John McGrath has scheduled an Intermediate Obedience Class beginning June 7, 2012. John is an AKC certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and the intermediate/CGC is a more intense and focused training course than the basic. It focuses on sit/stay, down/stay, and improves upon general good behavior and intensifies the human-animal bond by teaching dogs to pay attention to their owners or handlers even with distraction such as people or other dogs. Once evaluated and certified, CGC dogs have the freedom to go a lot more places (such as nursing homes).

Call JM Canine Services at 407-399-1090 for more information or to schedule. Classes begin at 7:00 pm on 6/7, run for approximately 45 minutes, and are held once a week at Park Avenue Animal Hospital for 6 consecutive weeks. 

The Avian Reconditioning Center is having their annual Spring Renaissance Faire on Saturday, March 24th to celebrate the Vernal Equinox. The event features a wine & beer tasting, bake sale, falconry & horseback riding demonstrations, face painting, games and contests, photos with the birds, and all of the volunteers will be dressed in costume.  

Guests are welcome to dress up, or come as themselves. The event will be from 10a-3p, at the Avian Reconditioning Center.  As always, there is no entrance fee, however a small suggested donation is appreciated!

Avian Reconditioning Center, 323 West Lester Rd. Apopka, Fl 32712
407-461-1056

The Doctors and Staff of PAAH participated in the Annual Track Shack Corporate 5k run. Check out our photo from the event. Visit our Track Shack 5K 2012 photo gallery!

We proudly announce the addition of K-Laser Class IV Therapeutic Laser Treatments for advanced pain relief and enhanced tissue healing. Multiple studies and decades of use have not just suggested, but proven, that laser therapy can help to relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation, increase range of motion, and ease the healing process in many types of acute and chronic injuries and ailments.

Laser therapy works by stimulating production of cellular energy in damaged cells. It also enhances cell membrane permeability (the ability for cell membranes to transfer molecules, which enhances the exchange of nutrients and wastes across the cell membrane), making the cells work more efficiently. This promotes the speed and the quality of healing, and improves elasticity of injured tissues. Laser therapy also modulates pain and reduces inflammation. It can be used immediately on acute injuries, over broken skin and over metal implants. Laser therapy can also help with the resolution of chronic complaints such as arthritis and other orthopedic ailments.

The K-Laser is an effective complimentary treatment for many conditions. Post-operatively, laser therapy can be used to reduce pain at the incision site and can promote regeneration of damaged tissue, leading to a faster, more comfortable recovery. Hot spots, abscesses, and other acute skin anomalies heal faster and with less discomfort after incorporating laser therapy into normal treatment protocols. Muscle pulls, broken bones, and nerve damage all see significant improvement after laser therapy, too.

The K-Laser is a low - level laser therapy tool that uses specific wavelengths of light to create a therapeutic effect. Laser therapy does not require any sedation or anesthesia and it can be used in conjunction with other methods of treatment. It is not a surgical tool, and does not cut, burn, or otherwise cause damage to tissue in any way. Patients experience a gentle warming sensation where the laser is used, and healing begins right away. Treatment is cumulative; while most patients see at least some improvement after just one treatment, multiple treatments will maximize a patient’s capacity for healing. The number of treatments is determined by the ailment itself, the chronicity (length of time it's been there), and the patient's individual response to therapy. Treatments generally last only 5-10 minutes, though each case may vary.

We offer laser therapy as an additional method of pain control for most surgical cases, as well as laser therapy packages for outpatient treatments. For more information on laser therapy and how it can help your pet, contact us here or call us at 407-880-9446. You can also view the "Benefits of Laser Therapy" video here.

NOVARTIS, the manufacturer of many common OTC pharmaceuticals for human and animal use, has volunteered to stop production at their manufacturing plant in Lincoln, Nebraska.  The closure is temporary, but a length of time has yet to be determined.

On the human side, the factory closure means a temporary interruption in the manufacturing and shipping of common brand names like Maalox, Excedrin, Theraflu, and Triaminic, as well as a number of prescription medications. On the veterinary side, the popular heartworm preventative Interceptor, and its sister product Sentinel, will be affected.  Park Avenue Animal Hospital has a limited stock of Interceptor available for clients who are in need of it immediately, and other heartworm preventatives are available in the event that our stock runs out.

The suspension of production at the facility is voluntary, and was done to facilitate Novartis's implementation of certain manufacturing process improvements.  These improvements are intended to address the possibility of rare instances of errors in the packaging of pharmaceuticals (both prescription and non-) produced at the facility.  The temporary supply disruption is not related to the efficacy or safety of the products themselves. If you have any questions about Norartis please contact the clinic.