Sheabel Pet Care Center - Lexington, KY

Sheabel Pet Care Center now offers Laser Therapy for your Pet!  Laser Therapy is a surgery-free, drug-free noninvasive treatment to help reduce pain, reduce inflammation and increase the speed of healing time for your Pet.  Class 4 Deep Tissue Laser Therapy utilizes laser light to deeply penetrate tissue without damage.

How does it work?  The therapy of the laser is delivered through a noninvasive hand piece to the affected area on your Pet.  Your Pet will likely experience a gentle and soothing warm feeling.  The laser energy induces a biological response in cells called Photo-bio-modulation.  This leads to a reduction in pain and inflammation and an increase in the speed of healing.  Most treatments with the Therapy Laser only take a matter of minutes.

Your pet may benefit from Laser Therapy for such conditions as:

Acute and Chronic Otitis
Wound Healing
Cystitis
Gingivitis
Degenerative Joint Disease
Degenerative Disc Disease
Anal Glands
Hip Dysplasia
Dermatological Disorders (such as "Hot Spots")
Arthritis
and many more

What are the costs?  Each Pet's condition varies, as well as the recommended treatment protocol.  Therefore, all treatment plans will vary in complexity, time and cost.  Laser Therapy also makes a great complimentary treatment to enhance other treatments recommended by your Sheabel veterinarian.  Laser Therapy has also been scientifically proven to successfully aid in treating post-surgical pain.

At Sheabel we are always looking for ways to enhance our services to allow your Pet to live a long, healthy and pain-free life.  We appreciate the opportunity to share the benefits of this new technology with your loved one.

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By Dr. Lori Eidson

Meet Herbie! He is a four-month old, male neutered beagle.  His parents adopted him from the shelter when he was just a baby.  While at the shelter, little Herbie started haveing a dry, hacking cough.  He was diagnosed with kennel cough and placed on antibiotics.
 
Kennel cough, more formally known as infectious tracheobronchitis, is caused by a virus.   In many cases, the virus is defeated by the body and there are no reprocussions.  However, as the trachea is irritated by the virus, the cilia -- or little fingers -- that wick debris and bacteria up the throat get tired.  This leads to opportunistic invasion into the airways by bacteria.  If left untreated, kennel cough can progress to pneumonia. Many veterinarians or shelter veterinarians will start a dog such as Herbie on antibiotics to help decrease the risk of developing bacterial complications when a cough is noted.
 
Herbie's parents were so excited to bring the little guy home!  They were concerned about the cough, though,  because it wasn't getting any better. So they brought him to Sheabel for further veterinary care. 
 
On physical exam, Herbie was a little depressed.  I could palpate his trachea and cause him to cough.  I was concerned because the cough had become more wet sounding than I would expect in uncomplicated kennel cough.  I took an xray of Herbie's chest and noticed that his trachea, bronchii, and bronchioles (smaller airways) were inflammed.  I was worried that his condition might be progressing to pneumonia.  I switched Herbie's previously prescribed medication to a tougher, broader antibiotic.  His parents were instructed to keep him calm and quiet -- to let his airways rest. 
 
Because antibiotics only fight bacterial infections, the course of the disease may vary.  The body still has to clear the primary viral infection, which can take a few weeks.  Herbie continued to cough for a little while longer, but his energy and general puppiness improved with the new medications.  It was important for Herbie to stay calm and quiet, even though he was feeling better. 

 
Today, Herbie is a happy, healthy beagle pup.  His parents are pleased with his recovery and reaping the benefits of having a new (teething) puppy!!!
 
Here are a couple of additional notes on kennel cough...
1.  There is a vaccine available to help prevent kennel cough!  Any pet that goes to the dog park, pet stores, grooming, or boards should have the vaccine.
2.  Just because your dog is coughing, doesn't mean that it's kennel cough.  There could be other diseases at play such as pneumonia, heart disease, or parasite infections.  You should see your veterinarian if your dog is coughing.

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Dr. Mara Wendel received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Cornell University in 2005. She then returned home to Ames, Iowa to attend veterinary school at Iowa State University. After graduation, she moved to Lexington to work at Rood and Riddle as an equine veterinarian for two years before joining Sheabel. In her spare time she enjoys running with her dog, Jack, cooking, and spending time with friends. She played polo while at Cornell, and enjoys watching polo and other events at the Kentucky Horse Park, and riding her horse, Ren. Dr. Wendel is excited to call Lexington home now, and looks forward to caring for Sheabel's clients and their pets.  To schedule and appointment with Dr. Wendel, call Sheabel at 859-269-PETS.

Veterinarian in Lexington KY

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Pets do not realize anti-freeze is poisonous -- they just think it tastes great. Electrical cords can easily be mistaken for fun and exciting chew toys. And the garage or the kitchen can be full of delicious yet dangerous "treats" to get into. 

Every year thousands of pets are hospitalized because of common household safety hazards.  Unfortunately our Pets are not always able to determine what is safe for them, even in their own homes.  It is our job as Pet Parents to try to make our homes as safe as possible for our Pets and take extra precautions to try to make sure dangerous items and foods are out of their reach. 

Anytime you feel that your Pet's health may be at risk, contact your veterinarian immediately.   If this occurs after your veterinarian's normal business hours, contact your local emergency veterinary hospital.

Veterinary Care In Lexington KY

Sheabel Pet Care Center:  859.269.7387

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As the peak of Summer approaches, along with it comes the sometimes overwhelming heat.  This heat can be dangerous to your pet's health, and sometimes even fatal.  It is vital to protect your pet from the summer heat by limiting the time your pet is outdoors and by supplying a constant source of fresh clean water. 

If you suspect that your pet has been overexposed to the heat or seems to act abnormal to you, contact your Sheabel veterinarian immediately. 

Enjoy the summer fun, but remember to protect yourself and your pet. 

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