It’s not every day that one gets to pet an opossum.
But recently, at East-West Animal Hospital in Lutz, Barley the opossum was in for cold laser therapy to treat the edema in his paws.
Barley’s doctor, veterinarian Linda Register opened the small animal practice nearly three years ago and strives to combine Eastern medicine and philosophies with traditional Western practices.
“We want to treat healthy pets and keep them in balance,” said Dennis Costantino, Register’s husband and clinic administrator. “Finding causes, not treating problems. It’s the cause that matters.”
Dr. Register’s interest in alternative therapies began in 1998 when her cat, Butterball, developed bone cancer in the spine. “It was a death sentence,” Costantino said. However, Dr. Register researched herbs and treated the cat, which lived for an additional year. Since then, the doctor embraced Eastern medicine as an adjunct to Western practices. In fact, she is the “only certified veterinary acupuncturist in the Land O’ Lakes/Lutz area,” Costantino noted.
In keeping with that philosophy, the hospital offers an array of wellness programs that not only help keep pets healthy, but also save their owners money. The plans are geared toward an animal’s age (pediatric, adult and senior) and are available in basic or enhanced versions – with the enhanced version offering a savings of 45 percent (up to $335) per year.
The plan is an affordable way to ensure a pet’s wellness without pet owner’s worrying about coming up with a lump sum or skipping out on important treatments.
“Plans for your pet’s regular care are laid out for you,” Costantino said. “It’s not a surprise.”
The enhanced pediatric plan, for instance, includes five exam visits, all core vaccinations, deworming treatments, microchip implantation with registration, a year’s worth of heartworm and flea preventatives along with a spay or neuter surgical procedure (complete with blood work and fluid therapy) and much more.
But, it’s not just puppies and kittens that benefit from East-West Animal Hospital’s wellness plans – adult and senior pets do too. Senior plans, for example, include x-rays, blood work and urine screenings. Finding and treating health problems early can mean a longer, happier life for your pet.
Monthly plan costs start at just $16 a month; all plans require a $99 enrollment fee, and monthly fees are automatically drafted each month.
The clinic introduced wellness plans about a month ago. Since then, many clients have taken advantage of these incredible programs.
The plans are geared toward pre- ventive wellness; they do not cover emergencies and are not pet insur- ance. However, pet insurance is a great complement to the East-West Animal Hospital wellness programs.
Dr. Register received her DVM degree from the University of Florida in 1996 and received her acupuncture certification in 2009 from the Chi Institute. Dr. Register is a member of several local veterinary boards and advisory committees.
East-West Animal Hospital is located in the Tropical Village Plaza, 1524 Land O Lakes Blvd. in Lutz. Open Mondays and Fridays, 7:30am to 6pm and Tuesdays through Thursdays 7:30am to 8pm. For more information call 813.948.6534 or visit www.eastwestanimalhospital.com.
– Melanie Casey
This story was written by the advertising department.
