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What are puppy and kitten shots?
Puppies and kittens receive protection from their mother in the form of antibodies. These antibodies are specific types of protein molecules that would attack viruses and bacteria in the puppy or kitten’s body if they got exposed to them. Unfortunately, these protein molecules don’t last very long and the amount that the puppy or kitten actually get into their system is hard to determine. Therefore, we need to give vaccinations or shots of things that will build antibodies in the puppy or kitten bodies. The series of shots is needed to build enough antibodies that the puppy or kitten can defend itself against an exposure to disease causing organisms. The immune system needs to be "programmed" and the series of shots given 3-4 weeks apart will do this. Puppies are vaccinated against viruses such as Distemper, Parvo, and Corona. Kittens are vaccinated against Distemper, Leukemia, PIP, and Upper respiratory viruses.
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Do older pets need shots?
The vaccines use do not give life long immunity. Therefore, we recommend that annual vaccinations be given. Some vaccines, like Rabies are only given every 2-3 years. The most important part of an older pet’s health care is in early detection of health problems. When you come to our hospital your pet will receive a complete physical exam when we are updating vaccinations. The physical exam fee is included in all our annual vaccination rates.
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Should I spay or neuter my pet?
We recommend spaying or neutering your pet if you do not intend to breed it. There are benefits and disadvantages to this procedure. There are some health benefits for both male and female pets. Behavioral problems can also be helped with spay and neutering, but many other variables exist for a total handling of these types of problems. As your health care team, will advise you as to the best course of action for the reproductive status of your pet.
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When should I spay or neuter my pet?
Puppies and kittens should be spayed or neutered at 6-8 months of age. There is statistical evidence that mammary tumors are reduced if the pet is spayed before her first heat cycle. A pet can be spayed or neutered at any age.
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Do I really need to clean my pet’s teeth?
Your pet’s dental health is very important to their overall health. Bacteria can gain access to the bloodstream from the gum tissue and travel throughout the body causing heart, liver, and kidney diseases. Pain and bad odor are also a big concern for good dental health. We feel it is so important that we have dental awareness months every February and August.
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The anesthetic agents we use these days are very safe. However, all anesthetics are not without risks and close monitoring of the asleep patient is vitally important. At our hospital, we use monitors that alert us to any decrease in heart or respiratory rate while your pet is anesthetized for a surgical or dental procedure. Also, by having pre-anesthetic blood work done on your pet, we can minimize the risks and choose the proper agents to use depending on what we learn from our blood tests.
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What should I feed my pet?
Pet nutrition has come a long way in the past decades and there are many excellent pet foods available. We feel that with pet food, you get what you pay for in the quality of ingredients. Premium dog and cat foods are more digestible, leave less waste to clean up, and are high enough in fatty acids to give the pet’s haircoat a good shine. We will be happy to answer any questions concerning comparisons of pet foods or what is best for the l c0a ife stage of your pet in regards to nutrition. There are individual circumstances that may dictate the need for special nutrition.
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Do I have to bring my pet to the hospital?
Many problems can be treated with medications that we can dispense over the phone. However, since our patients can’t talk to us, the severity of many problems can't be adequately assessed by pet owners. Our receptionists will ask you to bring in your pet for an exam so we don’t leave any serious problems undetected in the early stages when they are best managed. This often times will save you health care costs!
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How long do dogs and cats live?
Cats live on the average 14-16 years. Dogs live into their teens with smaller breeds living longer than the larger breeds. The important thing about the aging of pets is that many age related problems can be managed very well with diet and medications if detected early. As your pet ages, be sure to have us do a complete physical exam 1-2 times per year. A complete geriatric exam with blood chemistry analysis, ECG, and chest x-rays can ensure the quality of life your best friend deserves.
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A chemistry blood analysis is a blood test that we send to a local laboratory and have it analyzed to evaluate major organ function and other vital body processes. Liver, kidney, and hormonal abnormalities can be detected. We also do a complete blood count (CBC) to evaluate the bodies response to infectious disease and to evaluate red blood cells. We often recommend pre-anesthetic blood work to make sure there are no underlying body problems that may present a problem while your pet is under anesthesia.
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