Riverside Clients,

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with all of you over the past 2 years. Unfortunately though, my time at Riverside is coming to an end. My husband and I will be moving to Columbia, SC shortly after our baby is born in June of this year. We are moving in order to for him to pursue his residency training for emergency medicine. My leaving is bittersweet because of the wonderful people that I have met and worked with, but I am proud of my husband’s accomplishments and must support our family. Thank you for the wonderful experience. I will miss you.

Dr. Allison Hassinger

 

Did you know that a dog’s sense of smell is on average 10,000 to 100,000 times superior to that of humans? Dogs have over 200 million scent receptors in their noses versus humans who have only 5 million. If you were to unfold and spread out the membranes from a dog’s nose, they would be larger than the dog itself.
Scientists have recently discovered that dogs can actually smell the presence of autism in children. A 2006 study found that dogs could also positively identify breast and lung cancer with 99 percent accuracy. It’s not clear whether it’s smell or some other sense that Seizure Alert dogs use to alert their humans of an oncoming epileptic seizure. Whatever the reason, we're glad our canine companions have such a keen sense of smell!

Pet of the Month-Charlie

Riverside Veterinary Hospital is proud to honor Charlie as our Pet of the Month! Charlie was found by one of our technicians at an intersection in the road. He was running up to cars, trying to get in them. He is very sweet and smart and can already sit, lay down and shake hands. He seems to do well with cats and other dogs. He has also been around horses. His physical exam was normal. He is still working on his potty and leash training. He would be a great addition to any home!

Thinking of adding a new addition to your family circle? There are a lot of things you need to know before you bring home a new puppy or kitten...such as...what am I going to feed my new friend, where will it sleep, and how do I keep him or her healthy? We encourage you to ask questions and offer puppy and kitten packages to help the newest member of your family begin a long and healthy life.

Fleas and ticks can cause medical problems such as tapeworms, skin irritations, and allergies. Riverside Veterinary Hospital would like to remind you to give your pet a flea and tick preventative. We recommend Heartgard for your pet, while the new Trifexus is an all-in-one monthly heartworm and flea prevention. Ask us for more information at your next appointment.

Did you know that fleas can survive in the cold winter weather? We recommend keeping your pet on a year round flea and tick preventative as well as a year round heartworm preventative, to ensure that your pet remains happy and healthy throughout the entire year.

This is Tonka. He was surrendered to the shelter a couple of months ago to be euthanized. One of the Riverside technicians rescued him and is trying to find him a home. He is extremely sweet and plays well with others. He is currently heartworm positive and is undergoing heartworm treatment.

Is your pet starting to get a little grey around the muzzle? As your pet ages, it is important to maintain optimum health for their quality of life. Senior pets need more extensive risk assessment visitations. Teeth should be brushed daily, exercise routines are important and remember obesity is the number one health problem in older dogs. With routine blood and urine analysis and more frequent risk assessment exams, your pet will live a long and healthy life.