Star Meadow
Animal Clinic
1073
Revolutionizing Animal Care in the
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The Essentials of Wellness Medicine A Picture Tour of Our Facility
Parasite Prevention for Dogs
We recommend Interceptor tablets given once monthly in dogs to prevent heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, and whipworm infection. It is the only preventative on the market that is labeled to protect against all four of these parasites, some of which can infect people also! Interceptor should be given year-round as hookworms and whipworms especially are resistant to cold and even freezing temperatures. It is important to continue to have your dog tested once yearly for heartworm disease, as giving Interceptor to a heartworm-positive dog can have ill effects.
We recommend Frontline Plus applied each month to prevent flea and tick infestation. Fleas can cause severe skin infections in allergic pets as well as anemia (low red blood cell count) in small or young dogs. Ticks can transmit many diseases to your dog; most notably in this area, Lyme disease. Tick control is the SUREST way to prevent Lyme disease in your dog.
Parasite Prevention for Cats
We recommend Revolution applied to the skin once monthly to both outdoor AND indoor cats to prevent heartworm (yes, cats can be infected too and just one adult worm can be fatal), hookworm, and roundworm infection, as well as ear mite and flea infestation. Indoor cats are not protected from all of these infections just because of their lifestyle. Fleas can be brought inside by everything from the family dog to a field mouse, heartworms can be carried inside by mosquitoes, and roundworm eggs can be tracked indoors from dirt on shoes.
Annual wellness screens
It is true that your pet ages much faster than we do, with the average being 7 cat or dog years to every 1 human year. Because of this difference, significant changes can occur in your pet’s health over the course of a year between veterinary visits, many of which may not be readily apparent. An annual wellness screen, especially in animals older than 6, is important to help identify and address these potential changes as early as possible. It consists of a simple blood test that evaluates the complete blood count as well as the health of multiple organs such as the kidneys, liver, and pancreas.
Vaccinations
We are fortunate in veterinary medicine to have the ability to prevent through vaccination many infectious diseases (rabies, distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, bordetella, herpesvirus, panleukopenia-just to name a few!). Although vaccination plays a key role in your pet’s wellness, it is not without some risks in certain animals. Therefore, our veterinarians conscientiously take into account your cat or dog’s lifestyle when developing an individualized vaccine protocol.
Dental Hygiene
Dental hygiene is a very important part of your pet’s healthcare. Since our pets cannot brush for themselves, it is up to us to do so. By three years of age, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have moderate gingivitis (gum disease). The bacteria in the mouth accumulate along the teeth and gums forming plaque. As the plaque continues to grow, the gingiva (gums) becomes inflamed, reddened, and painful. If this process continues, bacterial invasion into the bloodstream via diseased gums may harm the liver, kidneys, and heart.
Brushing the teeth is the most effective way to remove the bacteria that causes plaque. In order to get your pet used to having his/her teeth brushed, we can offer you a few tips:
- Start by introducing the toothpaste as a pea-sized offering as a treat for about a week. This will get your pet used to the toothpaste’s texture and taste. (NEVER use human toothpaste).
- There are a few options you have for brushing your pet’s teeth:
1. A toothbrush of appropriate size. If you have a small dog or cat you may want to try an infant’s toothbrush (they are smaller and softer on their gums).
2. A finger brush. These are composed of a hard rubber material that sits over your finger like a thimble. It has a rough edge to help with physical removal of the plaque.
3. Gauze or a wash cloth wrapped around your finger. These tend to be softer on the gums than the finger brushes. Once you decide on an instrument, you will want to place a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on the item you choose to use, and let your dog or cat take his/her tasty treat from it. This process will get your pet acclimated to the instrument and toothpaste together.
- Now that your dog or cat will take the paste from the brushes, it is time to place the toothbrush with toothpaste into his/her mouth. Just let your dog or cat chew on, sniff, or bite the brush. By doing this, your pet will learn that the brush is not hurting them; they will realize that their tasty treat is on that brush.
- After you have gotten through these steps and you are able to put the brushes in his/her mouth, try some strokes. They may not tolerate that as much, but do what you can. Holding your pet is just as important. When you get to the point where you are putting the toothbrush in your pet’s mouth, we do not want anyone, pet or owner, being hurt. If you can sit with your pet on the floor, between your legs, this will prevent them from being able to back away from you. Gently lift your pet’s head from under the chin. Your pet will not fight as much if you lift his/her head this way. Place one hand on one side of the face and muzzle; this will give you good control over the head. You should be able to place the toothbrush under the lips and brush your pet’s teeth.
Although there is no replacement for brushing, there are some other treatments that help with overall oral hygiene including:
1. Chlorhexidine solutions and gels. A simple application daily will help reduce bacteria levels on the teeth and gums without brushing.
2. Over the counter dental diets. We recommend Iams or Eukanuba dental diets. These diets have micro-cleansing crystals to help reduce tartar buildup during and after meals.
3. Hill’s Prescription T/D. A treat that your dog or cat has to bite completely through in order for it to break. Have you ever watched your pet eat his/her dry food? As soon as your pet’s teeth touch the crunchy stuff, it shatters. They have to work to break this treat; in turn it is physically scraping his/her teeth of the daily plaque accumulation. Ask your veterinarian if this may be an appropriate diet for your pet.
4. Royal Canin Dental Diet. This helps reduce tartar formation through the binding of calcium in saliva. This makes it unavailable for the formation of tartar. Ask your veterinarian if this may be an appropriate diet for your pet.
5. Oravet. A weekly application to the entire mouth will help reduce the amount of tartar that adheres to the teeth.
All treatments work best if you withhold food and water for at least one half hour after to allow the enzymes to do their job.
All treatments are recommended as part of your pet’s daily routine.
Remember, you will not have success in one day, or even one week. It will take time to get yourself and your pet comfortable with daily brushing. If you have any questions or suggestions that may help other clients, please give us a call!