Dr. Zimmerman visits Costa Rica…


During a recent trip to Costa Rica, I had the amazing opportunity to visit the Jaguar Rescue Center and donate much needed medical supplies on behalf of ACCESS Specialty Animal Hospital — South Bay.

The Jaguar Rescue Center (JRC) is a temporary or permanent home for ill, injured and orphaned animals in southern Costa Rica, just outside of Puerto Viejo. With a focus on birds, reptiles, amphibians and small primates, the JRC provides veterinary services, round-the-clock care and comfort to animals that would otherwise be unable to survive in the rainforest or the sea of the Caribbean.

The JRC has a full-service hospital where injured or ill animals receive medications, special diets, physical therapy, and even surgery! The primary goal of the JRC is rehabilitation and return to the wild. In this, the JRC has an amazing track record. The La Ceiba Primary Forest serves as a release point for animals which will be returned to the wild. Even animals who cannot be released due to injury can be taken on ā€œday excursionsā€ into the primary forest. An amazing example I witnessed was an anteater who had suffered brain damage after being struck by a vehicle. He would not survive alone in the wild. He does, however, get the opportunity daily to experience the wild of the primary forest with a chaperone.

The JRC finds space and rehabilitates any and all animals native to the area, even full grown crocodiles! One of the more recognizable animals in Costa Rica is the sloth. Many sloth babies are orphaned when the mother is electrocuted grabbing an electrical wire rather than a tree or vine. The rehabilitation of an orphan is an extensive process. If a sloth cannot be returned to the wild, they can live up to 40 years, a big commitment! The permanent residents are given proper food, exercise, and access to the beach or jungle to maintain the best quality of life.

If you would like to donate or visit the Jaguar Rescue Center, please find them at jaguarrescue.foundation/

Click on the below pics to enjoy ‘bigger’ cuteness…
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Labradoodles Have an Interesting History

Did you know that Labradoodles came about when an Australian breeder successfully crossed the Labrador retriever and standard poodle? They wanted to create a guide dog for the blind that would be compatible for those allergic to fur and dander!

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Dr. Allyza, Our First Future Vet…

 


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We first met Allyza in 2015 when Dr. Olivia Petritz spoke at her elementary school in South Central. In addition to bringing along several species of exotic animals, Dr. Petritz talked to the kids about conservation, how to treat animals, and what it’s like to be a vet.

After the presentation, Allyza introduced herself to Dr. Petritz and her love for animals was made immediately clear. Allyza was star struck and even asked Dr. Petritz to autograph her veterinary Lego set guidebook and her veterinarian Barbie doll!

In March 2016, we invited Allyza to join our Los Angeles hospital as a “doctor” for the day to encourage her love of animals and furthering her education. Upon arrival, Allyza was greeted by Hospital Manager Jason Bitting, who gave Allyza her very own white lab coat complete with her name embroidered on the front.

She and her mother were then taken on a tour of the hospital, finally landing in our Exotics department, where she was reunited with Dr. Petritz, her assistant Rosa, and Dr. Karen Schachterle. There, Dr. Allyza listened to the heartbeats of a tortoise and bird and had many of her questions about our patients, school, and veterinary medicine answered. We also traveled to some of our other departments and learned about endoscopy in Internal Medicine, MRI in Neurology, and made our way back to Exotics to check the expiration dates on food for our patients and look at some of the tools used in surgeries. She then had pizza for lunch and was presented with a year-long membership for her family to the LA Zoo and ended her day by saying goodbye to all of the patients.

We are so lucky to have been able to spend quality time with Allyza and help foster her love for veterinary medicine. We hope she continues to pursue her passion and can’t wait to see what the future holds for her!

Shannon Brown

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Viva Las Vegas!

We were lucky enough to attend the 2016 Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas earlier this month and had a great time meeting new people and seeing old friends.

Our technicians and doctors attended several lectures to further their knowledge while our Marketing Coordinator, Shannon, and Technician Managers, Greg and Raul, attended the Technician Fair to meet new technicians and talk about what ACCESS Specialty Animal Hospitals have to offer.

We love having the chance to interact with so many incredible veterinary professionals and look forward to the next conference!

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Cookin’ for the Whole Crew!

This week we celebrated the tremendous efforts of our staff members by having our admin teams cook breakfast for everyone and it was a hit! Between the eggs, bacon, pancakes, and vegan options for absolutely everything, everyone began their shifts with a full belly and a huge smile.

Our chefs began cooking at 6:00am to serve our overnight employees and kept going for those coming in throughout the morning, with Dr. Mills even bringing in eggs from his chickens at home. Our swing shift also participated in the fun when a third round of cooking was kicked off in each hospital!

We would like to thank the Veterinary Cancer Group, Eye Care for Animals, and Southern California Veterinary Imaging for joining in the festivities with us!

 
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Helping our human friends…

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From now until December 19th, you can drop off a new toy that is not wrapped atĀ ACCESS Specialty Animal Hospital in Los Angeles, or ACCESS Specialty Animal Hospital in San Fernando Valley.

All donations will be taken to the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital this weekend so that the young patients may have gifts in time for Christmas.

 

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Holiday Pet Safety Tips…

It’s Holiday time again.

Check out these tips to keep your pet feeling jolly all year long!

Click on the images below to download our Holiday Pet Safety tips.

These ā€˜free printables’ can be printed with ease! Stick one on your fridge as a reminder, then share them with your friends, at school, or at your place of work.

Be safe and have fun…

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