I had to post this picture of Ozzy Posey and his family with his festive Elizabethan collar! Fortunately his corneal erosion has finally healed. The bad news is he won’t be needing the collar any more! Merry Christmas, Ozzy!!!

The AEC reception area

Welcome to the Holiday edition of the Animal Eye Clinic in Wilton, Connecticut!

To date I have posted medical information and photographs of some disease states that may be of interest. But today, as Thanksgiving has quickly passed us by and the Christmas holiday bears down on us, I decided to wax poetic about something I feel strongly about: Customer Service.

I am one of those folks who really enjoys this time of year. One of the reasons is that many people seem to embrace the Christmas spirit and actually start treating people nicely, are thinking of giving rather than receiving, and are looking on the bright side of life. Whether you are religious or not, the positive vibe given off at this time of year can be infectious if you are open to receiving it.

Alas, many are brought down by the demands of the season. Gift giving, party attendance, travelling to the in-laws are some of the many responsibilities that can become a hassle rather than a pleasure during this busy time of year. Getting trampled on Black Friday just does not seem to be a good way to start the season off right to me!

But seeing the joy of children while writing their letters to Santa can bring me back to a time of innocence in a hurry. Meeting that person that smiles at you while hustling down a crowded street can prompt the smile back when, during other times of year, you may be facing straight ahead to avoid eye contact. Stopping to gaze at a decorated tree or house in your neighborhood when otherwise you would be racing home for dinner is special this time of year. Or taking the time to give someone directions that is obviously lost while looking for that perfect gift in the mall may otherwise not be considered at any other time. It makes me smile to see people treat others nicely, be approachable or themselves approach someone inspired by the season.

But why should this attitude be more apparent or present in December and not April? Why not have the Christmas spirit all year long? Why is this simple act of taking care of each other so difficult to find? Why do clerks in stores or receptionists in offices sometimes talk to you like you just insulted their mother? I mean, really, why do so many businesses continue to treat their customers like you need them more than they need you?

In a way, my business philosophy tries to reflect this lost art of customer service. Isn’t taking care of people what customer service is all about? And shouldn’t that be the easiest task in you and your employee’s day? It is just not that hard to be friendly!

This doesn’t have to be a big act of kindness, but rather the day-to-day friendliness and interaction between client, patient, staff and doctor that sets a tone in a practice. Or elsewhere between shopper and clerk, homeowner and contractor, patron and waiter. Isn’t everyone more pleased if someone treats them nicely, with respect and courtesy rather than with a gruff response? I don’t care how good your retail items, counter tops or beef satays are, if you don’t give me the time of day, I doubt I will use your service.

Here at the Animal Eye Clinic, I have chosen to remain a small business for exactly these reasons. I feel I can provide my excellence in veterinary ophthalmology in a warm, friendly, and personal setting better than in any other venue. It’s like Cheers here where we know your name and you will see familiar faces every visit. Our new waiting area is quite pleasant and you would be surprised how well many dogs and cats behave here when they may not at your primary veterinarian’s practice. They sense the calm, are not surrounded by sick animals and are comforted in a clinic that feels like a home. We think you will feel the same. Sure, we sacrifice the benefits of having other specialists right down the hall as you might experience at a multispecialty or emergency practice. Yes, I am not open 24/7 as I prioritize my family when not at work, and maybe I will be a little behind if an emergency comes in that needs attention while you are waiting. But most clients will tell you that once I am present, you will get my 100% attention, a thorough description so you can understand your pet’s problem, and a staff that will follow you from beginning to end of the process. And if you don’t get a smile, a hello, goodbye or thank you somewhere along the line, I would be surprised.

We may be only one of few veterinary ophthalmologists in the area, but we won’t act like it. It is our pleasure and priviledge to be be here for you, and we try to prove it every day. It doesn’t have to be Christmas season just once a year.

Happy Holidays from the Animal Eye Clinic! Treat someone nicely today and see how good it feels!

The Animal Eye Clinic of Wilton is proud to be supporting the National Service Dog Eye Exam Month! This special month, established by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists in conjunction with Merial Pharmaceuticals, has been created to allow dogs in all forms of service to be awarded a free eye exam from a board certified ophthalmologist. So if your friend is a drug sniffer or seeing eye and anything in between, they may be eligible for this service. Go to www.ACVOeyeexam.org to see if your dog qualifies for this valued service! I have posted 2 videos on our helpful resources page as well, one from the ACVO and the other from Good Morning America, that may be helpful if you think your dog could benefit from an eye exam. Call us at 203-762-9399 if you have any questions about this service of any other information that we can provide. Dogs eligible for this exam will be seen on Thursday afternoons throughout the month of May.

OUR NEW ADDITION!

Lots of new things happening here at the AEC! If you haven’t had the need to come visit us, that is probably a good thing! But if you have come by or will be coming, I think our new facilities will impress. The initial reaction from new and returning clients have been all good. The improved parking, larger and more comfortable waiting room and exam rooms decorated with warm, calming colors have all got excellent reviews. My wonderful staff remains intact even after the rigors of the move and continue to serve you as before. As always, we try to combine good service, clinical expertise and sound advice with a dose of common sense to help you make educated decisions for your pet’s eye problems.

Speaking of new pets, my family has a new addition, too! Tess is a 9 week old Australian Shepherd that has found her way into hearts and home as of March 21st. A few years ago we went from 3 geriatric cats and a dog (average age of 16!) to none about the time my two beautiful boys were getting in an out of diapers. So the family with 2 vets and no pets has finally reloaded with 2 fish and a new puppy! Tess has been a wonderful addition and has reminded my wife and I of all the joys and challenges of raising a puppy. Fortunately, she is quite smart and well behaved, so our experience has been a positive one for both parents and kids.

This prompts a note about ocular disease in puppies. Eye disease is certainly not limited to adults as congenital malformations, surface inflammation or infection, trauma and even cataracts can be noted in young dogs. If you are a breeder, hopefully you are having your puppies (and their parents) screened for genetic-related problems. A CERF exam, for the Canine Eye Registration Foundation, is a dilated exam of pups and adults. These exams are for healthy pets with no apparent ocular problems that we evaluate closely for any evidence of genetic-based disease. Small changes, such as cataracts and retinal folds, will be marked as present and the form sent to CERF to determine breeding is a good idea in the future. Call to schedule this type of exam if you want to assess your breeding recommendation or even if you are just concerned about your puppy and want to insure normal ocular health at that time. Genetic disease is not the same as congenital disease which means you may be normal as a puppy but can still develop changes as an adult that have a genetic basis. Thus, CERF exams are recommended on an annual basis and then once at the end of the dog’s career to assess for any late onset problems.

See you soon, and say hello to Tess if she is visiting while you are!

Hope to see you soon,

Chuck Stuhr, DVM, DACVO