Text-message Reminder Program
We are very excited to announce our new text-message reminder system for our clients. For many people, text messaging is a preferred method of communication. It’s less wasteful than mailed reminders and less obtrusive than phone calls. It’s the “green” way to get the reminders you need to keep your pet healthy and happy!
Here’s how it works:
1) You “opt-in” to the program either by coming in, calling us, or sending an e-mail to info@midtownvet.com.
2) Provide a Primary Cell, Secondary Cell (if you wish), and the day of the month you would like your heartworm/flea control reminder text.
3) You will receive text message reminders for:
a. Annual/Semi-annual wellness visits.
b. Puppy/kitten booster visits.
c. Appointment reminders.
d. Surgery reminders with instructions.
e. Heartworm/flea control reminders on the day you need to give/apply the medication/preventative.
f. Medication refill reminders 5 days prior to the medication running out.
g. Dental reminders for those pets that haven’t had their preventative treatment in the past 18 months.
h. Periodic (no more than once a month) specials on things like bathing, boarding, or retail products.
i. Semi-annual fecal exams.
The text-message reminder program is completely voluntary and you will always have the option to stop the messages. We expect that most clients will receive no more than 1 or 2 reminders per month unless they have multiple pets. Standard messaging rates will apply.
If you have any questions regarding the program, please call 901/274-1444 and speak to Steve or Chris.
Pet Portals Provide Up-to Date Information about Your Pet
Did you know that you can have a personalized client website for your pets? Pet Portals are personalized pages that display your pet’s medical history, appointments, and prescriptions. Pet Portals is also an easy way to communicate with our practice via their e-mail system and receive reminder and birthday e-mails.
To sign up for your own Pet Portal, visit our website and click on the Pet Portal link at the bottom. Once we have your e-mail address, you will receive a sign-up e-mail. It’s a free service provided by your friends at Central Animal Hospital.
Review us, Like us, Yelp us – Help Us Grow Our Practice Online
If you are like me, the first thing you do when someone asks you for a number or information about a business is go to the computer and look it up. Whether you use Google, Yahoo, Bing, or another search engine, most search results are now accompanied by reviews or comments from people who have used the service in the past. A simple search for a phone number or address quickly turns into an opportunity to gain (or lose) a potential client.
We know that our clients are [warning: shameless flattery approaching] the brightest, most well-connected pet owners in the city. You either work or play on the computer at least two hours a day. Please take a few minutes to let the good people of Memphis (and beyond) know how much you appreciate what we do for you and your pet.
Here are a few suggestions for how you can help:
· Post an online review. If you have an experience worth sharing, take a few minutes to post a review on your favorite search or review website.
· Link to our website. Whether you have a personal website or write a blog, if you put a link on your site to ours, it should increase our Google ranking.
· “Like” us on Facebook. Though the posting has been a little sparse over the past couple of years, we do have a Facebook page with about 150 friends. I would love to have more active friends to get feedback on our services and any changes we might make to improve our business.
No Heartworm Resistance to Oral Ivermectin (Heartgard Plus)
In the past few years many local veterinarians and dog owners have reported an increase in the number of heartworm positive patients who have been on oral heartworm preventatives. Since the vast majority of our clients choose to use Heartgard Plus chews, we are very concerned about these reports and have been in close contact with our vendors and colleagues to make sure we are up to date on the most current research. Many expected that the leading researchers in the field would announce that there is resistance to this preventative at the meeting last week.
The leading heartworm researcher for heartworms in the Delta region, Dr. Byron Blagburn of Auburn University, announced that there is currently no proof of resistance in the local heartworm. His current research suggests that there are many factors involved in the transmission of the heartworm and we may face a resistance issue in the future. The current therapies are effective if given according to the manufacturer's direction. The primary cause of failure in the product is that the pet owners are not following the directions to give the preventative on the same day every month.
We pledge to always provide the most current and accurate information available to our clients concerning health issues for their pets. If you have any questions about this meeting or other issues you have heard about from friends or family, please give us a call and we will be happy to discuss those issues with you.
Heartworm disease is a terminal disease that affects over 98% of untreated dogs in our area. Heartgard Plus chews cost between $5 and $8 per month and is over 98% effective in the prevention of heartworm disease.
Just What the Doctor Ordered
The “Just What the Doctor Ordered” program is designed to help our clients care for their pet’s oral health by following the recommendations of the doctor. We understand that sometimes the cost of a wellness visit combined with the cost for a dental treatment is too much to bear all at once. To help defray this expense and incentivize good care, we are offering 10% off of the cost of the treatment if you make your dental appointment the same day the recommendation is made.
Please be advised of the following rules and conditions:
- You must make your appointment in the office the same day the recommendation is made. This may be during your annual wellness visit or during any other visit as long as the recommendation is made by the doctor during that visit.
- Once the appointment is made, the technician or receptionist will write the appointment date on your card.
- Appointment changes: Appointments may be moved up (closer to the date the appointment was made) and still receive the discount. Appointments may not be moved beyond the original appointment date (later than the original appointment date) and still receive the discount.
- The 10% discount will be applied only to items specific to the scheduled dental procedure. Any other items or services received during that visit will not receive the discount.
- The discount is only good for the pet specified in the recommendation. The discount is not transferrable and has no intrinsic cash value.
- Please direct any questions you may have about this program to: Steve Karnes, Hospital Administrator.
Viva Las Vegas!
One of the ways to achieve the goal of being the best hospital in the city is ensure that you practice the most modern, science-based medicine possible. To reach this goal, we believe that both our doctors and staff should attend high-quality continuing education meetings and bring that knowledge back to our hospital.
In January, Dr. Lynn attended the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) in Orlando, Florida. The NAVC is the largest veterinary conference in North America and features hundreds of speakers over a 5-day period.
Dr. Karnes, Steve Karnes, Chris Turner, and Elizabeth Stauffer attended the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas in February. The WVC is the second largest veterinary conference with over 10,000 attendees. Each attendee earned over 25 hours of continuing education credit in topics ranging from improving client communication to advanced anesthetic protocols. Ask us about our trip the next time you come in!
The Best Veterinary Technician Staff in Memphis
The technician staff is the heart of our hospital. How do you measure the quality of a veterinary staff? Like a successful sports team, there are certain qualities that make our team stand out from the rest:
Stability
Chris, Joanne, Elizabeth, and Jennifer have all been with us for more than 2 years. Chris and Joanne have each worked for over 5 years as veterinary nurses. You will always see one of their smiling faces when you come for a visit.
Knowledge/Skills
In 2009, our technicians completed an average of 25 hours of Continuing Education in various aspects of veterinary medicine. In February, Dr. Karnes, Steve, Chris and Jennifer attended the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas. They were exposed to a wide range of cutting edge medicine over 4 days of classes. In September, Dr. Svoboda, Joanne, Elizabeth, and Jennifer attended the Central Veterinary Conference in Kansas City. Each attended 3 days of classes. We hosted the only board certified veterinary dentist in Memphis, Dr. Barden Greenfield, twice in our office for in-house continuing education on dental procedures. We expect our staff and doctors to stay abreast of “best practices” in veterinary medicine and our commitment to this concept shows in our performance each day.
Enthusiasm
Our staff looks forward to talking to our clients and helping their pets every day. Though the job can be very stressful at times, our staff loves practicing in an environment that encourages them to learn new things and practice their skills at the highest level.
Digital Dental Radiography
Our goal at Central is to provide the best medicine possible for our clients and patients. For dental procedures you must use radiography to identify and treat oral disease since 60% of the disease in the mouth occurs below the gumline. If your veterinarian isn’t using radiography for dental procedures you are, at best, getting only 40% of the mouth examined and treated.
In July 2009 we acquired the gold standard of digital dental radiography systems – the Schick sensor and software and the Nomad handheld x-ray unit. What makes these the gold standard? The Schick sensor and software combines excellent image quality with extremely user-friendly software. The Nomad provides unparalleled ease of use for an x-ray unit. The result? We can take whole-mouth x-rays [for larger dogs this could be as many as 21 shots] in anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. This is important because it minimizes the amount of time your pet is under anesthesia and it provides our doctors with a complete picture of your pet’s mouth. With this system, we can treat 100% of your pet’s mouth and minimize the disease, pain, and bad breath that accompany oral disease.
Ask a doctor or technician for more information about our dental procedures.
Cure Feline Hyperthyroidism with Nu-Cat
In June 2009, Central Animal Hospital started Nu-Cat to treat cats with hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine disorder in older cats. A growth on the thyroid gland over produces hormones that cause weight loss, excessive eating and drinking, hypertension, kidney disease, and death.
The gold standard of treatment for hyperthyroidism is an injection of radioiodine. With one simple injection and a short stay in the hospital, hyperthyroid cats can be cured of this condition. The alternative treatment is daily medication or risky and less efficacious surgery.
Central is the only general veterinary practice in the state of Tennessee to offer this treatment. In fact, we are the only general practice in the MidSouth [Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee] to offer this treatment. Click the Nu-Cat link on the menu for more information about the condition, the treatment, and the cost.
Ask our Doctors how Nu-Cat can make life with your cat the way it used to be.
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