Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee is proud to be a vendor at the 2011 Great Lakes Pet Expo at the State Fair Park. Come join us and the other animal lovers in South East Wisconsin’s premier pet event! The event will be on Saturday, February 5th, 2011 from 10 am to 6 pm. Bring the whole family!

Due to technical difficulties,  we were unable to bring any updates to the hospital’s website since August. However, these issues have been rectified and you can look forward to regular updates from here on out! Below are edits that are being made as we get the website up to speed:

-Lost weeks for “2 Wheels for 4 Paws” will not have sponsors assigned to them but the total time and mileage tally will be included.

-End of Week Posts will continue and be updated weekly.

Watch out for other updates as well! Thank you for your understanding and we apologize for any inconvenience caused.

-Staff of Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee

A veterinarian I used to work with at Belle City Veterinary Hospital had received an email from another clinic and shared this amusing story with me not too long ago. I thought of it last week since clients have been pleasantly surprised at Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee’s walk-in capabilities.

“Patient A and Patient B were exhibiting similar issues and both decided to make an appointment with their doctors. Patient A was able to make an appointment a week from today while Patient B was able to make an appointment on the same day. When both patients had seen the doctor, they were both recommended blood panels to help diagnose their problem. Patient A had to drive across town two days later to get blood drawn and received the results three days after. His doctor called with the results of the blood panel a week after receiving the results and was able to diagnose the problem. Patient B got blood drawn at the same place he saw the doctor, received results an hour later and was diagnose immediately. The difference between the two patients? Patient B is a dog.”

The ability to make an appointment for your pet helps pet owners stick to a schedule that revolves around other responsibilities and obligations. However, sometimes life gets in the way and veterinary medical attention is required within a very short notice or immediately. Emergencies or accidents do not follow a schedule. Often, they happen when it is most inconvenient. That is the very reason why Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee and its staff is trained to triage walk-ins. I sincerely believe that the ability to triage is part of the higher level of veterinary care that we offer. And judging from the positive response we have had from pet owners, they believe it too.

Julie Westphal, behaviorist/owner of Awesome Paws Academy will be giving a behavioral seminar at Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee on Saturday, September 4th at 2:00 pm. This event is open to all clients of Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee and the public. Pre-registration is not required but strongly recommended to allow for adequate seating accommodations. This is a free event, sponsored and organized by Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee. Contact us at (414)762-8888 or info@ahosm.com for more information or to pre-register.

The day started just like any other: I woke up, fed Tundra, got ready for work, and loaded the car with the bicycle and other essentials for the day. The difference however, was when I popped my head out of the car after loading: a brown Australian Shepherd was curiously looking at me. Perplexed but also wary of this unfamiliar dog, I crouched down slowly and offered a closed fist* for him to sniff. Fortunately the Shepherd was a friendly dog and gave a gentle lick. I was able to loop a slip lead over his neck and slowly looked for identification on the collar- no such luck. I led the Shepherd to each home in my neighborhood but could not find the owner. In fact, the Shepherd did not look familiar to any of my neighbors. I then proceeded to call the local police department, close-by shelters, veterinary hospitals and gas stations. No one has reported a missing dog but I left my information nonetheless. With no other obvious options, I decided to bring him to the hospital and try scanning for a microchip. Upon reaching the hospital, Dr. Murphy performed an examination to ensure that the Shepherd had no obvious signs of injury and proceeded to scan for a microchip- once again, we had no luck. I allowed the Shepherd to stay by me, and in an isolated area of the hospital. Since we did not know of his history, it was best to isolate him from the other animals in the hospital. Around 10 am, a young fella called and identified himself as the owner. We found out that the Shepherd’s name was Cooper and he had mischievously unlatched the back door and escaped that morning. He was gone by the time the owner had woken up. I offered to bring Cooper back and realized he lived about 2 miles from my backyard. It was no short trek and according to the time line which the owner and I figured out, he must have been moving at quite the speed. Cooper was fortunately returned to his owner at 11:30 am on the same day and reunited with the rest of the family.

In situations such as this, an identification tag on the collar or embedded microchip would have been very helpful. However, Cooper fortunately had another efficient tool: an active community. This was not the first time where a lost dog was found by a neighbor, in my neighborhood. In fact, the nearby gas station is often the first place an owner would call if they had lost their pet. There has also been events when numerous neighbors collaborated to find a lost animal. Because many of us have experienced the feeling of helplessness when a pet goes missing, we often extend a helping hand when a fellow man/woman experiences the same misfortune. This collective effort has always impressed me and I have always believed that such an effort could be expanded to shelters, rescue organizations and more. Therefore, I am calling out to animal lovers and active communities out there: volunteer at a shelter, foster for a rescue, donate to an animal welfare organization and most importantly, keep fighting and helping any animal that needs help. You never know when that favor might be returned.

* It’s always a good idea to keep your hand fisted to minimize the chance of your fingers getting bit.

August 14th through the 22nd has officially been declared 2nd Wisconsin Week for Animals by Governor Jim Doyle! There will be multiple events throughout the week for all pet lovers to be involved with:

- Rummage sale by Citizens United for Animals on August 14th in Glendale, WI

- Great Lakes Cat Show by The International Cat Association on August 14th and 15th in Milwaukee, WI

- Menomonee Falls Pet Fair on August 21st

This past week went by quickly, especially with our many events and all the cycling for “2 Wheels for 4 Paws”. Most of the events Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee is involved with allows us to meet with residents outside the hospital setting, extend any help we can and contribute to the area as a member of the community. Being an avid photographer, I always try to capture scenes and images from each event that tells a story and invokes the emotions of those who participated. I hope that these photographs will allow others to share in the experience we had. This is not an easy task however, and it often reminds me why there are professionals out there. Thirty pictures often result in only a handful of actual photographs. Digital cameras, in this regard, have been invaluable. However, sometimes no matter how good a photograph comes out, being present and witnessing the moment in person produces the most enriching experience, like the one I had this past week.

The residents, family members and staff we met at Franciscan Villa and Willowcrest were the most gracious hosts during our visits. We enjoyed meeting every one of them and I am sure the dogs loved all the attention. For many residents at both locations, Mylie, Karina, Frank, Gemini and Tundra reminded them of past pets and all of the happy memories they gave them. It is quite a sight to see someone light up as they reminisce and create a sincere smile that can never be duplicated. One resident was really drawn to Tundra, as she reminded her of her own husky, Yukon. She kept asking about Tundra and giving her the utmost attention. Tundra soaked it all in and stayed right by her feet for the longest time, before we had to move on to another area. Before she left, the resident gave a wave to Tundra and whispered ever so softly, “Goodbye Yukon”. I felt bittersweet and brought Tundra back for one more head scratch.

Each animal gives us everything they have unconditionally and not much is asked in return. A bowl of food, a place by you to lay and sometimes a little bit of attention. Moments like what I experienced reminds me why the veterinary field exists. It reminds me why those in the field do what we do. It reminds me why volunteers give their time. And it will keep reminding me every time I cycle for their cause, everyday I open the hospital’s doors and each moment I work with an animal.

Keep fighting for their well-being and existence, because even with four paws, they need a hand.

On Saturday August 7th, 2010, the staff of Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee visited the Willowcrest Care Center in South Milwaukee with our dogs, Karina, Mylie and Tundra. We were greeted by their activity coordinator and went around visiting residents in their rooms. Tundra was lucky enough to be invited onto one of the resident’s beds! (She reluctantly jumped off when it was time to move on) Karina and Mylie helped dispel some fears residents had with large dogs with their gentle and calm demeanor while Tundra pranced around trying to hog everyone’s attention. The visit was a pleasure on our part and we hope to be invited back soon!

On August 6th 2010, the staff of Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee was fortunate enough to visit the residents of Franciscan Villa at South Milwaukee, WI. Along for the ride were Dr. Murphy’s two dogs, Mylie and Karina, as well as Kristin’s mother in law’s two pugs, Gemini and Frank. We toured the Francis House while all four dogs basked in the attention of all the residents. We would like to thank everyone that welcomed us and the staff at Franciscan Villa for their gracious hospitality. With the success of the visit, we are looking forward to scheduling regular visits to the residents and staff.

Animal Hospital of South Milwaukee will be closed on the following days:

Thursday, August 12th 2010
Tuesday, August 31st 2010
Thursday, September 2nd 2010

We will reopen and resume normal business hours on the following days. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.