Wellness Care for Your Pet

Wellness care is essential for your pet throughout its life regardless of whether it's a puppy or an elderly animal. Puppy and kittens require regular checkups in order to monitor their growth and build immunity.

Pet insurance plans provide wellness insurance as a supplement. However, the coverage for pet wellness is distinct from pet insurance in several ways.

Vaccinations

Vaccines have been credited with saving more lives than any other medical treatment. They prevent diseases that would otherwise be fatal or cause severe and prolonged suffering, pain, or death. In most cases, prevention is far more effective and cost-effective than treatment.

Immunizations can be a vital aspect of pet care and can prevent serious diseases in cats and dogs as well as humans. Vaccines are preparations of killed or altered microorganisms introduced into the body to trigger the immune system to react to the invader. In this way, the immune system learns to recognize and fight the disease-causing organism, without needing to suffer the more serious consequences of infection or illness.

Puppies and kittens should be given a complete set of vaccinations at the beginning stages of development to build a strong immune system against infectious diseases. Our veterinarian will suggest the right vaccinations for your pets based on their age and the lifestyle they lead.

The primary vaccines are rabies distemper and parvovirus. These are essential for all cats and Why Do Dogs Have Whiskers: Unraveling the Mysteries of Canine Whiskers, as they protect against deadly infections that can be easily transmitted to humans. The most important vaccines are administered in two doses at the age of a puppy or kitten and boosters are given every year.

Non-core vaccinations may be recommended in accordance with the risk factors and lifestyle. For instance, dogs that visit boarding kennels, groomers, training classes, and dog parks could require vaccination against bordetella (kennel cough), which is highly contagious, and leptospirosis, a zoonotic disease that can cause liver and kidney failure in both pets and humans.

The hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and the hepatitis C vaccines are also typically recommended for all pets. These vaccines can in preventing the spread of a number fatal diseases from animals to humans and vice to. A combination vaccine known as Why Birds Chirp: A Melody of Nature’s Communication the DA2PP (or FVRCP) for cats or dogs guards against common diseases that can be passed between these species. The lyme vaccine, which is recommended for owners dogs that travel in areas with many deer, guards them against the bites from the deer tick, also known as the deer tick. It can lead to a severe bacterial infection.

Fecal Exam

A fecal exam or fecal flotation is a microscopic exam of your pet's stool. This allows your vet to find intestinal parasites such as whipworms, roundworms and giardia, which are not easily diagnosed and can affect the health of your pet. They can infect family members and other pets.

A fecal sample can be collected in many ways. Your veterinarian may employ a special fecal sample loop which is placed in the rectum, then pulled back to collect an fecal sample. This method is especially useful to identify worms and cysts. Your veterinarian can also conduct an smear that is direct, dispersing a small amount your pet's feces on the microscope slide. The drawback of this kind of test is that it is only valid in the event that the feces sample isn't mixed with fat or other cellular material.

Another option is centrifugal float tests. The feces samples are mixed with a specially-formulated solution to test for eggs that are parasite-infested. The eggs will appear to float and can be observed under microscope. The advantage of this method is that it's more sensitive than a direct smear however, the results will depend on the specifics of the procedure and specimen attributes.

Regular fecal checks are the best way to make sure that your pet does not have an intestinal parasite problem that could affect their health and may be transmitted to other animals or family members. These infections can cause discomfort for your pet, and can even lead to more serious conditions requiring treatment. Some intestinal parasites, such as roundworms and hookworms, can be transmitted to humans. This poses a serious health threat.

Fecal testing is a crucial and easy part of your pet's wellness routine. It is recommended that all pets undergo a fecal test at least once a year, and more often for puppies and those who live in environments that are conducive to parasites. Intestinal parasites can be a major source of illness in Exotic Pets You Can Own Without a License and can cause weight loss, diarrhea, and vomiting in many animals. The fecal tests can detect parasites as well as blood or other abnormalities that could be signs of illness or infection.

Dental Exam

Pet dental care is a crucial aspect of overall health. Without proper dental care, pet teeth can get infected, which can lead to other health problems like tooth decay, bad breath and gum disease. These conditions begin When Do Birds Fly: Unraveling the Mysteries of Avian Flight tartar builds up on the teeth, affecting the surrounding tissues. The buildup may also travel through the bloodstream to other organs like kidneys, the heart, and liver. This increases the risk of serious disease and cause inflammation. Regular brushing at home as well as dental cleanings can help keep your pet's teeth healthy.

In a dental examination the veterinarian will inspect your pet's teeth for signs of tartar and plaque. He or she will use a scaler to eliminate the tartar that has accumulated and a periodontal probe to examine the pockets under the gum line where periodontal disease begins. X-rays of the entire mouth are taken to check the roots and bones of the teeth.

Dental exams are recommended at least once per year, but more frequent examinations are recommended for patients with elevated risks for dental disease or who have reached their senior years. Alongside a thorough physical evaluation, the vet will discuss your pet's diet, weight, and behavior with you. The vet can give you information on any changes that you may observe in your pet and may suggest further tests or treatment if necessary.

Wellness plans can be a great option to save money and pay for preventive treatments, such as dental cleanings and heartworm tests. These plans are similar to traditional pet insurance, but they cover pre-determined medical expenses rather than covering an entire visit. Our veterinarians are happy to go over the various plans with you.

To make an appointment for your pet, contact our Spring Hill vets today! We can perform an annual wellness check, update vaccinations, and recommend any other preventive measures your pet may require. We hope to see you soon!

Parasite Control

No matter if they are of the internal or external type, parasites Are Birds the Only Animals That Can Talk? living organisms that feed off your pet, depriving her of essential nutrients. They can also cause damage to her major organs and body systems, leading to many unpleasant symptoms. In extreme cases, some of these parasites (such as heartworms) can be fatal. Many people believe that parasites are a necessary part of being a pet's parent however this doesn't have to be the case. Our veterinary team knows what parasites are prevalent in your region and can explain how they can affect your pet.

Responsible pet parasite management can reduce the risk of spreading disease to humans and pets living in the home. This means that you regularly administer preventative flea and tick treatment all year round, wearing a tick collar as often as you can, and regularly grooming your pet especially after she has been out. Inspecting her coat for indications of a parasite infestation like scratching, owners chewing, and licking, will ensure that she is not afflicted by these nuisance pests.

Internal parasites such as roundworms and tapeworms are usually acquired by accident through the ingestion of parasite eggs that have been found in areas contaminated by the faeces of animals that have been infected. These parasites are also zoonotic, meaning they can be passed from pets to people (and reversed).

The ticks and fleas can invade any house, even urban areas with high pet populations. They can trigger severe allergic reactions in pets, as well as transmit vector-borne diseases like cat scratch disease (Bartonella), Lyme disease, Ehrlichia, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Ticks can also be a problem. They can cause allergic reactions, cause itching and cause discomfort in pets, and transmit vector-borne illnesses like Lyme disease to humans.

At a minimum all shelter pets must be provided with a basic internal and external parasite control program at time of intake. This should include prophylactic treatment with the minimum of an oral dewormer that's effective against hookworms and roundworms as well as a tick and flea preventative (Nemex and Strongid are most commonly used products).