TulsaPets Magazine May 2021

May/June 2021 • TulsaPets 17 Tulsa SPCA’s Preventative Care Clinic Treats What Ails Local Pets By Bill Snyder B enjamin Franklin said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The founding father was referring to fire safety when he said it, but the axiom applies just as much to the care of our furry friends. The Tulsa SPCA recently celebrated the first anniversary of its preventative care clinic. Moti- vated by the same notion Franklin spoke about, the organization offers low-cost veterinary services to animals in need. “We saw a need in the community where pet owners were surrendering their pets because they couldn’t afford care,” says Jana Paul, Tulsa SPCA director of development. “We’d always had neu- ter and low-cost vaccinations, but we felt like there was a need for a preventative care clinic.” Starting with one clinic session a week, they’ve since expanded to Mondays and Thurs- days. The preventative care clinic offers a wide variety of dog and cat health services, starting at $20. Staffers conduct low-cost wellness examinations, treat minor medical issues and provide diagnostics by appointment only. They do not treat serious illnesses, injuries or chronic health issues. Appointments with the preventative care clinic can be made online at tulsaspca.org where you will also find an itemized pricing list. “We never intended to be a full-service vet,” Paul says. “We feel that every pet owner should have a full-service vet, but a lot of our clients aren’t in that position because they can’t afford it. Oftentimes, we’re the only time they see a vet when they come into our clinics. We are seeing some progress in things that wouldn’t have been addressed because pet owners couldn’t afford the medication or to go to a vet. It helps long-term health and prevents further disease.” She says that common maladies like ear infections can lead to much more serious health issues. Those issues can be very harmful for the pet and very expensive for owners. “If you have an animal that is on heartworm prevention, and they’re not at risk of getting heartworms, they’re not going to suffer,” Paul says. “Just like a human, if we have an untreated ear infection that hurts–not only is it cheap- er long term to not have to treat that once it becomes a real big problem, but the animal’s not going to suffer through all of that.” She says that demand has been high, especially over the last year as the charity and pet owners have navigated the pandemic. Nail trimming, X-Rays, heartworm tests and treat- ment, and vaccinations are some of the services offered. The clinic can also provide health certif- icates and discounted flea/tick and heartworm medication for cats and dogs. Paul stressed that, if possible, regular check- ups with a dedicated vet are best for pets. “If you can have a relationship with a full-ser- vice vet, they’re going to be able to have a little bit deeper relationship with you,” Paul says. “If you can afford it, that’s ideal. We don’t want to take the place of a full-service vet if that is some- thing that a client feels like they can do. We’re not equipped to handle emergency situations. Clients need to go to emergency care centers for broken legs.” In addition to the preventative care clinic, appointments are offered online for the Tulsa SPCA’s spay/neuter surgery clinic. A third clinic, the low-cost vaccination clinic, is open on a first come, first served basis. Services like vaccinations, microchipping, heartworm testing, deworming and feline leukemia testing are offered there on Tuesdays, Fridays and the second Saturday of each month. All of the services provided by the Tulsa SPCA are underwritten by the generosity of donors. The local nonprofit is unaffiliated with any national organization and supports pets and pet owners in the greater Tulsa area. “Our donors make absolutely everything “We never intended to be a full-service vet,” Paul says. ... “Oftentimes, we’re the only time they see a vet when they come into our clin- ics. We are seeing some progress in things that wouldn’t have been addressed because pet owners couldn’t afford the medication or to go to a vet. It helps long-term health and prevents further disease.” Dr. Buford, Tulsa SPCA veterinarian