Q: I bought some flea dip from
a retail store, is that o.k.?A: Many
over the counter flea dips, drops, or sprays are ineffective, and some are
even harmful to your pets. If the price is to good to be true it
probably is.
Intestinal Parasites
Q: Can I get worms from my
pets?
A: Yes! Many parasites that
pets get are transmittable to humans. It is extremely important to
keep your pet on a monthly heartworm prevention such as Interceptor or
Heartgard to de-worm for these parasites, as they live in the environment
for up to a year or more and will re-infest your pet if not de-wormed
monthly. Roundworms are transmitted by fecal to oral
contact. Hookworms bore through our bare feet. Make sure to wash
hands after cleaning up your pets and always wear shoes outside.
Heartworms
Q: How do cats and dogs get
Heartworms?
A: Heartworms are spread by
Mosquitoes.
Q: My dog/cat never goes outside, he
can't get Heartworms right?
A: Wrong, even a predominately inside pet can
contract Heartworms, while on a walk, or even the occasional pesky mosquito
that gets inside your house could be a carrier.
Q: How can I tell if my dog has Heartworms?
A: A simple blood test ran here at the office
will test for Heartworms as well as Lyme disease and Ehrlichia disease,
which are tick borne diseases. The test takes only 8 minutes to run
and we will have results before you leave.
Q: What if my dog tests positive for
Heartworms?
A: There is a treatment for Heartworms, but
it is best to prevent Heartworms before infected, by taking a once a month
Heartworm prevention pill, such as Interceptor, Sentinel, or Heartgard.
We can help decide which is best for your pet.
Spay/Neuter
Q: When should I have my
cat/dog spayed or neutered?
A: We
recommend sterilization as early as possible, usually between 4-6 months of
age is the perfect time. Early sterilization will lessen your pets
chances of developing cancer as well as preventing undesirable behaviors
such as marking and wandering.
Q: What is the usual process when you perform
the surgery?
A: First we ask that you schedule an
appointment for your pet, we perform surgeries Monday - Friday every week.
You will withhold food and water the night before surgery. The morning
of surgery we ask that you have your pet here between 7:00-7:30am.
Plan to spend about 10 to 15 minutes with us as you will have to fill out
the surgery consent form ( you can download this form from the forms section
of our website) The Vet assistants will weigh and take the temperature
of your pet as well as run any pre-anesthetic blood-work requested.
The doctor will then check in your pet by performing a full physical exam to
make sure they are healthy before surgery. We do recommend
pre-anesthetic blood-work as the doctor can not see how the organs are
functioning on physical exam, and may need to make changes to anesthesia or
postpone surgery if all blood levels are not normal. Next, your
pet will be anesthetized and hooked up to monitoring equipment so the doctor
can monitor vitals during surgery. Your pet will be given a pain
relief injection after surgery and a vet assistant will stay with your pet
until fully awake. The vet assistant will call you to give post-op
instructions and let you know how your pet did and let you know when you can
pick up, usually around 4:30-5:00. You can then pick your pet up and
take him home to recuperate. Your pet will need to be leash walked
only and kept in a clean, warm environment for the next 7-10 days.
Call us if you have any questions regarding surgery.
Vaccinations
Q: I just got a puppy or kitten
when do I start its vaccines?
A:
Puppies and kittens require a series of vaccines, ideally starting at 6
weeks of age and again at 9 and 12 weeks of age. This is what will
build their immunity to several common illnesses.
Q: Is it really necessary to vaccinate my pet
for Rabies, it never goes outside.
A: State law requires every pet to be
vaccinated for Rabies. If your pet ever bit someone or another animal
it would have to be quarantined or possibly euthanized if proof of
vaccination not available.
