Somerset Veterinary Hospital

10/31/2026

10/30/2026

🐾💛 Favorite Case Friday: Meet Juniper! 💛🐾

This Friday, we’re sharing Juniper’s story and highlighting the importance of looking beyond the initial symptoms.

Juniper came to us after experiencing what was thought to be an upper respiratory infection for about two weeks. Unfortunately, her condition had worsened significantly over the last three days. By the time she arrived at our clinic, Juniper was experiencing respiratory distress, meaning she was having difficulty breathing.

Dr. Penny quickly got to work evaluating Juniper and performed a thoracic ultrasound, which revealed fluid in her chest surrounding her lungs. This fluid was making it difficult for her to breathe. To help her, Dr. Penny performed a thoracocentesis (chest tap) to remove the fluid and relieve pressure in her chest. 🩺

Based on the findings, Dr. Penny determined that Juniper has chylothorax, a condition in which lymphatic fluid called chyle accumulates in the chest cavity. This fluid can interfere with the lungs’ ability to expand normally, making breathing difficult.

💚 What happens next?

Unfortunately, we haven’t identified the underlying cause of Juniper’s chylothorax just yet. We’re sending out additional bloodwork to help us investigate further and determine the best plan moving forward.

Juniper’s case is a great reminder that symptoms that seem like a simple respiratory infection can sometimes be signs of something more serious. If your pet is having difficulty breathing, breathing rapidly, or using extra effort to breathe, please seek veterinary care immediately.

Please join us in sending Juniper lots of love as we continue working to get answers and help her feel better! 🐾💚

10/29/2026

POV: You realize tomorrow is FRIDAY and suddenly you have ✨😺✨ 💃😂

The weekend is so close, we can almost smell it! 🎉🐾 Who else is doing a little Friday Eve dance?! 👇

Larry is looking for a forever home! Call our office at 814-443-1323 if you’re interested!

10/29/2026

📼 Throwback Thursday! 📼

If you've been in our office since May, you may have noticed our giant chart wall is slowly disappearing... 👻

🐾 Veterinary Medicine Record Keeping Has Come a Long Way! 🐾

Remember when veterinary clinics relied on paper charts for everything? 📋 Every visit, vaccine, medication, diagnosis, and phone call had to be handwritten and filed away. Keeping track of your pet’s medical history meant flipping through pages, searching filing cabinets, and hoping everything was in the right place!

As veterinary medicine has evolved, many clinics have moved to electronic medical records. 💻 This has made it easier to access your pet’s history, review previous visits, track vaccines and medications, and help our veterinary teams stay organized and up to date on your pet’s care.

Of course, electronic records aren’t perfect! 😅 Computers freeze, systems go down, software updates change things, and sometimes finding the right information can be just as frustrating as searching through a paper chart!

But overall, this technology helps us keep better track of your pet’s health and makes important information more accessible to the team caring for them.

Our goal has always been the same: to provide the best possible care for your beloved pets. ❤️🐶🐱 The tools we use may have changed, but our commitment to your pets hasn’t!

So, the next time you see us typing away at the computer during your appointment, know that we’re working to document your pet’s visit, keep their medical history up to date, and make sure we have the information we need to care for them the best we can.

From paper files to computer screens, veterinary medicine continues to evolve — all with your pet’s health and well-being at heart! 🐾❤️

Do you prefer paper to keep notes or electronic? Let us know in the comments!

10/28/2026

🌟Who We Are Wednesday 🌟

This week is Certified Veterinary Technician, Emily.

Emily Kimmel has been with us since December of 2023, but she’s always had a love for animals. She has been a Certified Veterinary Technician since the beginning of 2026. She graduated from VTI Pittsburgh before joining our team. Before that she attended Shanksville-Stonycreek High School. She currently resides in Rockwood with her husband and her two dogs, CJ and Nellie Bean. At work, she enjoys doing appointments with dachshunds, feisty animals, and larger dogs. When Emily isn’t working, she keeps busy doing a little bit of everything and is a teacher at Hart & Soul Dance Studio.

Her three questions and answers:

1. What’s your favorite animal and why?

-"I don’t really have a favorite, but I’m fascinated by sea animals. The fact that there’s this entire world beneath the ocean that we barely understand, and these animals just live their whole lives down there, is so crazy to me. 🌊"

2. What’s your favorite part about working in veterinary medicine?

-"Being able to help pets get back to the families who love them. My girls mean the absolute world to me, and they remind me every day of the trust and peace of mind that our clients deserve to feel when they bring their pets to us. I strive to be the CVT I would want caring for my own babies: someone who treats every patient with compassion, patience, and the same love and dedication I would want for my own. "

3. If you weren’t working in veterinary medicine, what would you be doing?

"I think I would've been a Game Warden. I saw a demonstration in high school that really sparked my interest, and I was amazed by the work they can do. It’s something that has always stuck with me, and I think it would be incredibly rewarding to combine my love for animals with conservation and protection of animals."

Have you or your pet had a memorable experience with Emily? Tell us about it in the comments. If not, still show Emily some love in the comments! 🌟

10/27/2026

🎤 Mic'd Up Minnie Monday 🎤
Featuring: Larry

🐈‍⬛🎃 BLACK CATS AREN’T BAD LUCK… BUT HALLOWEEN CAN BE A SCARY TIME FOR THEM! 🖤

With Halloween right around the corner, let’s talk about our little house panthers! 🐈‍⬛🖤

Black cats have long been associated with spooky superstitions, but the truth is that they’re not bad luck, evil, or anything to be afraid of. They’re just as loving, playful, and deserving of a safe home as any other cat! 🐾❤️

🎃 Here’s how you can help keep cats safe this Halloween:

🖤 Keep cats indoors, especially on Halloween night.
🖤 Make sure they have a safe, quiet place away from trick-or-treaters and constantly opening doors.
🖤 Keep them away from Halloween candy, chocolate, decorations, candles, and glow sticks.
🖤 Never scare, chase, or disturb a cat for a Halloween prank or photo.
🖤 If you're considering adopting a black cat, remember that adoption should be a lifelong commitment—not a seasonal decision!

🖤 Black cats deserve treats, not tricks! 🖤

Let's give these beautiful little shadows the love they deserve—not the superstitions they've been blamed for! 🐈‍⬛✨

👇 Let's hear it! Do you have a black cat at home? Drop their name and a picture in the comments so we can show these spooky sweethearts some love! 🖤🐈‍⬛

10/25/2026

🐾 THE VET STAFF: AT WORK vs. OUTSIDE OF WORK 😂

At work: “I’m calm, collected, and a professional.” 🩺🐶

Outside of work: Absolutely no evidence of that whatsoever. 🤣💀

We promise we’re good at our jobs… but we never said we had it all together! 😂

Tell us in the comments: Which coworker has the BIGGEST personality change when they clock out? 👀👇

10/23/2026

🐾❤️ FAVORITE CASE FRIDAY ❤️🐾

Meet Buster, a canine patient who came in with some concerning symptoms — straining to urinate and only passing small drops of urine. These can be signs of a urinary tract problem and are always worth taking seriously!

After a veterinary examination and diagnostic testing, we discovered bladder stones were the culprit. 🪨

Buster underwent a cystotomy, a surgical procedure to open the bladder and remove the stones. Our team was able to retrieve the stones and help get Buster back to doing what he should be doing — peeing comfortably again! 🎉💦

We’re so happy we could help this little guy get some relief! ❤️

Bladder stones can cause discomfort and, in some cases, a dangerous urinary blockage. If your pet is straining to urinate or producing only a few drops, don’t wait to call.

Here’s to feeling better, Buster! 🐾💙

Check out Buster’s before and after x-rays.

What breed of dog do you think Buster is?