Client's Most Common Questions:
1. At what age can my dog start heartworm prevention? Puppies may be started on prevention as early as 4 weeks. We carry a product that not only prevents heartworms but acts as a general wormer .
2. Does my dog have to be tested prior to starting heart worm prevention? Yes. It is critical with most preventatives to ascertain that your pet is negative for heartworms because an anaphylactic reaction can occur if microfilaria are present
3. At what age must be dog be tested before starting prevention? Dogs 6months and older require testing. Testing prior to that age is unnecessary since the test can only detect adult female heartworms (requiring 6 months from time of exposure until adulthood) .
4. What if I miss a dose of preventative? If a single dose is missed, give the next doses on time and your pet should be fine. More than 2 doses will require discussion with your veterinarian
5. At what age can my puppy begin vaccinations? Vaccinations are usually started at 6-7 weeks, but certain circumstances may make earlier advisable. A series of boosters every 3 weeks for a minimum of 3 doses is given for adequate immunity.
6. Can my puppy get parvo if vaccinated? Unfortunately the answer is "possibly". Different factors play into how well your puppy develops immunity from its vaccinations. Those include (but are not limited to) interference of maternal antibodies received from the mother, general health of the pet, immune system of the pet and the vaccine itself. Additionally, even a high quality vaccine is rendered ineffective if ever mishandled at any point, be that being mixed too long before administration , getting too hot or too cold at any point. However, if your puppy does experience a vaccine break, the survivability is generally much higher than for an unvaccinated puppy.
7. What is canine distemper? This is a highly contagious virus with an extremely high mortality in dogs and puppies (also some wildlife). It most often is initially presented as a respiratory infection with gi symptoms and frequently progresses to neurological disease. Vaccination of adults and puppies is critical for this disease.
8.What is Feline Leukemia? FeLV a significant viral disease in cats most often transmitted by close contact between cats. It is one of the leading causes of death in cats due to causing depressed immune systems and secondary cancers. Fortunately there is a both a test and a vaccine for this devastating disease.
9. What is Aids in cats? Feline Aids (FIV) is an immunodeficiency virus similar to human aids. It is primarily spread through fighting. Infected cats may remain asymptomatic for many years prior to becoming clinical but ARE infectious during that time, Since there is not a vaccine available, testing and keeping your pets indoors is the best approach to avoid this disease.
10. What food must my dog avoid? Grapes are VERY high on the list. Research is still ongoing to try to determine why, but they are devastatingly toxic to their kidneys. Any food containing xylitol (also called birch sugar) must be avoided at all costs.
Macadamia nuts can cause malignant hyperthermia, Dogs cannot digest cooked bones properly. Foods high in fat can set your pet up for gastroenteritis or worse yet, pancreatitis. Pits from stone fruits are deadly. Avoid avocado pits and peels must be avoided. Baking chocolate is on the off limits list as well.
Please feel free to call us with any questions or concerns not covered at 830-278-2322. We are here to serve you. Thanks!
