Dr. Kaleigh McVety talks about compassionate end of life pet care.

In Merriam-Webster's dictionary, the word "pet" is defined as "a domesticated animal used for pleasure rather than utility". However, to the vast majority of my clients, our pets are way more than this to us. They are family members that serve a purpose, even if it is just to snuggle with us at night or wag their tails frantically when we come home; because no one in the world is more special to them than us.

Dr. Deva Prather of TVV Decatur reports...

If you are fortunate enough to own a dog, chances are you have witnessed them having some sort of aggression toward other dogs. This may be with dogs outside of your home or between dogs in your household. I recommend the following five steps to help decrease these events:

The Samana Project is a veterinary outreach program that started over 20 years ago, on the Samana peninsula of Dominican Republic. This year, Dr. Françoise Tyler, Dr. Carrie McColgan, and Treasure Dreher from The Village Vets Lilburn/Stn Mtn will be joining Team Samana. They will perform and assist with the spaying and neutering of dogs and cats, as well as provide equine medicine to horses and donkeys.

Dr. McColgan provides more information on the project and her own personal experience with it . . .

Dr. Adam Calcutt of TVV Decatur reports...

Affecting nearly 52.5 million people in the US alone, arthritis is something that many of us can relate to. Maybe you are even affected or know somebody that is. It might surprise you to learn that, along with humans, a large percentage of our pet population also suffers from this degenerative disease. Arthritis affects one in five dogs and is also recognized as a disease of geriatric cats. This condition can affect all breeds including mixed breeds.

Dr. Kari Addante of TVV Decatur reporting of Feline Vet Care Needs:

Cats are notorious for their independent and self-sufficient nature. Let’s face it, most of the time they have us convinced that we need them more than they need us. Accordingly, none of us wants to provoke the scorn and disdain of this profoundly sensitive species: they’ll make us sorry for sure. At the same time, we love our cats so much and want them to lead long happy and healthy lives. This presents a conundrum: do I take my cat to the vet when they seem just fine and it could be so stressful? The answer is an irrefutable enthusiastic, "YES your cat needs an annual exam!"

Dr. Melissa Finke, our "resident expert" on endoscopy at TVV Decatur, reports on its uses and benefits...

TVV Decatur began implementing the use of endoscopy last year as a non-invasive alternative to some surgical procedures. Endoscopy involves the visualization of internal organs in a noninvasive manner. It is performed using a fiber optic camera on a tube. Although the procedure requires general anesthesia, it does so without invasive surgical incisions, resulting in less pain and quicker recovery time.

Since implementing the use of laser therapy, TVV Decatur has continued to see many  positive results from this non-invasive, painless, and side-effect free treatment for cats and dogs.  It has proven to be most effective in healing post-surgical incisions, open wounds, as well as reducing pain and inflammation caused by arthritis and other pain-inducing conditions.  In short - and most importantly - it is successfully improving the quality of life for many cats and dogs.

A friend and TVV client, Ken Meltzer, was eager to share the story of his much-loved pup, Calvin, and the tranformation that has taken place in his life since laser therapy...