Patient Stories: Eleanor and Nelson

Jenny Johnston, one of our extremely thoughtful clients, stopped by recently – not for an appointment – but to drop off flowers and a lovely thank you letter that we share with you here:

I feel extremely lucky to have found SFVS – because boy, have I needed you! Back in 2010, you found my dog Nelson’s pituitary tumor and got us into Davis for treatment. (Unfortunately, Nelson’s tumor was a (rare) pituitary carcinoma, but he had several more months of life and love thanks to you.) More recently, you’ve treated my dog Eleanor several times, for allergies, a dermal hemangiosarcoma, and last year’s surprise battle with aspiration pneumonia. Throughout, I’ve experienced nothing but wonderful, consistent, thoughtful care at SFVS – which is why I keep coming back and tell everyone I know all about you. These flowers are just a tiny token of a continued appreciation that truly runs the size of the ocean.

Jenny adopted Nelson and Eleanor from Boxer Rescue LA, both of them at older age (Nelson was 7 and Eleanor 6), providing them with a loving home, great care and a chance to be happy dogs.

Many thanks to Jenny, not just for the flowers, but for trusting VCA SFVS to care for her beloved family members.

(Click on images below for larger versions.)

eleanor, before + after (treated by dr. carlo vitale, vca sfvs dermatologist)

handsome nelson

Community: Meet Piglet!

piglet! photo courtesy of ncfdr

The VCA SFVS team recently had the honor of caring for dear Piglet, a 7-month-old American Bulldog/Pit Bull Terrier mix. Piglet is available for adoption from Northern California Family Dog Rescue. Here’s some info on Piglet, straight from the rescue group:

“Piglet is a 7 month old American Bulldog/pit mix rescued from the Shasta Lake shelter. He weighs about 35 pounds and will probably be in the 60 pound range full grown. Like many white dogs, Piglet was born deaf but here at Family Dog Rescue we know that’s not really a big deal… His left eye was injured when he was a puppy which left it misshapen but he’s still able to see out of it perfectly, it just adds to his character! [After an in-kind CT scan at VCA SFVS,] Piglet had his surgery on March 8. It turned out that his condition was the result of a severe bite probably sustained when he was a small pup. Piglet’s eye socket was crushed and a large piece of bone broke off and died. This piece of bone has been causing all his problems. The bone is out [after surgery at VCA SFVS] and Piglet is hanging in there even though he has to wear a muzzle 24/7 for a few weeks. Piglet is an energetic and exuberant puppy who loves to play and would benefit from some basic obedience classes, he’s already very good at checking in while on the play yard. Once Piglet has had some exercise he’s very sweet and cuddly. He gets along well with other dogs, although his rowdy puppy energy might be too much for some.”

Here’s Piglet’s web page with adoption info!: http://www.norcalfamilydogrescue.org/animals/detail?AnimalID=4114910

Happy tails, Piglet! (We are sorry for the cone, and now the muzzle.)

piglet! photo courtesy of ncfdr

Petplan Pet Insurance names Dr. Alan Stewart “Top Dog” as part of 2012 Veterinarian of the Year Awards

From Nearly 2,000 Client Nominations Nationwide, America’s No. 1 Pet Insurance Provider Announces “America’s Favorite Vet” 

PHILADELPHIA (February 29, 2012): Petplan Pet Insurance, America’s No. 1-rated pet insurance provider, is delighted to announce that Dr. Alan Stewart, of San Francisco Veterinary Specialists, has been named the 2012 “Veterinarian of the Year.”

The Vet Awards Judging Panel whittled a list of 2,000 client and colleague nominations to 10 shortlisted veterinarians, to just a trio of finalists before ultimately selecting Dr. Stewart as the winner of this prestigious award. He was selected as the 2012 Vet of the Year for his impact on veterinary medicine, commitment to providing an exceptional level of care to pets and exemplary customer service to “wow” pet parents.

“Dr. Stewart has had a major impact on veterinary medicine in many ways,” said Dr. Jules Benson, VP of Veterinary Services at Petplan and Vet of the Year Award judging panelist. “The panel was impressed not only with the heartfelt praise from nearly 200 of his clients and colleagues, but also his strong education, which includes an internship, residency and several certificates. We feel that Dr. Stewart’s approach, combined with his emphasis on evidence-based medicine, really embodies the integration of advanced western medicine with more holistic medicine.”

Petplan Co-Founder Natasha Ashton added, “We are thrilled to honor Dr. Stewart’s great work with this prestigious award, and to honor him at the Vet of the Year awards ceremony at the 2012 World Veterinary Congress next month. We feel strongly that Dr. Stewart has gone the ’extra mile‘ to make himself the best clinician possible; a trait we seek to embody in everything we do here at Petplan.”

Dr. Stewart and a guest will be flown, all expenses paid, to the UK in April to accept his award at the Petplan Vet of the Year Awards, held in tandem with the 2012 World Veterinary Congress and hosted by Petplan UK – the world’s oldest and largest pet insurance provider and Petplan’s sister company. Additionally, $1,000 will be donated in Dr. Stewart’s name to the charity of his choice, and he has been invited to be part of the panel of judges for the 2013 Veterinarian of the Year Awards, which will be held in the US.

For more information about Dr. Stewart’s nomination and selection as the 2012 Petplan Vet of the Year, please visit http://www.gopetplan.com/2012-vet-awards.

ABOUT PETPLAN

Top-rated pet insurance provider, Petplan, is the only pet insurance company to have been included on Inc. Magazine’s list of 500 fastest-growing, privately held companies in America. Petplan’s fully customizable policies provide coverage for all hereditary and congenital conditions for the life of the pet as standard, and meet the coverage requirements and budget for pets of all/any age. Petplan policies are underwritten by AGCS Marine Insurance Company, a member of the Allianz Group, rated A+ by A.M. Best (2010). For information, about Petplan pet insurance, visitwww.GoPetplan.com or call 1-866-467-3875.

Spotted: Polly, Fillmore and Gillian

gillian with pollyanna and fillmore

This morning, Gillian, a returning VCA SFVS client, stopped by with animal companions Polly and Fillmore.

Polly, short for Pollyanna, was here for a wound check following her recent surgery at VCA SFVS to clean up an infected spay (not performed here). A ginger kitten who was rescued in Benicia, Polly is POLYDACTYL (six-toed!) and walks on a leash. Poor little Polly has had quite a number of surgeries in her short 7-month life. However, as Dr. Sarah Hughes remarked, she is a very patient kitty. Despite her history, she is a pleasure to work with, as she will let you handle her and treat her as needed.

Fillmore, her standard poodle best friend and brother, has been a regular dermatology client of Dr. Carlo Vitale‘s since 2010. Fillmore is an easygoing guy, currently with a mohawk, who likes to wear rainbow colors for PRIDE.

Thanks for coming to see us this morning!

pollyanna

Tribute: Lulu

lulu the intrepid frisbee player

We wanted to share this special tribute to Lulu, a very special dog. Her human companion writes:

“I wanted to take a moment to say what a treasure you have in Dr. Kathy Andres, and the entire oncology staff at SFVS. My dog Lulu was the love of my life, and unfortunately developed terminal Mast Cell disease. Throughout the diagnosis and treatment process, Dr. Andres proved to be the most reassuring combination of knowledgeable doctor and compassionate peer, and I will be ever grateful for her guidance during this trying time. Lulu was put down on Tuesday, and words cannot express how thankful I am that I’m able to be at peace, knowing that we tried everything possible to treat her, and I owe that all to Dr. Andres.

“Besides being an intrepid frisbee player and thwarting a would-be-burglar, Lulu also had several cameo appearances on MythBusters episodes, one of which helped establish that dogs’ mouths can be cleaner that humans! She was truly a special dog.”

We were thankful to meet Lulu through a referral from Dr. Elizabeth Milauskas, MVB, cVA, Lulu’s general veterinarian at San Francisco SPCA, and work as a team on her care.

We’ll miss you, Lulu!

In the News: Dr. Alan Stewart Makes Petplan’s Short List for 2012 Veterinarian of the Year

We are thrilled to announce that our own Dr. Alan Stewart made Petplan Pet Insurance (USA)‘s short list for 2012 Veterinarian of the Year! See the full announcement below. We’ll keep you posted on the final results!

Petplan Pet Insurance Selects Short List for 2012 Veterinarian of the Year Awards

01/17/12

From Nearly 2,000 Nominations Nationwide, America’s No. 1 Pet Insurance Provider Selects 10 to Go On to the Next Round

PHILADELPHIA (January 17, 2012) – Petplan pet insurance, America’s No. 1-rated pet insurance provider, is delighted to announce its short list for the 2012 “Vet of the Year Award.” Nearly 2,000 nominations were received from pet parents nationwide since autumn of last year.

The short list includes:
• Dr. Chris Berg, Rancho Regional Veterinary Hospital – Rancho Cucamonga, CA
• Dr. Nancy Bureau, Alpine Hospital for Animals – Boulder, CO
• Dr. Matt Hennessey, Jersey Village Animal Hospital – Houston, TX
• Dr. William Latter, All Creatures Animal Clinic – Lakeland, FL
• Dr. Corinne Majeska, Companion Pet Hospital – Philadelphia, PA
• Dr. Richard Palmquist, Centinella Animal Hospital – Sherman Oaks, CA
• Dr. Gary Richter, Montclair Veterinary Hospital – Oakland, CA
• Dr. Alan Stewart, San Francisco Veterinary Specialists – San Francisco, CA
• Dr. Thomas Wiles, Pittsburgh Spay and Vaccination Clinic – Pittsburgh, PA
• Dr. Erin Wilson, Dr. Shipps Animal Hospital (The Amanda Foundation) – Beverly Hills, CA

These veterinarians were selected because they exemplify Petplan’s core values of providing an exceptional level of care to pets and exemplary customer service to “wow” pet parents.

Three finalists and one winner will be chosen by Petplan’s accomplished Vet Awards judging panel, comprised of prominent pet health professionals and veterinarians. The names of the finalists will be announced in February, and the winner will be notified in early March.

The winning veterinarian and his or her guest will be flown, all expenses paid, to the UK in April to accept their award at the Petplan Vet of the Year Awards, held in tandem with the 2012 World Veterinary Congress and hosted by Petplan UK – the world’s oldest and largest pet insurance provider and Petplan’s sister company.

ABOUT PETPLAN
Top-rated pet insurance provider, Petplan, is the only pet insurance company to have been included on Inc. Magazine’s list of 500 fastest-growing, privately held companies in America. Petplan’s fully customizable policies provide coverage for all hereditary and congenital conditions for the life of the pet as standard, and meet the coverage requirements and budget for pets of all/any age. Petplan policies are underwritten by AGCS Marine Insurance Company, a member of the Allianz Group, rated A+ by A.M. Best (2010). For information, about Petplan pet insurance, visit www.GoPetplan.com or call 1-866-467-3875.

Press release source: http://www.gopetplan.com/press-releases/petplan-pet-insurance-selects-short-list-for-2012-veterinarian-of-the-year-awards

VCA SFVS News: Welcome Jen Craft!

Jennifer Craft, VCA SFVS Referral Coordinator

We’re pleased to announce the addition of Jen Craft to the VCA SFVS team, as our new referral coordinator. She will be leading marketing and relationship-building activities for our practice. Jen will also be working one day a week as a client service representative. Jen looks forward to working with the VCA SFVS team, our referring veterinarians, clients and patients!

More about Jen: Jen received a B.A. in history from the University of California at Berkeley and began her career as a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill before moving back to the Bay Area to try her hand at management consulting. She then moved on to a seven-year stint working in cryptography, where she learned that managing engineers is much like herding cats. She also learned how to run a business, wearing the HR, marketing and finance hats while the rest of the gang wrote code. It wasn’t until she adopted a cat from the SFSPCA in 2004 that she realized her true calling.

She started volunteering as a Cat Socializer, and quickly began working with some of the most behaviorally challenged cats, utilizing behavior modification plans to ease the animals’ adjustment to the shelter environment and make them more adoptable. Jen soon left her corporate life to be a full-time volunteer, during which time she was able to develop and teach new classes for cat volunteers, give tours of the SFSPCA campus, spend whole days in the ringworm ward with underage kittens, work on marketing plans aimed at getting the longest-term cats adopted and, perhaps most importantly, serve as a foster parent in the newly created Foster Hospice program. Jen then joined the SFSPCA as a staff member in 2009, working on the Development team, then Humane Education before finishing out her tenure in Volunteer Services.

Jen lives in San Francisco with numerous fish and two brunettes: an aged brown tabby boy and an animal-loving husband. In her free time, she volunteers with Muttville Senior Dog rescue, is working on a project aimed at keeping senior cats in their homes, and of course still visits those shelter cats that helped her find her way home to a career filled with animals.