How often do you open your cat or dog's mouth, and take a good long look? Chances are, it doesn't happen often. It's easy to forget the importance of dental health for our pets when it's not something we can see on a daily basis. The truth is that oral wellness is integral to our pet's health as well has quality of life. Dental problems can lead to pain, infection, and weight loss. Unfortunately, our pets can't tell us if they have a toothache. It's up to us to take active measures to ensure their teeth and gums are in good shape.

Veterinary dental health has evolved rapidly in recent years, and we are proud to support the safest and most innovative technologies in our clinic. Good dental care requires an entire suite of tools and training to help us monitor and treat your pet's dental health with increasing sophistication. In addition to cleaning and x-rays, dental treatment involves general anesthesia so we measure blood pressure, oxygen levels, and body temperature.  This year we are making new additions to our state-of-the-art dental facilities! This includes a new digital dental set-up; a new x-ray machine, monitoring equipment, and a new cleaning unit. Each component is designed for greater levels of specificity and attention to problem areas.

The new x-ray machine excites us because it delivers less radiation, and runs on a DC converter; this means a consistent focused beam with higher resolution, enabling more specialized diagnosis. For cleaning, we use an ultra-sonic cleaner - the gold standard - that cleans through vibration. Our "Bair Hugger" circulates warm air around the pet to offset any drops in body temperature caused by anesthetics. 

Technological advances allow us to electronically track below the gum line, the tooth surface and pockets. There are also new products allowing us to treat dental diseases that sound almost like science fiction - bioproducts enabling us to get under the gum and help re-grow bone, and nerve blocks which mean less anesthesia for your pet.

Dental health is more than cleaning. It is about actively monitoring your pet's dental condition. Veterinary dentistry has evolved to conduct treatment safely and effectively, and we can do a lot now that was previously not possible.

To help support your pet's dental health, we are offering $50 off dental cleanings for the month of Feburary! To learn more about our facilities and take a virtual tour, please visit our website.

Visit our dental tour

Corinne, David, Holly (standing), Roberta, Kara, Keelie, Ruby (kneeling)

Behind the scenes at our clinic, you may have noticed several focused and attentive individuals. Our clinic hosts a crew of certified veterinary technicians (CVT) that we are truly proud to have. The role of the CVT is absolutely crucial in our work; they are with your pet before, during and after every procedure, from blood work to surgery to boarding. Each staff member comes to us with a fascinating range of experiences, backgrounds and interests - yet one thing they all share is a deep commitment to making our patients (your pets) as comfortable, safe and healthy as possible. In celebration of our talented and capable technical staff, we wanted to take a moment and introduce them to you. If your pet has spent any time at the clinic for a procedure, he or she has met them!

Becoming a CVT involves a rigorous training program, and involves a high level of commitment. Being a CVT is a generalist profession; radiology, anesthesia, blood work, surgery and dental procedures are a daily part of the job. Most, if not all of our CVT's knew they wanted to work closely with animals in a healing capacity when they were children.

Keelie has been a CVT for ten years, and also is a certified canine massage therapist. Her focus has been in orthopedics but she loves every aspect of being a CVT, particularly helping animals transition out of anesthesia and making them more comfortable.  She loves to "talk dog" with new dog owners or anyone who is willing!

Holly loves surgery and knowing how to get animals safely through the process; she loves to send home better animals. She, as well as many other CVTs, also volunteers with the Feral Cat Coalition.

Janna, originally from Portland, trained in New Orleans, after spending time with Habitat for Humanity helping out with the aftermath of Katrina. She enjoys the variety of the job and the one-on-one with patients; she also has an internship with the zoo, which she finds fascinating.

David has worked in the veterinary field for ten years and one of his favorite aspects of the job is the surgery process. He is also an avid hiker and fisherman.

Corinne appreciates the nursing aspect of the job; patient care, pain management, and looking after the animals. She spent a few years focusing on radiology - using CT scans and ultrasound technology for diagnosis. With all the tech team, she agrees the hardest part of the job is the loss, and she appreciates providing support through the bereavement process, having lost her own cat and dog in recent years.

We are fortunate to have such a dedicated, skilled and compassionate team of CVTs here to serve you. Next time you're in, please don't hesitate to say hello and "talk dog" or "cat" as the case may be!

Mighty Thor's name preceded him: For years, I would housesit for my best friend when she and her family went on vacation. Her voicemail message went something like this: "We're out of town until such and such a date; however, if you would like to leave a message for Marilyn and Thor, please do so after the beep." There was never a Thor. Thor was an imaginary character, concocted by my friend to sound very protective and mighty with me all alone in the house.

That said, he should have been named "Hoover" for his extensive vacuuming abilities, which usually land him on the exam table at Northwest Neighborhood Veterinary Hospital.

Mighty Thor is always happy! I make up songs about him and sing them to him as he "conducts" the orchestra with his tail. He volunteers as a greeter at a local hospital. He's super silly and sometimes serious and cerebral. He snorts like a piglet; and, his snores rumble like thunder. (His namesake would be proud. I would never sleep with a man who snores as much-or as loudly-as Mighty Thor!) When I close my eyes and see myself in silhouette, it's always with an added appendage-one with hairy Grinch-like feet. He keeps me in sight all the time and "sticks" to me like Velcro.

Deemed "unsuitable" and returned to the breeder by his original "owners," I am convinced that my Second-Chance Sweetheart was just waiting for me. I was thinking of getting a cavalier puppy until he walked out the breeder's front door and straight into my heart. He wanted a home; I wanted a dog. And so our story began...

Mighty Thor was Dr. Shuler's first patient when he and Dr. Fleming acquired the practice in May 2008. Thank you everyone at Northwest Neighborhood Veterinary Hospital for taking such wonderful care of my HeartThorb!

Marilyn Wien