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August 12, 2010

The CARES Team is excited to announce the addition of Neurology Services at our practice, led by Edwin Darrin, VMD, DACVIM (Neurology).  Dr. Darrin comes to us by way of the Chicago area, where he had been practicing Neurology in a progressive referral practice for the last three and a half years.  Dr. Darrin brings with him experience in general neurology, as well as experience with advanced imaging procedures (CT and MRI), electrodiagnostics, and both elective and emergency neurosurgery cases.

Dr. Darrin joined the staff at CARES on July 5, and has already become an integral member of our Team, working closely with our specialists in Surgery, Internal Medicine, Oncology, Radiology, Emergency/Critical Care, and other disciplines.  We’re looking forward to his ongoing interactions and contributions to our practice!

Welcome, Dr. Darrin!

May 4, 2010

Greetings and “Happy May!”  The weather’s finally warming up, and it won’t be long until summer’s here!  And it’s much anticipated after all of the snow we had this past winter.  And with that, here’s just a few spring updates about our staff at CARES:

Dr. Bob Peiffer (Ophthalmology) and Dr. Melissa Java (Emergency/Critical Care) were  recently featured in the current Keystone Veterinarian magazine published by the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association.  Dr. Peiffer was shown performing an ophthalmic exam as part of the ACVO/Merial National Service Dog Eye Exam event.  (This event is open for registration from April 1 through May 16, 2010 .  For more information please visit:  www.ACVOeyeexam.org.)  Dr. Java was welcomed as the new head of Critical Care at CARES after finishing her residency at the University of Pennsylvania.  She has since completed her boards to earn the title of Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC).  Great job!

We’d also like to welcome back Dr. Jen Adler (Internal Medicine) and Dr. Morgan Callahan (Emergency Medicine).  Both Dr. Adler and Dr. Callahan recently took some time off after welcoming their first child into the world.   We’d like to wish them a hearty “Congrats” as well as looking forward to having them rejoin us in the practice.

Drs. Jon Rappaport and Bob Cohen

March 11, 2010

CARES Educates Pet Owners About the Importance of Poison Safety For National Poison Prevention Week (March 14 – 20th)

At the Center for Animal Referral and Emergency Services (CARES) in Langhorne, PA, it’s a problem we see weekly.  Pets are rushed in for emergency treatment due to exposure to poison.  In honor of National Poison Prevention Week (March 14th – 20th) CARES is educating pet parents about the top 5 poison emergencies seen at CARES on a regular basis.

1.  Flea and Tick Control. “The problem is the unsuspecting pet owner grabs something off the shelf and puts it on their cat, not realizing the product is actually for dogs,” according to veterinarian Dr. Jon Rappaport, Co-Director of CARES.  The dog products are very concentrated and toxic to cats.  Dr. Rappaport advises pet parents to check the label carefully to be sure the product is appropriate for cats.  “There are labeled cat products out there.  But, some are not as clearly labeled as they should be.”

2.  Ibuprofen. “Pets are getting into their owners’ medication,” says Dr. Rappaport.  “The standard 200mg tablet size can cause vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, gastrointestinal ulcer disease, lethargy, kidney and liver damage.”  Dr. Rappaport adds that it’s best to keep all medications out of reach of pets.  Also, never give your pet medication unless directed by a veterinarian.

3.  Chocolate. The Easter holiday is just around the corner.  It’s a time when many households have extra chocolate on hand.  For dogs admitted to CARES with chocolate toxicity, “we see excitement, tremors, seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, vomiting, diarrhea, and more.  Sometimes their heart rate skyrockets,” adds Dr. Rappaport.  Dark chocolate is more toxic than milk chocolate. A 35 lb dog would be expected to be ill following ingestion of 34 oz of milk chocolate, but could get ill on as little as 3.8 oz of dark/unsweetened chocolate.

4. Acetaminophen. “This can be fatal for a cat who eats just one pill (i.e. Tylenol),” according to Dr. Rappaport.  It causes changes in the red blood cells that affect the way the cat delivers oxygen.  It’s also toxic to the liver for cats and dogs.  In fact, human medications are number one on the ASPCA’s list of common hazards for pets. The ASPCA managed more than 45,000 calls in 2009 involving prescription and over the counter drugs.  They say pets often “snatch pill vials from counters and nightstands or gobble up medications accidentally dropped on the floor.”

5. Rodenticide. “All rodenticide is toxic,” according to Dr. Melissa Java, head of Emergency and Critical Care at CARES.  “If you have it in the house, it’s important to know exactly what kind, so that your pet can be treated properly, if ingested.  Keep your pets away from rodenticide and only put it in areas where pets will not come in contact with it.  Never use Bromethalin or Strichnine.  If your pet gets into it, there’s a horrible prognosis.”  Dr. Rappaport adds, “Many people put down rodenticides and then forget about it.  It’s also a problem with people who move into a pre-owned home where rodenticide has been applied.  A lot of rodenticides contain poisons that affect the body’s ability to clot blood.  So, pets wind up bleeding internally.  They can bleed into their abdomen, chest or any area of the body.”

About the Center for Animal Referral and Emergency Services (CARES):

CARES is a full service specialty referral, emergency and critical care veterinary hospital.  Specialty cases are seen by referral from the primary care veterinarian.  Specialty services include: Cardiology, Clinical Pathology, Emergency and Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Radiology, Surgery and Client Support.  The hospital also offers 24 hour emergency care.  CARES has been voted 2008 Neighbors’ Choice Award Winner for Best Veterinarian/Animal Hospital in Bucks County.  For more information, visit www.vetcares.com

March 1, 2010

The USDA recently approved ONCEPT™, a novel therapeutic vaccine for canine oral melanoma.  At CARES, we’ve been treating our patients with the vaccine ever since the USDA conditionally licensed it for use.  ONCEPT™ is the first USDA-approved therapeutic cancer vaccine.  Studies show that stage II and stage III canine oral melanoma patients treated with the vaccine in addition to surgery have significantly improved survival times.

Melanoma is the most common oral tumor in dogs.  It tends to be locally invasive and highly metastatic.  It invades the bone of the jaws and spreads to the lymph nodes, lungs, and other organs.  With a smaller tumor, a patient may enjoy prolonged survival with surgery alone.  However, most melanomas are diagnosed later in the course of the disease when the tumor is larger and has a higher likelihood of invasion and spread.

ONCEPT™ contains a gene encoding human tyrosinase, an enzyme involved in the melanin pigment pathway.  Human tyrosinase is similar to canine tyrosinase, but because it is human, it stimulates the canine immune system to respond against canine melanoma cells that produce tyrosinase.

Studies show that ONCEPT™ in addition to surgery significantly extends survival for dogs with stage II or III melanoma.  Stage II or III canine oral melanoma patients typically have survival times of six months or less with surgery alone.  In a controlled study, patients treated with ONCEPT™ and surgery had significantly improved survival times compared with dogs treated with surgery alone.

If your beloved pet is diagnosed with canine oral melanoma, have your family veterinarian make an appointment to discuss this treatment and how it may benefit you and your pet.

Sincerely,

Jennifer L. Baez, VMD, DACVIM
(Oncology and Internal Medicine)

Beth Overley, VMD, DACVIM
(Oncology)

January 1, 2010

Happy New Year, and welcome to a new decade. As we reflect upon 2009, we look back a year of continued growth within the practice as we worked to “raise the bar” in quality specialty/referral care! With the addition of Dr. Melissa Java (Emergency/Critical Care) to our team, we now have a Board Certified specialist representing all of our disciplines. Dr. Brian Bretz joined our surgical team, and we also had the opportunity to partner with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in a pain study.

As we look ahead into the new year, we’re excited to be adding a Dermatologist to our team this coming October, and also plan to expand our hospital this summer.

Most importantly, we look to the new year to continue our ongoing mission to work closely with every primary care veterinarian in an effort to support, collaborate, and augment the care that that they provide to their patients and clients.

And as we move into this new year and decade, we’ll use our Blog to bring you information related to our practice, including updates on new services, diagnostic capabilities, and treatments we may offer, information regarding our specialists and staff, as well as information on relevant veterinary topics in our community.

Welcome, and stay tuned . . .

Jon Rappaport, VMD
Bob Cohen, DVM