{"id":4422,"date":"2012-07-20T20:34:34","date_gmt":"2012-07-20T20:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lbpost.com\/articles\/life\/pets\/pick-of-the-litter-best-vet-the-venerable-blue-cross-animal-hospital\/"},"modified":"2012-07-20T20:34:34","modified_gmt":"2012-07-20T20:34:34","slug":"pick-of-the-litter-best-vet-the-venerable-blue-cross-animal-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/pets\/pick-of-the-litter-best-vet-the-venerable-blue-cross-animal-hospital","title":{"rendered":"Pick of the Litter: Best Vet – The Venerable Blue Cross Animal Hospital"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"MelissaHicksofBlueCross\"<\/p>\n

Now that you\u2019ve adopted a pet from one of the two rescuers mentioned in the last installments of Pick of the Litter or any of the shelters and rescuers in the Long Beach area, you\u2019re going to need a vet. There are a number of excellent ones in the area and several of them got votes, but Blue Cross Veterinary Hospital<\/a> in Signal Hill, possibly the area\u2019s oldest veterinary, got the biggest percentage<\/p>\n

Blue Cross was founded in 1923 by Dr. Pike, DVM. The practice stayed in the family for several years, was sold to another vet several years later, and was ultimately purchased in 1998 by Dr. Lynda Guenther, DVM. Dr. Gunther was later joined by Dr. Ralph Sellman II, DVM, and by Dr. Melissa Hicks, DVM, who came in as a partner in 2007.<\/p>\n

Blue Cross is accessible from the PCH or by going north up Temple and turning into the alley and into the parking lot, which avoids slowing down for the driveway on the Coast Highway. The inside of the veterinary clinic, surprisingly, does not <\/em>smell like a veterinary clinic. I can\u2019t describe it, but it\u2019s neither animal nor chemical\u2014it\u2019s just pleasant. Blue Cross treats mainly cats and dogs but has also given care to bunnies, rats, guinea pigs and other small fur-bearing creatures. She refers more specialized cases to veterinarians who treat certain species and illnesses, although she did handle an eight-foot boa constrictor\u2014carefully, I imagine\u2014and once turned down a request from a child who had a pet tarantula.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe called and said, \u2018I know that you treat furry animals, and he has hairy legs,\u2019\u201d Dr. Hicks said.<\/p>\n

Dr. Hicks believes that Blue Cross\u2019s popularity results from their excellent medical care, the capable long-term staff who treat patients as they would their own pets, and their willingness to work within the budgets of their patients\u2019 families. However, I see their uniqueness inherent in another feature: the clinic\u2019sMeditationGarden.<\/p>\n

Formerly a neglected turtle pond installed by the previous owner, the Garden comprises a patio with synthetic grass, benches to sit on, a bubbling fountain, and murals of what is surely one small area of the fabled Rainbow Bridge<\/a>. The artwork features all creatures wild and domesticated; it was painted by local artist Amy Fisher, who also painted frolicking pets on the restroom walls. Fisher comes in occasionally to touch up the mural.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of my favorite spots,\u201d Hicks said.<\/p>\n

The Garden is used for breaks and staff meetings, but its special function is as backdrop and atmosphere for peaceful euthanasia procedures. Pets who no longer enjoy being cats, dogs or any creature, as the clinic\u2019s Dr. Ralph Sellman, DVM, said in another Pet Post article<\/a>, go to sleep on a blanket on the lawn while listening to the lapping sound of the fountain and with the humans who love them in attendance. It\u2019s always hard to lose a pet, but leaving the mortal coil in the Meditation Garden beats going out on a cold metal table.<\/p>\n

Hicks also creates urns for the ashes of departed pets if a client is interested in purchasing a fitting memorial (see samples here<\/a>). \u201cAs a hobby, I started taking ceramics classes,\u201d she said. \u201cMeanwhile, my senior cat, Kitty Kahlua, died. Her ashes came back in a plastic container. She was such a special cat, and deserved more.\u201d<\/p>\n

While she was visiting her home state of Colorado, she came across a hollow cat figure with a cork in the bottom, which gave her the idea of making urns for pets. Each one takes several weeks to complete, but they\u2019re worth the wait for anyone who shudders at relegating a beloved memory to an impersonal little white box, or a row of them.<\/p>\n

\"urns\"<\/p>\n

From left: Winley, Oaf and Rockabye.<\/em><\/p>\n

Blue Cross it would seem, got Best Vet by embracing the term friends to the end.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cSee me, feel me, touch me, heal me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

~From the Overture of Tommy, written by Peter Townsend<\/em><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Blue Cross Veterinary Hospital is located at 2665 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., Signal Hill, 90755, (562) 494-0975<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Virtually Pets<\/h3>\n

\"HEather<\/p>\n

Actress Megan Blake with rescued BFFs Angel and Super Smiley, her go-to PR guy<\/em><\/p>\n

In this Pet Post, the adoption feature will be replaced with\u2014an adoption feature. On Sunday, July 15, Good Neighbors Park on Studebaker Road was dripping in furs in the only good way possible. Pet Post USA<\/a> (no relation to the Pet Post), an online pet media publication that serves the pet-owner community, hosted its inaugural Pet Adoption Event, meaning that there will be others to look forward to.<\/span><\/p>\n

The event comprised over a dozen rescues and humane and welfare organizations for the biggest and most diverse adoption event the city has seen. Rescue and foster organizations for purebred dogs, mixed breeds and cats were abetted by TV and film actress Megan Blake, her dog Super Smiley (and he has good reason to be\u2014he\u2019s a lucky rescue as well) and their enthusiastic flash mob<\/a> along with the hilarious comedy of Long Beach\u2019s Lynda Montgomery, AMRT volunteer, who shared MC duties with Nicole Guillaume, president of Amazing Mutts<\/a>. Doug Erickson, Pet Post USA\u2019s founder and CEO, said that at last count, 20 adoptions were finalized, and he still has to hear from other rescues.<\/span><\/p>\n

The adoption event was sponsored by Blake, LaunderPet, Alpha Pet Care and the law offices of Sharma Kliche.<\/span><\/p>\n

These photos are examples of pets who went home or are still waiting:<\/span><\/p>\n

 \"Husky<\/span><\/p>\n

Dan Johnson and Will Buckley with Athena, whom they adopted from Alleys Rescued Angels at the event.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Golden<\/p>\n

Brian, Daisy and Gary (those are the dogs, actually) from Golden Retriever Rescue. Brian and Gary were brought in from a rescue in Taiwan.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>\"Dobiemix\"<\/p>\n

Goofus, from The Dawg Squad, is a Dobie mix.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>\"Long<\/p>\n

Messo (gray, of the tufted ears), Doto (orange) and Kelso (tabby peeping out on bottom) at Long Beach Felines.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>\"wrestling<\/p>\n

Pugsley the pug mix and Raphael the doxie mix from A Wish for Animals. One of their rescuers said that \u201cthey\u2019ll take on anything and everyone.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>\"SAint<\/p>\n

Bruno and Bailey from Sunny Saints.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Click on the links for the following participating rescues and organizations to see if your new best friend might be waiting for you:<\/span><\/p>\n