Surface Creek Veterinary Center - May 2022

May 2022 www.surfacecreekveterinarycenter.com 970-856-4474

SCVC Pawprint

A Teacher and a Friend HONORING MY ROLE MODEL, TOM LUTZ

1 WWW.SURFACECREEKVETERINARYCENTER.COM –Dr. Jeff Any kid would be lucky to have a teacher half as good as Tom Lutz, and I’m so grateful he became a part of my life. I know I wouldn’t be the man or veterinarian I am today without his guidance. They say a great teacher’s influence can last a lifetime, and nothing could be more accurate in this instance. It was an honor to be his student and friend until the end. I’m glad I wrote that letter because, in the end, life is short. I got a call from the Mayo Clinic hospice where Tom was living out his last days about 20 hours before he passed away. I flew down and stayed at his bedside as he took his last breath. Though difficult to experience, I felt glad that I could be there for him like he’d been there for me so many times throughout my life. Tom never married or had children. But even in the middle of a pandemic, his funeral seemed packed to the rafters. He spent his entire life helping wayward kids, and they flew in from all over the country to pay their respects. Some even traveled from the Galapagos Islands, where he continued to teach classes after retirement. He changed many people's lives like he changed mine. His impact was immeasurable. me sometimes, and we’d continue our outdoor hunts for reptiles and other small critters. My kids always knew him as the “snake and frog guy.” Some years ago, I read a book about gratitude, and one of the main concepts relayed the importance of being thankful for the people who made a difference in your life. I wrote letters to about five people who impacted my youth. They all helped me grow up and taught me how to be an adult. Tom got one of them, and I remember him calling me in tears to say he’d received it.

back to the lab and realized no one else had previously identified them.

Outside of parents, few adults influence us more as children than our teachers do. Tom Lutz began as my teacher, but he became a lifelong friend. May 3 is National Teacher Day, which seems like the perfect opportunity to reflect on what he meant to me. Coincidentally, we’re also approaching the first anniversary of his passing last May. I first met Mr. Lutz in Arizona during seventh grade. He came fresh out of teaching college at Phoenix University, and though he became my homeroom teacher, his main subject was science. He had a Ph.D. in herpetology (the study of amphibians), and he often took young men from our school on camping trips and nature walks where we’d look for snakes, frogs, or scorpions. At the age of 12, I certainly didn’t know what I wanted to be when I grew up, but Mr. Lutz helped me figure out that I loved science, biology, and working with animals. Being out there in nature, studying everything, became a lot of fun. He once discovered a new scorpion species, and I was there with him. He didn’t realize how unique they were until he got them

He was a bit like Steve Irwin, back before Steve Irwin was a thing. Rattlesnakes were common, and everyone in town knew to call him if they came across one. He’d go over in his blue Ford Pinto station wagon to catch them, and my friends and I had a lot of fun watching him from inside the car. Behind the backseat, there were usually a bunch of pillows with rattlesnakes rattling around. All us boys would fight to sit in the front because we didn't want to be near them! I continued camping with him throughout high school and college, and once I was an adult in Colorado, we still stayed in touch. It seemed like a funny transition because it’s hard to stop calling one of your teachers by their title. He insisted I call him Tom, but I’d still slip up sometimes and refer to him as Mr. Lutz. He’d respond, “Okay, Dr. Hirsch,” and I would quickly get his point. We might go two or three months without speaking, but once we got on the phone, it seemed like no time had passed. Tom would visit

FROM DOWN UNDER TO CEDAREDGE Meet Lanie Cernzy! The Best Companion Kennel technician Lanie Cernzy has always had a passion for animals. “It started very early on in childhood,” she says. “I would read veterinary books. Originally, I wanted to work for National Geographic and study animal and insect behaviors.” In the beginning, her journey took a more traditional approach. “I’ve done animal rehabilitation work, grooming, shelter work, and foster work,” she says. But her decision to move to Australia to continue her work with animals was a little more unconventional. “I spent a lot of time working for the RSPCA,” Lanie says, referencing an Australian organization similar to the ASPCA. “It was beautiful there. But then it seemed like a good time to help animals in a different part of the world. So, I decided to come to Colorado to do just that.” She has now been working in our kennel for the past fewmonths. While she hopes to return to the world of animal rescue someday, Lanie is currently enjoying a relatively low-key environment. “It’s much mellower than the work I’m used to doing,” she says. “I’m used to working with fighting dogs, feral animals, or street animals who were deemed unadoptable. I find this much more soothing and relaxing.” At Surface Creek, Lanie says she enjoys the animals and the additional human interaction. “It’s fun being at a new site, and I’m working around people a lot more than before. It’s nice!” She also enjoys the exposure to the medical aspects of animal care. “We’re helping animals and helping the relationship between the owner and their pet. It adds additional quality of life for them both.” At the moment, Lanie doesn’t have any pets outside of her ant colony; ant keeping has been an interest since she was a child. “Learning is another one of my hobbies,” she says. “Outside of working with animals, my free time is usually spent learning more about them.” Though some people might find it challenging to deal with what Lanie calls “the messes that come along with animals,” she doesn’t mind so long as she gets to spend time helping and caring for them. “I love that I’m still working with animals,” she says. No matter what, she adds, “That’s something I will always do.”

BLACK MAGIC

Black cats can have it rough. People associate them with Halloween and bad luck, they can be tricky to photograph, and they make up a full third of all cats surrendered to animal shelters. But one special black feline named Piran proved his worth when he led rescuers to his 83-year-old owner after she fell down a ravine. In August 2021, the woman went for a walk near her home in Cornwall, England. When she didn’t return, her neighbors started to worry. They formed a search operation, but there was a lot of ground to cover in their rural surroundings. They had little luck in their investigation until they heeded the advice of her cat. While the search crew worked, Piran refused to move from one specific spot, and he meowed incessantly. That wasn’t like him, so eventually, Tamar Longmuir, a neighbor assisting in the search, decided to find out the reason for all the racket. Longmuir called to the woman while investigating the cat’s noises and heard a faint response. Piran had staked out his position where his owner had fallen — 70 feet down a ravine located at the edge of a cornfield. According to Longmuir, "She had gone through the barbed wire and was laying in the stream — we think she had been in there for hours." Emergency services were called and quickly rescued the woman. “Without the cat waiting at the gate to that field,” Longmuir added, “it could have been hours later that I or anyone else would have checked in there.” The injured woman was taken to the hospital in good spirits and stable condition, avoiding a potential tragedy. Meanwhile, the police posted a photograph of Piran’s handsome black face on social media and declared him a hero. Though he reportedly received many treats, Piran’s real reward was a job well done. “The cat is very attached to her,” Longmuir said. Cats may not generally be known for their loyalty, but maybe it’s time for the stereotype to get an update. Clearly, Piran the black cat was anything but bad luck. He proved it with the grandest act possible — saving his human’s life. How One Cat Saved His Owner’s Life

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HOT DOG! Keep Your Pup Out of Hot Cars Memorial Day is just around the corner, and backyard grills aren’t the only thing heating up. Temperatures are rising, and we all know what it’s like to get in our cars only to burn our hands on the steering wheel and wonder how it got so darned hot. Just imagine how your dog must feel.

but sometimes we can endure it longer. Dogs only pant, raising their

anxiety levels. Once they begin to panic, their chances of survival drop even further.

Think it’s not hot enough to be dangerous? Think again. When it's 75 degrees F out, it can only take 10 minutes to reach

Clients Spreading the Word When facing extreme heat, people have many advantages over canines. For a start, we have opposable thumbs and can extricate ourselves from most dangerous situations. Secondly, we can sweat to regulate our body temperatures. That doesn’t mean we can tolerate any heat, PETA reports that in 2021, 59 animals died in hot cars. And those are only the reported cases — accurate numbers are likely much higher. Most of these people aren’t typically cruel or negligent pet owners, but they made the fatal mistake of assuming their dog would be fine for “just a few minutes.” But sometimes dogs’ bodies can heat up even quicker than humans do, and tragedy can ensue.

100 degrees F inside a car and 30 minutes to reach 120 degrees F. Contrary to popular belief, cracking a window makes little difference. Older dogs and puppies are particularly at risk, as are those with health problems. While you should never leave any dog alone in the car, those breeds with broad skulls and short muzzles, like pugs and bulldogs, are particularly susceptible to heatstroke. To keep your pooch safe during the summer, you should know the warning signs. Heatstroke is usually first signaled by restlessness and discomfort in your dog, followed by panting or trouble breathing. Many dogs will start to bark or whine at this phase. Once confusion and disorientation set in, the situation becomes critical. The final stage is lethargy, which is often fatal.

So, what should you do if you see a dog in distress in a hot vehicle? According to Colorado law, your responsibilities are to look for the owner, confirm the car is locked, and call 911. Then, you may legally break a window to free the dog. It’s a drastic step and not to be taken lightly. But if you’re ever in that situation, it might save a life.

Gourmet Cat Salmon Patties Inspired by Petsmont.com

Sandra Stevens Bill & Amy Spiker Anita Distefano Pam George Jill Ludlam

INGREDIENTS

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1 4-oz fresh salmon fillet

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2 large eggs

1/4 cup oats

DIRECTIONS

6. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, oat flour, and salmon meat. 7. Using your hands, form salmon mixture into 1-inch patties. 8. On a foil-lined baking sheet, cook patties for approximately 12–15 minutes at 350 F. Patties should be golden brown. 9. Allow the patties to cool completely before

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. On a foil-lined baking sheet, place raw salmon and bake for approximately 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145 F. 3. In the refrigerator, allow salmon to cool completely. 4. Using a food processor, grind oats into a fine flour. 5. With 2 forks, shred cooled salmon into small pieces.

giving them to your cat. Store leftover patties in the refrigerator or freezer.

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The Difference a Teacher Can Make inside this issue

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Cat Saves 83-Year-Old From Potentially Fatal Tumble

Meet Kennel Technician Lanie Cernzy

Protect Your Dog From Heatstroke

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Gourmet Cat Salmon Patties

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Strengthen Your Entire Body!

BIG BENEFITS OF CANOEING AND KAYAKING Paddle Your Way to Better Health New Appointment Cancellation Policy When you cancel with less than 24-hour notice, we now require a prepaid $50 deposit to reschedule. If you keep your rescheduled appointment, we will apply the deposit to your veterinary bill. If you miss your rescheduled appointment, the fee is nonrefundable.

The weather is getting warmer, which means you can do more activities in the water. Canoeing or kayaking is an excellent way to get outdoors and be active. Besides looking at the beautiful scenery around you, taking to the water confers several physical and mental health benefits. Physical Benefits • Paddling can help improve your upper-body strength and muscle tone — because you’re using your arms to guide yourself through the water with the paddle. Paddling helps strengthen your arms, shoulders, chest, and back. •

Mental Benefits • While canoeing or kayaking, your body releases serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins from neurotransmitters. This will help boost your mood and self-confidence and improve your focus . • These activities can enhance your memory and learning ability . This is because it exercises your hippocampus, one of the largest portions of your brain that is responsible for verbal memory and learning. • If you have trouble sleeping, this activity can improve your sleep . Exercising during the day can make you naturally tired, which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. •

You use your legs to balance, maneuver, and change directions in the vessel. In turn, this movement helps strengthen your lower- body muscles . While trying to stay centered and balanced on the water, you will develop more core strength . Paddling helps work your lower back, abs, and oblique muscles.

Since you’ll be in the sun, your body can produce more vitamin D . This vitamin is essential for strong bones and an effective immune system.

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Canoeing and kayaking are great outdoor activities to help you get your daily dose of physical activity and a mental health boost. So, enjoy the warm weather and be one with nature — this may be your new favorite summer hobby this year!

It’s a form of cardiac exercise that will help your heart circulate more blood throughout your body. It will also improve your endurance , enabling you to go longer distances faster.

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