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Move to new side of building

We are excited to announce that Phase 1 of construction will be completed in early March. We will start seeing patients on that side of the clinic the week of March 4th. Monday, March 4th will be a moving day. If you have a scheduled appointment on March 4th you will enter the clinic through our normal front doors. We will have reduced appointments on that day. We will be exclusively in Phase 1 from March through June while the remainder of the clinic undergoes a full renovation.

Here are some changes that will occur from March to June:

• We will be implementing curbside for all appointments and medication or food pick-up. Please call from the parking lot to check in and we will call when a room is ready for you to enter.

• You will enter through a new front entrance into a small makeshift reception area and a staff member will meet you to usher you into an exam room

• Our surgical appointments will be limited for those 3 months. We will still be able to do surgery but have a limited number of cages and recovery areas. Surgical drop-off and pick-up will also be curbside.

• If you purchase food from the clinic, please plan as we will be carrying a reduced volume of food due to lack of storage. You can also visit our online pharmacy and order your food from our online store https://springhillvet.vetsfirstchoice.com/.

Circulatory

Home » Interactive Animal » Canine » Circulatory

The circulatory system delivers vital oxygen to the tissues in the body and carries wastes from the tissues to be excreted. The cycle of blood circulation begins in the heart. The heart pumps blood through the lungs to fill up with oxygen. From the lungs, oxygen-rich blood returns to the heart to be pumped out to the tissues. After delivery of oxygen the tissues, blood collects wastes (e.g.: carbon dioxide) from the tissues. Oxygen depleted blood, containing wastes, returns to the heart once again to be pumped to the lungs to rid itself of carbon dioxide while simultaneously acquiring more oxygen.

If your pet experiences heart problems, you may notice: coughing, exercise intolerance, pale gum color, cold extremities, weakness, lethargy, collapse, poor appetite, and/or labored breathing.

Common abnormalities of the heart include:

  • Inability to effectively pump blood through the body as is seen with heart failure.
  • Electrical disturbances within the heart. The heart possesses an entire electrical system to activate the heart muscle to pump blood. If there is a block in the circuit or an abnormal circuit develops, the heart cannot pump effectively. Examples include: atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.
  • Incorrect plumbing pathways through the heart cause pumped blood to travel in uncoordinated directions. Some heart and blood vessel malformations develop in utero, before birth (e.g.: Patent Ductus Arteriosis, PDA and Subaortic Stenosis, SAS), while others develop as your pet ages (e.g.: Mitral Valve Insufficiency, MVI).
  • Heart muscle abnormalities, known as cardiomyopathies.
  • Heartworm infection

Blood, although a liquid, is a tissue: it is filled with cells. Blood carries red blood cells to deliver oxygen and white blood cells to ward off infection. The water portion of blood surrounding the cells contains nutrients, proteins, and hormones that are essential for life. Your pet may experience deficiencies and/or excesses of any of these blood components, leading to disease.