Hazel Dell Animal Hospital

       When you gone to your Dentist or to your Doctor visits and the staff asked you about your next appointment? A year from now? That is just too far out! At first you may think that you have no idea what you will be doing in a year, but let's face it: We are ALL busy and we all FORGET to schedule our appointments. This is no different for our pets. Have you run into that situation where you are going out of town in a few days and your pet needs their vaccines updated before they can be boarded? Or has your senior pet needed their semi-annual visit and it wasn't on your calendar already?                   This is how Forward Booking can help!  You will not have to worry about when your pet's next annual appointment is because it will be scheduled a year in advance. You also have the piece of mind that we will send you a reminder a month before and confirm your appointment the week that they ar...

What happens when your pet comes in for a dental cleaning here at Hazel Dell Animal Hospital? During an Exam:  The first step for when your pet might need a dental cleaning is for one of our doctors to perform an annual exam.  It can be difficult for owners to recognize periodontal disease in their pet, but not all pets need a cleaning every year. Most dogs will need a cleaning every 1-3 years and periodontal disease not only shows up above the gum line, but below the gum line too.  Dental disease may also be noticed when your pet comes in for reasons other than their annual exam.  The night before: To minimize the risk for anesthetic complications we ask that you to pick up your pet’s food bowl, at 8pm. Then, tuck everyone into bed and get a good night’s sleep before coming in to drop them off for their procedure.  In the morning you’ll pick up their water bowl too.  http://www.nedhardy.com/wp-content/uploads/images/2015/januar...

Kourtney joined HDAH in January of 2014. She brings with her over 13 years of veterinary experience. Kourtney started in the veterinary field at the age of 15. She grew up in Carmel and graduated in 2010 from Purdue University with a degree in Biology, but knew Veterinary Medicine is where she wanted to stay. She currently works here and at Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Fishers.  She has worked in both general and emergency practices. Kourtney and Jonathon live in Carmel, where she shares her home with two Standard Poodles, George and Rebel, a cat named Sonora and a cockatiel named Norman. In her spare time, Kourtney enjoys seeing movies, swimming and walking her dogs.

Purrrr! It’s Cold Outside! During the winter months some pets may acquire “winter weight”. We as pet parents usually see these extra couple of pounds because although we do not exercise our pets as much in the winter, we continue to feed them the same amount of food year round. So how can we avoid this and keep our pets safe from extreme temperatures? Here are a few tips and tricks to keep the fun going this winter!   Fetch!! Playing fetch with your dog (or cat)  is a great way to get them moving! You can even play too! Make it a race to see if you can beat your dog to their toy!   Toy Scavenger Hunts Dogs love scavenging – have your dog sit and stay while you hide their favorite toy around the house. When you give your release command, encourage your pet to go find their toy! Catnip Toys Catnip toys can really get kitties moving! Pet parents can also hide them around the house and encourage their cat to sniff them ...

Fun Facts about Chrissy 1. Chrissy LOVES to cook!  2. She and her husband like to frequent concerts.  Chrissy is a Registered Veterinary technician who has worked off and on at Hazel Dell Animal Hospital since 2005. She has been working in small animal hospitals for over 18 years. Her dedication to the clients and patients here is genuine. Chrissy lives in Broadripple with her husband Trent, daughter, Berlynn and son, Graham.  They share their home with her Siamese kitties Topaz, Havana, and Fidel; as well as a calico cat named Gemini. A Quaker Parrot, named Kiwi also lives there. In her spare time she enjoys running on the Monon and volunteering at her children’s schools. 

Casey is one of our vet nurses and she brings a lot of knowledge and technical skill to the practice. She has been with Hazel Dell since the beginning of 2017 and our patients love her. Casey not only brings her expertise to us here in Carmel, but she can also be seen in the ER department at the Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Fishers.  Casey always knew she wanted to work with animals as a career and her passion drove her to pursue this dream.  She graduated from Morehead State University (agricultural/animal sciences major) receiving a diploma in Animal Health Technology in 2009.  Casey has a special interest in dentistry and has received additional training in this field. Casey lives with her 2 goofy dogs, Cinder and Darcy and three cats named Fred, George, and Colonel Fitzwilliam. In her free time, she enjoys music, crocheting and boxing.

Fun Facts about Cindy 1. She loves to to cook and bake. 2. She LOVES ALL Tortie colored kitties. 3. She irons her tablecloth for the holidays.  4. She enjoys gardening. It is a relaxing pastime.   Cindy has been with HDAH since the grand opening! As the office manager she plays an intricate role in the daily operations of Hazel Dell and brought with her many years of management experience. She has a large furry family. Her cats include Jabber, Winston, and newest kitty addition Zeva, followed by Maggie, her sweet dog. Cindy even has some llamas named Cara and Cleo, as well as horses named Zoe and Belle. Cindy can be found frequenting the lobby passing out kisses and treats to our patients and keeping our hospital running at it’s best!

Have you ever seen your dog or cat do the booty scootin’ boogie?   Have you wanted to know why they do that and what you can do to limit it?  You aren’t alone.  Many owners do not know the ins and outs of anal glands.  Often times, they simply know about anal glands because of that one time when their dog (or cat) left an unpleasant smelling spot on the sofa or in the house when they got excited. What are anal glands? Anal Glands are two glands at the 4 and 8 o’clock position around the rectum which produce a malodorous material.  The anal glands are a byproduct of the days before dogs and cats were domesticated.  Their undomesticated ancestors used this material as a scent marker.  The anal gland material is often excreted around the feces as our pet’s defecate.  Think of it as the dog’s (or cat’s) calling card.  It tells other animals that “Hey, It’s me.  I’ve been here recently!” Do I need my pet’s ...

Fun Facts about Chelsie 1.  Chelsie loves to throw birthday parties every year for her dogs. 2. She was married just this past September.   Chelsie is our newest employee, joining us in March of 2017. She graduated from the International Business and Vet Tech Institute in 2014 and has loved every second of the Veterinary field since. She is hoping to soon pass her tests to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). Chelsie lives in Beech Grove with her husband Matthew, their miniature Schnauzer Lily, Pit Bull Terrier, Pixie, and their Labradoodle, Linus. In her spare time, Chelsie likes working on puzzles, spending time with family, and enjoying her pups at home.

Have you met this owner yet?  Dr. Bassett is a lifelong resident of Central Indiana. He grew up in Anderson, then attended Purdue University. He graduated from Purdue’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 1989. After graduation, Dr. Bassett practiced in Eastern Iowa and worked on many different kinds of animals (dogs, cats, cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, etc.). In 1991, he returned to Indianapolis and began a career in emergency practice that continues to this day. He was manager of the Animal Emergency Clinic in Castleton from 1995-1998 and director of the Northwood Veterinary Emergency Practice in Anderson from 1998-2002, where he continued to work part-time as a staff veterinarian until 2013. Since starting the Hazel Dell Animal Hospital with Dr. McDaniel in 2002, Dr. Bassett has worked primarily in general practice, providing medical and surgical care to dogs and cats and other assorted small furry creatures. Dr. Bassett is a resident of Carmel, where he lives with his wi...

Fleas can be a big problem!  Credit (http://www.petsandparasites.org/dog-owners/fleas/) That picture is gross, right? Most of us know that fleas are no fun. But once you get them in your house, do you really know what to do in order to get rid of them? As there are four stages of the flea life cycle, you must be sure to manage all of them in order to keep fleas at bay.  Let's go over the Flea Life Cycle.  Credit (http://thefollisreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/flea-life-cycle-time.jpg) The flea egg is deposited by the female and usually fall to the ground or carpet once laid. They usually will hatch within 1-12 days and make up about 50 percent of the infestation.  The larvae  stage for fleas can be tricky as they are pretty small. They can hid in crevices and cracks located within the home. When vacuuming, one must definitely pay attention to the areas that your pet stays the most; like bedding or spots on the floor where they lay. Yo...

A few fun facts about Brittany 1. She used to compete in equine events in college in the IHSA.  Two years in a row she placed in the top 10th and top 20th in the nation.  2. She loves to Refurbish and Repurpose furniture. 3. She became Fire Crafter in 2010 - as part of the Boy Scout Organization   4. She loves to travel.   Brittany joined our team in the Spring of 2016 and we are glad for it. She started off in the Large Animal side of Veterinary Medicine, where she graduated from Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods College in 2009 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Equine Science. She has had animals of varying sizes all of her life, and at a very young age she knew that caring for animals was her passion.  Brittany and Adam relocated here from South Bend and her furry family includes a wonderful Corgi named Gwen and a Rottweiler mix named Rocky. Her home is completed by Tigger (Gigantor), the monster Bengal mix, and Brisuis, the comparatively teeny Calico....

Back to school is a very exciting time for many kids and parents near our animal hospital here in Carmel. What about your pet though? All of a sudden the family is leaving when they have been home for a few months. Some pets do very well, while others become anxious and destructive. What can you do about it?  Below you will find a few simple tips that may help.  Give Your Pet an Adjustment Period         Anytime there will be big changes in your pets lives, it is a good idea to have some adjustment time. If you are getting the kids up the week before to get settled into a routine, then why not help your pets too. You can head outside for a quick morning walk just to get them used to the idea that you will be leaving or hop in the car and run an errand. It does not have to be long, but enough time for them to realize that you did not just step outside. Just like kids can thrive on routine, your dogs and cats are the same way.  ...

A common question that we get asked here at Hazel Dell Animal Hospital  is when should you spay or neuter your pets?   There are a lot of factors that contribute to the answer of this question,  however the most common answer is that it depends. A good anesthetic candidate is made up of several factors.  Having a blood test performed is a great place to start.  We recommend having blood work done before any anesthetic procedure so that we can help determine if your pet is a safe candidate for anesthesia. We are looking at liver and kidney functions as well. Many of our anesthetic drugs are metabolized through these internal organs so we want to make sure that they are safe for surgery. Heat Cycles in your Pets Heat cycles in female cats and dogs are different. Small dogs can go into heat as early as 5 months old. Larger dogs may go into heat between 6 and 12 months of age. Dogs typically cycle twice a year. Some signs that your dog is in hea...

Kathy is a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). As a child, Kathy wanted to be a Veterinarian, but when she got older she realized that nursing care sounded way more fun!     She has been with our team since March of 2016 and graduated from the Vet Tech Institute in Indianapolis. She has seven years of experience in small animal emergency medicine. Kathy lives with her husband James and their three cats. Teddy, Buster, and Oliver. When Kathy isn’t working, she volunteers at the local animal shelter. You can often find Kathy on the cat side of the hospital loving on our feline friends.

Facts & Vaccine Recommendations Leptospirosis Leptospirosis is an illness caused by spiral- shaped bacterium. It is considered a reemerging disease in Indiana, meaning it appears to be happening more often than in the past. Even though Leptospirosis remains an uncommon disease, illness in dogs can be severe and often involves  kidney failure,  liver disease, fever, and numerous other signs. People can also become affected, sometimes seriously, with everything from flu-like symptoms to infections involving vital organs.  Various wild animals and livestock, including mice, rats, deer, raccoons, opossums, and cattle, serve as "reservoirs" of the disease and if infected shed the causative bacteria in their urine. In this way, soil or water, especially slow-moving warmer water such as that found in ponds, ditches, or puddles, can become contaminated with the bacteria. Dogs usually become infected by exposure to contaminated water or soil. People can become i...

In this day and age, cats can be more of an inside animal vs. an outdoor animal. With the change in times, people are moving more often and also keeping many cats inside more due to environmental changes. With this being said, it is no wonder that cats can be very scared when coming into our clinic. We here at Hazel Dell Animal  Hospital go through additional training to ensure that your cats get the most relaxing exams possible.  A few of the methods can include watching a feline transportation video or reading brochures that can help you reduce your cats stress. If your cat gets car sick or is particularly upset by traveling  we have alternative options that can be helpful as well to include but are not limited to medication and/or a stress reducing pheromone that you can apply to your cats carrier.  Please take a look at this website  for more information and a great video on cat transportation. We strive to make your cats as comfortable as ...

Joanna started working the veterinary field in 1996.  She soon discovered that this was the path for her.  She studied Veterinary Technology at the College of Southern Nevada  while living in Las Vegas for two years.  She joined Hazel Dell in January of 2011.  You will find her ready to jump in and quickly help in any way that she can. She is a joy to have on the Hazel Dell Team.  Joanna lives in Noblesville with her husband Damon and her son Derek.  They share their home with two cats, Biscuit and  Brooksie and Gypsy, the lazy kitty.

Have you ever wondered why when you bring your pet into Hazel Dell Animal Hospital for an annual check up, the nurse lets you know that your pet is due for bloodwork or recommends it for the first time. What does that even mean? Here is a quick list of reasons why your  veterinarian might recommend you getting bloodwork.  1. A Heartworm Test - this may be the one that you are most familiar with. We recommend having this done once a year to ensure that you pet has not been exposed to deadly heartworms. Our hospital here in Carmel has not previously diagnosed many cases, though we have treated 5 cases of Heartworm Positive dogs in the last 2 years. Treatment for heartworms can be quite costly which is why we recommend giving prevention once monthly and year round versus treating, in the hopes that they will not get exposed.  2.   Pre-Anesthetic Bloodwork - If you pet is going to have a surgical procedure, they would most likely have this blood...