Mid-Peninsula Animal Hospital™ Blog

We have some of the best clients in the world who tend to be smart and compassionate. You've been really terrific throughout the pandemic. I can't tell you how much we really appreciate your supportive respect for the mitigations that have allowed us to follow the science and still remain open. As we move from drop-off-only to welcoming in-person appointments, we're going to keep masking indoors.

We want this to be a safe place for everyone, especially those who are literally immunocompromised. We have a duty to protect the vulnerable among our client community and staff by wearing masks and keeping current on booster shots. If you're vax'ed and boosted, then wearing a mask indoors is, indeed, a kindness – and we appreciate it. 

We will also continue to offer drop-off as an appointment option, particularly since some folks feel that an enclosed exam room poses more risk during the winter surge than makes them comfortable. For everyone else, we hope the indoor masking policy provides a comfortable level of reasonable protection.

Secondly, this winter is different. The triple whammy of upper respiratory viruses this year is worrying health care providers. Recently, the rate of Covid infection in California jumped 36% in a single week, typically a precursory rate to a surge. 

In addition, this year’s flu virus is leading to more hospitalizations than normal, and hitting much earlier in the season than normal. Masks help us avoid Covid and flu viruses as well as the current outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), for which there is no vaccine currently. It's a simultaneous triple whammy that poses a significantly increased concern this winter.

For these reasons, we will continue to require indoor masking throughout the winter. 

The good news is the virus match with the current flu vaccine this year is excellent. The county health department has asked us (and encourage you) to help spread the word to get protected. Nationally, only 10% of young kids are fully immunized for COVID and flu, and hospitals are filling up with sick kids. 

Kids and older adults are most vulnerable to Covid, RSV and flu so please help them get boosters and wear well fitting masks in crowded indoor settings. County-shared data show that cloth masks do not work very well. They advise, at minimum,  a surgical style mask should be used, but the most effective is a well-fitting KN95 or N95 respirator style mask. 

San Mateo County Health offers updated, bivalent boosters, which are effective against both the original strain of the virus and the Omicron variants, at its community clinics. Advance appointments are not required, but available, on MyTurn. Updated boosters and flu vaccines are also available from primary health care providers and pharmacies, such as Walgreens, CVS and others.

We encourage you to protect your families, help spread the word, and are tremendously grateful for your continued support of our indoor masking policy. Most of all, we hope everyone has a safe, healthy holiday season, and stays safe and healthy all winter long.

A little consideration in advance can prevent a scary Halloween-related animal emergency! Before you open the door to trick or treaters and watch your animal bolt out of it, or before someone gives your dog chocolate, perhaps take a few minutes to avoid turning Halloween into an actual 'fright night.'

Top of the list of things to think about is to keep the chocolate away from dogs. Actually, keep any sugary or high-fat foods away from dogs, or even sugar-free foods with xylitol in them. At Mid-Pen, what we see most at Halloween (or any of the holidays, really) is urgent treatment for dietary lapses. Sometimes owners forget. Sometimes big-hearted relatives and friends just don't know. Sometimes people forget to tell their kids (don't forget; tell your kids!). But as you know, most animals won't themselves refuse.

Also, did you know that raisins or grapes - even those peeled fake-eyeball grapes - can be toxic to some dogs? 

Be aware of Halloween noises that could cause any pet to try to escape, or experience high anxiety. Perhaps put your animal where they can not escape, even with adrenalyn. This goes double if you're hosting a party, tripple if your animal is not yet microchipped.

Clearly, you know your animals best, but please remember they react differently than you do. If they are prone to anxiety, perhaps confine the pet in a crate or in cozy room with the TV on during trick-or-treat hours, or during a party.

A little consideration beforehand, can go a really long way to ensuring your Halloween - whether festive or chill - doesn't become a nightmare. 

Be safe out there and have a Happy Halloween!

We will be closed on Friday, June 17th for a very exciting garage door upgrade. You may want to adjust plans for food or med orders, but it's also a good time for a few thoughts about the garage. 

"Go slow" usually goes without saying, but a couple of other helpful tips go a long way when it comes to leaving the garage. 

The first tip is: check the two displays for outside pedestrian, bike and car traffic. The displays (or TV monitors) let you see the sidewalk and street traffic before exiting the garage. From within the garage, when you stop your car at the Stop signs, the displays are positioned on each side of the exit at a height which should be comfortable for sedans and SUVs alike. That said, it's not a typical habit to look at the side of the door opening; the habit requires practice to develop. But try it: check the displays and see what's out there.

Second tip: also when you're at the Stop signs, if there's a lot of traffic, just hold that thought. Don't battle trying to get out in it. Just chill, because the typical street traffic consists of "waves" of very heavy traffic, punctuated by welcome breaks which are very low traffic. The low traffic part of the pulsing pattern is about as long as the high traffic part of the traffic pulse. This pattern is caused by the traffic lights on the corner. 

So, if you stop and there's traffic, sit back and relax for a bit, until the no-traffic time when you can exit in the leisurely, no-stress luxury that you deserve.

Those are our two helpful tips, but we also want to thank our wonderful client community for keeping animal safety in the garage top of mind. People do use the free leashes, and do transport cats in carriers, taking care to not open the car door without first securing the animal. It's pretty wonderful. You're pretty wonderful. Thank you!

There's been a lot of talk lately about getting booster shots for COVID, but today we're talking about getting booster shots for canine distemper for our dogs. There is reason to pay attention right now in the Bay Area.

Recently, there have been several media reports, including the San Francisco Chronicle who warns of "an outbreak of what is believed to be canine distemper, a sometimes fatal viral disease that is highly contagious among some mammals. It appears to be spreading at high rates, threatening to infect domestic dogs."

Canine distemper can be prevented or greatly reduced by a vaccine. Typically, puppies are given a series
of vaccinations "to increase the likelihood of building immunity when the immune system has not yet fully matured." 

Vaccinations need to be done on a schedule to maintain immunity throughout your pet’s lifetime. Yearly wellness checks will include keeping canine distemper vaccinations up to date, along with any other recommended vaccinations.

Here's where the COVID pandemic and this effort intersect. COVID has made it more challenging for all of us, and these days the schedule is pretty tightly packed with appointments booking out weeks in advance (except for bona fide emergencies or urgent care, of course). If your animals haven't had their wellness exam on schedule during the pandemic, it might be a good idea to get that appointment on the books. 

It's particularly important if you are starting to get out more and your animal is likely to come into increased contact with other animals. Canine distemper is spread through airborne exposure, as well as from shared food, water bowls and equipment. Infected dogs can shed virus for months. And like we already said, canine distemper can be treated, but can not be cured, and is often fatal. Vaccination is the key.

Viruses on surfaces and spread with airborne exposure – it all sounds so familiar, doesn't it? So, while we clearly encourage everyone to get a COVID booster, we definitely encourage making sure your dog gets their canine distemper booster too.