Dr. Lisa Thilges of the Prairie View Animal Hospital in Grimes led the Humane Society of Perry’s low-cost rabies clinic Sunday at the Perry Dog Park.
“The more animals you are helping in the community the better,” said Thilges, who was assisted at the event by her husband, David Thilges, and veterinary technician Lauren Hackbarth of Ames. “For a lot of folks, this is the only time they may see a vet from one year to the next,” Dr. Thilges said.
According to Abby Benifiel, director of the Humane Society of Perry, this year’s clinic delivered 47 rabies vaccinations and several distemper/parvo combination vaccinations. Four four-footers were microchipped, she said, and several were scanned to check for the presence of microchips.
She said the youngest client was 15 weeks old and the eldest was approximately 15 years old. Thilges also identified medical conditions in several of the animals that deserved closer examination in a clinic setting.
Vaccinations were $10 and microchipping was $20. Dogs must receive a rabies vaccination yearly but if they are brought to a vet before the year expires, the second vaccination is good for three years, Thilges said. A Perry city ordinance requires all dogs residing within the city limits to be current on their rabies shots.
Among the attending dogs Sunday was Charli-girl, a 7-year-old rescue dog recently taken in by the Humane Society of Perry. Thilges gave the friendly Keeshond a cursory exam and determined she has a couple of harmless lipomas, Benifiel said, which are cholesterol deposits under the skin.
“Charli-girl will see Dr. Thilges again in her Grimes clinic later this week for x-rays to check for what seemed to be an old, untreated fracture,” Benifiel said. She said the dog’s now-deceased owner was unable to care for her over the last couple of years, and so Charli-girl needs a complete and thorough health screen prior to adoption.
For more information about adopting Charli-girl or another resident of the Humane Society of Perry, call 515-240-7581.
