Laursen Veterinary Service

07/28/2026

Help us celebrate Heather and her 20 years, that's right 20 YEARS at LVS!
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Heather Kuhl is our amazing practice manager, puppy preschool teacher, one of our amazing licensed veterinary technicians, mentor, and friend.
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Heather graduated from Michigan State University in 2001 with her Bachelor's in Animal Science. Since then, she's done countless hours of continuing education and spent countless more hours caring for thousands of animals over the years.
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Heather started at Laursen Veterinary Service in 2006 and has helped our clinic grow; she has supported our community through friendly, empathetic, and knowledgeable veterinary care here at Laursen Veterinary Service.
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Whether she is at the clinic or spending time with her beautiful family and her own animals, Heather is always on the move!
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We couldnt be more grateful to have such an excellent Practice Manager and skilled veterinary technician who cares for each patient and their owners like they were her own family.
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Please take a moment to tell Heather thank you and congratulations on her 20th anniversary at LVS!

Thank you Heather.

07/19/2026

Toxicity in Pets 💊

PSA for Pet Owners

This year, much like every year, we unfortunately see and treat cases of medication toxicity in pets. Exposure can occur in more than one way (inhaling smoke or vapors, skin/fur contact, ingestion, etc).

Primarily, we deal with pets that have ingested a toxic substance or consumed a large quantity of a substance, which causes toxicity.

How does this happen? Pets are curious creatures and become exposed to a potential toxicant/toxin or other dangerous material while investigating and exploring.

What can cause toxicity in my pet?
Many things!

💊Over-the-counter medications such as:
Ibuprofen (Motrin®️ / Advil®️)
Acetaminophen ( Tylenol®️/ Excedrin®️)
Naproxen (Aleve®️) and many more
These can cause dangerous GI ulceration, internal bleeding, kidney/liver damage, and may lead to death

🫙🥼Human Prescriptions such as:
Sleeping aids, blood pressure medications, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, pain medications, etc can cause a wide variety dangerous symptoms in pets ranging from dangerous drops in blood pressure, seizures, organ damage, and death.

🐕🐈Pet prescriptions:
While pet prescriptions are FOR pets, consuming large quantities or accidental exposure to a different pet or species medication can cause negative effects. These can be dangerous!

💉🌱Recreational Drugs such as:
Ma*****na, "shrooms", crack/cocaine, methamphetamine, etc pose great risk to pets. Failure to divulge what drug a pet was exposed to can delay the pet from receiving the specific care it needs.
If your pet is ever exposed to a recreational drug, please be upfront with your veterinarian. We are not judging you, we only want to provide your pet the help it needs.

🧄🥑🍫Food toxins:
Some foods contain compounds that can cause toxicity in pets. Dark chocolate, cocoa, garlic, onions, avocado, xylitol, and more can cause a variety of negative health impacts, which if severe, may lead to death.

🐁Rodenticides such as:
d.CON®️, TOMCAT®️, and other brands
(Rat bait, mole bait, etc) can cause severe neurological and/or internal bleeding if ingested. If you suspect your pet may have been exposed, please contact your veterinarian promptly and bring the packaging of the product with you.

💐🍁Plant toxicity
There are many plants that can pose danger to pets as well.
Lilies, Azalea, Poinsettia, black walnut, Lily of the Valley, and many, many more.
Symptoms can range from GI upset with vomiting and diarrhea, to organ damage, and potential death.

What can pet owners do?

1) Keep ALL medications (pet/human/recreational) out of reach from your pets

2)Be aware of potential toxicants in your yard and around your home. Don't use rodenticides anywhere near where your pet can access. If you're visiting another property with your pet, ask the property owner if there is rat bait on the property and don't leave your pet to explore unsupervised.

3) Be aware of potential foods that can cause toxicity and keep them out of reach from your pets.

4) Know what plants and flowers are in your yard and determine if they may pose a health risk to your pet. There are many phone apps and search tools to help identify a plant or flower.

5) Call the Pet poison control hotline and your veterinarian if your pet has ingested a medication or had an exposure to a potential toxicant.

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/

https://www.aspcapro.org/topics/aspca-poison-control-and-toxicology

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets

24/7 Animal Poison Control Center for both Pet Owners and Veterinarians. If your dog, cat, or other pet is poisoned, call 855-764-7661

07/18/2026

Our air quality in Michigan is still considered very unhealthy, this impacts both humans and animals alike.

Below is a release from our State Veterinarian from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

While the air quality is not as bad as it was yesterday, it still can negatively impact pets. Please consider shortening their time outdoors and refraining from long walks or intense outdoor exercise during this period of poor air quality; especially pets that have pre-existing heart and lung conditions, or very young or old pets.

07/11/2026

July is National Lost Pet Prevention Month.

Here are some tips!

🐕Securely fitted collar and leash with readable and correct contact information. Tags wear out! If you change your address, phone number, etc and don't update the tag, it cannot be used to reunite you and your lost pet. Not a fan of keeping a collar on your dog? Please consider microchipping. We use PetLink microchips. They're a quick, minimally invasive procedure and they're for life! Microchips must be registered in order to work and you must keep your contact information up-to-date. They are an excellent method to reunite lost pets.

🐕Training! Start at a young age to ingrain good habits and responsiveness to your commands. Practice your dogs recall a few minutes a day. If the day comes when they slip out the door, a good recall can make a world of difference. Consider our puppy Preschool to get your puppy started on their path of learning. Don't have a puppy? That's okay! Adult dogs are capable of learning, too with consistency. There are many local reputable dog trainers to choose from as well.
Here is an example video of what recall practice can look like!
https://youtu.be/9xgQg-LG0f4?is=BfUP_T1JV5t9K6Z6

🐕Safe, secure yards and homes and choosing the right breed for your lifestyle. Looking into getting that German Shepherd or Siberian Husky? That 4ft chain link fence with a patch might not do its job. Researching breeds before adoption or purchasing can bring breed characteristics, mannerisms, and expectations to light that you may not have thought of. Some dogs are agile and can easily jump a 4ft fence. Other breeds are notorious for digging under a fence. Any dog can escape a yard, so it is an important step to routinely do a perimeter check. Is Bonnie digging a new hole in the back by the fence? Is a board loose? Chain link getting warped? Is there a loose screen in the house your cat or dog could push out? Address these smaller issues before they become your pets ticket to escape.

🐕House guests/ children.
Teaching your children from a young age about door and pet safety is important! Don't forget to also set house rules for when company is over. They don't have to be lengthy rules, but they are worth mentioning to keep your pets safe. Do you have a designated area for your pets when company is over? Is there a routine for your pets outside time involving gates or doors that should be shared?
Examples: "We have a cat so please shut the door quickly behind you when you go outside." Or "The screen door doesn't latch well, so please close both doors so our puppy doesn't get loose."
Your friends and family don't want your pet to get loose either, so spending a few short minutes explaining any pet related rules is another way to protect your pet.

🐕Even with great planning and training, accident happen and pets can get loose. Don't panic! Notify your counties animal control your pet is missing. Let neighbors know, organize a group of people your pet knows to help search. Bring a leash and high value treats for dogs.

🐈‍⬛For cats, throughoughly search your house first if you didn't see them escape. Cats are excellent at hiding. If you're sure they have escaped outside, put their litter box out. Put clothes outside that smell like you. The scents like these may draw them back home. Searching with a flashlight at night may help pick up the lights reflection in your kitties eyes and help you locate them. Search in sheds, under parked cars, bushes, etc.

🐕We never want to think about our pets going missing, but having a preparedness plan and remaining calm are very important. Also, don't forget social media! Use your town or cities local social media page to post a picture of your lost pet and area your pet went missing. Check pages like "For the Love of Louie" etc to search found pets and post missing pets.

https://www.chewy.com/education/cat/pet-parenting/how-to-find-a-lost-cat?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=22856075416&utm_content=182514608359&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22856075416&gclid=CjwKCAjw08fSBhA7EiwAfbQTsEjUFJ-J1D8lXtaBa1jKuem4B_azMyodhSDkhPgta6s70eM9f7M5thoCfOAQAvD_BwE

Does your dog struggle with recall in certain environments or aroun...

07/10/2026

🚨 LAST CHANCE TO SAVE! TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY! 🚨

Don’t miss your opportunity to save on your pet’s essentials! 🐾

🎉 Take an ADDITIONAL $50 OFF (Max of $50) site-wide of your online pharmacy order when you shop today!

Stock up on:
🐶 Preventatives
💊 Medications
🥣 Prescription diets
🦴 Supplements
🐱 And so much more!

🛒 Shop now:
https://laursenveterinary.covetruspharmacy.com

🏷️ Use code: SUMMER50 at checkout to receive your savings!

📞 Questions? Give us a call at (989) 693-6201 (tel:(989)%20693-6201).

⏰ Hurry—this sale ends TODAY (July 10)! Don’t wait! 🐾💙

07/07/2026

🚨 4-DAY FLASH SALE! 🚨

🐾 Take an ADDITIONAL 50% off (max of $50) sitewide when you shop our online pharmacy!

🐕 Now’s the perfect opportunity to stock up on your pet’s preventions, medication, prescription diets, supplements, and more!

🛒 Shop today: https://laursenveterinary.covetruspharmacy.com

Use code SUMMER50 at check out!

📞 Questions? Call us at (989) 693-6201

**ENDS JULY 10!

07/02/2026

Dear clients, please note that our office will be closed Friday, July 3rd

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We will be back in the office Monday, July 6th at 8am.

Have a safe 4th of July weekend!

06/30/2026

🔥Much of our state is under an extreme heat warning through Thursday. We will see dangerously high temperatures 🌡 and it will be incredibly humid. Please ensure animals have access to shelter and water. Limit their outdoor time the next few days.

🔥Remember, pavement, side walk, asphalt, etc are hot! They will be SCORCHINGLY hot over the next few days. To avoid causing serious burns to your pet's feet, walk in the grass.
If you absolutely need to walk your pet this week, make the walks shorter and do them as early in the morning as possible before the temperatures start to rise. We will have very little relief in the evenings.
🔥Always check first! If it's too hot for your hand to sit there for 10 seconds on the walking surface, it is too hot for your pet's feet!

🔥Never leave your pet in the car during the summer, even with the windows rolled part way down. Car temperatures climb rapidly even when the outdoor air temp isnt "hot"
Making this mistake can cause irreversible brain damage and quickly result in death. With temperatures expected to be in the upper 90s this week, the temperature in a parked car (even with the windows cracked) will exceed 114°F in only 10 minutes.

🔥Heat stroke is as dangerous in animals as it is in humans. If you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke, seek emergency help right away!

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-paws-hot-pavement/

https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/systemic/heatstroke-dogs

https://www.aspca.org/news/dangers-leaving-animal-hot-car-and-other-heat-related-hazards

Heatstroke in dogs is a medical emergency that requires immediate veterinary attention. But what are the common causes, symptoms, and treatment? Our vet experts explain everything you need to know about dog heatstroke—and how to keep your pet safe.

06/07/2026

🎓Our newest preschool graduates! 🎓
Congrats! Looking forward to starting our next class soon. Call the office to sign up!

05/21/2026

Our office will be closed on Monday, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day.

We will be back in the office on Tuesday, May 26th.

Have a safe holiday!