Dr. Lara Sylvester Joins Foster Park Pet Hospital
Great News! We are pleased and excited to announce that Dr. Lara Sylvester is joining our growing team of veterinary healthcare professionals.
Dr. Sylvester completed her Veterinary Medical Doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania, following graduation from Trent University with an Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree and achieving her Master of Science degree at the University of Toronto.
Lara moved to the Belleville area in 2004 to practice veterinary medicine and has become an active member of our community, serving as past president of the Quinte District Veterinary Association and as a volunteer for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. You may have heard Lara on CJBQ 800 AM as the resident veterinarian of the Lorne Brooker show. Her next appearance is scheduled for the beginning of October.
Dr. Sylvester is passionate about education, travelling across Ontario to host speaking engagements on behalf of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario. She also invests in the future of veterinary medicine by instructing students at both the college and university levels.
Lara enjoys creating a warm, friendly, settled atmosphere in the hospital for patients and their family members. She has a special interest in internal medicine and in particular the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in pets, where much of her continuing education has been focused. She also has a “soft spot” for senior patients and pays special attention to their changing needs.
Lara spends her off duty time at home with her husband Jonathan and a Lhasa Apso named Cisco. Her other personal interests include gardening, running and scrapbooking.
Add comment September 4, 2009
The Human-Animal Bond
In the stone age, when man was a hunter-gatherer, dogs lived around the outskirts of habitats and survived on leftover scraps from the hunt. This relationship became closer as humans learned to utilize the canine ability to hunt and catch prey, thereby helping to provide food for the family. From that point on, dogs became an essential part of civilized life.
Nowadays, the human-animal bond is stronger than ever, but the reasons have become much more complex. People own cats or dogs for companionship, for staving off loneliness and providing unconditional love. Having pets can help teach children responsibility. Many of us keep dogs and cats for health reasons as they do provide many medical benefits. And yes, dogs are still used for hunting, as well as showing, breeding, and in some cases for work, such as sled dogs in the Arctic.
Our dogs and cats definitely have therapeutic value.
Having a pet as a companion can provide significant relief from stress. It’s impossible not to respond positively when a pair of eyes gaze adoringly up at you, or when your soft furry companion rubs your hand with delight. A study of a group of New York stock brokers determined that people who owned pets generally had lower blood pressure than those who did not! The presence of pets appeared to help control spikes in blood pressure due to stress and tension.
Dogs also encourage us to exercise, whether we walk our dogs because they need it, or because we simply enjoy their companionship. In fact, dog owners walk far more than others without pets. When we are walking our dogs we appear more approachable. This makes other people more inclined to stop to talk with us. Our network of friends increases, providing great stress management benefits.
To watch the immediate effect of pet therapy dogs on elderly patients in nursing homes, hospitals or on children in hospital, is a wonderful experience. Patients light up when they see a therapy dog. Those who are uncommunicative may become quite animated. Dogs are extremely adaptable and easily trained to assist with our special needs. Services provided by dogs include guiding the blind and the deaf, and assisting the mobility impaired. Dogs are able to detect and warn those suffering from epilepsy of an imminent seizure before even the patient recognizes the onset.
In return for all that our companion animals do for us, it’s our responsibility to help them lead happy and healthy lives, so that they may continue their relationship with us for as long as humanely possible.
Add comment August 21, 2009
