Vaccinations

Yes, that dreaded term. Vaccinations.

We want to talk about them because they are important. We know it's a hard topic to discuss, but it needs to be talked about, and they need to be given.

There are three vaccinations we require for dogs and cats before they even step through the door at Midtown. We also need to proof of these Vaccinations. They can be brought on the day of your appointment, or they can be faxed from your vet before. Either way, if you don't have them for us, we can't take your dog that day if you are a new client. Lastly, we don't accept owner given vaccinations, there is no real way verify these shots.

Vaccines for dogs include the following:

DHLPPC vaccine: Yearly
o Distemper – A widespread potentially fatal disease that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, pneumonia, brain damage and death
o Adenovirus type-1 and type-2 – This can cause infectious hepatitis, pneumonia, and severe damage to the liver and kidneys which can lead to death
o Leptospirosis – A bacterial infection that can cause permanent damage to the liver and kidneys
o Para influenza – A common respiratory disease that is mild in healthy dogs but can be severe for puppies or debilitated dogs
o Parvovirus – A widespread disease which causes severe dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea, and can be deadly especially for puppies
o Coronavirus – An airborne virus that causes a viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract resulting in vomiting and diarrhea

Bordetella 6 mos, or yearly
This is commonly known as kennel cough and is a highly contagious airborne virus that attacks the upper respiratory tract and results in a loud, severe cough. Serious complications can include bronchiopneumonia.

Rabies 1 year or 3 year
This is one of the most well known diseases, and is almost always fatal. This virus attacks the brain and central nervous system and is transmitted to humans primarily through a bite wound from an infected animal.

Vaccines for cats include the following:

FVRCP vaccine Yearly
o Feline viral rhinotracheitis – A highly contagious respiratory disease characterized by sneezing, loss of appetite, fever and eye inflammation
o Calicivirus – Another respiratory infection that can be quite serious, and has similar characteristics to those of rhinotracheitis, but often accompanied by ulcers on the tongue
o Panleukopenia – More commonly known as feline distemper and is the most widespread feline disease. This is extremely contagious and is characterized by fever, vomiting and diarrhea. It can be especially deadly for kittens
o Pneumonitis – An organism known as chlamydia causes this and it has symptoms similar to rhinotracheitis and calicivirus

Feline Leukemia Yearly
A viral disease that can take several forms. There is no cure and it is a fatal disease. FIP – A complex disease caused by the feline infectious peritonitis virus.

Rabies 1 year or 3 Year
Present in both dogs and cats, it attacks the brain and central nervous system, and the same vaccine for prevention used for dogs is also used for cats.

Wow, these all sound pretty bad. You need to protect your animals from these. We want to make sure that every dog or cat that comes through that door is protected too. So that is why we can't let one slide in with out getting vaccinated. What if we let you slide this time. Then let someone else slide tomorrow, and then the next day someone else slides. Pretty soon we don't know who has had it, and who hasn't. If someone gets sick, we could be responsible.

We also know that there are a lot of arguments about over vaccinating your pet. What we suggest is that you consult your vet, and make sure your pet is protected. There are 1yr and 3yr vaccinations you can get. Please research, but to come to Midtown, you need to have these minimum requirements. Lastly, many pets lives have been saved by these vaccinations, as opposed to not getting them. So please Vaccinate.

10 Questions - Dawn

A lot has happened at Midtown in the past few months. There is going to be a lot more happening too. So keep your eyes on us. We will try to keep you updated here!

The next 10 questions. As a customer you probably have met Dawn. She is our front desk manager. She will check you out when you come in to pick up your fresh and clean pet. Now you can finally learn a little more about her, and what she is doing here at Midtown.

1. How long have you been at Midtown, and what do you do?

I have been here since June of 2008. I can't believe it's almost been a year! Before this I was a Store Manager for Coach handbags in San Francisco. This was a big change for me! I am currently the front desk manager, and I am apprenticing with the groomers here to learn to groom! Oh, and I write this blog!

2. How did you get started working in the doggie business?

As I said this was a big change. I was very burnt out on the whole Retail Biz, and I wanted a change. Well, I got one! I knew that I always wanted to work with animals, and I want to open my own Business. The Grooming Business seemed a good choice. So I am learning a lot here and I love it! So to learn the most a bout the Grooming Business I am also apprenticing as a groomer.

3. What else do you do besides work at Midtown.

Well, I am a big knitter as well. I learned a while back and then just quit for no good reason. Then when I started working here I got inspired to make dog clothes! Hopefully soon you will be able to purchase my creations through Midtown! I also love the Austin music scene, so I am trying to figure all of that out. Which places to go and what bands I like to see. So if you have any suggestions you can always let me know!

4. Who are your pets? Tell me about them.


I have two pets currently. The first one is Viola the cat. She was an amazing find at the San Francisco SPCA. After my last dog died I wasn't ready for another dog, but I thought that a cat would fill a little of the void. So I went to the SPCA and saw her. My boyfriend Aaron was with me and I don't think that he expected to bring home a cat that day. But that was my agenda the whole time. Luckily I have a great boyfriend! She is a petite little Tabby cat with a crooked tail, and she has a little wart on the top of her head that I call her unicorn horn. She's a mess but I love her!



Then there is Kiku (which means Chrysanthemum in Japanese.) She is a Heinz 57 mix breed. I was searching for a while to adopt a new dog and I just couldn't find the perfect match. Then one day I went to the laundromat, and across the street Paws Match was set up with a tent and a bunch of cute puppies. Well Kiku was sitting there looking at me across the street, and I was looking at her, and by the time my Laundry was done I wanted to take her home with me! She has been a big muse for me with photography and with the knitting thing. Thank goodness she loves sweaters! She is also the ruler in the back yard at Midtown. It's like the mafia back there, so don't cross her. I think she could put a hit on you if you did.

5. What do you like most about working a Midtown?

I just love seeing the before and after of the groomed dogs. Some dogs come in looking horrible. I can't imagine them looking good ever again. We have such talented groomers, that they will take the most matted, dirty, smelly dogs, and make them absolutely beautiful! They really see the beauty where I could not even fathom it. I hope to have that talent one day!

6. I know you like it here... but everyone has something about their job that they don't like, what's yours?

It's a toss up... Anal glands, and Scooping the poop. Just horrible.

7. What is your best advice for taking care of your pet.

Let your dog be a dog. I see many a dog come here and they don't know how to go outside to go to the bathroom, much less play with other dogs outside. Dogs are dogs, and they need to play with other dogs, and walk on a leash, and smell other doggie butts, and bark, and swim, etc. Even if they are small, or large, or whatever. They are doggies!

8. What is the funniest story working at Midtown so far?

There are many things that have happened since I started working here. Most of them deal with gross things. Hmmm... Which one to tell you. Well I can tell you one that happened to me personally. It was my first week at Midtown. I started as a bather. I was really nervous because I had never done anything like this in my life. I thought I was doing really well though. So much so I wanted to be smart and go faster.
When we give a dog a flea bath we have to let the dog soak for a little while for the shampoo to work, and to do that they sit in a soaking kennel. There were two dogs from the same family, so they could go in the same kennel, and they both needed flea baths. So I started one, and put him in the soaker. Then I started the next one. I decided to take out the first one when I was done and just sort of switch them out. Well, the first one was adamant about not getting rinsed off, and he was very slippery with all of that shampoo on him. He got free from my grasp!!! So we had a soapy, slippery dog running around Midtown. It was like trying to catch a greased pig at the county fair. He finally went to the front door (with a customer there! How embarrassing!) and just stood there.


9. When you get your next pet what will it be?

I will want to adopt again, but I would love to adopt a small dog. Like a Pug, or a Frenchie. Pretty much anything with a squishy face. I would like to do it sooner rather than later, so if you see one for adoption let me know!

10. What is the best grooming secret that you are willing to share?

Brush your dog. That's it. If you want to keep the costs down for grooming it's the biggest thing you can do. If your dog comes in and it's matted, guess what... you get a shave down, and it's more expensive than a trim. It also let's your dog bond with you, and they are more comfortable. Less itchy skin and hot spots too. Brusha, brusha, brusha!

Makeover-Hannah

Here at Midtown we get lots of Puppies! There is a lot that goes into grooming a puppy for the first time. They can be wiggly squigglies, so patience is a virtue. We have to train these little guys to sit still on the table so they can look good for their parents. They might also be going from their puppy coat to their adult coat, and so matting can occur. Brushing out the matts isn't easy for young ones so a shave down could be in order.

Last week, however; we had Hannah. She was a complete doll! She was a little wiggly when she was getting blown dry, but after that she was a natural. And she looks so gorgeous after her first groom. We didn't have to shave her down at all. Her owners brush her every day so all she had to get was a little trim and nice bow on top! Voila! Instant Glamor!


Before:


After:


Now she can see what's going on around her. No more hair in the eyes. She was so happy!

The fact that her owners brush her every day prepared her for the grooming process. She wasn't scared or nervous when we started brushing her and even when the clippers were on her body she didn't mind one bit. She was used to being handled and touched in that way. Also, because she wasn't matted she didn't have endure the shave down.

So let this be a lesson in brushing and grooming your puppy, or even your older dog. It helps you and helps us take better care of your pet. It will also save you money in the long run. We won't have to charge you the "de-matting" fee, or the larger shave down price.

The Austin Humane Society

How many of you know that we help the Austin SPCA? We do! Every week. Yes, every week. Laura Leigh whom you know from our 10 questions post, has been helping out the SPCA every week for the past year.

What she is doing is great for the animals. The SPCA will bring in a dog every Monday that needs our help. They get an extra special bath and a groom if they need it. Lastly they get a spiffy new bandanna around their neck.

Almost all of the dogs that have been to Midtown have been adopted within the week. I think it's mostly to do with the spiffy bandanna!



Yesterday we had a truly amazing dog come in to the shop. Her name is Chickpea. She is a pit bull mix. She is about 10 months old and a sweetheart! She is a special case because she is deaf. This doesn't stop her from being the best dog that you could possibly adopt. She also has a congenital defect in her left eye so she will probably need surgery and lose sight in the eye. So if you are reading this close to the date posted please go adopt her! You would not regret it at all. Here is the link so you can check her out yourself, or you might find another dog to fall in love with.

www.austinhumanesociety.org/adopt/available_dogs.htm

Recontruction Part 2

So it's been awhile. We hope everyone had a beautiful holiday season and everything is getting back to normal. We had a very busy season. We were filled to the brim this season with lots of boarding dogs, and also doggies coming to get gussied up for all of the celebrations going on.


Now that it is the new year we are starting to get reorganized and make big plans for the year. You will have to check in on the blog often to see what is happening and what your dogs are up to!




With new years come new projects. We have a big one underway right now in our bathing room. As you have read before the house that we are in is old and needs some upgrades. The bathing room was a major one. We will put up some photos a it progresses. Here are the first few ones that we have now.

We hope you New Year Resolutions are going well. There is always one that we can help you with at Midtown. That one is helping keep your pet clean and looking pretty all year long! So come by and see us soon!

Makeover-Angel Baby

Angel... What can we say about Angel. She is one of the staff favorites here at Midtown. She is a tiny little Maltese but she has the attitude of a Great Dane. She loves attention, and just wants to sit in you arms all day long if she could. She might even rough house with you if she is in the mood.

Well, Angel usually comes in every Saturday to get a bath and brush out, but she has missed the past couple of weekends. She came in last weekend looking like a hot mess. She had a matt the entire length of her body that would not come out. It was time for a hair cut. Here is the before:

See? Not so pretty.

Now she is looking adorable:

After the cut she did not know what to do with herself. She has never had short hair before. She kept doing little twirls and looking at her body like it wasn't hers. Then should do a little huff. I think it was a huff of satisfaction. I am sure she felt a lot better. She did look adorable in long hair so I am sure it will grow back fast. Until then she will have stylish little pixie cut!

Reconstruction

When customers come in the door, what they see is a beautiful new front room. Behind that first new room however, the rest isn't so pretty. Don't get me wrong... It's interesting. There was carpet on the ceiling, Laura Ashley flowered wallpaper that was stained on the walls, and more bright orange, swirly, shag carpet on the floor. Who couldn't admire that? So reconstruction is badly needed. It's an old house, what do you expect?

So we would like to keep you informed about what happens. You will be able to follow the transformation from beast to beauty!

The last thing that happened was tearing down that awesome Laura Ashley flowered and stained wall paper off the ceiling in the grooming room. Well actually, there were tiles, and when those came down we found the wallpaper. Then under that there was a beautiful wood ceiling. It's absolutely gorgeous! They don't build them like this anymore, that is for sure.

It was not a fun job. Dirt, years of dog hair, dust and flakes of wallpaper were every where. Protection had to be worn. You can see from the beautiful pictures that Laura Leigh was ready for battle. Yes that is a dog bandanna on her head!

Now we have a beginning to a great grooming room. We will let you know the next steps and how it goes. Fun, Fun, Fun!