Pet Preventive Care

Aggressive pets have the potential to injure people (even their owners), other pets, or themselves at any time. They may act unpredictably when stressed or frightened.

Scratching is a normal feline behavior. The difficult part is training them to use something other than furniture or door frames.

Urine marking (spraying) is usually a cat's way to mark territory. The marking behavior is most frequently seen in adult males that have not been neutered. Occasionally, it can be an indicator of urinary tract or other disease.

Abnormal urination can often be a sign of potentially serious urinary tract or other disease. Inappropriate urination may also be behavioral. Any pet that exhibits abnormal urination should be promptly evaluated by a veterinarian to determine if the problem is medical or behavioral.

Your puppy will not automatically know it is inappropriate to soil in the house - it is your job to teach him or her how to be a good family member. No one wants to deal with the soil, odor, time, and expense that can result from poor house training.

Atopy and food related allergic skin disease are caused by reactions to inhaled, ingested, or absorbed "allergens" (pollen, mold spores, dust, dust mites, food, etc.). This is similar to "hay fever" in humans. However, instead of the sinus and nasal signs in humans, pets may manifest the disease as skin irritation that can include the entire skin surface and ear canals.

Obesity is one of the most common PREVENTABLE diseases in our pets. We not only fail to prevent this disease, but we often cause it by spoiling our pets. A recent study confirmed that 6 out of 10 pets are overweight and half of those have a body condition score (BCS) greater than 6. The ideal BCS is 4.5 for a dog and 5.0 for a cat. Of overweight pets, 12% have weight-related health conditions. These conditions include arthritis, diabetes, skin fold infections, anal sac impactions, heart disease, and breathing conditions – especially short-nosed breeds like bulldogs and pugs.

Obesity means seriously overweight. It almost always results from a combination of too much food and too little exercise. Breed characteristics, temperament, and hormone imbalances may also influence body weight.

Good preventive care begins with careful attention to the basics.

Good preventive care begins with careful attention to the basics.

Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease of the intestinal tract caused by a microscopic organism. The disease generally spreads from one pet to another by contact with stool (bowel movement) from infected individuals.

Fleas are small, brown or black, wingless, rapid-moving insects that feed on blood by biting pets and, occasionally, people.

Now that spring is here, your pets are probably itching to go outside. The problem is, they may also be itching when they come back in. If you and your pet want to enjoy an itch-free summer, see your veterinarian and get your pet on a flea prevention program today!

Giardia is a microscopic parasite that can infect most mammals, including humans. The parasite invades cells lining the intestinal tract, causing bowel irritation and damage. There, the parasites reproduce and shed into the stool to pass out of the body. This stage of the parasite is very hearty and can remain infective in the environment for long periods of time. Infection occurs when parasites are ingested in contaminated water, stool, plant material, or food. Even licking a few drops of contaminated water, or a few parasites off of the paws or coat, can potentially cause infection.

The hookworm is a common intestinal parasite of dogs. Incidence of infection varies by region. Hookworms attach to the intestinal lining and feed by sucking significant amounts of blood from their host. Adult worms live in a pet's small intestine and deposit eggs that are passed in the stool to develop into larvae.

Bronchitis is an inflammation or infection of the lower air passages and their smaller branches. These structures carry air from the windpipe (trachea) and distribute it to the lungs.

Good preventive care begins with careful attention to the basics.

Good preventive care begins with careful attention to the basics.

Having your kitten properly vaccinated is one of the most important ways to keep him or her happy and healthy. Vaccines protect against many serious and even fatal diseases.

Having your puppy properly vaccinated is one of the most important ways to keep him or her happy and healthy. Vaccines protect against many serious and even fatal diseases.

Vaccine costs vary widely based on location and whether they are administered by medical professionals during an examination or by others.