Animal Emergency and Trauma Center Winter Hours

January 9th thru May 5th

Animal Emergency and Trauma Center (AETC) has initiated winter hours effective January 9,2012 – May 5, 2012. We are now open nights, weekends and holidays. Our winter hours are 6 P.M. – 9 A.M. Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends and holidays. If you have an emergency during normal daytime business hours, please contact your family veterinarian.

The decision to close during “Normal Working Hours” was based on the reduced emergency needs during the day when veterinary general practices are open. The need for emergency care normally decreases in the winter when pets are not as likely to need emergency care.

Patients hospitalized for emergency care will be able to transfer to their family veterinarian IF STABLE enough to do so. Critically ill patients will be able to remain hospitalized at AETC and receive the care they require until they are stable enough to transfer or go home.

Peninsula Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA)

News from the the Quarterly Newsletter

Jaunary 31. 2012  Volume 1.3

The year 2011 was an exciting and eventful one for the Peninsula Veterinary Medical Association. Through hard work on the part of the executive board and phenomenal participation on behalf of you – our members – we were able to put together a diverse and stimulating series of continuing education lectures over the past several months. Topics included behavior, oncology, compassion fatigue, clinical pathology, and ophthalmology. In addition, we were able to spend some afternoons and evenings enjoying the company of colleagues, friends and family. Our wonderful area clinics have demonstrated their generosity and community spirit for the second year in a row during the annual holiday food drive. This year we can look forward to informative and relevant CE presentations on canine sports medicine, neurology, and soft tissue surgery, as well as thoughtful and timely topics both medical and non-medical in the months to come. Stay tuned for additional opportunities for social and public service events throughout the year.
We can’t wait to see you there!

Rabies Requirements 2012 Now in Effect

Officially, no exemptions will be granted. Any animal with special circumstances regarding rabies vaccination (e.g. prior vaccine reaction) will be treated as an unvaccinated animal if rabies vaccination status has lapsed in the event of exposure to a wild animal, exposure to a rabies suspect or if the animal bites another animal or a human. This may require quarantine or euthanasia depending on the circumstance.

If you have any questions about the new law or special circumstances, please contact Washington State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Ron Wohrle at Ron.Wohrle@doh.wa.gov.

COMPASSION ANGELS

June, 2011   

Establishment of the Peninsula Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA)
November, 2011

Dr. Burgess is the treasurer of the PVMA. The association was started by a group of local veterinarians in 2010 to promote veterinary medicine in the West Sound Region. David Burgess DVM, owner of Animal Emergency and Trauma Center, was one of the founding members of PVMA.

The PVMA was established to provide client education, to participate in local charitable fund raising, and to provide continuing education opportunities for local veterinarians. Social events are also part of the association’s goal. There are currently 40 registered members. The officers are as follows:

The following Q&A comes from an interview with Dr. Burgess:

• How does the PVMA relate to WSVMA (Washington State Veterinary Medical Association) and AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association)?
Dr. Burgess: The PVMA is a local veterinary organization whose members practice in Kitsap, northern Pierce and Jefferson counties. The WSVMA is a statewide organization and the AVMA is a nationwide organization. Most veterinarians in this group belong to all three.

• What is the story behind the establishment of this group?
Dr. Burgess: Some of the younger veterinarians felt a need to establish a local association to promote the profession, continuing education, and public awareness. Other metropolitan areas (Seattle, Tacoma) have local associations and there was a feeling that one could be started here as well.

• Why have a local VMA? What does it do for our local veterinarians?
Dr. Burgess: A local VMA promotes camaraderie within the profession, allows for continuing education (CE) opportunities without major travel or expense, and promotes the profession within the community through community service projects. A current community project is the Xmas food drive going on now. The food drive is for both humans and pets.

• Is there any benefit to pet owners in this area with the establishment
of this group?
Dr. Burgess: Pet owners benefit via some of the community service projects. Pet owners also benefit from better medicine that comes from more CE opportunities offered by PVMA. The community will also benefit from the increased camaraderie and interaction between individual veterinarians sharing information, goals and resources.

• What is the main purpose of the group?
Dr. Burgess: The main purpose of the group is to maintain high quality veterinary medicine within this region, as well as, to promote camaraderie and social opportunities for local veterinarians.

Seattle Met magazine
March, 2011

Dr. Dave Burgess and Dr. Michael Stone, veterinarians who practice at Animal Emergency and Trauma Center in Poulsbo, have been ranked as top local veterinarians. The magazine, in partnership with the national survey company Top Vets, sent ballots to veterinarians listed with the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association and other local societies in King, Snohomish, Kitsap, Pierce, Whatcom, and Thurston counties. The survey asked veterinarians, “If a client’s pet was in need of veterinary care and you could not take the case, who would you refer them to?”. The result appeared in the March 2011 issue of Seattle Met along with a roundup of reasons why it’s great to be a pet in Western Washington. Animal Emergency and Trauma Center is located in Poulsbo and places emphasis on companion animal emergency and critical care.