Why we do the things we do!

​At Rustebakke Veterinary Service we take great pride and care of our patients and their owners.  We strive to provide the highest quality of care for every animal that crosses our doorway.  Our clinic is certified by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the national standard of veterinary medicine.  We strongly feel these guidelines and recommendations are important for our own pets as well as our clients. 
For every anesthetic procedure, whether it is a spay, neuter, mass removal, or periodontal (dental cleaning) procedure, we recommend preanesthetic bloodwork to evaluate patient’s organ function and other risk factors.  
Also, IV catheter and IV fluids during the procedure is a standard we keep for most of our anesthetic procedures.  All canine neuters and spays and all canine and feline periodontal procedures will have an IV-catheter placed and IV fluids administered during the procedure.  All surgeries such as tumor removals or emergency procedures will have the same protocol.  We have found that we have less anesthetic events when we can help regulate body temperature and blood pressure with IV fluids.  We also have pets recovering from anesthesia better and able to go home with less complications.
We have an EKG monitoring system and trained veterinary support staff to monitor heart rate, blood pressure, and other anesthetic parameters throughout the procedure. 
In 2015 we purchased a digital radiology system able to perform intraoral radiographs for all our dental procedures.  AAHA also requires intraoral radiographs for all periodontal procedures.  We have found that being able to visualize roots and surrounding bone has made our decisions of whether to extract a tooth or not, easier.  Often time the visible tooth does not reflect the root system.  We can see abnormal root tips and shapes that will complicate the extraction process.  However, we can also make the decision to keep a tooth if the root system and bone is not diseased.
We highly recommend periodontal consults prior to a procedure so we can properly prepare you, the owner, for not only the cost of the procedure but the after care and further disease prevention.  We can also discuss the overall general health of each animal to make sure this anesthetic procedure will be beneficial.  Each pet and family are an individual and we hope to provide the best individual care that they require.
Human health care provides many of the same procedures and requirements.  The largest difference between your health care and your pets’ is that you can tell your doctor how you feel.  You also brush your teeth twice a day (at least I hope you do!) as routine preventative care.  Brushing your pet’s teeth twice daily is not feasible for majority of people, including us.  Incorporating home care such as brushing twice a week or dental treats/food will greatly reduce your dog or cat’s dental disease and number of anesthetic periodontal treatments. 
As veterinarians, we prefer preventative medicine and trying to reduce disease, rather than treating after the fact.  Treating disease is costlier for you and can be life limiting for your pet.  This includes vaccination protocols, periodontal health, spaying/neutering, and anesthetic procedures.    We love our pets and your pets healthy and happy!!
We hope you have a Merry Christmas Season and Happy New Year!
 
Dr. Jessica Bell, Dr. Cassidy Micahelis, and Dr. Christina Sparlin and our wonderful staff!