2021 Free Photo with Santa is Back!!!

The big bearded one never misses a change to visit the VCA HAH, but this year we are excited to announce that Santa returns to the "red carpet" for Free Pet Photos with your fur babies!

When: December 11th from 9am-12pm,

Where: VCA Hollywood- Annex

What: Free photos with Santa!!

Join us with your fiery feline and cuddly canine during our free pet photo event. This event has historically been offered on the last day of our pet food drive for Meals on Wheels of So. Florida's Companion Pet Program. in lieu of donations of food, support for meals on wheels for pets, donations can be made online or (link) or during the event on Saturday, Dec. 11th.

As always, one photo will be printed on site and digital prints will be made available online for downloading.

Santa never misses a stop off at VCA Hollywood to see your fur-babies. Check out his visit (caught on camera Dec 2020!) Not Even COVID Could Keep Santa Away.

COVID Message: Masks are required for all humans when inside our facility. Photos will be taken on a first come first serve bases with social distancing standards maintained. No mask required for pets. :) 

Visit our Facebook page for great photos of some of the fur-families that joined in the fun as well as outtakes of the hilarity that ensues when Santa suits up with a lot of animals!

 facebook.com/VCAHollywoodAnimalHospital

*These collections are full of some "great shots" and also some silly, "feline in your face", "dog on your lap good" times. Enjoy!

Learn more about Meals on Wheel of So. Florida's Companion Pet Program.

Meals for Companion Pets Founded in 1999, the Meals for Companion Pets Program is a volunteer-driven effort providing pet food to homebound and disabled seniors in Broward County. Research shows that seniors with pets are less likely to exhibit depression, report feelings of loneliness and experience illness. But taking care of a pet – feeding, grooming and veterinary care – can be financially and physically burdensome to seniors. More often than not, a devoted animal lover with limited access to food will feed their hungry pet before they feed themselves. Pet food is provided through the generosity of local donors and grants and is delivered on the third Saturday of each month. Volunteers are always needed on the third Saturday of the month to pack & deliver food.

https://www.mowsoflo.org/meals-for-companion-pets

Remember that dream you had when you were a cat?

The Royal Canin Curious Cat Experience

The Royal Canin Curious Cat Experience is an immersive cat trailer that educates visitors on all things cat! This experience will invoke curiosity and encourage participates to learn more about feline health, behavior and nutrition in an interactive way. Pet owners (and future pet owners) will become equipped with the right tools and information to have a cat friendly home.

This cat experience is coming to VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital on Nov. 10th and it is a FREE event meant to simply to teach us all about our fiery felines, provide you with some awesome take-homes and ultimately bring a little more fun to our day.

Join us!

When: Nov 10th
11a-5p

Where: VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital
(you won't be able to miss this trailer)

What: It is all about cats!


The experience includes a 30’ Trailer includes fun ways to learn more about cats.

- Lounge and Learn – Picnic Tables and Coloring for the Kids (and Adults!)

- Hydration Station and Demo Area

- Jump Like a Cat! Photo Opportunity – Print and take home your photo

- Cat Body Language Video

- What Cat is That? Interactive Touchscreen Video

- Cat and Royal Canin Fun Facts (in the trailer and QR Codes throughout the Experience)

- Move Like a Cat – VR Experience

- Giveaways include branded reusable water bottles, cat food, and pens

Prescription Diet Services

Over the last year, COVID-19 has impacted the availability of products across many industries. Pet food companies have been among those effected by production limitations and we have all felt that same impact as we stock our shelves. Simply, pet owners are finding their favorite pet food harder to find than usual.

As a practice, our specialty diet recommendations are scripted to clients of our emergency and specialty departments along with the sale of an initial transition dose, upon discharge. While in the past we have enjoyed a surplus of food and been happy to accommodate supplemental supply as needed to these clients  we too are being effected by the industries limitations.

Therefore, we will continue to provide food supply to clients of our general care practice first but will be unable to fill food prescriptions for clients of our emergency and specialty services. These clients will be directed to fill the script with their primary veterinarian or other outside pet food supply companies.

As manufacturers and vendors work together to correct the course of this limited stock, we look forward to being able to accommodate service to more clients however, getting the marketplace back to normal will take some time.

While we will continue to update you on the progress of food availabilty, further assistance may be available through your pet's food manufacturer.

HILLS – Website: hillspet.com; Phone: 800-445-5777

PURINA – Website: purina.com/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-diets; Phone: 800-778-7462

ROYAL CANIN – Website: my.royalcanin.com; Email: info.usa@royalcanin.com; Phone: 800-592-6687

 We appreciate your patience and understanding as we traverse these unique times.

When being the worst makes you first.

For over 75 years, we have been our community's pet healthcare provider. Founded as a small general practice, we have grown to become a wellness, specialty, and emergency pet care center. Our emergency service is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. A doctor is always in.

While many veterinary practices had to close for times during the pandemic, during quarantine, we actually added more general service care hours to accommodate the growing pet community. Now as we begin to enjoy more moments of "business as usual" in many areas of our lives, we are well prepared to continue to serve our community. 

With that in mind, we want to remind you that our emergency room is here for your pet's care. Whether you are a client of our GP practice or a patient of a community veterinarian, our 24-hour emergency service is here to help you in your times of need- just like a human ER!

Therefore when choosing us for emergency care, these are some things we think you should know.

Upon arrival in our emergency room—whether during overnight or regular hours---the first stop is triage. In triage, a veterinary nurse typically prioritizes each patient's condition into one of three general categories:

Priority Level 1- Immediately life-threatening

Priority Level 2- Urgent, but not necessarily immediately life-threatening

Priority Level 3- Less urgent

Categorization is necessary to ensure that a pet with a life-threatening condition is not left waiting just because he or she arrived a few minutes later than a pet with a less severe problem. A veterinary triage nurse will record the pet's vital signs (pulse, respiratory rate, and capillary refill time) and get a brief history of a pet's medical history and medications. In some instances, the pet will be brought to the ICU to be triaged further. Their temperature, weight, and blood pressure can be accessed. This information will help us determine the pet's appropriate triage level and establish expected wait times. 

After triage, the pet will be checked in. This is not very exciting however, during check-in important information like the owner's best form of contact and pet's primary care veterinarian information is collected to ensure that the entire care team is well informed about the services provided in this emergency. 

If a pet's condition is life-threatening, then this check-in process may be completed while the pet is being treated. 

Once triaged and checked in, pet and owner can wait in the lobby or their car for the first available veterinarians. It is reasonable to expect this wait time could be extensive.

Pet owners should always communicate with the practice if their pet's triage level changes. During emergencies, being worst makes you first. So, the longer you wait the better may be a good message about your pet's health but it may not be as good for your patience. In these instances, a pet owner may consider scheduling an appointment for conditions that are triaged at a Priority Level 3.

Local Rabies Alert

City of Weston reported a rabies alert for portions of the city.

Post Date:09/18/2021 5:21 PM -https://www.westonfl.org/

Date: September 18, 2021 /Contact: Nina Levine, Nina.Levine@FLHealth.gov / 954-895-5745

HEALTH OFFICIALS ISSUE RABIES ALERT
Rabies Alert for a Portion of Weston, Florida

Fort Lauderdale – The Florida Department of Health in Broward County (DOH-Broward) issued a rabies alert for a portion of Weston, Florida. This is in response to a fox that tested positive on September 17, 2021.

All residents and visitors in Broward County should be aware that rabies is present in the wild animal population and domestic animals are at risk if not vaccinated. The public is asked to maintain a heightened awareness that rabies is active in Broward County. Alerts are designed to increase awareness to the public. Please be aware that rabies can also occur outside the alert area.

This rabies alert is for 60 days (it expires on November 16.) The alert includes the following boundaries in Broward County:

• Weston Hills Drive to the North
• S.W. 196th Avenue to the West
• North Ridge Drive to the East
• Griffin Road to the South

An animal with rabies could infect domestic animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies. All domestic animals should be vaccinated against rabies and all wildlife contact should be avoided, particularly raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats, and coyotes. Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm blooded animals and humans. The only preventive measure for human exposure to rabies is rabies specific immune globulin and rabies immunization. Rabies prophylaxis started soon after the exposure will protect an exposed person from the disease.

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:

• Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets and at-risk livestock.

• Do not allow your pets to run free. Follow leash laws by keeping pets and livestock secured on your property. If your pet or livestock are bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact Animal Control Services for your jurisdiction.

• Support animal control in efforts to reduce feral and stray animal populations.

• Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.

• Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with outdoor food sources such as uncovered trash or litter. 

• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.

• Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.

• Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.

• Persons who have been bitten or scratched by wild or domestic animals should seek medical attention and report the injury to the DOH-Broward at 954-467-4700.

For further information on rabies, go to

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (floridahealth.gov)

Source: https://www.westonfl.org/Home/Components/News/News/913/18?backlist=%2F

Mast Cell Tumors Beware! Our Oncologist has a mark on you!

Mast Cell Tumors Beware! Our Oncologist has a mark on you!   

When looking for advanced veterinary care, we are here for you with cutting edge treatment options. Dr. Irene Vazquez, our board certified oncologist is your neighborhood pet cancer specialist.

STELFONTA is a prescription medicine used in dogs to treat mast cell tumors on the skin or in the tissues just under the skin. Given as an injection directly into your dog’s tumor, it destroys the tumor by breaking down cancer cells and starving their blood supply. A “pocket” or wound is left at the injection site where the tumor was. This is generally a healthy wound ready for skin and hair to grow back in a few weeks.
Pretreatment involves oral medications, including corticosteroids and antihistamines, prior to the injection of STELFONTA. These medications are very important to reduce the risks associated with inflammatory substances that can be released from the tumor as the mast cells are destroyed. Premedication is given 2 days pretreatment and continues until 7 days post treatment. It is essential that you give all medications as prescribed.

Most dogs do not need sedation or anesthesia during the procedure although occasionally, dogs may be sedated.

Side effects reported in dogs treated with STELFONTA were generally mild and short lasting, but they can be severe, especially if not treated in a timely manner.

The most common adverse reactions included wound formation, injection-site pain, lameness in the treated limb, vomiting, diarrhea and hypoalbuminemia (low levels in the blood of the protein albumin). Although most side effects/adverse reactions seen in clinical studies were mild, the most serious side effects occurred in the first 4 days. Excessive pain, lameness, tiredness, refusal to eat for more than one day, repeated vomiting or diarrhea, trouble breathing, changes to the treated tumor site (including increased or excessive swelling and bruising, extensive wound formation, increased irritation) or any other symptoms should be examined immediately and treated accordingly.

When looking for advanced veterinary care, we are here for you with cutting edge treatment options. Dr. Irene Vazquez, our board certified oncologist is your neighborhood pet cancer specialist.

Irene Vazquez, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)

New Treatment for Mast Cell Tumors (MCT)-STELFONTA

New Treatment for Mast Cell Tumors (MCT)-STELFONTA

VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital now offers STELFONTA as a cutting edge treatment for Mast Cell Tumors (MCT). STELFONTA is a prescription medicine used in dogs to treat mast cell tumors on the skin or in the tissues just under the skin. Given as an injection directly into your dog’s tumor, it destroys the tumor by breaking down cancer cells and starving their blood supply. A “pocket” or wound is left at the injection site where the tumor was. This is generally a healthy wound ready for skin and hair to grow back in a few weeks.

Pretreatment involves oral medications, including corticosteroids and antihistamines, prior to the injection of STELFONTA. These medications are very important to reduce the risks associated with inflammatory substances that can be released from the tumor as the mast cells are destroyed. Premedication is given 2 days pretreatment and continues until 7 days post treatment. It is essential that you give all medications as prescribed.

Most dogs do not need sedation or anesthesia during the procedure although occasionally, dogs may be sedated. 

Side effects reported in dogs treated with STELFONTA were generally mild and short lasting, but they can be severe, especially if not treated in a timely manner. 

The most common adverse reactions included wound formation, injection-site pain, lameness in the treated limb, vomiting, diarrhea, and hypoalbuminemia (low levels in the blood of the protein albumin). Although most side effects/adverse reactions seen in clinical studies were mild, the most serious side effects occurred in the first 4 days. Excessive pain, lameness, tiredness, refusal to eat for more than one day, repeated vomiting or diarrhea, trouble breathing, changes to the treated tumor site (including increased or excessive swelling and bruising, extensive wound formation, increased irritation) or any other symptoms should be examined immediately and treated accordingly. 

Irene Vazquez, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)

Medical Oncologist
VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital

Pet CancerCare Center

vcahollywood@vca.com