Dr. Hunter, her dog Ansel, and her horse Ferrous, along with two friends and their horses, traveled to the West for a week of country life and horse back riding.

On their way to Montana they stopped in the beautiful North Dakota Badlands.  They stayed at a working beef cattle farm where Ansel got close enough to get licked by a huge Angus bull! 

They saw mule deer, antelope, owls, and bison.  They rode the Maah Dah Hey trail through the National Grasslands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  The landscape was beautiful and the horses did well on the narrow trails and switch backs.

On to Helena, Montana where they stayed at their friends' beautiful house.  Ansel played with their dog and got brave enough to play with their cat.  The horses lounged in large grassy pastures when they weren't carrying their riders up the mountain trails.

The view across the Missouri River valley was spectacular.  Wildlife sightings included osprey on the nest, huge jack rabbits, elk, and the incredibly blue Western Bluebirds. 

On rainy days they toured lovely Helena, a historic gold mining town.  A full tour of the state capitol building was a highlight.  Original paintings there from the late 1800's prove that it has been Lewis and Clark country from the start.

All of the animals did well on the long drive home with frequent stops along the way.  Feel free to call if you would like any information on vacationing with your pets.

Woodbury K9 Police Dog Trials

The Woodbury Police will be hosting this year's Region 12 trials of the United States Police Canine Association.  As many as 80 dogs and their handlers will join our Woodbury department on July 25th and 26th at the Woodbury High School.  Region 12 members come from Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, and the province of Manitoba in Canada.

The trial gives handlers and their dogs a chance to do a few different things.  If they pass the requirements during the trial they can become certified as police K-9's.  If they do well enough they may even qualify for the national competition that takes place in Indiana this September.

Some of the items the dogs are tested on are obedience, agility, article search, and bite work.  During all of these tests the dogs are surrounded by distracting noises such as yelling and gunfire.

The Woodbury Police department proudly employs two K-9's, named Shadow and Andy.  These dogs have proved quite helpful in finding lost children, finding illegal drugs, and tracking down criminals.  Woodbury is proud to have these dogs working for them.

The public is encouraged to join Shadow and Andy on Monday, July 25th at 6:00pm at the Woodbury High School football stadium for a special K-9 demonstration event. 

Summer is here and the 4th of July is right around the corner!That means fun in the sun, parties, and of course fireworks. 

Most of us will enjoy ourselves as we "ooh" and "ahh" at the lit sky.  Unfortunately this is  not the case for most of  our pets. 

For many of our animal friends this will be the worst time of the year.  Dogs that have anxiety to storms or other loud noises will probably react the same, or worse, to fireworks. 

Signs of stress can include excessive drooling, pacing, barking, hiding, or destructive behavior.  This destructive behavior can damage not only our homes but the dogs themselves (i.e. kennel chewing/ chewing feet). 

Dogs left outside in these situations will go under or over fences.  In fact, this time of the year is when the most pets are lost or separated from their owners (due to stress).

Cats that are left outside are at a high risk of getting lost, injured, or being mistreated.  The best things we can do for our worried pets is th keep them inside  

Do your best to keep pets on their regular schedule.  Stay at home to comfort them, or play music to drown out the noise of fireworks. 

In extreme cases of stress pets can be medicated with anti-anxiety drugs.  For more information on anti-anxiety drugs please contact your veterinarian.  

If you plan on lighting off your own fireworks please be responsible and pick up any waste left over.  The remains can be dangerous to pets if they step on or ingest them. 

If you follow these precautions and make sure your pets are safe and comfortable you should all be able to enjoy the holidays together.  Happy Independence Day!!!

Practice Manager Julie Gets Married!

On Saturday, June 11th, the employees and families of Carver Lake Veterinary Center gathered at Hidden Harbor, in St. Paul Park to celebrate the wedding of Practice Manager Julie to her fiance Max.

The day started a little rainy, but cleared up just in time for a beautiful and sunny outdoor wedding.  The ceremony was very touching and many happy tears were shed.

Following the ceremony Julie, Max, and their Carver Lake friends danced the night away as they enjoyed a fun,  music-filled reception.

Throughout the day it was quite apparent that Carver Lake is very much a family.  Vet Tech Kelly was one of Julie's bridesmaids, Dr. Grant Gugisberg was her photographer, and the beautiful necklace Julie wore was made for her by Dr. Kate An Hunter.

The whole event was wonderful and the staff at Carver Lake wish Julie and Max a future of happiness together.