Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society

This is very important with Easter coming up. Please be careful about which type of flowers you bring in to your house if you have cats!

The Niagara County SPCA will be doing a low cost rabies clinic this Saturday, September 19th from 9am-11am. The cost is $20. To secure a spot, please call the shelter at 716-731-4368.

Veterinary visits during the pandemic As curbside service continues, you may have noticed that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to get an appointment with your veterinarian. Vaccine appointments for many area practices are booked out for a few weeks as we catch up from not being able to provide routine vaccines during the spring. Most veterinary practices are able to accommodate many of their clients urgent appointments during opening hours. Please remember to be pa...tient with the staff. Be prepared to experience a long wait (especially at our local emergency clinics) - curbside service is incredibly inefficient but necessary for everyone's continued safety and is the current recommended protocol from the New York State Veterinary Medical Society. If you have scheduled an appointment with an animal hospital and are unable to keep it, please call to let them know. Your missed appointment will then be able to be used for another sick pet in need. See more

The Erie County Health Department will be air dropping oral Rabies Vaccines for wildlife this week. More information can be found on their distribute website: Http://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=rabies-information Baits are not harmful to pets but may cause some vomiting if they invest it. More importantly, if our pets ingest them, then they will not reach the intended wildlife. Please keep an eye on your pets over the next week so the bait can reach the intended animals.

As phase 2 in our region begins, the veterinarians at the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society would like to clarify how that pertains to our local animal hospitals. The governor has now allowed us to practice without limitations in the services we provide. We are able to provide all vaccines, nail trims, heartworm tests, grooming services (if available) etc. Phase two does NOT necessarily mean that you (the client) will be able to accompany your pet into the animal hospital. ...Each individual animal hospital will make their own decisions when clients will be able to reenter their building. The governor has requested for each practice to create a written protocol on how they will safely reopen for phase 2. These decisions are based on the ability to socially distance within the building and the risk to the staff in the building. Please be aware that most animal hospital's exam rooms and waiting rooms are simply too small to allow for proper social distancing. And with some practices seeing 10-20 clients per veterinarian per day, this is a significant exposure risk to the staff. For some animal hospitals that have only one veterinarian, this risk may be too great. Please be patient with us. We miss our clients but we need to stay healthy in whatever way works best for individual practices. Call your animal hospital prior to your appointment for updates on COVID19 protocols. See more

As many of you are aware, there has been some concern about COVID19 affecting pets- specifically cats. The Bronx Zoo has recently reported one of their tigers displaying symptoms and then testing positive for COVID19. It is believed that the tiger was exposed by a zookeeper who did not have symptoms but was positive for COVID19. What you, a pet owner, should know: 1. There is currently NO evidence of cat to human transmission. Your cat (or dog or ferret) cannot make you sick.... You do not need to relinquish or euthanize your pet because of this virus. 2. You can potentially transmit COVID19 to your pets. If you test positive or are quarantined as a result of suspicions of Corona virus, you should seclude yourself from your human and domestic animal family members. 3. If you or a household family member tests positive for COVID19, and you suspect your pet has symptoms, PLEASE tell your veterinarian about your household being COVID19 positive. There are precautions we need to take when handling your pet and getting your pet to the clinic in order to ensure our safety. Please reach out to your veterinarian for any other questions. Stay safe. The Doctors of the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society

What are some fun things you are doing with your pets during quarantine? We’ll start: Play treat hide and seek with your dog Teach your cat a trick (it can be done! Check YouTube!)... Give your dog a bath and brushing Lots of cuddles! Please post your ideas and pics if you got ‘em!

With the daily-changing regulations regarding the coronavirus, please check with your veterinary hospital for what services they are currently providing. While designated as an essential service, the government is constantly reviewing that this means. Most hospitals remain open for emergency visits/necessary medication dispensing, and urgent services. However, how these services are provided depends on the individual hospital (e.g., reduced hours, owners not permitted in the hospitals, car service). Please appreciate that animal hospitals are doing all they can to accommodate clients while keeping their staffs protected as much as possible.

In these uncertain times, we remain your other family doctor. Most clinics in our area are open and able to, at minimum, see sick patients. In order to help us stay open, there are precautions we need you, our clients, to follow and take seriously. These precautionary measures are intended to minimize risk to veterinary medical staff so that we can continue to stay open and keep all of your pets healthy. 1. Call your veterinary practice and see if they have any steps alrea...dy in place that you need to follow. Many clinics are requiring clients to call when they arrive and stay in their cars until the exam room is open or the waiting room is less full. 2. Whenever possible, only one pet parent should accompany the pet in the exam room. Exam rooms are generally small areas. Minimizing the number of people in the rooms decreases exposure risks to COVID19. 3. Social distancing, as recommended by the CDC, still applies. Please try to give the staff space so we can safely work on your pet. We realize that at certain times, with certain pets, this may not always be feasible. 4. Wash your hands before you enter the building and after you leave. Decrease the spread of this invisible virus. 5. Whenever possible, pay with credit card. 6. If you’re sick, stay home. We pledge to do the same. Have a friend or family member bring in your pet. See more

With all of our social distancing, we will likely find ourselves spending more time with our pets. Rest assured, our pets can NOT get infected with or infect you with COVID19. So enjoy those extra snuggles and wash your hands!

On behalf of the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society, we would like to extend our deepest heartfelt condolences to the family of Karen Fischer, DVM. Dr. Fischer passed away suddenly on January 31, 2020. She was the owner and founder of Five Corners Animal Hospital, as well as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend. A memorial service will be held in the summer.

Looking for something fun tonight AND with a charitable cause? Why not head over to our local Pet Emergency Fund Meat and Treat Raffle! Have a great time and help save a life! https://facebook.com/events/s/meat-and-treat-raffle-to-benef/811996925916076/?ti=icl

Leptospirosis is in our area and many of our member hospitals are reporting cases. Please vaccinate your dogs! This is a zoonotic disease (you can catch it from your dog) so it is important to protect your dog in order to protect your family. If your dog has leptospirosis he will display flu like symptoms- lethargy, fever, inappetance, vomiting and may also exhibit increased thirst and increased or, more seriously, no urination. Ask your vet if your dog is up to date on their vaccine!

If your dog or cat is still itching even though the snow has fallen, indoor allergies may be to blame. Your veterinarian can help you discover the source of your pet’s allergies and the best way to an itch free life! https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx

We are looking for ways to increase attendance to our mini vet school next year.. please comment with reasons why you did NOT attend. Thanks for your comments!