On her first visit to the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital with her dog Maggie, Julie Klein was attempting to complete paperwork at the reception desk. Maggie had other thoughts. “I had Maggie on a leash and found it very difficult to hold onto her leash while she wanted to greet al the new patients and their mom or dad and complete the paperwork at the same time,” Klein said. “I actually went to look for a hook and there wasn’t any.” That problem has been solved thanks to Klein who has donated funds to purchase and install a series of dog hooks Hixson-Lied clients can use for their dogs when they are otherwise tied up. The hooks have been attached to the base wall of the reception desk at five client-facing stations.

Difficult cases in the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center require collaboration and cooperation among several individuals. A recent such case came about when a filly was diagnosed soon after birth with severe neonatal maladjustment syndrome causing the horse to suffer from severe seizures and a suspected case of sepsis. There was only one possible solution to the filly’s issues and it required collaboration and cooperation across both the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital and the Large Animal Hospital. “This type of procedure requires not only a dedicated team of caregivers but a dedicated owner because there are a lot of unknowns, a financial commitment and the outcome is often hard to predict for a while,” said Dr. Jamie Kopper, assistant professor of large animal emergency and critical care.

Summer is upon us but it’s never too late to take care of your companion animals during the hot summer months. Here are a few tips that will help in your endeavors to keep your pet healthy.