Burke Animal Clinic in Morganton, NC is an Aesculight customer and uses our CO2 Veterinary Surgical Laser. Their work with laser surgical technology was highlighted in the article below published this week in their local media. Keep up the great work, Burke Animal Clinic!
Burke Animal Clinic only practice in county to offer laser surgery
By Brianne Fleming bfleming@morganton.com
Originally published in The News Herald – May 20th, 2014
The Burke Animal Clinic staff in Morganton works every day on a foundation that holds years of family history, and to them, all animals should be treated like family.
Dr. Mark McMahon said the building, located at 1034 E. Union St., has been in his family since 1902. Before it was an animal clinic, the building was used for a Burke Dairy, Mac’s TV, a tire store, a jeep dealership, and even more companies.
McMahon graduated from North Carolina State University in 1984, and then went on to graduate from the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1988.
After college, McMahon returned to Morganton and started his practice, which officially opened in May 1988.
McMahon’s wife, Nan, began working at the practice in 1989 and took over the business office while he carried on with the medical side.
“There’s a lot of history here,” McMahon said. “I’d hope my grandfathers would be proud.”
Burke Animal Clinic, which is a full-service animal hospital, is the only one in the county that uses a laser to perform all surgical procedures.
The laser is a devise that uses a powerful beam of light to erase unhealthy tissue, make incisions, seal nerve endings and kill bacteria.
McMahon has worked with a laser for about 15 years and said he believes it is the most painless and simple way to perform surgery.
“(There is) very little bleeding and almost no inflammation,” he said. “Unlike a blade (which) causes bleeding, swelling and pain, the laser takes a lot of that away.”
McMahon said Burke Animal Clinic has been through three lasers since its opening.
The laser procedure is used for everything from spaying to oral and cancer treatment surgeries.
“It’s just a better way to do surgery,” he said. “I will never go back to sharp-blade surgery.”
McMahon said other veterinarian practices may not have the laser surgical tool because of the expense of the instrument, along with the knowledge and the training it requires. However, the quicker recovery time, minimal bleeding, inflammation and pain make the expense well worth it for both the staff and the animals.
Because of the success of laser surgery, McMahon said other veterinarians sometimes refer animals to him for surgical procedures, and his client-base has grown overall.
The practice also offers an in-house, digital X-ray machine, where an animal is monitored just like a person would be.
Last summer, the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association sponsored an education and training seminar at the Burke Animal Clinic office, and the training program is expected to continue this year.
McMahon said since he is so attached to his own pet, an 8-year-old chocolate Labrador named Soy, who comes to work with him every day, he wants to make sure his patients are treated with care.
“I’m attached to my own personal pet,” he said. “If you don’t want your pet (to be) treated like a human, I’m probably not the vet for you.”
McMahon said he also is aware that a dog or cat could mean the world to a client.
“A lot of people that come in here, (their pet) is the only companion they have,” he said. “So, if you can add quality to their life by helping their companion, it’s a really good way to sleep at night.”
