The Mt. Nittany Veterinary Hospital is excited to welcome Dr. Rochelle Jones to our clinical staff.  Dr. Jones comes to State College after trekking all the way across the country from San Francisco where she had been practicing for the last five years.  Dr. Jones is a graduate of the University of California at Davis (D.V.M., 2004), and brings with her a solid background in small animal medicine and surgery.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Jones to the practice and the State College area, and feel free to stop by and say “hi” anytime!

It’s 2010!  Happy New Year!  The staff at the Mt. Nittany Veterinary Hospital is excited about the changes underway in our hospital as we start the new year, and we want to wish all of our clients, friends, and family, a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year!

The Mt. Nittany Veterinary Hospital will be open Thursday December 24 (Christmas Eve) from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and Thursday December 31 (New Year’s Eve) from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon.  We will be closed on the Friday’s of Christmas and New Years Day, but will be open our normal Saturday hours of 8:00 am to 12:00 noon on Saturday December 26 and Saturday January 2.

And from all of us here at the Mt. Nittany Veterinary Hospital, we’d like to wish all of our patients, clients, friends, and family in the State College community a very Happy Holiday, and a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

We’re getting closer!  Our remodeling project is moving along very quickly now, as all of the walls are up and in the process of being painted, the final work on the hospital systems is being completed (oxygen and waste anesthetic gas systems), and it’s about time to start installing the new floor!  Soon we’ll be installing all of our cabinets and countertops, installing our new surgical lighting and work tables . . . and our new digital radiography system is scheduled for installation next week!

We’re hoping that we’re able to move into our new clinical facilities by the end of the month, and then it’ll be time to start with the next phase of our remodeling with work in the reception and waiting areas.  Lots of great stuff to come at the Mt. Nittany Veterinary Hospital!

It’s that time of year when we need to take a few minutes and step back from our busy lives to reflect on those things that matter most, yet are so often taken for granted . . . our family and friends!

The staff at the Mt. Nittany Veterinary Hospital would like to wish all of our clients, colleagues, and friends in the community a wonderful Thanksgiving, and hope you’ll find a little time to relax and enjoy!

The Center for Veterinary Medicine of the FDA announced earlier this month that Vetsulin (Veterinary Porcine-Zinc Insulin manufactured by Invervet/Schering-Plough) may have quality control problems leading to inconsistent amounts of insulin in the formulation.  This has the potential to cause a delay in the action of the insulin, or a longer duration of action of the insulin which might lead to problems with diabetic regulation in patients receiving Vetsulin.

The current recommendations are simply to observe your pet more closely for signs of hypoglycemia/low blood sugar (lethargy, weakness, seizures) or hyperglycemia/high blood sugar (drinking more water, urinating more than normal, weight loss).

The complete FDA Notice can be accessed at:  http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm188752.htm

And of course, please don’t hesitate to give us a call anytime if you see any changes or problems with your diabetic pet receiving Vetsulin insulin.  We are always available to discuss any concerns you may have, or to evaluate your pet if there are problems.

The Mt. Nittany Boarding Kennel was just named the “Best of State College” by readers of State College Magazine!

We’re thrilled with this recognition, with “kudos” to Mary Glincosky and her staff who work diligently to care for those pets boarding in our facility!  They do a fantastic job of providing a warm and comfortable setting for our four-legged friends, and work closely with the rest of the staff at the Mt. Nittany Veterinary Hospital to address any individual needs for those pets who require special care!

WHAT A MESS!  But I guess that’s what we have to expect considering the scope of our ongoing project to remodel/rebuild our practice!

We’ve completed the “demolition” process now, and are starting the “construction” process . . . which is very exciting.  All of the major work to cut through the floor to install new plumbing is complete, the concrete has been poured to repair the floor, and we’re putting up the new walls and new electrical throughout the new work areas.  We still have a little final planning and “tweaking” to do associated with the installation of oxygen systems, anesthesia exhaust gas systems, and the digital network to support both our upgraded computer system and the digital imaging systems, but it is starting to come together.

Of course everything takes longer than initially planned, but we are making good progress now, and the changes are apparent on a daily basis!  Hopefully this initial phase in our remodeling will be completed by the end of the year, and then we’ll move forward to update our Waiting Room and Reception Area, with a newly remodeled General Store for Animals slated to be the third and final stage of this project!

It’s all good!!!  We’ll be very excited to “show off” our new facility in the Spring!

Okay . . . I was reminded after publishing my last blog that not only is it a good idea to call early to reserve space for boarding over the holidays, but the same is true for scheduling a grooming appointment for the holidays (or while your pet is boarding).  Our groomers, Nancy and Julia, will be busy, so call early so we’ll have your pet looking his or her best for the holidays!

Seems like 2009 is zipping by, autumn has arrived (and it appears she is imitating winter over the past week) . . . it’s a beautiful time of the year in Happy Valley.  It won’t be very long until Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Year arrive!

And with the holidays comes the time to travel and spend some time with friends and family!  The Reception Staff at Mt. Nittany Veterinary Hospital wants to remind you that if your holiday plans call for travel and you’re unable to take your “four-legged” family members with you, then please give us a call soon to make reservations in our Boarding Kennel.  The holidays are always a busy time in our Kennel, and space is limited.  So give us a call, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your pet!