Improved Care and Lower Costs – Guardian Angels’ On-Site Vet Hospital

We recently spoke with Dr. Charlotte Rogers, DVM, and the National Veterinary Director for Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs. Dr. Rogers and her veterinary team typically care for more than 100 dogs at a time. The dogs include service dogs in training and paired service dogs working across the US.
Dr. Rogers helped us understand why the Borden Veterinary Hospital is on-site at the Guardian Angels’ main campus and how it benefits both dogs and recipients.

Here’s what she had to say:

Q. How does having an on-site vet facility save Guardian Angels money?

A. Our on-site veterinary facility saves Guardian Angels money by eliminating upcharges on medication and routine care. We also save money because we avoid paying third-party vet exam fees, which can cost around $80 per dog per visit.

Q. How does having it help deliver a higher level of veterinary care?

A. Having on-site experts means our dogs have immediate access to care, whether it is an emergency or routine testing. Because we have on-site vet facilities, we examine each of our dogs more frequently. Our dogs receive an average of four to five physical exams per year, compared to a typical annual exam.

Q. How many dogs are under your veterinary care?

A. We typically care for several hundred dogs, between those on-site and paired service dogs actively supporting recipients nationwide. We manage the workload by prioritizing emergencies and scheduling non-emergent care in smaller chunks.

Q. What veterinary support services do we provide to recipients?

A. Our recipients can contact our veterinary team 24/7. Remotely, we help recipients triage and asses situations and advise on when to consult an external veterinarian.

Once a dog is paired, our vet staff works with the recipient’s local vet to transfer the dog’s medical information and advise that vet about the unique abilities and training the dog has received to assist its recipient.

Q. What are the most common reasons recipients contact our vet support?

A. The common reasons recipients contact us are diarrhea, anorexia/not eating, anxiety, and basic wound care.

Q. What types of services do we perform at the on-site vet hospital?

A. In addition to providing routine veterinary care for our service dogs in training on campus, we perform a variety of diagnostics on-site and conduct treatment plans that primarily focus on medicine. Occasionally non-invasive surgical procedures are conducted. We also perform monthly quantitative fecal analyses to monitor and manage internal GI parasite loads.

Q. What is your favorite part of your job?

A. Working at the facility lets me provide integrative medical support – everything from orthopedics and parasitology to animal behavior!
It is also a unique opportunity to collaborate closely with trainers to address medical and behavioral issues in dogs, resulting in faster progress than in traditional veterinary settings.

Q. Is there any specific additional expertise the vet team brings to GAMSD?

A. We have a certified veterinary technician on staff. Both she and I also have large animal experience, which contributes to our herd health approach to our canine care. This is critical because of the number of dogs under our care. We are also pursuing an AHA certification for working and therapy dog guidelines, which can help us identify potential issues traditional veterinary medicine may not detect.

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Mary Jo Brandt

Mary Jo has an extensive history working with the media as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Northern Illinois University. Mary Jo has worked for companies such as Gannett, News Bank Inc., E.W. Scripps Company, Lee Enterprises, Pulitzer, Inc., Arthur Andersen, and has been involved with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc. since 2011. Ms. Brandt has had many hours of training in leadership, coaching, and mentoring. Her teams have consistently been highly effective in support of organizational mission and goals. She has one son, Paul who is currently in the Navy, and a daughter, Amanda in college and working full-time for a law firm in Naples. Ms. Brandt began volunteering with Guardian Angels after both her father and previous employer received a Guardian Angels Service Dog in 2011. Seeing the incredible difference service dogs could make in the lives of their recipients, she became involved through volunteering her time & talent to Guardian Angels. Ms. Brandt was then asked to join the Board of Directors and has served as a Board Member since 2013. Recently, Mary Jo has been named as a 2021 Patriot Scholarship recipient from Colorado Technical University. When asked why this scholarship and completing her Master’s Degree in Business Administration was so important to her, she responded, “This scholarship represents how important education is to our military/veterans and their families. I am honored to be part of this unique community. I am already in a career that demonstrates my commitment to helping others, I expect finishing this degree will allow me to be much more effective in my pursuit of working with our Veterans. This scholarship isn’t just about me. It is about how I can help others.” Today we face an even bigger challenge that none of us saw coming during the midst of the pandemic and worldwide economic collapse beginning to unfold. Yet again, Mary Jo is stepping up to the plate to be sure that our organization continues to serve those that need us, as we triumph in the face of untold adversity of today’s world. Businesses will only survive these difficult times because of leaders like Mary Jo.

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