Wellness and Preventative Medicine

A regular physical examination is just as important for your pet as it is for you!  Our puppy and kitten wellness plans include an exam and vaccines every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age.  For our adult and geriatric patients, we recommend a complete physical examination for your pet twice yearly. During a physical examination our veterinarian listens to your pet's heart and lungs, evaluates your pet's vision, looks for any unusual lumps or swellings and checks your pet's teeth and oral cavity. Routine examinations give us an opportunity to develop a picture of your pet's overall health. Examinations are also essential in detecting problems before they become serious and expensive issues.

Vaccinations

We select vaccines for your pet based on the American Animal Hospital Association's recommendations, our assessment and each individual pet's lifestyle. Vaccines are a very important part of preventative care and are tailored to the pet's needs. Core vaccinations include rabies and distemper vaccines for dogs and cats.  Other vaccines that may be administered after assessing your pet's risk assessment include bordatella, lyme, and leptospirosis vaccines for dogs and feline leukemia for cats.  If your pet is not healthy enough to receive a vaccine, we can also provide vaccine titer testing to determine your pet's immunological status against common viral and bacterial pathogens.

Parasite Prevention 

While fleas, ticks, and other parasites are most bothersome during certain seasons, at (practice name) we believe all pets should receive regular heartworm/flea/tick prevention all year long. These stealthy hitchhikers can slip into your home through a tiny tear in a window screen, on your pets, or even on you! Mosquitos only need a split second to dive in through an open door. Even if your pet does not go outdoors, you can bring flea eggs on your shoes and clothes. Each flea can produce 50 to 100 eggs daily! Monthly prevention for the pet, as well as environmental control such as spraying, is needed to successfully control fleas and ticks. Fleas are the most common external parasite of companion animals. In addition to itching and other skin problems, fleas can transmit diseases to animals and people. The majority of the flea population (i.e. eggs, larvae, and pupae) are found off the pet and around the home. A wide variety of parasite prevention products for the pet are available, such as monthly topical liquids and oral medicines, veterinary-approved collars, shampoos, sprays, and powders. We also recommend regular bathing and grooming as part of a continuous preventive protocol to maintain complete protection year-round. Our knowledgeable staff can help you determine the proper plan of treatment for your pet and your home, as well as show you how to safely use each product. Keep in mind that canine-only products are not designed for felines and could cause serious health issues and even death. Age and weight are also factors to consider in determining which products are best for your pet.

Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition affecting pets in the U.S. and worldwide. Caused by heartworms residing in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, it can lead to severe lung disease and heart failure. Early signs are often absent, so it's important to get your pet tested at the veterinarian's office using a small blood sample to detect heartworm proteins. Results are usually available quickly, and further testing may be needed if the test is positive. Preventing heartworm disease is essential for pet care. Options include monthly chewable pills, topical “spot-on” treatments, and injectable medications given every 6 or 12 months. These preventatives are available by prescription from veterinarians.