at http://sheriffsfoundationofbroward.org/

Retired K9 Officers Healthcare Fund is a 501(c)(3) serving under the supervision of the Sheriff's Foundation of Broward County- 85-8013389700C-0, tax ID# 65-0898338

September Patient of the Month- GD

GD, a 70lb, 3 year old canine mix is a water baby. She and her housemate can be found frolicking around the water most any weekend.  However, one day this summer play went wrong. While jumping off the dock, GD caught her left rear leg in the motor of a boat.

When she arrived at the HAH she was anxious, to say the least, and bleeding profusely. An exam and x-rays with Dr. Carlos showed a degloving injury* isolated to her foot with multiple tendon lacerations and two fractured metatarsal bones (foot.)  GD was very lucky.

Surgery was necessary and the wound was immediately prepped. Large amounts of dirt and grease from the boat motor were cleaned out prior to any repair.  The superficial extensor tendon was severed completely and un-repairable while the 2nd metatarsal bone was reconstructed using soft tissue and allowed to heal by callus formation. The skin was partially closed to allow for drainage and a splint was placed to stabilize the fractures.

 

 An extended schedule of antibiotics and bandage changes were then made. Over a period of one month, GD returned to the HAH for multiple bandage changes; some every few days and later, once a week. GD needed to keep calm and quiet to allow the wound/bone to heal. A task, easier said then done with all of her energy. During these weeks she continued her mischievous behavior chewing on her bandage and even jumping back in the water a few times.

However, today, GD is “back to normal”. While the bones are still in the process of healing, the wounds are gone and her spirits are better then ever. Complete bone healing will take some time and GD may always have a limp in her walk but most will never know the extent of her injuries.

GD was a love to have as a patient and a real trooper for all the bandage changes. She had a very interesting summer and certainly makes a great success story.

(The last few pictures are of GD's wounds and may be graphic to some)

 

Below are pictures of GD's wounds.

(THE PICTURE BELOW MAY BE TOO GRAPHIC FOR SOME)

South Florida K9 Cancer Walk!!!

Come out and support Morris Animal Foundation's

South Florida K9 Cancer Walk

 at Tradewinds park

Jan 26th!!!

Morris Animal Foundation is a nonprofit organization that invests in science that advances veterinary care for companion animals, horses and wildlife. They are the global leader in animal health science, and their funding helps more species in more places than any other organization in the world.

Since their founding in 1948, Morris Animal Foundation has invested more than $70 million toward 2,000+ studies, and these studies have led to significant breakthroughs in diagnostics, treatments, preventions and cures for animals. Some of the breakthroughs funded through the Foundation have become gold standards in veterinary care.

See you there!!!!

http://support.morrisanimalfoundation.org/site/TR?fr_id=1320&pg=entry#.UPQpTaxHNH0