2017 was another full year for Garden Ridge Animal Hospital. We made a commitment to be trained in Fear Free Pet techniques https://fearfreepets.com/, and then started implementing them in everything we do. It has really changed my patient handling philosophy by striving for a less scaring, more fun experience for our patients, and ultimately their owners. Most of the time we use treats and toys, but sometimes we add antianxiety medicine. This dovetailed well with my prior interest in behavior cases.
We commissioned a new logo that reflects the diverse species that I see (dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, reptiles, pocket pets). You can see it at the top of the Home Page. And I started this Blog. I have written ~ 1/week since February. Up to now, I have just posted in on my veterinary business website, gardenridgevet.com, but I have just launched a real Blogging website (HERE) , so clients can subscribe and recommend it to their friends. Drpamdvmblog.com.
We watched KC’s pug puppy, Eloise, grow up. She just had a birthday. It has been pure joy playing with someone else’s puppy.
After Hurricane Harvey, we fostered 3 dogs and 4 cats for the Houston ASPCA. 2 of our fosters were reunited with their families, one was adopted by a client, and the rest were returned in Houston In November to find homes locally.
This fall we lost 2 experienced nurses, Christian and Sandi. They moved on to other small animal practices in other cities. We hired Charli, our youngest receptionist/room technician, and moved KC up to full nurse. Charli came here from Louisiana where she worked for several years at a vet practice in Baton Rouge. Monica, our groomer, has pulled some receptionist shifts when KC broke her arm this fall, which is healing up nicely.
On a personal note, my husband and I took a long car trip with the Dallas Model A Ford Club to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks. We were gone 2 weeks, saw these national treasures from vintage cars, and took lots of pictures. I wrote an article for the national Model A Ford magazine, The Restorer, and anticipate my cover shot and article will be in the January 2018 issue. If so, it will be my 3rd cover shot and 3rd article.
My husband and I also have some property in East Texas, and have just remodeled a 3 bedroom cabin from a Quilting Retreat to a weekend family/wedding country cabin. The website isn’t up yet, but the Facebook business page is, under Highland Lake Lodge.
