February 2009 – Foundations Page

One of the new features on our website is the Foundations Page. The Foundations Page contains information on how you can get involved to help animals…

April 2009 Dr Hecht moves to Colorado: ABAH is sad to announce that Dr Hecht, who has become a key team member, is moving to Colorado. Dr H’s husband has found employment in Colorado, and we wish them well. Dr H will be seeking employment in an area near her husband’s new job.

February 2009 Dr Montana attends an infectious disease/ ophthalmic surgery/ and thoracic surgery conference in Idaho.

February 2009/ June 2009/ October 2009  Dr Montana attends the UC D Vet School external advisory committee meeting. In September of 2008, the ABAH team contacts all local hospitals, soliciting input for our local vet school. Following the meeting, she sends an update to all local area hospitals keeping her local team members updated about research opportunities, new treatment modalities, and communication tips for working with the hospital. This meeting occurs quarterly.soliciting input for our local vet school. Following the meeting, she sends an update to all local area hospitals keeping her local team members updated about research opportunities, new treatment modalities, and communication tips for working with the hospital. This meeting occurs quarterly.

May 2008 – External Advisory Board MeetingDr. Montana attends the veterinary external advisory board meeting UC Davis. She is sharing information from the board on current relative topics, and speakers available to local veterinarians, including North and South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and Reno!

October 2008 – Canine Blood Donor Program: ABAH opens the Community Blood Bank. Dogs in Tahoe & Truckee may now participate in the blood donor program. ABAH now carries dog and cat blood of all major types, and has the facility to type & transfuse as needed. By December of 2008, Gunnar H will be one of many succesful survivors of trauma- thanks to this program! Colloides, including Hetastarch, are carried at the hospital, as well as typed serum, fresh frozen plasma, and fresh whole blood.

April 2008 – Tibial Tuberosity Advancement Tibial Tuberosity Advancement, or TTA surgery becomes available at Agate Bay Animal Hospital! Dr Montana travels to Vancouver & is certified in the TPLO procedure. She then travels to become certified in the TTA procedure. After reviewing several comparison studies and wet lab experiences, Dr M opts to provide the TTA procedure at ABAH. Rapid healing, reduced tissue trauma, and great 10 year outcomes influence her decision.

July 2007, Dr  Hecht joins the team. Dr Brielle Hecht begins an internship with ABAH. Feb 2008 finds her taking patients, performing surgeries, learning and growing. Dr Hecht brings great new ideas from the University of Colorado, revitalizing our team’s abilitiy to provide cutting edge care with compassion. ABAH sends Dr Hecht to a Dental Surgery course to learn the most current techniques in surgical extractions, dental radiographs, pain control, and staff safety. ABAH protocols are adjusted accordingly. A new variable speed dental care unit & dental radiography unit is purchased & employed to improve our dental care.

October 1st, 2005- Dr Montana travels to Slidell, Louisiana for Hurricain Katrina relief. Dr Montana flies to Slidell to work in the WARL triage center. Her duties range from mash-style surgery to cleaning cages. Hurricain Rita chases Dr M and her group through Alabama looking for a flight home.

March 2004 – Eight Kittens Born at ABAH! Eight kittens were born here at ABAH, and EKCR! The kittens, along with their sweet Mamma will be available for adoption soon! Keep checking the EKCR page for updates. Current adoptions are holding steady. Thanks to Michelle Bell and Sandy Fetterholf for providing essential socialization for our kitties…and Sandy has made beautiful washable sheepskin coverings for our new rescue. Speaking of the new rescue- hurray for the new kitty play shelves, and glass door that allows easier cleaning and visiting into the rescue facility.

October 1st, 2004 Dr Montana is Medical Care Provider for Pet Network. Pet Network, noting that they are in need of Veterinary support, have requested Dr Montana’s oversight of their adoption facility. With a feline herpes virus outbreak, compounded by rampant dermatophytosis (ringworm) spreading through the facility, Dr M notes that she has a steep road to climb. ABAH will be providing care for all PN animals at cost- Dr M notes that she would prefer to donate her time, and will charge cost-of-materials only for medications and supplies used. Staff meetings and training sessions are scheduled. PN employees and volunteers pitch in to bleach the entire facility- creating isolation wards and testing protocols. A geriatric cat ward is established, and Susan (a key PN leader) takes on the task of medicating the many kitties with CRF, Hyperthyroidism, and other old-kitty issues. The facility looks and feels revitalized…even the geriatric cats begin to find homes. Go Pet Network!

EKCR update: 62 cats and kitties have been adopted from our rescue. Go Kitties!

June 1st 2004: Ultrasound & Echocardiography comes to Tahoe! With our new ultrasound unit, we are now able to perform abdominal ultrasounds as well as echocardiograms. We splurged on the latest doppler enhancement which will allow us to assess blood flow and turbulence through the heart valves, as well as determining chamber wall thicnkesses and contractility measures. With the nice detail provided by our unit, we will also be able to obtain percutaneous biopsies of liver, spleen, gi and other abdominal tissue. Lung biopsies will also be much simpler with this new technology. We are excited to be able to provide this new service to our region, as it will allow our patients to have acute abdominal scans and cardiac evaluations done without the previously inconvenient requirement of a consult at Davis or in Sacramento. We have also established a relationship with a Cardiologist (Stacy Hosking DVM DACVIM~ a classmate of Dr Montana’s who practices out of Reno) for consultations either in hospital, or in Reno.

March 1st, 2004 ABAH ges onsite lab technology! It’s new, it’s essential, it’s state-of-the-art! Have you ever been to the doctor, had some labs done, and been told you’d need to wait a few days to get the results? Well, not good enough, we say! New technology allows us to run CBC’s, Chem’s, Endochrine profiles and Urine testing onsite- within an hour. We’ve also upgraded our anesthetic safety protocols with onsite blood pressure monitoring (we currently are the only hospital in the region with this essential safety measure), ecg, and pulse oximetery. No more will we be using a stethoscope to determine anesthetic depth! We will also be able to maintain our patient’s body temperature in a safer zone using new water circulating heating pads and forced warm air support systems. Adding mandatory fluid support and venous access to our surgical protocols, along with the ability to test blood immediately and asses bp/ ecg/ pulse oximetry elevates our anesthetic safety margin dramatically. Go Safety!

December 1st, 2003 ABAH is computerized! If you notice that our team members are sporting hats, it’s probably b/c we are pulling our hair out, learning the new computer system! We are transcribing patient info from Dr Q’s 3x 8 cards into our new system, and learning how to keep our patient histories, exam findings, lab results, etc etc etc (like I said- pulling our hair out!) in the computer. Cross your fingers for us and pray that those surge protectors are worth their salt!

October 1st, 2003 Ember’s Kitty Cat Rescue opens. A new 501 C-3 charitable concern is opened inside the doors of ABAH. 22 cats and kittens are rescued from a kill shelter in Elko, Nevada, and relocated into the rescue. Bree made a promise to Ember, when they were planning their relocation to Tahoe- she promised that a place would be created withing the hospital which would provide charitable spay and neuter surgeries for kitties in need. EKCR is that rescue! All kittens and cats brought into the program are FELV/FIV tested, surgically sterilized, dewormed and vaccinated. Bathing/grooming and socializing is done, allowing these deserving animals to have a real chance at a “forever home”.

August 1st, 2003 - Dr Montana takes over ABAH! Dr Justin Quecke retired, today, after compassionately providing care for dogs and cats since 1958. Dr Quecke and his beautiful wife Mary are retiring to Lemon Valley, Nevada. Dr Montana thanked Dr Quecke for his many contributions to veterinary medicine during a farewell barbeque which was attended by many Lake Tahoe locals, as well as that crazy group of San Franciscans that drove up to see if Bree was really going to move to the mountains to make snowboarding her new love.