Veterinarian Care Benefits

BY MARLA BALLARD

REPORTER

bamabell62@gmail.com

SCOTTSBORO, ALA. – Veterinarians Tim Crowell and Michael Lowrey have a combined experience of 70 years in veterinarian medicine. Two years ago, they purchased their own clinic where they treat domesticated animals, mainly canines and felines. Both men are passionate about animal care and the benefits it brings to both the animal and its owners.

Crowell said, “I grew up around a large variety of farm animals and that lifestyle pointed me in the direction of becoming a veterinarian.” While in the first grade Lowrey wrote on his schoolwork, that he wanted to be a dog doctor. Lowrey said “I was always curious about animal anatomy. Whenever dad gutted a fish, I always wanted to know about the function of everything I saw, I would always ask, ‘What does it do?’”

Speaking on the importance of veterinarian care for pets Lowrey said, “Some pet owners don’t realize that veterinarian care is about more than just their pet’s wellbeing. There are many diseases that can be passed on to them and their children from their pets. Diseases that could be avoided with the preventative care a veterinarian offers.”

Zoonosis is an infectious disease that has transitioned from a vertebrate animals to humans. Zoonotic pathogens can be bacterial, viral, or parasitic. Some of the common zoonotic diseases include; rabies, ringworm, roundworm, hookworm, toxoplasmosis, scabies, and harvest mites.

The CDC NEWSROOM released a media report on zoonotic diseases stating, “Every year tens of thousands of Americans get sick from diseases spread between animals and people. CDC’s One Health Office is collaborating with partners across the government to bring together disease detectives, laboratorians, physicians, and veterinarians to prevent those illnesses,” said Casey Barton Behravesh, M.S., D.V.M., Dr. P.H., director One Health Office, CDC.

Both Crowell and Lowrey give this advice to pet owners, “Doctor Google does not have a veterinarian degree and whatever your veterinarian advises, do what they say.”  Animals suffer from many illnesses that affect humans, such as cancer and kidney failure. Preventative testing (bloodwork) can cost nearly $200 dollars, but in the long run, it will most likely save money. While it is best to have bloodwork done on an annual basis, testing done at least every two years might prevent a serious disease from taking hold.

While all animal vaccinations are important, the Parvovirus is the world’s most common canine infectious disease. Doctor Crowell said, “If you walk through a park and you step where a dog with parvo defecated several months earlier and then you take the shoes you were wearing and place them on your porch and then several months later your puppy licks those boots, your pet can still contract parvo.” The parvovirus can survive in the environment for up to nine years, including the ground and soil. It can also withstand most household cleaning products with bleach being the exception.

French poet, Anatole France said, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

Scottsboro Pet Care is located at 23579 John T. Reid Pkwy, Scottsboro. Open Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Phone: 256-574-6214.