Tag Archives: Surgery

Caesarean Sections in Pets: What You Need to Know

A newborn puppy
July 12th marks Julius Caesar’s 2124th birthday. Medically, this date is important because a common surgery, the Caesarean section, is named in Mr. Caesar’s honor, even though there’s no proof he was delivered through this surgery. Often referred to as a C-section, this surgery is performed when offspring are delivered through an abdominal incision rather than through the birth canal. The word “offspring” is a calculated decision on my part. C-sections are common in human medicine, but veterinarians will also deliver puppies, kittens, calves, lambs and the occasional bird or turtle via a C-section. C-section surgery is as important to animal health as it is to human health.

Happy Birthday, Leaplings! Celebrating Dogs Born on Leap Day

Oskar, a leap year dog, on a couch wearing a Happy Birthday crown
Leap Year rolls around every four years. For those born on February 29, they age (numerically) 75% slower than the rest of us because their birthday happens only every four years. The chances of having a “leapling” pet are about one in 1,461. Since the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center sees 50,000+ patient visits each year, I thought there must be some leapling patients in our system and, sure enough, when I queried our medical records, there were a number of them. To celebrate Leap Year 2024, here are their stories in order of their birth!

What AMC’s New Surgical Institute Means for Your Pet

Veterinarians and clients celebrate the opening of AMC's new surgical center
With great fanfare, the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center held a “leash cutting” ceremony to mark the grand opening of the Denise and Michael Kellen Institute for Surgical Care. The press release describes 7,000 square feet of newly constructed surgery space with five operating rooms, a minor procedure room, and an anesthesia recovery area that separates feline patients from canine patients. The photos show a gathering of happy veterinary surgeons alongside grateful patients and hospital supporters. But what does the 7,000-square-foot addition mean for your pet?

Veterinary Miracles That Will Warm Your Heart this Holiday Season

A cat with a Christmas ornament
This time of year, we celebrate miracles of hope, faith and kindness. Hanukkah celebrates a second century BC miracle where a tiny amount of oil found in the Temple in Jerusalem miraculously kept lamps burning for eight days. Christmas celebrates the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ. At the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, we believe in miracles too. In the spirit of the holiday season, I want to share just a few of them from AMC’s past, present and future.