Fortunately, we’ve fallen in love with a breed that isn’t prone to allergies or hot spots. Golden Retrievers get the blue ribbon for that award. But Tibetan Terriers do tend to be extremely allergic to flea bites and they can develop hot spots, especially in hot, humid weather. Any dog can – and allergies are possible, too, and often related to a particular season.
It’s a vicious cycle that can lead to a skin infection that’s terribly uncomfortable for your canine companion. And while it seems hard to believe, the constant licking on any part of their body can contribute to a hot spot that’s easily infected. With the skin infection comes an ‘organic’ sort of odor; sort of yeasty & ripe – and once you’ve got that, you know you have an infection.
We’ve got favorite vets for various reasons – we love Dr. William Truesdale down in Seekonk, Massachusetts for all of his canine reproductory expertise and his on site full scale medical laboratory that offers same day results. His base of operations is the Central Avenue Veterinary Hospital, where all of our semen collections and AIs (artificial inseminations) take place. He is a breeder of Affenpinschers and Boxers – and Banana Joe, the 2013 Westminster BIS winner, is co-owned by his wife and several other humans. His boxers are gorgeous, too. Really beautiful.
Then, we’ve got the Sequist Animal Hospital and Dr. David Loh up in Stowe, Vermont, where we bring each and every litter of Kensington puppies on Day Two for their dew claw removals. And we also bring every litter to Dr. Loh for their eight/nine week health examinations and first round of shots, so that all of our early puppy records are in the same place. We opt for the DHPP bundle but not Lepto, as we have a very low incidence of Leptospirosis in our area. Vaccinations are a hot topic and one with which you should become familiar and that you should discuss with your vet. Rabies is mandatory everywhere – but other vaccinations may be optional. Educate yourself and ask questions of a professional. This animal hospital also offers alternative therapies including veterinary orthopedic manipulation, acupuncture and others. A really wonderful place for elderly pets, as Dr. Regina Datora has almost magical talents for helping older animals feel better.
The Lamoille Valley Veterinary Service in Hyde Park, Vermont is another great practice and we use them for all of our eye exams and OFA hip XRAYs. Dr. Cindy Pratt does our XRAYs and their machine produces clearly detailed radiographs.
And then, our all time favorite vet on the planet is Dr. Matthew Wilson at the Topsfield Veterinary Hospital in Topsfield, Massachusetts. His practice is small but he has the best bedside manner for emergencies and routine care we’ve ever experienced. Magna cum laude undergraduate degree from Harvard in Anthropology and DVM from Tufts – the man is wonderful and a whiz with hot spots. Clavamox and Neo-Predef powder had us on our way and Gigi was feeling much better, within 24 hours. And the second vet on staff there is Ann Sidley. She is MIT undergrad and DVM from Tufts, as well. Their service orientation at the receptionist counter is wonderful. These folks are smart, professional, warm and sincerely interested in solving whatever issue you present.
WE LOVE OUR VETS!