In case of furry emergencies: Skyview Animal Clinic mends the animals taken to rescues or found injured

In a spacious room behind the scenes of the front counter and the exam rooms of clients and patients, veterinarians and veterinary technicians joke with each other in-between surgeries and appointments at Skyview Animal Clinic in Cape Girardeau.

In one corner of the room, a dog is being prepped for surgery, while a guinea pig is being observed in its cage for having a lost appetite and weight loss. Another dog is having a cast replaced on its front leg, and there are pet owners waiting in exam rooms with their beloved cats or dogs receiving annual check-up exams.

Accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), Skyview Animal Clinic is considered to be the one of the "top of the top clinics," according to practice manager Chara Bruner. Through their accreditation, Skyview's rules and regulations are AAHA approved. This includes their vaccinations and how they're administered, the way surgeries are performed, how the doctors and technicians handle responsibilities and how they manage files, Bruner explained.

"This staff is amazing," Dr. Sean Byrd, owner of the clinic, said. "We've got a great group of cats running around here."

"We try to provide the most care for the pets," Bruner said about the clinic's staff and care. "[We] make sure [the clients] are informed and they have a knowledge on everything when owning a pet and what they need to keep the pets safe, healthy."

Dr. Sean Byrd, bottom, removes a cast off of a dog under anesthesia, while Nissa Benfield cleans off the dog's foot at Skyview Animal Clinic Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019, in Cape Girardeau.KASSI JACKSON

Skyview works closely with the local animal shelters and rescues in the southeast Missouri region, including the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, Mac's Mission, Safe Harbor, Watkins Wildlife and the Cape Girardeau County Nature Center. The clinic is the only vet in the area that has a wildlife license that allows them to cover the full scope of animals in the area.

"We couldn't survive as a community without these rescue organizations," Byrd said. "We'd be overrun, or worse. And the rescue organizations do need the support from the veterinarians, so we try to fill that role as well as we can."

Through their practice, Skyview Animal Clinic aims to educate and provide their clients with the best possible knowledge available and they approach each client on a family-by-family basis, Byrd said.

"Pets are not just dogs and cats that stay outside anymore," Bruner said. "Pets are fur-babies. We clothe them, they have their own beds at home or they sleep with us; they're mostly inside."

"You're not just helping the animals," Bruner said. "You're also helping the people."

TOP LEFT: Dr. Stephen Curry removes a growth from a dog's tongue. BOTTOM LEFT: Callie Lashley, left, holds a guinea pig while Dr. Sean Byrd listens to the animal's heartbeat during an exam. ABOVE: Alexis Darnstaedt, right, reasons with her newly adopted 3-year-old dog Wilma in the back room

kjackson@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3636