Willow Pet Hospital - Rochester MN

05/03/2026

Great time at this years PCHSRochester Pet Walk. A little chilly but fun meeting new friends. - Dr. Mike

04/19/2026

Great work being done by Dr. George Aslandi at the Hormel Institute helping dogs with melanoma cancer. We care for Dr. Aslandi's pets in Austin and I always get excited with updates about the work his group is doing.

Facing a deadly melanoma diagnosis, 15-year-old Hugo is part of a trial of a groundbreaking new vaccine designed to train his immune system to fight the cancer's spread.

03/25/2026

Birch - blastomycosis. This is an interesting case that involved my personal dog Birch. He was a rescue Border Collie that was about 2 years old when he found us. Incidentally he had an injured eye the needed to be surgically removed (enucleated). Our daycare provider noticed at home that he was breathing "funny" one day. When we go home he was extremely tachypneic (fast, shallow, breathing) but didn't appear to have any injuries or fever. In the morning we took him to work and performed chest radiographs (see his lateral and ventrodorsal radiographs). The possible rule outs for these xrays are fungal or cancer (bad or worse). We confirmed a diagnosis of blastomycosis with a urine antigen test. We transported Birch up to BluePearl Emergency and Specialty Hospital in Eden Prairie where he was admitted for hospitalization, high flow oxygen therapy and treatment with a medication called Itraconozole. Birch did well on treatment for one week but then regressed the second week losing half his body weight and we ultimately euthanized after two weeks. He was a really special dog and we wanted to give him a chance with a really terrible disease.

Blastomycosis is a fungal disease seen in Minnesota. It is more commonly seen up north but we see several cases in southern Minnesota at our clinics every year. I have personally seen several cases that have started with a non-healing wound on a paw or leg. Survival rate with early diagnosis is 60 to 75% but falls to 30% with lung involvement. Early detection and treatment is key. Birch loved to dig and sniff. We had old decaying rotting wood mulch under our deck that he would get into. We believe this is likely how he became infected. This happens to humans too if you want to lose more sleep...

I hope this post is educational and alert pet owners to paying attention to significant changes in breathing with their dogs and non-healing wounds.

- Dr. Michael Sasse

A good resource if you have more interest:

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNBAH/bulletins/1c631e4

03/18/2026

Behind the scenes at our new location. 507-222-9580

03/16/2026

Dice the Dalmatian came to us Friday after being seen at emergency clinic. He had a life threatening urinary obstruction in his urethra caused by uroliths or stones (see radiographs). We performed surgery to remove the stones and he was sent home later that day. Was happy to hear from the clients he was doing well back at home. He is such a sweet boy.

03/16/2026

Exciting news for SW Rochester pet parents! 🐾 Willow Pet Hospital is officially open! Taking over the former Blue Pearl space, Dr. Sasse and Dr. O’Brien are bringing top-tier care to your furry friends. From wellness exams and vaccines to daytime emergency surgeries, they do it all.

📍 Located in SW Rochester, just off 2nd Street.

03/05/2026

Had the chance to give back today working with Paws and Claws and some rescued puppies. This girl, Britney Spears, had a broken leg. - Dr. Sasse

02/27/2026

End of our first week...

Meet more of Us!

Dr. Amy Geske is originally from St. Paul. A second-generation veterinarian, she developed a passion for animal care at an early age, spending much of her childhood in a veterinary hospital environment. She earned her undergraduate degree in Animal Science from Kansas State University and went on to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018.

Dr. Geske’s professional interests include surgery, preventative medicine, internal medicine, and senior pet care. She is dedicated to providing compassionate, comprehensive care to patients at every stage of life.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Geske enjoys life with her dog, Possum, who loves hiking and chasing deer, and her two cats, Tonks and Piper. Tonks is the resident mischief-maker, always finding new trouble to get into while Piper presides over the household like a true matriarch. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, nature photography, swimming, and traveling the world.

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We are excited and grateful to have such a talented doctor join our team. - Dr. Mike Sasse

02/25/2026

FIRST DAY OPEN!!!!

Meet one of us...

Dr. Bethany O'Bryan graduated from the University of Minnesota with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and Master of Public Health (MPH) in 2023. Originally from Rochester, MN, she is excited to return and serve her hometown community. She is passionate about collaborating with owners to provide the best possible care to all pets. She enjoys life with her Australian Shepherd (Everest), Terrier mix (Peanut), three cats, and several small exotic pets.