Indian Tree Animal Hospital is deeply intertwined with the Arvada community, pets, and people. With a close-knit team of doctors, the hospital incorporates genuine care and collaboration into every case.
Every day at Indian Tree, at least four of their eight veterinarians are on the job. They collaborate by giving second opinions and discussing lab results with each other. Each doctor has a unique background and history in the field. Dr. Carrie Wang worked in biology labs during college and completed a plant biology internship in Southern California. At Indian Tree, she focuses on small animal general practice. Dr. Celene Joza attended veterinary school at St. George’s University in Grenada, an independent island state in the Caribbean. Aside from her focus on general practice, she also does acupuncture and rehab for cats and dogs at Indian Tree.
Dr. Anjuli Hein, the practice’s co-owner, has a passion for veterinary care that she has carried with her since childhood. “There wasn't really much else I ever thought of doing,” she notes. She grew up on a ranch which fostered a love of being around animals. She connected that to her interest in science and eventually graduated from Colorado State University in 2007.
Rather than solving pet health problems as they occur, Indian Tree prioritizes preventing issues from occurring in the first place. Preventative care is designed to ensure your pet’s long-term well-being. The practice recommends bringing each pet in once a year for an examination where they check everything from nose to tail. Vaccines, heartworm and tick prevention, and bloodwork are all covered when it’s appropriate for the pet. In fact, bloodwork results can come in from the lab in only 20 minutes, allowing the pet the speediest recovery possible.
If something comes up during an examination, Indian Tree has an in-house lab fit with x-ray machines, microscopes to check out samples of lumps, bumps, and everything else needed to keep their furry patients in peak condition.
They also utilize laser therapy and acupuncture when needed to help with pain and inflammation. “After surgery, their incision or their wound gets laser treatment. The idea is you treat a small area where you want to increase blood flow to that area, which speeds up healing, decreases inflammation, and decreases pain,” Dr. Hein explains. Acupuncture can be used for chronic pain, arthritis, and inflammation. These methods are designed to help the pet feel better without relying on pain medications.
Ensuring your pet’s health extends outside vet visits. Dr. Hein stresses the importance of being in tune with your pet’s behavior. Without a voice, it’s hard for pets to let us know they are experiencing pain or discomfort. Little changes in their behavior can indicate that something is wrong. If your pet has a standard routine, like eating at a specific time or sitting with you at night, deviating from that might mean that it’s time for a trip to the vet.
Now that summer is in full swing, the Indian Tree doctors have some tips for keeping your pet happy and healthy in the heat:
1. Stay cool and pack plenty of water.
Summer's high temperatures can increase your pet’s chances of dehydration and overheating. If you’re taking your pet outdoors, be sure to bring plenty of water, and take breaks in the shade. Dr. Joza recommends taking your dogs outside during the cooler parts of the day.
2. Bring a first aid kit,
Accidents happen. While exploring the outdoors, dogs can scrape their paw pads and run into all sorts of minor injuries. Dr. Hein advises pet parents to have a first aid kit on-hand to help their pets when something happens.
3. Hot sidewalks can hurt paws.
We frequently do not notice how hot the ground outside can get in the summer sun. Unfortunately, our furry friends often have to step on very hot surfaces, making their walks uncomfortable or even painful. Concrete can be deceptively hot. Consider taking your pet out in the early morning or late evening when the ground is cooler. For dogs, booties can help protect their paws.
4. Watch out for rattlesnakes.
“Rattlesnakes like to be out in the cooler parts of the day (morning and evening), which is unfortunately also the time that we often take our dogs out on walks/hikes. It's best to keep your dogs on a leash and avoid any off-leash parks and trails where rattlesnakes are present,” Dr. Wang advises. If your pet does get injured by a rattlesnake, take them to the vet immediately.
Indian Tree Animal Hospital brings personal care and attentiveness to your pet’s vet visits year-round. Learn more at IndianTreeAnimalHospital.com, or pop by their Arvada location.
Group picture of the doctors from Indian Tree Animal Hospital in Arvada: (L-R) Drs. Riley Farrell, Emily Howard, Anjuli Hein, Celene Joza, Carrie Wang, Trevor Hendricks. Not Pictured: Drs. Sarah Payne and Shelley Ekstrom
“There wasn't really much else I ever thought of doing,”--Dr. Anjuli Hein