PROVIDING THE BEST POSSIBLE MEDICAL CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS
About Us
The Animal Hospital of Wenatchee is a small-animal veterinary practice in the heart of the Wenatchee valley. We've been practicing full-service veterinary medicine since opening our doors in January, 2008. Today the practice is focused on offering the same great experience while advancing the services and care we provide to our patients.
MEET THE TEAM
Ben Harmeling, DVM
Owner / Veterinarian
Ben Harmeling was born and raised in Palmer, Alaska. After graduating with a degree in Biology from Gonzaga University, he attended veterinary school at the University of California, Davis and graduated in 2012.
Dr. Harmeling and his wife Sally moved to Wenatchee in 2015, where they now raise their three young children.
Dr. Harmeling purchased Animal Hospital of Wenatchee from Dr. Bryan Keppler in October of 2020.
Dr. Harmeling has professional interest in both medicine and surgery. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family in the outdoors, staying active in the community, and travelling.
Jade O'Brien, BVMS
Veterinarian
Jade O’Brien grew up in Wenatchee and knew at an early age that she wanted to be a veterinarian. She graduated from Lewis-Clark State College with a degree in Biology while starting for the women's basketball team. Her goal of becoming a veterinarian was realized in 2015, when she graduated from the University of Glasgow, School of Veterinary Medicine in Scotland. After veterinary school, Dr. O’Brien worked in a small animal hospital in Sacramento, CA for 3 years while her husband completed his residency in OB-GYN. Dr. O’Brien is excited to be part of a fantastic team at Animal Hospital of Wenatchee and looks forward to seeing you and your pets. Her professional interests include general practice and soft tissue surgery. When not at the hospital, she enjoys music, hiking, camping, playing/watching sports, and traveling with her husband, young children, and 2 dogs.
Don Berdan, DVM
Veterinarian
Don Berdan graduated from Wenatchee High School and attended Washington State Veterinary School in Pullman, WA. Don has been practicing veterinary medicine in the Wenatchee Valley for over 40 years, working on both large and small animal species. Don and his wife Kay stay active in their church and in our local community. Dr. Berdan currently sees small animal patients at Animal Hospital of Wenatchee on a limited basis.
Jennifer Wade, DVM
Veterinarian
Dr. Jennifer Wade was born and raised in Wenatchee and after attending Wenatchee High School earned her Undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Chemistry from Willamette University in Salem, OR. Dr. Wade attended veterinary school at Washington State University and graduated in 2019. After graduation Dr. Wade completed an equine surgical internship in Tulsa OK where she discovered she missed small animal medicine quite a bit. Dr. Wade moved back to WA and took a mixed animal position where she worked on all sizes and shapes of animals. Being from Wenatchee originally Dr. Wade had always hoped to move back to be closer to family and she joined the Animal Hospital of Wenatchee Team in June 2021. She enjoys horse back riding, water sports, and hiking with her two terriers.
NEWS & UPDATES
Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) has received a lot of attention in the news recently as pet owners have been reporting an increase in respiratory disease in dogs in some parts of the country. While some concern exists that a new infectious virus or bacteria is making dogs sick, many experts feel that the perceived uptick in CIRDC is being caused by outbreaks of known infectious organisms. Here is what to know about CIRDC and your dog courtesy of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA):![]()
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* Outbreaks of CIRDC occur regularly. Several different bacteria and viruses can contribute to CIRDC, and we don’t yet know which one(s) are causing the outbreak. While we can’t rule out the possibility that a new organism may be responsible for the outbreak, current disease patterns aren’t consistent with the emergence of a new, easily transmitted pathogen. ![]()
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* Most dogs with CIRDC will have only mild illness, recovering fully within 7 to 10 days. The classic sign is a frequent, honking cough that comes on suddenly, but some dogs may have sneezing and/or a runny nose or eyes. ![]()
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* Typically, only a small percentage of dogs will develop more severe disease, depending on the infecting organism(s) and the dog’s ability to fight it.![]()
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* Signs that your dog needs immediate veterinary care include the following: Lingering cough, Weakness, Loss of appetite, Difficulty breathing, Worsening of illness, A cough so severe that your dog vomits or has trouble breathing![]()
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* These factors increase a dog’s risk of becoming ill: Short-nose breed, like French Bulldogs, Very young or old age, Compromised immune system, Pre-existing respiratory disease or heart disease ![]()
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* Optimal protection against common respiratory infections includes an annual intranasal vaccine against Bordetella, canine adenovirus type 2, and canine parainfluenza. Where canine influenza is known to be circulating, the injectable canine influenza vaccine also is recommended. Your veterinarian can help you decide which vaccines your dog needs to stay as healthy as possible. ![]()
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* In general, the risk of people getting sick from exposure to dogs with CIRDC is extremely low.![]()
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* For further protection against CIRDC: ![]()
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1) Remember that dogs can be contagious and still look perfectly healthy. To play it safe, limit your dog’s interaction with other dogs—especially large groups of dogs with unknown health or vaccination statuses—and wash your hands after handling other dogs to avoid spreading infection.![]()
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2) Keep your dog away from toys and food and water bowls used by dogs outside your household.![]()
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3) Delay or avoid taking your dog to places where outbreaks are occurring.![]()
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4) If your dog is sick, keep them away from other dogs.
October 15-21 is National Vet Tech Week! It’s a celebration of the key role vet techs play in serving their patients, clients, and communities. Animal Hospital would like to give a big thank you to our vet techs for all they do!
Penny is the most adorable 3 month old Dobie puppy and she is quite the trooper! Penny arrived at the shelter with a severe leg injury and she has been so brave while receiving care from the staff at Animal Hospital, and her foster mom, while they put so much time and effort into making sure she was healing and getting better every day. Penny is a delightful, affectionate, happy puppy and whoever adopts her will love her so much.![]()
*If you are interested in adopting Penny you can call her foster mom at (509) 679-6723 to find out more about Penny and set up a meet and greet!![]()
wenatcheehumane.org/dogs/
Chelan Co. Fundraising To Cover Popular Jail K9's Medical Costs
kpq.com
Kait is a seven-year-old border collie who has two medical issues, a vitamin B12 deficiency and a fluid buildup up in her abdomen.