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Chittenden Veterinary Clinic
20 Years of Animal Stories

by Karen Edwards
November 2003 Issue

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Dr. Michael Weisel has his hands full for this photo. © Doug Fordyce

Think of Michael Weisel, DVM, as a Marcus Welby for pets. Dr. Weisel owns and runs the Chittenden Veterinary Clinic, 239 Chittenden Avenue, and like the tall, lanky and amiable television icon, Dr. Weisel is a solo practitioner and a generalist, which amounts to a jack-of-all-trades in terms of dealing with his clients' health. A veterinarian for 23 years, Dr. Weisel is observing his 20th year at the Chittenden Avenue address.

"It goes without saying that I love animals," says Dr. Weisel. Although Dr. Weisel loves dogs, and once owned a German Shepherd, his work schedule and current lifestyle – both of which can mean long hours away from home –  is not conducive to dog ownership. Cats, on the other hand, are everywhere. He owns five at home, and three currently roam his office at will, including a sleek black cat names Hulk who is looking for a new home.

"We take in a fair number of homeless cats," says Dr. Weisel. They come from a variety of sources, including clients, strays found around the clinic, and "overflow" clients from Cat Welfare. "I'd say we place 30 to 40 cats a year," he says.

Flashback to a young Michael Weisel, growing up on Long Island, New York. Stray cats, somehow sensing a sympathetic spirit in the boy, frequently chose the Weisel family garage as a sort of transient maternity ward. So who could blame the boy's mother for drawing a hard line when he'd show up at the door with ... a stray cat?

"She always told me I couldn't keep it," he said. "Then I'd ask her to hold it for me while I pretended to do something else. When I came back, she'd be petting and talking to it." Bottom line? The cat was allowed to stay.

Eventually, his love for animals led Dr. Weisel to veterinary school at The Ohio State University. He liked Columbus well enough that he decided to stay in the area following graduation.

The Chittenden Veterinary Clinic is unique in its demographic draw. Most pet owners choose to go to veterinarian practices that are close to their homes. However, Dr. Weisel's practice, which is located just north of downtown and south of campus, draws its clientele from across Columbus, including German and Victorian Villages, the Short North, the near east side, and from more far-flung places, including Upper Arlington, Dublin and ... Chicago?

Dr. Weisel explains: "The owners brought their dog here when they lived in Columbus, then continued to bring him here for routine visits, even after they had moved to Chicago."

What kind of practice inspires such loyalty? A practice that's built on a deep foundation of caring for and about animals, and is solidly rooted in preventative healthcare and education.

Located just south of the Ohio State University campus on Chittenden Avenue.

Dr. Weisel, who has taught science at Columbus State Community College and for the Ohio Youth Commission, relishes his role as educator –  and not just as mentor for the veterinary students who come to his practice to help and learn. Dr. Weisel is adamant about educating his clients' owners as well.

"Education is an important part of what I do here," he says.

He'll take the time he needs to discuss a pet's problem – in lay terms – with the owners, and to offer treatment options.

"I'm a general practitioner. If a pet needs special orthopedic surgery, for example, I'll present that option to the client. Even though I do surgery, I'm not going to be as effective as someone who has done that particular kind of surgery a number of times," he says.

In other words, pet owners are helped in understanding the why and how of their pet's condition so they can make intelligent choices about its care. In fact, Dr. Weisel schedules 40 minutes with each new client to discuss how his practice operates, and to answer questions. New kitten and puppy owners also receive a basic and very thorough rundown of how to care for their new arrivals.

Although Dr. Weisel does treat an occasional rabbit or ferret, his practice is largely comprised of dogs and cats, and, again, that's coming from a practical standpoint.

"There are specialists in town who treat birds and exotic animals, so I will usually refer owners who call for appointments for these kinds of pets," he says. That frees him up to not only spend more quality time with the pets he does treat, but also to stay abreast of new developments in preventive health.

Despite some flashy technological advances in veterinary medicine, like CAT scans, ultrasounds, and laser surgery, it's often the more mundane developments that have the biggest impact on pet health.

"Few things have broader application than flea control, and in terms of patient comfort, we've made huge strides in flea control over the past five years," he says. "It's almost at a point where fleas are no longer an issue."

Veterinary medicine is also successfully containing contagious diseases, like parvovirus, and parasites, like heartworm.

One of the remaining areas in pet healthcare that still needs strong attention is patient obesity, says Dr. Weisel.

Meigs is a 12-year-old yellow lab who went from 92 pounds to 70 pounds through proper exercise, diet, and thyroid medication.

"I tell pet owners that obesity may be a major factor in serious disease, and result in severe problems with mobility. The mobility issue could even result in an animal being euthanized if it cannot stand on its own. That's why I tell pet owners that if their dog or cat is obese, it might as well be dead," he says. Blunt, perhaps, but given that obese pets are usually less mobile, they are also less likely to be able to care for themselves as they grow more and more infirm.

"I'll ask the owners if they're willing or even able to pick up and carry around a 75-pound dog so it can perform daily functions," he says. "That usually gets their attention. Then we can have an educational discussion about how to solve the problem."

Dr. Weisel typically makes three recommendations when it comes to dropping pounds off obese pets:

Measure food and reduce it by 25 percent

"You'd be surprised to learn how many pet owners aren't aware of how many cups of food their animals are getting," he says. "I tell them to measure the amount, then cut it by 25 percent."

Regular exercise routine

They don't have to run an obstacle course twice a week, but daily walks can provide the same beneficial effect for your pet as it does for you.

Supplements

"I recommend giving selected pets glucosamine to keep their joints lubricated and healthy," he says. It may not always prevent the arthritis that's common for older pets, but it will push it further down the road. "I tell owners that I'm taking supplements now for the same reason. I'm a snow skier, and I love it. I want to be able to ski when I'm 90, so I'm doing what I can now to ensure that will happen."

"Diet advice really needs to be tailored to the individual dog or cat," says Dr. Weisel. As with humans, there is no single silver bullet out there that will take care of the problem.

Dr. Weisel's caring manner and common-sense advice goes a long way toward explaining how he's been able to maintain his solo practice – despite today's shaky economy – for 20 years, but he is also quick to credit his staff.

"Much of my success I owe to my staff," says Dr. Weisel. "Their grace and intelligence allow me to keep practicing on a solo basis."

The office manager who has been with Dr. Weisel for 11 of the Chittenden Clinic's 20 years says she can't imagine working anywhere else.

"This is a small friendly clinic," she says. "And Dr. Weisel is the type of guy who would give you the shirt off his back, even if he didn't own another one."

He's also the type of guy to give homeless cats and kittens a place to stay; pet owners a solid education on their animal's health; and, of course, top-quality health care to his four-legged patients. If you're a pet owner, it doesn't get much better than that.

Visit www.chittendenvetclinic.com or call 614-294-3106

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