Canine Pregnancy Ultrasound Pictures

Dr. Foss examined a happy Golden Retriever today for a pregnancy check. Using our ultrasound machine, he found puppies! Congratulations from Hood River Alpine Vet.

Acupuncture Success Stories

"Desi”- 6 Year Old Male Basset Hound

Desi was playing happily with another dog in his owner’s household, when the larger dog jumped on Desi. Desi yelped, but seemed okay after that incident. Two weeks later he jumped off the front porch at home, and his owner found him in the yard, unable to move his hind legs or walk. His owner carried him into Hood River Alpine Veterinary Hospital, where he was examined the same afternoon.

Desi’s owner liked how the Alpine staff got down on the floor with Desi for his examination, and how comfortable Desi was with the staff. Dr. Michael Foss recommended Desi go to a specialist hospital in Portland for evaluation and back surgery. Unfortunately, surgery was not financially possible, so as an alternative, Dr. Foss advised treating Desi with acupuncture and steroids.

Four days after Desi’s first acupuncture treatment, Desi took his first step. The next day he took several steps, and the day he returned to Alpine Vet Hospital, Desi walked in the front door.

His owner describes Desi’s attitude towards his acupuncture treatments as relaxed and happy. “He lies on the table and falls asleep,” she says. “Acupuncture is a major part of Desi’s recovery, and he loves it. We are so grateful to Dr. Foss for his acupuncture treatments, and the staff at Alpine Vet Hospital is a blessing.

“Leo”- 4 Year Old Male Dachshund

Leo arrived at Alpine Veterinary Hospital unable to walk or use his hind legs. His x-rays showed intervertebral disc disease. Back surgery was not a financially feasible option for Leo’s owner, so Dr. Foss recommended trying a conservative treatment of acupuncture, steroids, and pain medication.

Leo’s owner is very committed to his success. He is still partially paralyzed, so she expresses his bladder several times daily, and does hydrotherapy and light exercise with him. She continues to use acupuncture as part of his treatment program, and says that Leo seems to respond well when electric stimulation is used with the acupuncture needles. “Not giving up is the key,” she confides. “Acupuncture is such a helpful jump-start to his recovery.”

Grace – 5 Year Old Female Rhodesian Ridgeback

Grace is a very special dog. When she was a puppy, she had her left hind leg amputated, but she doesn’t seem to notice that she only has three legs. When Grace’s one remaining hind leg stopped working, her owner was very concerned and brought her to Alpine Veterinary Hospital. X-rays showed that she had severe arthritis in her right hip. Her owner elected to try acupuncture and Rimadyl to ease her pain.

Grace’s owner says that the acupuncture Grace receives at Alpine Veterinary Hospital, in conjunction with the chiropractics and physical therapy she gets in Portland, has greatly improved her walk. “Grace’s acupuncture treatments seem to make her very sleepy the day she gets them, and the next day she feels like a different dog.”

April May – 3 Year Old Female Dachshund

April May has a history of intervertebral disc disease. She generally has an episode of back pain two to three times a year, and has always responded well with crate rest, pain medications, and steroids. Last spring was different. April came to Alpine Veterinary Hospital after five weeks of severe back pain that had not resolved with the usual treatment. Her owner had a difficult decision to make, because she could not afford expensive back surgery to ease April’s pain. Dr. Foss suggested trying acupuncture.

April was a little nervous during her acupuncture treatment but relaxed after about fifteen minutes. She actually seemed to feel better during the treatment and that evening. Incredibly, the next morning April was back to her usual energetic, pain-free self. Her owner continued to keep her crated for another week, but she was able to walk around comfortably, and continued to improve. It was another four months before April had another episode of back pain. This time was much less painful than the previous time, and with one treatment of acupuncture and her usual medications, April was able to attend a dog competition the very next weekend, and won two ribbons!

April’s owner has become a true believer in acupuncture. “It works. Acupuncture has saved my dog’s life. April’s back disease is going to be a life-long illness that we are going to have to manage. I’m so completely indebted to Dr. Foss for his compassionate care of my animals. Acupuncture is an affordable tool to help keep my dog healthy for the rest of her life.”

Washington State 4-H Fair

Cats in Action is a cat 4-H club based out of Skamania County. Dr Foss and his wife Sharon are the leaders. This year six out of seven of the club’s members qualified to show their cats at the State Fair.

Here are some photos of the kids that went to State Fair: Daniel, Luke, and Hannah Kempf, Elizabeth Bible, and Shannon and Rachel Foss.

Members of Cats in Action did well at State! The highlights are:

Rachel Foss: Reserve Grand Champion Longhair Male Cat
Daniel Kempf: Grand Champion Senior Female Cat
Reserve Grand Champion Senior Cat
Luke Kempf: 6th Place Intermediate Fitting and Showing

Team Points: 3rd Place Intermediate Cat Judging Team
1st Place Intermediate Cat Knowledge Bowl Team

Great job 4-Hers!

Recovery Against All Odds

Ellie, a 12 year old Quarter Horse mare, was hospitalized at Alpine Vet Hospital about a year ago with peritonitis. Peritonitis is usually fatal in horses, but Ellie’s owners really wanted to save Ellie and raise a foal.

Ellie spent almost 6 weeks in the hospital. It was a tough time for Ellie but with the commitment of the owner, lots of work by the Alpine staff, consultations with numerous Equine Specialists and many prayers, Ellie pulled through.

Last month Ellie went to her county fair where she won several blue ribbons. This month Ellie was found to be pregnant with a foal due next spring!