In the News

The Veterinary and Rehabilitation Center of Cape Elizabeth is Cape's 2020 recipient of ecomaine's eco-Excellence award.

The center, led by Dr. Ginger Browne Johnson, was recognized for safely incorporating into veterinary practice the 3 R's – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

"You may think that single-use items have an integral place in medicine – for both people and our furrier friends," said Vanessa Berry, ecomaine environmental educator at the March 10, 2020 presentation. But, with an autoclave for sterilization, the clinic reduces single-use items by reusing thoroughly cleaned ones. "They also recycle paper, plastic and metal materials whenever possible," she said.

The practice colocates recycling bins with both trash and redeemables, which helps to support their KARMA Fund for pets in need. And, instead of giving out plastic bags, they collect plastic bags for return to the local grocery store's films bin.

"By recognizing the effect that better waste management can have on people, animals, and the earth, the Veterinary and Rehabilitation Center of Cape Elizabeth is acting on this knowledge to create a more sustainable future for all of us," Berry said.

The center was one of 20 sustainability champions recognized by ecomaine, the regional, municipally owned trash-to-energy cooperative based in Portland. Cape Elizabeth is an owning member. Sustainability is an ongoing goal of the Town Council

It’s not every day you see your picture on a big screen in Times Square. But on February 8, 2019 Dr. Johnson appeared there as one of the veterinarians featured by Covetrus and NASDAQ! She and our little patient, Inu, looked so great representing us!

- Photo credit to Nasdaq

CAPE ELIZABETH (WGME) -- There's a room full of happiness at a building off Ocean House Rd. in Cape Elizabeth. A room where there's no pain, no punishment, and lots of puppy massages.

"Nothing that happens in this room hurts," said Dr. Ginger Browne Johnson, owner of the Veterinary and Rehabilitation Clinic of Cape Elizabeth.

"This is Reese," Dr. Johnson says as she introduces a 12-year-old brown lab-mix who limps as she walks.

"In 2013, Reese went to see a neurologist who found a legion on her back, and that's really interrupting the message from her brain to her back legs," explained Dr. Johnson.

"She'll actually lock her joints in her hind limbs, and if we don't encourage her to maintain that flexibility, she'll lose a lot of muscle back there."

So once a week, Reese comes to see Dr. Johnson and Deb St. Laurent who are both are certified canine rehabilitation therapists. They're only two of seven in Maine.

They run the only fully-certified veterinary rehabilitation center in Southern Maine, complete with an underwater treadmill.

"We're really trying to decrease pain, and increase mobility," said Dr. Johnson. "That comes with working with flexibility and working with strength."

Mindy Charles, of Cape Elizabeth, says veterinary rehab works, and her 6-year-old Maltese named Chewey is proof.

"One day her back legs just kind of gave out, and one day she couldn't walk."

Chewey needed reconstructive surgery on both hind knees in September 2014. Seven months later, Chewey has made a full recovery.

"Like new, like nothing ever happened."

Chewey did therapy on the underwater treadmill as well as strength exercises that included work at home and at the clinic.

Dr. Johnson says the rehab doesn't cure all patients, but it can help them live a little more comfortably.

"It's a joy for us to see them recovering, and improving from whatever ails them," said Dr. Johnson.

Veterinary rehabilitation can cost thousands of dollars, but Dr. Johnson says they try to make it more affordable for families by offering packages that fit a patient's budget.

Ginger Browne Johnson, DVM, CCRP
By Staff reports
Stoughton Journal
Posted Jan 09, 2010 @ 11:37 PM

Ginger Browne Johnson, DVM, CCRP, realized at a young age that that she wanted to work with animals. Her father, a pediatric surgeon, brought her to a zoo, where Johnson made an emotional connection with one of the animals. Johnson, 35, now owns MVP Vet, a veterinary house call practice based in Stoughton. She previously was an associate veterinarian at Lloyd Animal Medical Center and Randolph Animal Hospital, and veterinarian-in-charge at Animotion Animal Rehabilitation Center. She is a graduate of Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine), New England Conservatory of Music (Master of music in Vocal Performance) and Brown University (bachelors of arts in Human Biology and Music). She lives with her husband and two daughters live in Stoughton, along with a yellow Labrador Retriever and a black cat. The Journal asked her the following questions.

When I was 5-years-old, my father, a pediatric surgeon in his residency, assisted with the medical care of a baby endangered Western Lowland Gorilla from the Cincinnati Zoo. My father brought me to meet the gorilla. As the baby peered up into my eyes, he reached towards me and grasped my extended index finger just like a human baby would have done. The experience made a great impression on me in terms of the depth of the non-human animal soul, our ability as humans to relate to other animals and our inherent responsibility to care for them. 

After I completed music school and realized a career in opera wasn't in the cards, I found myself still struck by that formative childhood experience. Instead of following my parents? example into the human medical field, I chose veterinary medicine as a way to dedicate my life to the stewardship of animals and the fostering of the human-animal bond.

House calls benefit owners, their pets and veterinarians alike. Many busy professionals and stay-at-home parents find house calls provide convenience and save valuable time. In-home veterinary care allows independence for the elderly, disabled and those that don't have access to cars.

Animals appreciate house calls too. Indoor cats, pocket pets and exotics that don't normally leave the house, find car rides and hospital visits stressful and scary. Puppies may get car sick and large, older dogs with limited mobility have trouble negotiating the trip. For routine preventive medicine, there is the benefit of not exposing healthy pets to germs present in a hospital. 

House call veterinarians have more time to spend with their clients and patients than during the office visit. Behavior problems can be easier to diagnose and treat, as valuable first-hand information is available when viewing the pet in its own environment. 

Three things that are largely overlooked in pet ownership but can greatly enhance the quality and longevity of pets? lives are: physical fitness, dental health and training with socialization and exercise. 

Our pets, like Americans, are suffering from an epidemic of obesity. This directly relates to dietary related conditions such as diabetes, types of liver and heart disease. It has been documented that by simply limiting a dog's diet, an owner can lengthen their pet's life by as much as two years and reduce the signs of arthritis in later life. 

Pets have teeth too. Pet teeth are exposed to the same daily buildup of plaque as our teeth. Because they don't get the same level of dental care, pets have remarkable amounts of periodontal disease (imaging not brushing your teeth for 3 ? 5 years or more). Even if you can't brush your pet's teeth, having them regularly scaled and polished by your veterinarian can greatly increase oral health. Oral health has been linked to the health of the entire body (especially the liver, kidneys and heart).

Too often behavior problems lead to pets being relinquished to animal shelters and even to euthanasia. Especially during the holiday season, pets are purchased or adopted without realistic consideration of their needs. Pets need owners to commit to their physical and mental well-being. Getting them appropriate training, socialization and exercise allows pets to be valued and well-mannered members of the family and develops a human-animal bond that cannot be broken.