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Preventative MedicineTopics:
An ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure! Why give your pet annual vaccines? What else do we do at an annual visit besides give vaccines? For our canine friends we recommend:
With these simple procedures we are able to detect problems before they become life threatening conditions. Usually it is much less expensive to prevent problems or treat it early than to wait until a pet is very ill. It is also much better for the quality of life for our canine friends to help prevent these life threatening conditions. Once a year we also give rabies vaccine that is required by Indiana state law. We also give a distemper vaccine that helps prevent several viruses including: Parvovirus, Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Coronavirus, and Leptospirosis. Our feline friends also have annual visits. We start with:
When your feline or canine pet has their annual package they get their vaccines FREE. That is correct! Frankfort Animal Hospital believes that it is so important to prevent diseases that when clients have an annual package conducted we give your pet their vaccines FREE. Call today to schedule your four legged friend their Annual Package today. The Importance of Annual Heartworm Test Heartworm disease, transmitted by mosquitoes, is a serious and potentially fatal disease for dogs. Adult heartworms live in the heart and pulmonary arteries of infected dogs. The heartworms clog the heart and major blood vessels, reducing the blood supply to other organs. Treatment for heartworms is expensive, where as prevention is much easier on you, your pet, and your wallet. Heartgard is a chewable tablet that is given once a month, year round, to prevent heartworms, roundworms, and hookworms. However, dogs must get a heartworm test before being able to give a preventative. Giving prevention medication to a heartworm positive dog can be dangerous and potentially fatal. Not only does our test diagnose heartworms, but also Lyme disease and Ehrlichiosis, which are both transmitted by ticks. These diseases may not show up on our test if the dog has been recently infected. Hence, the importance of annual testing. In addition, Merial, the maker of Heartgard, will pay for treatment if your dog acquires heartworms while being on Heartgard from your veterinarian. Make sure your dog is getting an annual heartworm test and staying on Heartgard all year long...they will thank you!!! Just like humans dogs and cats can have allergies. More than 30% of all skin problems in animals can be attributed to allergies. Symptoms may get worse in the spring and summer due to increased amounts of pollen in the air during those times. Classic signs of allergies are scratching, feet licking/chewing, and face rubbing. As allergies become more severe, the chewing can lead to bacterial skin infections. Some animals have more problems than others because they have a lower threshold to allergies. As the pollen count increases the pets immune system is overloaded leading to clinical signs. Several different treatment protocols are available for pets with allergies. After a thorough examination the proper treatment regime can be determined. We can even test the blood to see what your pet is allergic to including: trees, grasses, weeds, fungi, and house dust mites. Based on what your pet is allergic to a treatment plan can be created. This can include: avoidance of the offending allergen, short term use of corticosteroids, and allergy vaccines to help your pet build up a tolerance to the offending allergens. Arthritis Inflammation of the Joints Arthritis is a progressive, degenerative disease that results in cartilage loss and joint inflammation. This affects more then eight million dogs nationwide. Arthritis is considered the #1 cause of chronic pain in dogs. Clinical signs of arthritis include: limping, stiffness, difficulty rising in the morning, decreased mobility, and less muscle mass in back legs. Two main treatments for arthritis are available. The first involves joint supplements such as Synovi G3 or Glycoflex that are given on a daily basis. Hill's Prescription Diet J/D also contains many of the same supplements in a food form so additional pills do not have to be given. The second part or treatment for Arthritis involves giving NSAIDS. These are powerful anti-inflammatory medications that help with pain and other clinical signs of arthritis. Ask your friends at Frankfort Animal Hospital for more information about arthritis. Early detection provides the best opportunity to cure Did you know that taking your pet to the veterinarian once a year is the same as a person seeing their doctor or dentist once every seven years! On average, most dogs and cats reach adulthood by age two. By age four, many pets are entering middle age. In addition, by age seven, most dogs, particularly larger breeds, are entering their senior years. This is why we are implementing the wellness exam for your pet. We are encouraging all of our clients to start making appointments every 6 months for a wellness exam. This will give our staff the opportunity to detect, treat, or, ideally, prevent problems before they become life-threatening. This will lead to a better and longer quality of life. You will begin to receive reminders in the mail encouraging you to set up an appointment for a wellness exam. A simple 15-minute exam every 6 months can prevent pain and suffering for you and your beloved pet. Please call us or ask our staff at your next appointment if you have more questions. You can also visit www.npwm.com for more information. |
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