- What vaccinations does my puppy need?
- What vaccinations does my kitten need?
- Does my adult cat or dog really need to be vaccinated?
- How do I get rid of fleas on my pet?
- How do I get rid of ticks on my pet?
- What should I feed my pet?
- When can I have my pet neutered?
- Isn't it better to let my female dog/cat have a litter of puppies/kittens first?
- What are heartworms?
- Why does my dog/cat have such horrible breath?
- Why should I have my pets teeth cleaned?
- How does a laser work?
- What types of procedures can a laser perform?
- What are the advantages of laser surgery?
- What about infection and laser procedures?
- Why should I choose laser surgery for my pet?
What vaccinations does my puppy need?
Puppies need to be vaccinated for distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvo, (commonly abbreviated DHPP) coronavirus, and kennel cough. Vaccination for leptospirosis and Lyme disease are options depending on your puppy's exposure risks. Puppies should begin their vaccination series for DHPP at 6-8 weeks of age, and get a booster every 3 weeks until they are close to 4 months of age. Rabies vaccination is given at 12 weeks of age. The schedule for vaccinations may vary depending on your puppy's needs.
What vaccinations does my kitten need?
Kittens need to be vaccinated for feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia, (commonly abbreviated FVRCP) and feline leukemia. Vaccination for feline infectious peritonitis is an option depending on your kitten's exposure risks. Kittens should begin their vaccination series for FVRCP at 6-8 weeks of age and feline leukemia at 9 weeks of age. Both need to be boosted every 3 weeks until the kitten is between 3 and 4 months old.
Does my adult cat or dog really need to be vaccinated?
There has been a lot of controversy over the necessity of vaccinations in the past several years. Because of a lack of good studies, we still feel the results are inconclusive and we will continue to vaccinate pets, though in some pets we may choose to extend the time period between boosters. Your veterinarian can discuss with you if your pet is a good choice for this extension, depending on risk factors.
How do I get rid of fleas on my pet?
In the past, getting rid of fleas meant bathing and dipping your pet with strong smelling chemicals, fogging the house, and treating the yard repeatedly. Fortunately, treating for fleas has become much easier and safer with the advent of new monthly oral products. There are specific products for both dogs and cats. We recommend Capstar to treat fleas (cats and dogs) and Sentinel to treat worms and fleas (dogs). These products can be used on ALL dogs and cats in the home and will get rid of a flea infestation. Yard and house treatments are no longer necessary.
How do I get rid of ticks on my pet?
Ticks can pose a real hazard to other pets as well as people, and good prevention is important. There is no one answer for all pets. What is safe for a dog can be deadly for a cat. We recommend individualized prevention programs. Talk with the doctor to develop a prevention plan for your pet. It is also important to check your pets regularly for ticks, and be sure to protect yourself whenever in the woods or tall grass.
What should I feed my pet?
As in people, good nutrition is important for good health in pets. There are a multitude of pet foods on the market, all claiming to be better than the others. While a number of diets may be suitable for your pet, we recommend feeding a premium type of diet. It does not have to be the most expensive, but should not be the cheapest. The cost of a diet is determined by the quality of the ingredients. Cheap diets use cheap ingredients, which do not provide suitable nutrition. Your pet has to eat more to try and meet his needs, so the cheaper diet is often not less expensive. Food made with a lot of low quality ingredients and fillers will also cause your pet to defecate more.
Food that comes in cute shapes or wild colors is full of artificial colors and preservatives that can be harmful. Puppies and kittens should be fed a growth diet for the first year of life, and then switched to an adult or lite-adult maintenance diet. Treats should be kept to a minimum, and can include hard biscuits or healthy "people food" such as fruits, vegetables, or lean meats. Table scraps such as fatty meats, gravies, and breads should not be fed.
There are a wide variety of food options available and we would be glad to discuss the proper diet for your pet. Our Nutrion Partner- Hills Pet Nutrition will provide information and purchase specials at HillsPet.com.
When can I have my pet neutered?
Both dogs and cats need to be between four and six months old to be spayed (females) or castrated (males). Most females come into heat around 8 or 9 months of age. The old wives tale that females should be allowed to come into heat once is just that, a tale. Removing the reproductive organs before sexual maturity (first heat) greatly reduces the chance of mammary cancer. Once a female comes into heat, the hormones are present that increase the chance of some cancers.
Isn't it better to let my female dog/cat have a litter of puppies/kittens first?
Absolutely not! Again, the cancer preventing benefits are the highest if the pet is spayed before her first heat. The bigger issue is the number of unwanted pets; the shelters are full of pets needing homes that may end up being euthanized for lack of a home. And don't forget the extra expense of having puppies or kittens; extra food for the mother and the babies when they are ready to be weaned, vaccinations and deworming for the babies, and the possibility of an emergency cesarean section if the mother has problems giving birth.
What are heartworms?
Heartworms are blood parasites that are transmitted by mosquitoes. The "baby heartworms", called microfilaria, circulate in the bloodstream, maturing to adult worms in the heart and vessels of the lungs. The mature worms can cause permanent heart damage, leading to heart failure. All dogs are at risk. Heartworms can be detected with a simple blood test.
It is easy to prevent heartworms; once-a-month chewable heartworm preventatives are available that also protect against intestinal parasites. All puppies should be started on heartworm preventative at their fist visit. We recommend that heartworm preventative be given year-round due to Missouri's unpredictable winter temperatures and to continue the intestinal parasite protection.
A dog infected with heartworms can be treated, but permanent heart damage can occur and the treatment is costly. It is much simpler and less expensive to prevent them from occurring.
Cats can be infected with heartworms, but it occurs less frequently than in dogs.
Why does my dog/cat have such horrible breath?
The most common cause of bad breath is dental disease. Dental plaque and tartar build up on the teeth, causing a bad odor. Infection under the gum line or infected teeth can also cause a bad odor. Dental tartar is easily recognized as yellow-brown deposits on the surface of the teeth. The gums may also be red and inflamed.
Certain diseases can cause bad breath in pets also, such as diabetes mellitus or kidney disease. Your pet will probably also have other signs of illness.
Why should I have my pets teeth cleaned?
Regular dental cleanings help keep your pet's breath smelling fresh, but more importantly they help keep your pet healthy. A diseased mouth can lead to heart disease or kidney disease from the constant source of bacteria in the mouth. And dental disease can cause your pet a lot of discomfort, making chewing a painful ordeal.
Laser Questions
How does a laser work?
A laser is a device that generates an intense beam of light. A surgical laser produces an invisible beam of light that vaporizes water in the cells of skin and other soft tissue. Because of the precise control, only a thin layer of tissue is removed, leaving the surrounding areas unaffected.
What types of procedures can a laser perform?
A laser is ideal for a wide variety of surgical procedures for dogs, cats, birds, and other pets. Laser surgery can correct many common conditions such as cysts, tumors, warts, and infections that may occur around the eyes, ears, in the mouth, and anywhere on the skin. It is especially efficacious as a surgical instrument in the declawing of cats. There is very little post-operative pain with this procedure when the laser is used.
What are the advantages of laser surgery?
Laser energy seals nerve endings and small blood vessels as it moves through tissue. This results in very little bleeding and much less post-operative pain. Since laser energy does not crush, tear, or bruise, there is less swelling after the surgery. The bottom line is that laser technology reduces trauma to your pet, improves recovery, and shortens hospital stays.
What about infection and laser procedures?
The laser sterilizes as it removes diseased tissue, killing bacteria that cause infection. The laser can remove unhealthy tissue while minimizing adverse effects to healthy surrounding tissue.
Laser surgery is a new, exciting option for surgery in pets. Lasers have been used for many years in human medicine, but have recently become available for use in veterinary medicine. The laser is an intense beam of light that can be precisely controlled, minimizing trauma on surrounding tissues. The advantages of laser surgery include less pain, bleeding, and swelling, which reduces the risk of infection and speeds recovery. The laser can be used for many types of surgical procedures.
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