Resolution for a Healthy New Year
 A letter from Dr. Goodman...

As the New Year begins, we’re offered a fresh start. Resolutions are made with great resolve to make this year better than the last. Hopefully, you’re doing better with your New Year's resolutions than I am. If some of your resolutions have included improving your pet’s life as well as your own, congratulations.

Walking the dog everyday – regardless of the weather or your mood, playing with the cat 5 minutes a day, or scooping the litter box twice a day are all great ideas but might I also suggest the resolution of making your pet’s dental health care a priority in 2007? As National Pet Dental Health Month arrives in February, I want to remind you that proper dental care is the single most important thing we can do to ensure a longer, healthier, and more comfortable life for our pets. Too often in medicine, we tend to practice “crisis care”. That is, we wait until something goes wrong and then try to “fix” it. Dental care is no different. We extract teeth or perform periodontal surgery instead of performing routine dental cleanings.

Studies show that 85% of pets over three years of age have periodontal disease but fewer than 20% of these pets receive the recommended dental care. I’m proud to say that over 55% of Murrayhill clients do have the recommended care performed! That’s well over twice the national average but there is still room for improvement! In the early stages, periodontal disease is 100% reversible. In the later stages, teeth need to be pulled.

I invite you to call the hospital to schedule a dental evaluation and/or a dental cleaning. We’re offering a nice discount and dental health is such an important aspect of preventative health care that we extend Dental Health Month to cover March as well. I’d like to wish you and yours a happy, healthy New Year and look forward to seeing those pearly whites. Happy brushing.

Sincerely,
Dr. Laird Goodman

Dr. Goodman is the Medical Director and Practice Owner of Murrayhill Veterinary Hospital. He lives in Beaverton with his family and enjoys spending time with his Golden Retriever, Zoey and his three cats, Lilly, Eileen, and Annie

 

 Invitation to Oral Health
 Dental Discount for 2007

What: Receive half off the cost of an Ultrasonic Dental Cleaning and Polishing for each of your pets

When: February and March 2007

Where: Murrayhill Veterinary Hospital

A Value of up to $39.00!

RSVP by calling 503-579-3300 to schedule an appointment with one of our Client Care Representatives

Please visit our website and read Arlo Gets a Dental - The Murrayhill Way to learn what is involved in a dental cleaning...you'll be amazed - it's so much more than just a cleaning.

Visit Arlo Gets his Teeth Cleaned... 

 Good to Chew, Better to Rinse, Best to Brush
 Home Care - 364 days of Dental Care

Dental cleanings are an important part of pet dental health care. Just like humans need to take a trip to the dentist to have their teeth cleaned every 6 months to remove tartar, pets too need to have thier teeth scaled, polished and examined on a regular basis. Yearly - which is actually every 6 years to your cat or dog - dental cleanings are recommended for your pet to keep it's teeth healthy. But dental cleanings are only part of the story - they happen one day a year - what about the other 364?

It is recommended that people brush and floss their teeth at least twice a day and yet we still make trips to the dentist twice a year for cleaning. What about our pets? The American Association of Veterinary Dentisits recommend daily brushing of your pet's teeth. If you have a dog, on average you brush Fido's teeth once a week (if at all) and for cats - they really lack dental care and it's not from lack of trying. Most pet owners attempt to brush but find the task difficult when their beloved pet acts like it's torture. So what can we do?

There are many ways to help keep your pet's teeth healthy. With C.E.T's new campaign: Good to Chew, Better to Rinse, Best to Brush we find exciting ways to get involved in our pet's dental health 364 days a year and Murrayhill has taken the time to review many products and techniques to offer you many choices on how you can best care for your pet's teeth.

Good to Chew
Chewing is something pets do every day whether they are eating, getting a treat or sitting down to chew on a toy.

DH Diet: Dental Health diet by Purina is a pet food that can be fed as a regular diet or mixed with your pet's current food to promote healthy teeth. The kibble texture acts like a toothbrush on your pet's teeth. It is available for cats and for dogs in regular or small bites. The feline DH follows progressive recommended nutritional formulation for cats of higher protein and lower carbohydrate diets.

t/d Diet: Tartar diet by Hills is a pet food that can be fed as a regular diet or, due to it's large size, works well as a treat. The kibble texture acts like a toothbrush on your pet's teeth. It is available for cats and for dogs in regular and small bites.

Greenies: Each Greenie dental chew is an edible green toothbrush that works through the natural chewing action of your pet to remove plaque and tartar. Greenies for dogs come in 5 different sizes and their new soluble formulation has taken a lot of the worry out of the potential for foreign body obstruction. For cats Greenies are available in 8 different flavors -from Oven Roasted Chicken to Nantucket Bay Scallop and cats love them. Be sure your cat is chewing them or they will just be a tasty treat without the dental health benefits.

C.E.T. HEXtra Premium Chews: With their double enzyme formula and antibacterial system these chews control plaque and eliminate bacteria buildup. They are available in beefhide for dogs and freezedried fish for cats.

Nylabone Dental Dinos: These dinosaur shaped non-edible chew toys are available in tough Durable (white) or softer Flexible (blue) and come in 3 different shapes - Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Brontosaurus. The raised bumps help to remove plaque, reduce tartar buildup and massage gums while your dog chews. These are great for dogs with food sensitivities and dogs love them! (See the picture of DeeDee above!)

Kong Dental Stick and Jump n Jax: With their patented Denta-Ridges these non-edible chew toys reduce plaque and food debris while gently cleaning and massaging teeth and gums. Use these with C.E.T. enzymatic toothpaste in the ridges to add an extra dimension to your pet's homecare.

Better to Rinse
Rinsing can be done on a routine basis and takes less time and less precision than brushing.

C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Rinse: This rinse comes in an easy to use application bottle and contains a plaque fighting formulation to keep your pet's breath fresh.

C.E.T. AquaDent: This water additive freshens your pet's breath while reducing plaque. Simply add the recommended amount to your pet's drinking water to provide clinically tested dental care every time your pet drinks.

Best to Brush
Brushing daily is the best method of ensuring your pet will enjoy good dental health.

C.E.T. Enzymatic Toothpaste: This unique dual enzyme cleansing system is specifically formulated with no foaming agents and is meant to be swallowed. Pets love the taste and you'll love the way it leaves their breath fresh and clean.

Oravet Plaque Prevention Gel: Rather than removing plaque, this unique system actually creates an invisible barrier that prevents bacteria from adhering to your pet's teeth. Applied once a week this product can be used on its own or in combination with a daily brushing routine.

 

 Baby on the Way
 Dr. Hall Ready for Maternity Leave

Dr. Chea Hall will soon be taking leave to have her second child. Unless the baby has other plans, her last day of work will be February 13th. She is planning on taking 3 months materity leave to take care of her new baby.

We will have two wonderful veterinarians filling in for her while she is gone- Dr. Alison Lord and Dr. Donna Casioli. Some of you have had a chance to work with these doctors already to great reviews and we look forward to having them on board as part of our team. Next time you're in the clinic be sure to wish Dr. Hall the best and take the opportunity to meet Dr. Lord or Dr. Casioli.

Good luck, Chea! We'll miss you.

 

 Weekly Client Service Meetings
 Closing Fridays 12pm - 2pm

In order to better serve you, we will close every Friday from 12 noon to 2pm for Client Service Meetings. This is an opportunity for our team to come together and discuss ideas on how to better serve you, our clients, and keep the team updated on the latest advances in veterinary medicine. This meeting time is very important to us but we understand that medical emergencies arise without regard to time of day and an emergency number to contact us is posted on our door in case you need us during that time.

Thank you for your understanding and please let us know how we're doing. If we are not exceeding your expectations, we want to know. And remember, referrals are the best compliment that you can give us! They are not only appreciated - they are rewarded.