A Look at Board Certification for Veterinarians

For nearly four decades, Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince has provided compassionate clinical services for companion animals in Illinois. Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince serves as a veterinarian at the Elmhurst Animal Care Center. Dr. Prince also holds professional credentials that include being a diplomate with the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and board certification in veterinary medicine.

A mark of distinction, board certification indicates that a medical practitioner has completed additional education beyond minimum requirements in a clinical area.

For veterinarians, board certification involves advanced training in a specialty area following completion of veterinary school. Often, this advanced training consists of a one-year rotating internship with specialist supervision, as well as a three-year residency that focuses on a specialty area. Following this training, board-certified veterinarians are required to complete an examination that covers the specialization of their choice. For example, a board certified veterinarian may focus on areas that range from internal medicine and surgery to ophthalmology and neurology.

The Shelter Medicine Program in Illinois: An Overview

Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince leverages decades of experience and a board certification in veterinary medicine as a partner at Elmhurst Care Centers in Illinois. Outside of his professional work, Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince holds membership with the American Veterinary Medical Association and provides annual donations to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.

The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine has been providing veterinary education and medical services since 1870, when weekly horse clinics were held for local residents. Today, the college consists of three academic departments: comparative biosciences, pathobiology, and veterinary clinical medicine.

The college offers a wide range of veterinary services and programs ranging from general and emergency care to equine services and the Shelter Medicine Program. The Shelter Medicine Program strives to improve the well-being of shelter animals through education services and efforts to reduce animal overpopulation. In addition to low-cost spay and neuter programs, the initiative helps vaccinate and microchip unowned animals. Moreover, the program advances the discipline of shelter medicine among veterinary students. For further information on the program, visit http://www.vetmed.illinois.edu.

Elmhurst Animal Care Center Provides Pulse Oximetry Services

Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince is a board certified small animal veterinarian that holds over 30 years of experience in preventive care for animals. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince currently serves as a partner at the Elmhurst Animal Care Center in Illinois.

Elmhurst Animal Care Center provides full comprehensive veterinary services to companion animals, seven days a week. The center offers care for animals at any stage of life, with advanced services ranging from ultrasounds and digital radiography to magnetic resonance imaging and pulse oximetry tests.

Also known as a blood oxygen test, pulse oximetry

measures oxygen saturation in the blood. Pulse oximetry is often used during surgical operations or following medical procedures. In addition, the test can help assess the health of a patient following a heart attack or other condition that affects the level of oxygen in the blood. The test employs a small probe to measure blood oxygen. The probe, which is typically placed on an ear or other body part, utilizes light to measure oxygen in the blood.

Three of America’s Most Dog-Friendly Travel Destinations

Dog-Friendly
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A dedicated veterinarian, Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince is a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince also holds membership with the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, and Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association. Outside of work, he is passionate about dogs and traveling.

Traveling with a dog can be a challenge if your pet is not permitted to go to certain places with you. Fortunately, there are a number of dog-friendly places in America that are worth traveling to. Here are three of the best:

1. Carmel, California. One of the most dog-friendly towns in the nation, Carmel welcomes dogs at numerous restaurants, hotels, and B&B accommodations. The town also offers massage and spa services, and even a dog psychiatrist. Carmel Beach is one of the state’s few off-leash beaches, and is a popular spot for dog parties.

2. Nashville, Tennessee. With approximately 75 dog-friendly establishments, including Fido cafe in Hillsboro Village, Nashville loves its canine visitors. Centennial Dog Park is an ideal area for exercising your dog, and even offers free dog services, including natural dog treats, nail trims, and a splash zone on Saturday afternoons during May, June, September, and October.

3. San Diego, California. With several dog-friendly beaches, including Dog Beach and Fiesta Island, and over 530 restaurants that permit dogs in them, San Diego is one of America’s most dog-friendly cities. The city also hosts numerous canine-focused events, including Petco Park’s Dog Days of Summer Padre games, and the Surf Dog Series, which takes place at Imperial Beach.

Dog Skin Problems That Require a Vet Appointment

Dogs
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Board certified in small animal practice, Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince has treated companion animals for more than 25 years. Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince is a staff veterinarian at Elmhurst Animal Care Center, which offers pet bathing for routine grooming and treatment for allergies and skin conditions.

There are more than 150 skin conditions that can afflict dogs. For this reason, it is important to bring the dog to the vet at the first sign of irritation. Some of the most urgent conditions include symptoms such as:

Hair loss – Dogs can develop bald patches due to any number of ailments, including a mite infestation or a chronic disorder. It’s best to bring a dog displaying hair loss to a veterinarian for a full examination, rather than waiting for the condition to improve on its own.

Yeast – A dog’s skin always contains some yeast, but an overgrowth results in itchiness, thickened skin, and a foul odor. Yeast is usually due to an underlying problem, such as overactive oil glands or a genetic disposition. A vet can help determine the appropriate course of treatment.

Open Sores – Large red sores, also known as dermatitis, should always be examined by a veterinarian. Some sources of dermatitis, like scabies, are contagious and should be addressed immediately to avoid contaminating other animals.

Important Things to Know About Abnormal Weight Loss in Dogs

Dogs
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A partner at Elmhurst Animal Care Center, Joel Todd Leroy Prince has worked as a veterinary professional for more than two decades. Through his work at Elmhurst Animal Care Center, Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince aims to help pet owners prevent and treat various conditions and diseases, including abnormal weight loss.

Dogs may lose weight as the result of both abnormal and normal conditions, and veterinarians consider weight loss to be clinically important when it comprises more than 10 percent of the dog’s normal body weight and is not associated with dehydration or fluid loss. Some causes for abnormal weight loss include anorexia (which is the lack of appetite as a result of a disease or behavioral condition) and pseudoanorexia (in which a pet loses the sense of smell or experiences another disorder that makes it difficult or impossible to eat).

In the case that weight loss appears significant, a veterinarian may utilize a number of tests, such as radiographs (x-rays) and blood tests, to complete a diagnosis. Based on the diagnosis, the veterinarian will know whether to prescribe a treatment aimed at improving the dog’s health and quality of life.

Surgical Options at Elmhurst Animal Care Center

Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince is a board-certified small animal practice veterinarian and a partner at Elmhurst Animal Center in Illinois. Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince studied animal science at Iowa State University and veterinary medicine at the University of Illinois.

The Elmhurst Animal Care Center is fully equipped to provide pets and their families with a range of surgical procedures. In addition to spay and neuter procedures, the facility is capable of performing major back surgeries, abdominal surgeries, and mass and tumor removals. Veterinarians are also skilled in performing anterior cruciate ligament repairs, luxating patella repair, and other wound repairs. The center performs surgical procedures to cure intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) for dogs.

Prior to surgery, animals undergo a thorough examination and blood work. Furthermore, animals receive all the required vaccinations and, if needed, anesthesia. Veterinarians also use CO2 laser surgery technology to mitigate the risk of complications.

Accessing Pet Health Records with Petly

 

Elmhurst Animal Care Center
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A graduate of the University of Illinois, Joel Todd Leroy Prince, DVM, is a board certified small animal veterinarian. Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince provides medical services at a number of animal hospitals and practices in the greater Chicago area, including the Elmhurst Animal Care Center.

The Elmhurst Animal Care Center maintains a variety of medical and grooming services streamlined by technology, including effective and simple management tools for pet health records. Utilizing Petly services, the care center is able to provide individuals and families with immediate access to their pet’s health records from the comfort of their own homes. Furthermore, Petly can be used to keep track of upcoming veterinarian appointments and to receive updates and messages regarding pet health directly from the doctor.

In order to access animal health records anytime, anywhere, owners must first sign up for a Petly account at no charge. This can be done by visiting www.petly.com or by contacting Elmhurst Animal Care Center at www.elmhurstanimalcarecenter.com or (630) 530-1900.

What Is a Well-Balanced Diet for Dogs?

Parasites in Dogs
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Since obtaining a doctor of veterinary medicine from the University of Illinois over 30 years ago, Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince has cared for companion animals at veterinary clinics in Elmhurst, Springbrook, Wheaton, and Naperville, Illinois. In addition to routine exams and treatment courses, Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince educates his clients on the best ways to keep their pets healthy, including advice on proper nutrition.

In addition to dry or wet dog foods, canine diets can be supplemented with produce, meat, or fish. Below are some guidelines for other foods that can help round out a dog’s diet.

Raw Bones -Thick cow or lamb bones that are too big to be swallowed whole are an ideal way to incorporate calcium and other minerals into a dog’s diet. Dogs should only be given raw bones once or twice a week and should always be supervised while eating them.

Carbohydrates – Dogs can metabolize carbohydrates for energy. However, complex carbs such as grains are gentler on a dog’s digestive system when cooked.

Hard Vegetables – Raw, fresh vegetables like carrots not only provide dogs with essential nutrients, but also keep their teeth clean. Dogs can also eat small portions of cooked vegetables, provided that they are not cooked in oil or seasoned with ingredients that are toxic to dogs, such as onion powder or garlic.

Twitch-Skin Syndrome in Cats

Twitch-Skin
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As a board-certified small animal veterinarian, Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince treats both common and rare disorders in dogs and cats. Dr. Joel Todd Leroy Prince has a special interest in neurological disorders, such as feline hyperesthesia.

Also known as twitch-skin syndrome or twitchy-cat syndrome, feline hyperesthesia is an unusual disorder in which a cat’s back twitches from the shoulders to the tail. The phenomenon is visible in some cats, but others show it only through the behavior they exhibit in trying to stop the strange sensation.

The twitches of feline hyperesthesia typically happen episodically and can last from several seconds to a few minutes. An episode may first become apparent to an owner when the cat turns to look at his or her tail as though something has just bitten it.

Some cats bite at their backs or hiss at a perceived invisible attacker. Cats with severe cases may chew at their fur until they develop skin lesions and bald patches.

Veterinary science has not yet identified the source of feline hyperesthesia. Suspected causes include seizure disorders and behavioral issues. Cats that are particularly high-strung or subject to environmental stressors may be at a higher risk.

Stress reduction is a key component of treatment for this condition. Experts recommend feeding the cat a balanced diet rich in protein, but seeing a veterinarian for a specific treatment plan is the important first step.