Message from our Oncology Department:

Welcome back, Dr. Vazquez!!!!!!

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Irene Vazquez, returns from maternity leave on Tuesday, September 7th to resume her full schedule of appointments and procedures Monday- Thursday.

 We are very excited to have her back and look forward to sharing with you some of the newest treatments she is implementing in her cancer care service.

As always our Emergency Service is open 24/7/365.
Our Specialized Veterinary Care is available Monday-Saturday!

We understand the unique impact this year has had on all of us and we are grateful to be your source for emergency & specialty pet care.

Learn more about Pet Cancer Care and the vast resources that are available through your local VCA Hollywood Pet Cancer Care Center.

Our frontline team needs your help as we work hard to make sure you and your pet receive the best care!

We’re working hard to make sure you and your pet receive the best care. Over the last 18 months, we’ve stretched and adapted, and never closed our doors. But historic pressures facing the veterinary field caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are taking their toll—and we need your help.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our lives and we are grateful for your patience and understanding as we continue to adapt to new ways of caring for pets. At VCA Hollywood, the health and well-being of your pets is our top priority. The pandemic has placed significant pressures on the veterinary field across the country and we wanted to share more information on these forces impacting our hospital, how we’re continuing to adapt to ensure your pet receives the best care, and what strategies we are employing to navigate this new reality.

What is happening? As you may know, millions of animals have found their forever homes since the start of the pandemic. As more people worked from home, they noticed changes in their pet’s condition sooner. This has led to historic demand for veterinary care.

Unfortunately, the field of veterinary medicine is struggling to keep up. There is a significant shortage of qualified professionals—from veterinarians to technicians to support roles. This shortage has created a challenging landscape for thousands of veterinarians across the country, including our own. Thus resulting in longer wait times and fewer available appointments.

What are we doing about it? In addition to shifting our care services to continue to keep pets and people safe, we are hiring. VCA swiftly evolved their recruiting program to find more care professionals who can join our hospitals. Yet, after successfully hiring hundreds of veterinarians and technicians just this year, more are still needed and there aren’t enough people in the field.

How does this impact your pet’s care today? While we are making progress to address these challenges brought on by the pandemic, we acknowledge that your experience has been impacted. Due to increased demand for care, longer operational protocols and reduced staff, we are seeing longer wait times and appointments booking weeks in advance. 

We recognize that this can be frustrating, and the entire team appreciates your patience and understanding as we navigate this once-in-a-lifetime landscape facing the whole field of veterinary medicine.

As we continue to work through these challenges, we’d encourage you to book appointments as early as possible. 

Not every appointment can be anticipated, and we always try to reserve time each day for same-day and emergency care, but these appointments fill quickly given how many new pets there are to serve.

We currently offer in-person appointments. Appointment must be scheduled in advance to allow our team to continue to provide the excellent medical care you have come to know and love, with extra one-on-one time for your pet.

Above all, we are committed to the care of your pet. Please know that everyone on our team is working harder than ever to care for as many clients and patients as possible. We ask for your understanding and we very much appreciate your patience and kindness.

For our team, caring for pets is not only a career but also our passion. We’re all doing our best to find new and innovative ways to care for as many pets as possible while still providing world-class care and the client experience you deserve and expect from us.

Thank you for remaining a loyal part of our hospital community and for your continued trust.

Tips & Tricks

The best appointments to book early include annual and semi-annual wellness check-ups, vaccinations, dental cleanings, and elective surgeries. You can book through our website, on the myVCA app or by calling us directly.

During your next visit, it’s also a good idea to book your pet’s next appointment right at check-out. If you aren’t sure when or what your pet’s next appointment should be, our hospital team can help or you can check myVCA app.

Canine Influenza Virus Outbreak in Palm Beach County

50-60 dogs positive for canine influenza at Big Dog Ranch

By WPTV -Staff

Published: Jun. 23, 2021 at 12:06 PM EDT

https://www.wflx.com/2021/06/23/50-60-dogs-positive-canine-influenza-big-dog-ranch/

Multiple dogs at Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee Grove have tested positive for canine influenza, a highly contagious respiratory disease.

The details were confirmed Wednesday by founder Laurie Simmons and the shelter's spokesman Chase Scott.

Scott said Big Dog Ranch Rescue took in a dog after it was surrendered by a Palm Beach County owner.

That dog later tested positive for canine influenza three days later, which Simmons said then spread to 50 to 60 dogs that are currently sick.

"(The surrendered dog) appeared to be healthy, was updated on vaccines, already spayed. So instead of putting it in quarantine, where we normally put all our shelter dogs coming in, we put it directly into our adoption buildings," Simmons said.

She said four adoption buildings at the facility have been on lockdown since June 8.

"It's like way bigger than anything we have ever seen," Simmons said.

She doesn't believe that any dogs adopted before June 8 were affected by the virus.

Currently, puppy cabins, which are separate and isolated from the affected areas, are the only areas where dog adoptions are being allowed.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Simmons said they will administer canine influenza vaccines to dogs that have not been affected by the disease starting Thursday.

"This is a highly infectious virus. If you are in contact, and the dog coughed on you, saliva on you, it can be carried on your clothes, your skin, your shoes and lives on surfaces for up to 48 hours," Simmons said. "If you are walking your dog, another dog coughs on the grass, your dog sniffs that spot, it can get the virus that way also."

_________________________________________________________________________________ 

"We have multiple confirmed cases not only in the dogs at the Big Dog Ranch shelter, but also in pet dogs out in the community, so it is good evidence the virus is here in Palm Beach County," Crawford said.

Dr. Cynda Crawford explains that canine influenza can spread very easily among dogs.

She said this marks the first return of the canine influenza virus in Florida since a big statewide outbreak in the summer of 2017.

Health experts say there is no evidence of the spread of canine influenza from dogs to people, and there have not been any cases of human infection with the canine influenza virus in the U.S. or world.
_________________________________________________________________________________

The signs of this illness in dogs are the following:
Cough
Runny nose
Fever
Lethargy
Eye discharge
Reduced appetite

 
The CDC says most dogs affected by canine influenza recover within two to three weeks and only a small percentage die from the disease.

Sourced: https://www.wflx.com/2021/06/23/50-60-dogs-positive-canine-influenza-big-dog-ranch/

For more details about this outbreak,  watch WPTV's video report. 

 https://youtu.be/i_iUDlvA1EA

Arthroscopy for Medial Coronoid Process Disease

Coco is a 6 month old female intact Rottweiler who was referred by her primary care veterinarian for further evaluation of right thoracic limb lameness.

The lameness started 3 weeks prior to presentation, and there was no history of trauma or any other inciting cause. Radiographs had been performed, and showed concern for possible osteochondritis dissecans of the right shoulder. Coco was treated with activity restriction/rest and analgesic medication, but there was no improvement in her lameness. Coco was referred to VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital’s Surgical Service for further evaluation.

On examination, Coco was partial weight bearing lame on her right thoracic limb at a walk and trot. She displayed repeated pain on extension of both the left and right elbow joints. She had no shoulder pain, and normal range of motion of her shoulder joints. A CT scan was recommended to further evaluate Coco’s elbows and shoulders, and to identify the underlying cause of the lameness and pain.

 
A CT scan of Coco’s thoracic limbs revealed bilateral medial coronoid process disease, along with right-sided humeroradial incongruity. Her shoulders were within normal limits. Medial coronoid process disease is a term used to encompass several pathologies, including sclerosis, microfracture, fragmentation, fissuring, and cartilage damage to the medial coronoid process. Elbow joint incongruity is another type of 

developmental elbow pathology, and it can occur alone or in combination with medial coronoid process disease. In fact, elbow joint incongruity is seen in 60% of elbows with medial coronoid process disease. Medial coronoid process disease is initiated by a delay in endochondral ossification, as well as biomechanical forces that act on the medical coronoid process during maturation. Disturbance of endochondral ossification could result from unbalanced mechanical factors and supraphysiological loading of the medial coronoid process. Overloading of the medial compartment of the elbow may also result from joint incongruity. This leads to a progressive process of cleft formation, fracture, bone remodeling, fatigue of subchondral bone, and eventual medial coronoid process disease. Medial coronoid process disease most commonly affects young, large and giant breed dogs. Rottweilers, Labrador Retrievers, and German Shepherd Dogs have a breed predisposition for medial coronoid process disease. The age at first presentation is usually between 6 and 18 months of age. Elbow joint incongruity is also primarily seen in large breed dogs, and Rottweilers are over-represented.

Treatment of medial coronoid process disease includes both surgical and non-surgical treatment options. For affected animals, the best prognosis is associated with early surgical treatment in young dogs with minimal to mild osteoarthritis in conjunction with preventative measures against osteoarthritis. Coco is an example of an ideal surgical candidate due to her young age, and the fact that the CT scan showed minimal degenerative changes. Traditionally, surgery for these cases was approached via an open arthrotomy. At VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital, arthroscopy is available as one of our minimally invasive treatment options. Arthroscopy has been shown to result in a shorter period of convalescence and better functional outcome compared to arthrotomy. Additionally, arthroscopy allows for superior visualization of intra-articular structures. Improved visualization allows the surgeon to treat each joint more thoroughly and more precisely. Since it is minimally invasive, patients tolerate arthroscopic treatment of both elbow joints in a single session. Plus, elbow arthroscopy can often be performed concurrently with ovariohysterectomy or castration and/or stem cell harvesting.

Bilateral elbow arthroscopy was performed during a single session and revealed fissuring of both the left and right medial coronoid processes, along with synovitis. Arthroscopy revealed fissuring of both the left and right medial coronoid processes, along with synovitis. Arthroscopic debridement of the diseased medial coronoid process was performed with a power burr until healthy subchondral bone was reached. Debridement of diseased cartilage not only removes the inciting cause of pain/lameness, but it also helps slow the progression of osteoarthritis. Debridement to the level of healthy subchondral bone supplies a means of vascular access to the joint. Coco was hospitalized for one night post-operatively, and she was discharged to her owners the following day. At the time of discharge, Coco was comfortable and already ambulating with minimal lameness at the time of discharge. 

Besides cases like Coco’s of medial coronoid process disease, elbow arthroscopy can be performed for diseases including ununited anconeal process, osteochondoris, and incomplete ossificiation of the humeral condyle. This minimally invasive surgical option provides superior visualization and outcome for treatment of certain disease conditions, as well as, less patient morbidity.

Dr. Andrea Clark, DACVS-SA

Andrea.Clark@vca.com

For a list of the Minimally Invasive Surgeries we are offer include (but are not limited to) click here!

For a quick list of doctors and services at VCA Hollywood click here!

Dr. Andrea Clark's surgical service is available Wed-Sat. She can be reached through our dedicated referral line @954-600-9835. This line is provided only to area veterinarians and there staff for their sole use. A doctor is always in at VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital. 

  

Minimally Invasive (Soft Tissue) Surgery

 What kinds of surgeries can be done, minimally invasively?

 

·         Thoracoscopy (chest)

o   Exploratory

§  Exploring the chest to figure out a problem/ help diagnose.

o   Lung Lobectomy

§  Removing a piece of the Lung to send out.

o   Pericardiectomy

§  Surgical removal of a portion or all the pericardium (sac around the heart)

o   Pericardioscopy

§  Exploration of the pericardial cavity. (sac around the heart)

o   Lung, Mediastinal and pleural Biopsies

§  Taking samples to send out.

·         Abdominal/ Gastrointestinal

o   Exploratory (can include biopsies)

§  Exploring the abdomen to figure out a problem/ help diagnose.

o   Liver Biopsy

§  Taking a sample of the liver to send out.

o   Pancreatic Biopsy

§  Taking a sample of the pancreas to send out.

o   Adrenalectomy

§  Removal of one or both adrenal glands

o   Colopexy

§  Tacking/suturing the sigmoid colon to the abdominal wall.

o   Cholecystectomy

§  Removal of the Gallbladder

o   Gastropexy

§  Tacking/suturing the stomach to the abdominal wall

·         Urogenital

o   Kidney Biopsy

§  Taking a sample of the kidney.

o   Ovariohysterectomy/Ovariectomy (SPAY)

§  Removal of ovaries

o   Cryptorchidectomy

§  Removal of an undescended testicle

o   Cystopexy

§  Tacking/suturing the urinary bladder to the abdominal wall.

o   Percutaneous Cystolithotomy (PCCL)

§  Removal of bladder and urethral stones.

 Andrea Clark, DVM, DACVS-SA

 

A Spay is Not Just a Spay.

A spay is one of the most common surgical procedures performed by veterinarians. But what exactly is a spay? The term spay is a generic term that means surgical removal of the female reproductive organs. This can mean one of two things. The term spay can refer to ovariohysterectomy, which is the removal of the ovaries and the uterus. Alternatively, spay can refer to ovariectomy, which is removal of only the ovaries. So why do most veterinarians recommend spaying dogs and cats? There are numerous healthy benefits that come from spaying your pet. Spaying female dogs and cats helps prevent accidental pregnancy, reduces the risk for mammary cancer, and eliminates other possible health conditions such as uterine infection (pyometra), ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer. 

 Both ovariohysterectomy and ovariectomy are equally effective, and research has shown no difference in health benefits between the two procedures. So regardless of whether the ovaries and uterus (ovariohysterectomy) or just the ovaries (ovariectomy) are removed, spaying your pet can ultimately lead to your pet living a longer and healthier life. So what is new to learn about the common spay?

Historically, in veterinary medicine, the only way a spay could be performed was by open abdominal surgery. This surgery involves making an incision in the muscles of the abdominal wall, opening the abdominal cavity, and removing the reproductive organs through the abdominal incision. While there is nothing wrong with that method, advances in veterinary medicine and technology have given veterinarians a second way to perform a spay procedure through minimally invasive techniques. This minimally invasive procedure is called laparoscopic surgery.

Laparoscopic surgery uses high-definition cameras, fiber optic lights, and high tech small instruments that are inserted into the abdominal cavity through two tiny incisions. The high-definition cameras allow for superior visualization of your pet’s internal organs – much better than the naked eye. The superior visualization allows the surgeon to see more precisely and this greater detail makes a big difference for your pets’ safety.

Better visualization allows surgeons to be more precise with their surgical techniques as well as detect and address things such as small amounts of hemorrhage present during the procedure. Additionally, the entire surgical procedure can be documented through high definition pictures and videos and the minimally invasive approach, through two tiny incisions, means less pain after surgery and a quicker recovery for your pet.

With the ability to perform minimally invasive surgery, a spay is no longer just a spay. Now pet owners have options when it comes to spaying their pets. And you and your veterinarian can choose how to best serve your pet – either the traditional method, or minimally invasively.

Dr. Andrea Clark, DACVS-SA

Veterinary Surgeon

One year in, what to expect!

As we approach the one-year mark of the strangest year of our lives, we an share in the sentiment- COVID fatigue! We are all stressed out and we miss our "old" lives.

With that said, there is little indication that “this too shall pass.” As we value our role  in patient care and as we work with our local veterinarians to serve our pet community, we would like to candidly share some updates about our practice.   What you need to know! We are here for you. Our doctors and specialists and our 24/7/365 emergency service is your resource. What you may not know. Walk-ins/Emergencies. Every day, we have doctors scheduled to see walk-ins and emergencies. Yet, even staffed, our walk-in wait time can be HOURS. We prioritize emergencies, therefore we want you to know the realities of extended wait times when cases are non-emergent cases. We have appointments available within 48 hours. When your pet needs to be seen but it is not a life threatening emergency, we can secure appointment times usually within 48 hours.   In fact, you can schedule your own appointment online at vcahollywood.com, by downloading our app @ www.myvcaapp.com, via email at au1000@vca.com or by leaving a message for a call back. The advantage? Avoid the ‘emergency room’ experience and ensure your pet is taken care of.  ___________________________________________________________ We have all endured a great deal this year. We have made some challenging decisions, each with the health and safety of our staff and clients in mind. As we move forward, we are grateful for our continued partnership and we appreciate the trust you have put in us for so many years. Please consider our team your resource for your specialty and emergency referral needs.