#februarypets

This is Dr. Megan McLane, DVM, DACVIM - 

Dr. McLane grew up in Illinois but has also lived in Nevada and New Jersey. After receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Monmouth University in New Jersey, she traveled to the Northwest to obtain her DVM at Oregon State University. She then spent four years at California Animal Hospital Veterinary Specialty Group completing both her small animal internship and cardiology residency. Dr. McLane has a special interest in management of the critical cardiac patient and long term care of all forms of heart disease. She is also excited to help set up the interventional cardiology unit at Care Center with Dr. Schuckman. When not working, she enjoys painting, hiking, and discovering new cuisines. Dr. McLane is very excited to return to the Midwest and be closer to her family, in addition to exploring all that Cincinnati has to offer.

And, this is Dr. Maggie Schuckman, DVM, DACVIM

Dr. Schuckman is a Cincinnati native, originally from Pleasant Ridge. She obtained both her BS and DVM from The Ohio State University. Dr. Schuckman completed a one-year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Michigan Veterinary Specialists in 2009. With a love for veterinary medicine and cardiology Dr. Schuckman applied and was accepted into the cardiology residency program at University of Guelph. During her residency she researched the utility of the new echocardiographic imaging modality called speckle tracking. She also received advanced training in interventional cardiology and is pleased to offer minimally invasive procedures to correct Bradyarrhythmias as well as some congenital heart disorders. Dr. Schuckman has two cats, Tabs and Toby, and a rambunctious Golden Retriever and blood donor, Maverick. In her downtime, she enjoys sports, especially volleyball, and relaxing at her local dog park.

Looking for ways to improve your pet’s cardiovascular health? Care Center doctors recommend a normal exercise routine with your pets. For dogs we would recommend normal walks. You may already be doing this with your dog to take it to the bathroom, but many people actually feel like they don’t have time to walk Fido once or twice a day. In reality, you have a lot of time in between work and family. Waking up even 15 minutes earlier in the morning can help you to take your pup for a walk and it helps you to wake up as well. It is a great bonding ritual. Nightly walks are also an easy way to add more exercise for your dog. Regular walks also increase positive feelings in your animal, so this is a win-win-win situation! For cats we recommend lots of play time. This can include cat toys like mice, balls, or feathery wands, as well as tall cat houses or even laser beams. If you find that your cat really likes to start playing with their toys right when you go to bed, try playing with them 20 or so minutes before you go to sleep. Exercising with your cat before your bedtime can help your nighttime from being interrupted by their prime playtime.