Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:34:39 -0800WeeblyFri, 02 Jul 2010 20:09:29 -0800http://www.mulnixanimalclinic.com/1/post/2010/07/is-pet-health-unsurance-right-for-me.htmlIs Pet Health Insurance Right For Me??

The first pet insurance policy sold in the United States was to protect TV’s heroic dog Lassie in 1982. Pet insurance has grown tremendously since then. Many policies of various levels are available now from multiple different companies. They may range anywhere from $5.00 to $80.00 per month depending on the level of coverage you want. Not all pet insurance is the same. Be sure to do your research. Some cover only accidents and not illnesses. Others cover cancer while many do not and most do not cover pre-existing conditions.

Pet health insurance helps you prepare for the unexpected, helping you pay your veterinary bills for your dog or cat. It can help insure you never have to choose between your pet’s well-being and your own personal finances.

Pet insurance differs from human health insurance in that you have to pay your veterinary bill, submit the claim to your insurance company, and they reimburse you directly. This is a form of property insurance.

Pet health insurance is becoming increasingly popular in the US. Still, far too many pets are uninsured and every year many are euthanized simply because their owners cannot afford the cost of medical care. If you cannot cover unexpected medical expenses with personal savings, credit cards, pet/human health credit cards, pet health insurance deserves your serious consideration.

The website petinsurancereview.com was designed to assist pet owners shopping for insurance and includes customer reviews and basic outlines of plans. The American Animal Hospital Association believes many people can manage expenses up to $500 but may have difficulty with expenses beyond that level. AAHAhealthypet.com endorses certain insurance policies that meet their high level of standards and have high-level deductibles.

Other Pet Insurance companies to consider include: Hartville Group Inc.

(Hartville Pet Insurance, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance and Petshealth Care Plan brands) Canton, Ohio

866-820-7764

www.hartvillegroup.com

Embrace Pet Insurance

Mayfield, Ohio

800-511-9172

www.embracepetinsurance.com

Pet First Healthcare

Jeffersonville, Ind.

866-937-7387

www.petfirsthealthcare.com

Petplan USA

Philadelphia

866-467-3875

www.gopetplan.com

Pets Best Insurance

Boise, Idaho

888-899-0402

www.petsbest.com

24PetWatch Insurance

Buffalo, N.Y.

888-897-7387

www.24Petwatch.com/petinsurance

Trupanion

Lynwood, Wash.

800-569-7913

www.trupanionpetinsurance.com

Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI)

Brea, California

888-899-4VPI

www.petinsurance.com

Pet Partners Inc. (AKC)

Raleigh, N.C.

866-725-2747

www.akcpethealthcare.com/BHIA

PurinaCare Pet Health Insurance

San Antonio

877-878-7462

www.purinacare.com

]]>Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:52:44 -0800http://www.mulnixanimalclinic.com/1/post/2010/06/zachs-retirement-from-mulnix-animal-clinic-best-wishes.htmlOver the years, many of you have had the opportunity to get to know Zach. As you may recall, Zach is one of the main technicians here at Mulnix Animal Clinic. He has had many responsibilities during his time here, ranging from taking radiographs (x-rays) to monitoring patient anesthesia to helping clients get dog food to their car safely. He is an amazing technician and an even more amazing individual. We have been extremely lucky to have Zach on the staff these last few years. Zach has decided to retire his position in order to re-enroll in school full time in pursuit of ....you guessed it, getting into veterinary school. Zach is an exceptionally bright, caring and motivated person and we have no doubts that he will make an excellent veterinarian one day. We'll certainly miss his company around the clinic, but we wholeheartedly support his educational endeavors. Best of luck, Zach!]]>Fri, 28 May 2010 11:25:07 -0800http://www.mulnixanimalclinic.com/1/post/2010/05/xylitol-a-little-known-poison-for-our-pets-beware-of-bubble-gum-by-dr-michelle-thomas-dvm.htmlXylitol is a sugar alcohol or sweetener  most  commonly found in sugar-free gum, mints, nicotine gum, some vitamins, oral-care products and baked goods.  While it is considered safe in people, dogs can develop serious, even life-threatening, illness from Xylitol  ingestion.  Xylitol  is as sweet as sucrose however only has 2/3 the calories of sugar. 

This makes it an ideal sweetener for diabetics and weight management.  It has also been found to prevent oral bacteria from producing the acids that damage tooth surfaces.  This is why it is commonly found in sugar-less gum, toothpaste, and other oral care products.  Other sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and mannitol have little to no adverse effect on dogs.  Other artificial sweeteners are also regarded as generally safe for dogs.  

Xylitol does not affect cats.  However,  ingestion of very small amounts of xylitol in dogs may result in hypoglycemia, a serious drop in blood sugar, and it can cause liver damage and/or failure.  Clinical signs include loss of coordination, vomiting, collapse,  and seizures.  These signs can develop within 15 minutes to 12 hours following ingestion and progress very quickly.  As little as 0.05gm/kg may be toxic to your pet.  One piece of gum typically contains 0.22 to 1.0gm of xylitol.  This amounts to 1 piece of gum for a 10 pound dog may result in a toxicity.  Seek immediate help if known ingestion occurs.  Treatments include inducing vomit if
caught very early, IV dextrose (sugar) and fluids, and close monitoring of blood sugar, liver
values and coagulation profiles.  

Prognosis is good if caught very early and treated aggressively and guarded to poor if
liver failure develops.

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]]>Fri, 07 May 2010 08:31:24 -0800http://www.mulnixanimalclinic.com/1/post/2010/05/rabies-epidemic-prevention-vaccination-by-john-a-mulnix-dvm.htmlRABIES IN COLORADO

Rabies is a serious worldwide viral disease of most mammals. Unfortunately, the disease is of
epidemic proportions in many of the undeveloped countries of the world, and accounts for a
significant number of human as well as animal deaths each year. Rabies is preventable with a
proper vaccination program.

 In the United States, Rabies often smolders in bats and terrestrial animal species (skunks, raccoons, foxes, and other carnivores) and may crop up from time to time in different regions of the country. At the present time, Colorado is experiencing such an outbreak. Due to the spread of skunk rabies in Colorado, the Colorado Department of Public Health (CDPHE) has updated its �Rabies Prevention and Control Policy; Management of
Domestic Animals Exposed to Rabies. This includes dogs and cats. A stricter policy is now in
place.

Dogs and cats that are currently vaccinated and are bitten by a bat, skunk, raccoon, fox or
other carnivore; the CDPHE Rabies Prevention and Control Policy is to immediately vaccinate
and 45 days of home observation.
Dogs and cats that have been previously vaccinated, but the vaccine has expired; the pet is to
be immediately vaccinated, boostered at 30 days, and 90 days home quarantine.

Dogs and cats that have not been vaccinated; the pet is to be euthanized or 180 day
quarantine (90 days at secured facility and 90 days at home) and are to be vaccinated at 0, 21,
and 60 days.

Because Rabies has been identified in many of the eastern counties of Colorado, it will sooner
or later begin to appear in the more populous counties of the front range with a much greater
exposure risk to back yard dogs and cats.

Mulnix Animal Clinic urges a vigorous pro-active vaccination program for all our patients to
ensure their future safety against Rabies.



John A. Mulnix, DVM

]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:53:12 -0800http://www.mulnixanimalclinic.com/1/post/2009/12/canine-influenza-virus-important-information-for-our-clients.htmlCanine Influenza is a highly contagious viral respiratory infection.  The disease is believed to have mutated from a strain found in horses.  The first outbreaks were found in racing greyhounds in Florida and New York in 2004.  It has since been noted in 24 states, including Colorado, as of December 2005.

 Canine Influenza has been known to mimic kennel cough.  Clinical signs include a cough that can be soft and productive or harsh and dry.  Some dogs may have nasal discharge, a fever, or other signs related to pneumonia.  Dogs exhibiting these signs are to be considered contagious.  Contagious dogs should be kept away...

 from other animals to reduce risk of spreading the virus further.  The virus is shed for four to seven days after the first clinical signs appear.  It is spread by direct contact with respiratory secretions of an infected dog or inanimate objects that have been contaminated.

All dogs are at risk and nearly all dogs that are exposed to the virus become infected.  There is currently a vaccine (H3N8) that is licensed for the Canine Influenza virus.  Treatment for canine influenza can consist of cough suppressants, antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections, IV fluids, good food, and other supportive care.  Canine Influenza is usually not fatal, however, there have been some very severe cases with indications of pneumonia.  At Mulnix Animal Clinic we have had antibody confirmed cases of Canine Influenza, within the last two years, but none recently.

The vaccine is not a core recommended vaccine, however those clients who will be boarding their pet must have a veterinarian administer two doses of vaccine fourteen days apart to be considered as vaccinated.  Some boarding kennels may require your pet be vaccinated.

Please contact your veterinarian if you have questions regarding canine influenza or if you think your pet has it.

For more information you may log onto www.healthypet.com, www.veterinarypartner.com or www.colovma.com

]]>Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:00:28 -0800http://www.mulnixanimalclinic.com/1/post/2009/11/happy-thanksgiving.htmlWe wanted to take a second and wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving. We are extremely lucky to have the oppotunity to work with you and your pets and it is with this appreciation that we come to work every day. Thanksgiving is an exciting time of year for everyone, since many students are back home with their families (and pets!). We hope everyone has a pleasant time break from work/school over the next few days. As you can imagine, pets shouldn't be fed turkey. So, we'll give you the 'ok' to give them an extra dog or cat treat to make up for it.

Best wishes from our family to yours.

Sincerely,

The Mulnix Animal Clinic Team]]>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:59:17 -0800http://www.mulnixanimalclinic.com/1/post/2009/11/mulnixanimalcliniccom-new-website-launched.htmlWe are proud to announce the new Mulnix Animal Clinic Website. Under development for months, our new site has a lot of new features, a new look, and tons of information that will be of use to our clients.

We also added a new section for pet photos and also a pet memorial section for patients that are no longer with us. The purpose of this site is to provide you, our clients, with the most up-to-date information about our services and to aid you in learning about the medical treatments your pet may be getting at our hospital.

If you have any suggestions for the site or have general comments, please let us know. You can comment below or e-mail our staff using the CONTACT US page on our site.

]]>Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:31:22 -0800http://www.mulnixanimalclinic.com/1/post/2009/09/usercomments.htmlWe welcome suggestions and comments from our clients. Please utilize the comment box below and leave us your thoughts and words of wisdom. This page can also be used to send prayers to ill patients in the veterinary hospital.

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