Ceiling, Door and Cabinet Tour

As you walk in the front door, you face the reception desk (desk not installed yet)

To your right is the waiting area

The exam rooms are on the left. Not much to look at yet!

On the other side of the exam room, our pharmacy takes shape

On the way to the clinical area, you pass the doctor's office

As you enter the treatment room, the lab is on your left

The main treatment island has a dry (medical) side

and a wet (surgical prep and dental) side

The tile goes in next week, then the heavy duty sheet vinyl and poured epoxy kennel floor. We are still on schedule for a Feb 1 start date--more to come.

Beautiful Women

We recently had our clinic Christmas celebration at Clydes in Ashburn. As I told the staff, the new clinic that we are building is only a tool for us to practice good medicine and surgery. It is our staff that makes Towne Animal Clinic what it is. We are so proud of the role they play in helping to care for our patients. As we have grown together as a practice and family, we value them more and more, not just for their clinical skills and knowledge, but for the dedication to their families, the challenges they have overcome, the beautiful people they are.

Uncomplicated

The human-animal bond is truly a gift. One of the things that makes that relationship so special is how uncomplicated it is. When I come home, my dog is happy to see me. He doesn't remember that I didn't pay attention to him yesterday or that he didn't get that extra treat he wanted. When we play tug of war, he just wants to tug. No gloating at winning, no sadness at losing. He enjoys his food even though it is a nondescript nugget. He chases deer without thinking ahead to what he would do if he caught one. I can make his tail wag by just looking at him. A belly rub is as good as it gets. No complaints about not being able to sleep on the bed. No angst, no regrets, no worries about tomorrow.

I do wonder, however, what is behind that look of consternation as our new kitten eats from his food bowl!

Housebreaking 101

A lot of time and text is devoted to housebreaking, but of all the techniques I've heard, this, I feel, is the most effective. I describe it here because it comes up so often in practice, perhaps more than any other behavioral issue.

1. During the training period, keep your dog on an approx 8-10 foot leash or in a crate at all times. The crate should be just big enought for him to turn around in. (If he urinates or defecates in his cage for more than a few days, has medical issues or cage anxiety, these are special cases and we should talk!) Do not paper train unless you can't let him out for more than about 8 hours (less for very young puppies). Paper training blurs the line of what is an appropriate bathroom area.

2. When outside the crate, even indoors, keep him on a the leash so that you can immediately correct any inappropriate behavior (including attempting to use the bathroom inside) with a sharp "NO", rattle can, etc. You must keep him under observation at all times so that each infraction is interrupted and corrected immediately.

3. When you take him outside to urinate, go to one spot in the yard and just stand there with him until he goes. You can say "Go Potty"or a similar phrase, but do not pet, feed, touch, or play with him. Once he goes, then reward him profusely with treats and play.

4. If he hasn't gone in 10 minutes or so, take him back inside and watch him closely, again keeping him on the leash or in his crate. Be prepared to take him outside again if he shows any signs of having to go.

5. If he has an accident and you don't catch him "in the act", clean it up but do not punish him.

6. After at least 2 weeks of no accidents, start letting him off the leash, but if accidents occur, return to the program described above.

There are many subtleties to housebreaking, but this covers 95% of dogs, young and old. Best of luck!

Paint, Cabinets and Lights

While I was gone, a lot of progress was made on the new clinic. Walls were painted

Cabinets were installed

And light fixtures replaced the incandescent work lights.

Architectural Inspiration

My wife and I just returned from Rome, Italy and Paros, Greece where we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary and visited our daughter who is studying abroad. I'll give updates on the clinic progress in the next post, but the trip certainly put the scope of our project in perspective!

Pantheon

St John Lateran Basilica Doors

A Paros Sunset

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

This is one of our favorites stories from several years ago:

Despite his lack of depth perception, “Bandito”, a 20 pound Jack Russel Terrier, was full of pep that June day when the yeast had finally won the battle over control of his ears. Little did we know as we sent him out the door, ear medication in paw, that a time bomb was ticking inside him, a vestige of maladies past and a vision of danger to come!

You see, Bandito’s poor vision was the result of an unfortunate shift in the location of his right lens and the resultant glaucoma that claimed his eye at the youthful age of 7. While his left eye was enjoying a mercifully low pressure, his right was a thing of the past, having been removed in its entirety. Seeking the most cosmetic outcome, his parents had elected to have the ophthalmologist place a rubber implant in the socket during surgery. In the following weeks, two separate implants failed. Both had been rejected shortly after surgery, and despite the ghastly looks from strange dogs on his daily walks (you know how cruel dogs can be) and the awkward moments in front of the mirror each morning, he had grown to accept his wink as a small price to pay for his suburban life and all the culinary perks that go with it.

One week after his ear visit, however, Bandito's world changed. Almost imperceptibly at first, he felt the shift. Up came the methazolamide, then up came the xalatan. Then gradually the waves of nausea crescendoed, leading to episodes of vomiting so numerous that within hours, his dedicated master had him looking at the wall of an exam room once again. Bandito considered biting Dr. Bollenbeck as he had seen the other terrier do in the room next door, but his gentle nature made him think better of it, resigning himself to a groan and menacing glance (to the left that is) as his abdomen was palpated.

The medication he was forced to swallow followed the same general route as the rest of his gastric contents that night, and the next day saw an even more dismal trip to the hospital. This time radiographs revealed a round foreign body in his intestinal tract. As he listened to the conversation between his master and Dr. Bollenbeck, he got the sinking feeling that he had been a very naughty dog. He then got very sleepy and recalled the room moving jerkily from left to right. Bandito’s next experience was expelling the endotracheal tube, a sensation that made vomiting feel like a good scratch behind the ears.

He happened to overhear the surgeon’s conversation with his master as he lay in recovery. He did not see the humor that Dr. Rice apparently did in having removed an eye prosthesis from his duodenum. After all, it had been over 2 months since Bandito had finally managed to scratch that darn thing out. Since it was too small to roll in, Bandito had followed the next prime directive regarding dogs and unsavory objects--he ate it. He recalled that it was smoother going down than most foreign bodies and had all but forgotten about its full-bodied, slightly woody flavor, but apparently it had not exited his stomach and started it's journey down the small intestine until yesterday.

He knew he was in the right home when his master graciously accepted the diagnosis and bore neither resentment nor scorn towards his entirely canine habits. And four months later, “blind in one eye and can't see out t'other”, he was confident that, should his left eye have to be removed, he certainly wouldn't be bothered or tempted by another prosthesis. Drs. Bollenbeck and Rice learned an important lesson as well--A dog's eyes aren't bigger than his stomach, but they are bigger than his small intestine!

The Gates of Trash

There are little signs of progress all around the new clinic space, but the dumpster enclosure is the first completed structure. She's a beauty, especially with the sun majestically rising behind her!

There's a sink in my Office

As we accumulate items for the new clinic, we must store them within the limited space of our existing faciliy. Everywhere I look I am reminded of a project to complete or solve: A sampling:

Cage parts

8' metal post

Sprayer hose

No Parking sign

Oxygen Manifold

Millwork Catalogs

Equipment catalogs

Site Plan Waiver Plat

48 inch walk in bathing tub

Wall mount fold down exam table

Recessed male DISS ceiling outlets

Scavenge Unit and 6 scavenger interfaces

Male DISS x 1/4 inch NPT Oxygen fitting

Quick Disconnect Dental Water Supply fitting

Although Dr Bollenbeck and I are enthused by and dedicated to this project, I think we both are spending more time with clients in the exam room lately to get recharged by what we really love-veterinary medicine!

Thanksgiving

I have a lot to be thankful for, but the relationships I have at work are some of the great treasures:

First, our patients. I don't really need to explain the "human-animal bond" if you are reading this blog. But it is evidenced by the frequent focus of holiday gathering conversations on our pets. Just mention your cat or dog and see how many stories this prompts!

Second, our clients. The nature of our business tends to bring us compassionate individuals. The relationships we have with them are one of the most satisfying aspects of our profession. We realize we are not just treating pets--we are keeping the human-animal bond healthy too.

Third, our employees, our second family. One of the rewarding parts of owning a small business is being able to provide a livelihood for our employees. Their dedication to our business has given us the opportunity to focus on their needs as well as those of our patients. They laugh, cry, study, learn and trouble shoot with us. We enjoy the satisfaction that comes from a job well done.

Finally, Jason Bollenbeck. Jason is one of the closest and most trusted individuals in my life. He is a man of integrity and dedication to his profession and the community. He has selflessly supported my role as a husband and father and has helped make me a better person. I couldn't have been given a better friend to live the dream of owning and now building our own veterinary hospital.

Details

Other than the delivery of countless sheets of drywall, this is the stage of the buildout where nothing seems to be happpening at first glance, but on closer inspection many infrastructure items are going into place:

Wall insulation

Wiring for the wall outlets

HVAC duct work

and lots of Plumbing!

My Little Princess

This isn't a veterinary or building post, but a dad story. Sunday our youngest turned six and had a princess-tea party-castle pinata-castle cake party with a few of her friends. The highlight was a doll house present that she opened earlier in the day and matching accessories that her friends gave her as gifts at the party. Of course, she played with the house all day long, well into the evening and all the next day. Rebecca has quite a vocabulary so we are used to her "grown-up" phrases, but her comment to my wife last night ranks in the top ten. Reflecting on her new present she said:

"Mom, that dollhouse has completely changed my life!"

(I guess I could say the same of the new clinic buildout)

Looking Up

Here is another view from the entrance of the new clinic. This structure will support the lights and ceiling over the reception area. As you turn to the right you can see the waiting area. Since the ceililng grid is in, the ceiling height walls are also going up. The exam rooms are on the left and seating will be on the right. One client bathroom door is visible on the far wall to the left. Insulation partially hides the door to the store room. It is becoming more difficult to keep up with the pace of building, but we are happy to have that challenge!

Purrposeful Living

Yesterday I was examining a cat who was very much at peace with the world. This kitty was purring the entire visit! As I checked his ears and eyes, joints, lymph nodes, teeth and abdomen, he just kept on purring. I had to listen to his heart for twice as long as usual just to make out the heart sounds under the vibration. The more I examined, the more he purred.

Amused by how happy this cat was, I remarked to the client, "Don't you wish we could be that content all the time?"

Later on I was thinking about that visit and how the responsibilities of our lives do sometimes distract us from the simple pleasures that add beauty to our lives--fall leaves, a brisk fall morning, the great sunsets of this past week, and the relationships with people around us. I realize that in today's world we need to be on our guard, but hopefully our pets remind us that it is wise to purr once in a while. Enjoy relationships with our fellow human beings. Look for the good in others. Get excited just to go on a W-A-L-K.

Perspective

Construction is moving at an amazing pace. All the pre-planning is paying off as we see our dream become reality with relatively few "change orders" and surprises. Recently the floors were laid out. Although the marks on the concrete are the same as the ones on the drawings, some of the rooms looked alot smaller to us once they were laid out.


Once the walls started to go up things sure looked different. The rooms regained their dimensions and looked "normal " again. These are the full height walls that separate the sections of the clinic for sound and ventilation control. Later the dropped ceiling height walls will go in.

The walls now have one side with drywall until the electric and plumbing is in place. These views are all from the front entrance.

Post Blog Post

We have to enclose our dumpsters as part of our zoning approval. This past week, the posts for the enclosure were installed. I was picturing 4x4 pressure treated posts and was concerned about how sturdy they would be. But what we got were HEAVY DUTY metal posts that will probably still be standing in 200 years. As long as they can take trash truck abuse! Next up:fencing.

The Three Birds of the Thorax

One of my veterinary professors who taught cardiology had this corny but memorable joke:

Q: What are the three birds of the thorax?

A: The vagoose, the esophagoose and the thoracic duck! (a play on vagus, esophagus and thoracic duct)

Anyway, that's my segway into the state of construction. Here is the current view from the entrance (I'll try to be consistent with this view so you can see the progress from the "front door".)

Piles of dirt, drain pipes, pieces of duct work and construction equipment cover the floor as Bad Company pours over the boom box in the corner. The electrician arrived while I was taking these pictures. Soon they will run their lines and the concrete pourers will fill in the cuts to the floor.

Some of the ducts are already in place in preparation for the new HVAC unit.

This final picture shows the floor cut for the trench drain that will be in front of the dog runs in the kennel. We can't wait to give our first tour!

Concrete Cuts

The past several days have seen additional demolition and the cutting of the concrete slab to allow the plumbers to lay new drains. Some of the cuts are just through the slab, but most involve 4-5 foot trenches to get to the main building drain pipes. Yesterday the space was a huge cloud of dust as the concrete saws, jackhammers and heavy equipment broke up the slab. This morning a sole worker stood chest deep in a hole digging the final foot of dirt around the main drain.

Meanwhile central vacuum and anesthetic scavenging (removing waste gas from the building) parts and pendant lights are starting to fill up our office as we stockpile supplies for later stages of construction.

After months of drawings, it is exciting to see real physical changes taking place!

In Memory of Lexy

This is Lexy. Fifteen years old and all of 3.4 pounds, she is a beloved pet of one of our long time clients. We didn't know her when she was a youngster, but she has been a patient here for 5 years and over that time has surprised us with her resilience. Her most recent illness involved a bad kidney infection that almost took her life. Although she appeared quite fragile and was guarded at best in her prognosis, she rallied and recovered. And while even a younger, stronger dog would have needed intensive care for several days to pull through, she did so through the loving comfort of her "mom's" arms and outpatient visits at Towne.

Every visit brought more encouragement as her kidney values came down and her health improved. Yesterday her values were almost normal, she had gained back her weight, and her mom and I talked about long term followup. We said "see you in a month" and both went about our days, mine at church with my son's boy's club, and her at her daughter's Girl Scout meeting.

At home Lexy walked up stairs, curled up in her bed, and peacefully left this life. I'd like to think that she had conquered her illness and was ready to leave on her own terms. Perhaps we should just be thankful for the gentleness that characterized the substance and end of her life.

Demolition Derby

Demolition of the new clinic space began today. As you can see, the walls are coming down and the ceiling tiles have been removed.

Althought this is a dirty job, you've got to admit that this worker has found a good way to relieve construction headaches:
Next up: Concrete cuts for the plumbing!

This is why I haven't blogged since February

Earlier this year, Dr. Bollenbeck and I finally found a permanent home for Towne Animal Clinic. Although our current space at 338 E Market has served us well, "this old bank" is not the ideal clinic setting. We're also outgrowing the facility and needed to make a decision before our lease came up for renewal. So we've purchased 64 Plaza Street and are about to begin demolition next week!


Getting to this point has involved many hours of study, planning, and debate, quite a few meetings with the Town of Leesburg, and making hundreds of decisions from "Do we move?" to "What style of pendant light?", but we are very excited to finally be breaking ground. It will take about 4 months to complete the project with a tentative move in date of February 1, 2011.


The new clinic is directly across from the new Town Fire and Safety Station, very close to our current location. Upgrades to our current space will include:


Indoor dog runs
Handicap Accessible Entrance
Mens and Womens Bathrooms off the lobby!
Dedicated imaging center for X-ray and Ultrasound
Two Table Surgery Suite
Four Exam Rooms
A Break Room for our Staff
Cat Condos


I'll try to post regular photos of the construction as the various stages are completed. Here are some pre-demo pictures.

Dusty and Me

My wife, our older kids and I just watched "Marley and Me" and, like any one who is owned by a dog, found Marley's antics humorous and somewhat familiar. Dusty is much better behaved but still has provided some memorable moments--helping himself to cookies off the kitchen table, bounding through the woods behind our house in pursuit of deer, bouncing at the front door as his master arrives at home. He is a young dog, so some of the more tearful moments of the movie are a long way off, but I try to remind myself frequently to "live in the moment" and appreciate that connection with Dusty now. Of course, dogs are excellent at living in the moment! No anxiety about tomorrow, no regrets about yesterday. Just seeking a masters touch with a gentle but persistent nudge. Well, what do you know, here he comes. Gotta go!.