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| - DeeDee went in for her 100,000 mile checkup and shot's update today:)
She's 14 1/2 years old which (according to Dr. Bracken) equates to roughly 100 years old in human terms!
It's fairly rare for chowchows to live that long, although I have been extraordinarily fortunate to have both my chows live to a very ripe old age (Sam, my big chow made it to 16 1/2...I still miss him! :-)
I frankly credit most of that good fortune to Dr. Bracken and the wonderful people at Arcadia Animal Clinic...I have had many pets over the years and used many vet's in Portland and San Francisco...they were all good, all came highly recommended by trusted friends, co-workers and the like...but none of them measure up to Arcadia Animal Clinic!
We were looking for a vet after we had been in Arizona for few months and started asking around...more than 1/2 the people we asked mentioned Dr. Bracken as the best they'd met and highly recommended AAC...The beautiful Carin and I looked at each other and said "this can't be a coincidence...6 people that don't even know each other recommend this place...let's go see him!"
And we did:)
Chow's aren't noted for either their patience or their warm and inviting demeanor...they are a little bit aloof and intimidating...I like that in a dog...both Sam and Dee are coal black, and with their black fur, black tongues, black eyes and gleaming white teeth and fangs, when they smile at you, it can look a little sinister:-)
But they aren't...they are teddy bears and Dr. Bracken and the staff at AAC took the time to understand that (they approach each pet as an individual and get to really know that animal:)
That was apparent at the first meeting of my dogs and Dr. Bracken, when he got down on the floor with them and they talked and played and became great friends (my dogs always love going to AAC...they love Dr. Bracken:)
All that personal rapport with my pup's is and has been critical...not necessarily when they are just in for a checkup or a shots update...but when DeeDee tore her ACL trying to chase a bunny or when she had a minor stroke last year...or when Sammy was finally just too tired to go on and they helped him over with respect and dignity...sorry...I can't see though the tears right now...
AAC is the best veterinary clinic I've found and Dr. Bracken is the best vet I've ever met!
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