We are delighted to announce that we have resumed in-person appointments, now that the COVID pandemic is winding down. Here is the appointment protocol we intend to follow, modified from normal operations in order to prevent lobby congestion and minimize contact time for clients:

• Arrive on our front porch at your scheduled appointment time with your pet. That means you should plan your arrival a little earlier than under COVID, so you have time to park and walk to the front porch.
• If you choose to wait outside, we will take your pet inside and proceed as during COVID, with all communication over the phone.
• If you choose to come inside for your appointment, we will walk you directly to an exam room when it becomes available. The doctor will perform the exam, and discuss findings and recommendations in person. Once the discussion is complete, we will ask you to provide payment information at the front desk, then wait on our bench in the reception area while we finish with your pet (socially distanced seating will be marked on the bench).
• We will still require masking for anyone entering the clinic, per Cal-OSHA regulations; and only 1 person may attend each appointment.
• Medication and food pickups will remain as under COVID (meds left on the porch during business hours but brought in after hours, and food left on the porch anytime).

We look forward to seeing you in-person soon!

With many new protocols in place to keep you safe from COVID-19, and new guidelines from the state, we have resumed vaccinations and wellness services (except for cat dentals, which we still cannot perform for the foreseeable future). When you arrive at our hospital, please stay in your car and check-in with our app, which you can find at caminorealpet.com/checkin. A technician will bring your pet inside for examination, and all communication will occur  over the phone. Everyone in the clinic is wearing masks and surgical gowns/labcoats at all times, with constant hand-washing and/or glove changing. If you yourself are sick or have been exposed to COVID-19, please talk to our staff about options for your pet, telemedicine appointments are available for milder problems. Medication refills and food orders can be picked up outside on our porch from refill boxes. Thank you for your patience as we navigate these difficult times, and we welcome any feedback on how our new system is working for you. We wish you all good health!

Addendum: With the recent confirmation that cats can become infected (including tigers at the Bronx zoo), clients have questions about the role of pets in the pandemic.  The good news: epidemiological studies have not found cats to be a source for human infections; instead, it appears to be the other way around.  Moreover, dogs appear more resistant, with only a few confirmed weak positives (suspected to be dead-end hosts).  Until more is known, here are some guidelines to keep everyone safe:

• If you are sick, stay away from animals if possible.  Household pets should be quarantined with their owners.
• Keep your animals away from other people or animals.  Social distancing applies to the whole household, not just the human members.
• Your own pet poses virtually no risk to you.  If you cat is infected, he got it from you or your family.  If we keep pets with us but socially distanced from others, we don’t need to worry about them as sources of infection outside of the household.

How clients can contribute to a Fear-Free cat visit

Carrier Training before the visit (may take weeks):

1. leave the carrier in a sunny spot with the door open
2. place comfortable bedding in carrier, maybe toys
3. place treats in it every day

Getting to the clinic:

1. cover the carrier with a large towel
2. place carrier on the floor of the car in the back seat (if possible)
3. try to keep carrier level when carrying

More details at: https://catfriendly.com/be-a-cat-friendly-caregiver/getting-cat-veterinarian/

The FDA just released its third public report on the link between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (abbreviated DCM), revealing the top brands, ingredients, and breeds associated with DCM. The most common diets associated with DCM were Acana, Zignature, and Taste-of-the-Wild (almost 50% of the cases). The most common breeds were the Golden Retriever, Labrador, and Mixed Breed (especially of larger body size), whereas previously it had been the Doberman, Great Dane, and Irish Wolfhound. Product testing did not find any nutritional deficiencies in these diets, including adequate Taurine levels. However, there appeared to be a correlation with diets containing legumes (peas, lentils, and/or potatoes) as main ingredients. The DCM appeared to improve when these patients were switched to grain-based diets.

Although the link between grain-free diets and DCM is still under investigation, 1. these studies create doubt about their safety, and 2. there is no medical benefit to feeding a grain-free diet (most pet allergies are to animal proteins rather than grain). Therefore, we recommend switching all pets, especially high risk breeds listed above, to a grain-based diet. In particular, we recommend avoiding diets with legumes (peas, lentils, and/or potatoes) as main ingredients. Consider choosing a diet from one of the few companies that actually perform feeding trials, have nutritionists on board, and are AAFCO certified: Royal Canin, Purina, and Hills/Science Diet.

If you decide to continue feeding a grain-free diet anyway (if your pet is extremely picky and/or finding the right diet has been challenging), consider testing for blood Taurine levels (one nutrient that is sometimes linked with DCM, especially in Golden Retrievers), or at least consider supplementing with Taurine at 250mg per day (safe even in healthy dogs). Just adding grain (such as rice) to a grain-free diet will not offset the risk of DCM.

Here is a link to detailed information on the FDA website:
https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy

Here is an excellent blog with more details:
https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/06/a-broken-heart-risk-of-heart-disease-in-boutique-or-grain-free-diets-and-exotic-ingredients/

It is our pleasure to present this brand-new website to you, our valued clients! 🙂

We hope that it proves to be a useful tool for all your veterinary needs. We are most excited about the new online pharmacy, with trusted sourcing of products at competitive prices directly from the manufacturer (contrary to 800-PetMeds or Costco, which gets it flea/heartworm medications through diversion and grey channels). Also, we have informational articles regarding every aspect of your wellness visit, the most common illnesses, and answers to your most common questions. We have excellent links to useful and trusted veterinary websites. Directions, phone numbers, forms, and other necessities of your visit can be found here.

Thank you for bringing your beloved pets to our clinic, we look forward to seeing you soon!

– Dr. G.