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Wellness Exams
The goal of a pet wellness program is to prevent or minimize disease or injuries, improve your pet's quality of life, and help your pet enjoy a healthy life for as long as possible. We recommend a physical examination at least annually, as well as routine health screenings that may include blood work (heartworm screening, tick screening, complete blood count, and chemistry profile), urinalysis, and fecal flotation.
Diet and exercise are major factors in the health of your pet. So, we will take time to discuss these topics during your pet's exam or more frequently as age and other health matters dictate.
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Acupuncture
Acupuncture may be defined as the insertion of needles into specific points of the body to cause healing. It is one of the safest forms of medical treatment when administered by a properly trained veterinarian. It is used mainly for functional problems such as those that involve paralysis, noninfectious inflammation (such as allergies) and pain.
According to ancient Chinese medical philosophy, disease is the result of an imbalance of energy in the body. Acupuncture is believed to balance this energy and assist the body to heal disease. In Western terms, acupuncture can assist the body to heal itself by affecting certain physiological changes. For example, it can stimulate nerves, increase blood circulation, relieve muscle spasm, and cause the release of hormones to control pain.
Acupuncture has been used in veterinary practice in China for at least 3000 years to treat many ailments. This technique is used all over the world, either by itself or in conjunction with Western medicine, to treat a wide variety of maladies in every species of domestic and exotic animal.
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Geriatic Preventive Care
As your pet ages, its nutritional and metabolic needs change. Arthritis, obesity, cancer, and declining organ function can all affect the quality of life our senior pets enjoy. We recommend semi-annual physical examinations and more frequent health screenings in your aging pet. Nutritional supplements, dietary changes, acupuncture, chiropractic and medications can all be used to help keep your senior pet comfortable and active for as long as possible.
How do you know if your pet is a senior? The age can vary greatly from cats to small or giant breed dogs. Don't just assume your pet is slowing down because he/she is old. Be a proactive partner in their health care and call to discuss your pet's individual situation with our staff so we can schedule an appointment as is appropriate.
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Dental Treatment
Oral disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem for pets. An astounding 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVCS). Periodontal disease is a common problem in dogs, particularly smaller breeds. Cats can develop painful resorptive lesions. Studies show that about 28 percent of domestic cats develop at least one of these painful lesions during their lifetime. (Taken from petdental.com.)
A thorough oral exam is an important part of your pet's annual physical. We offer routine dental prophylaxis (scaling and polishing), tooth extractions as needed, the Oravet plaque prevention system for dogs and fluoride treatments for cats.
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Herbal & Nutraceuticals
Presently, Chinese herbal medicine plays an important role in medical health care in China. Only approximately 20 percent of all Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) patients are treated with acupuncture while the remaining 80 percent are treated with Chinese herbs or a combination of herbs and acupuncture. Tremendous numbers of clinical studies have indicated that Chinese herbal medicines are very effective for treating a variety of medical disorders including gastrointestinal, respiratory, endocrinological, dermatological and cardiovascular problems. (Taken from the Chinese Veterinary Herbal Handbook by Huisheng Xie.)
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Behavior Counseling
According to the U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook (2007 Edition), in 2006 nearly half of pet owners, or 49.7%, considered their pets to be family members. As much as we love our pets, sometimes their behavior is less than desirable. Barking, digging, scratching, chewing, and house-soiling are just some of the problem behaviors that our pets may show. These behaviors are often symptoms of an underlying problem such as medical disease, anxiety, boredom or simply a misunderstanding of normal feline and canine behavior. We offer behavioral counseling to discuss your pet's behavior, determine the underlying causes, and devise a treatment plan that is suitable for the whole family. Medical testing (blood work and/or urinalysis) is often recommended to assess associated physical problems. Treatment may involve behavioral modification exercises, nutritional or herbal supplements, and/or medication.
Please remember to plan accordingly if your pet has a behavioral problem. While behavioral welfare will be discussed at all routine appointments, if your pet has significant behavioral issues, a separate consultation (usually 60 minutes) will be scheduled.
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Neutering and Spaying
Dogs
Letting children see the miracle of birth is NOT a good reason to breed your dog; only serious breeders who have the desire, expertise, and time to breed well should breed at all. If you don't plan to breed, please spay or neuter your puppy. Spaying your female dog can help to prevent cancers of the reproductive tract, including breast cancer, and will decrease the incidence of reproductive infections. Neutering your male dog will prevent testicular cancer and can decrease the incidence of prostate problems. The incidence of certain behavioral problems has also been shown to be reduced when dogs are spayed or neutered. Your veterinarian can discuss with you the best time to schedule the procedure.
Cats
The decision to breed a cat is not one to be taken lightly. Thousands of cats are euthanized each year simply because there aren't enough homes for them. If you don't plan to breed your cat as an adult, please spay or neuter your kitten. Spaying and neutering decrease incidence of some tumors and reproductive infections, both of which require more serious (and costly) surgical procedures. A male cat must be neutered if it will be a housepet because the strong urine odor of unneutered males will make your cat an unacceptable housemate. Discuss with your veterinarian the most appropriate time to spay or neuter your kitten.
(Taken from the AVMA Preventive Care brochure.)
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Vaccinations & Deworming
Vaccines are health products that trigger protective immune responses in pets and prepare them to fight future infections from disease-causing agents. They have eliminated or greatly reduced the incidence of some very serious diseases in our pets. Puppies and kittens are given a series of vaccinations to help ensure the proper response of their immune system as the protection they receive from their mother's milk gradually fades. Recent research has provided valuable information about how the immune system responds to these vaccines and how long the protection lasts. There are numerous vaccine products available in the veterinary market today. However, as with all medical products and procedures, there is always a risk of adverse reaction. Therefore we recommend a minimal and individualized vaccine schedule for each pet based on their age, general health, and lifestyle. Please schedule an appointment to discuss your pet's health and vaccinations.
Most puppies and kittens are born with some intestinal worms. The eggs of these parasites can also live in the environment for decades in some cases, making adults also susceptible as they naturally explore their environment. Some parasites can be transmitted to humans. Routine fecal checks, appropriate de-worming and good hygiene can keep your family and pets healthy and happy.
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Tumor Removal and Biopsies
There are many types of tumors, both benign and malignant, that can affect our pets. Surgical removal is often recommended to improve comfort for the pet, to remove an infected tumor, or to better diagnose the type of tumor. Biopsy of the affected tissue allows a board-certified pathologist to examine the cells and provide information on the type of tissue involved, determine if the growth is malignant, and assess the severity or aggressiveness of many malignant tumors. Our state of the art surgical suite and anesthetic monitoring ensure your pet will be closely monitored and well cared for during the procedure.
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Heartworm Preventatives
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and occasionally in the right side of the heart of dogs, cats and other species of mammals, including wolves, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and (in rare instances) humans. The larvae are spread by mosquitoes, so even indoor pets are at risk as these small insects can easily find their way inside. Symptoms of heartworm disease include cough, lethargy, anorexia and weight loss. However, symptoms may not appear for months to years until there is a significant worm burden and damage to the heart and lungs has already occurred. Thankfully you can keep your pet free of heartworms through routine screening (an annual blood test) and consistent use of a preventative. There are numerous preventatives available in chewable tablet or topical liquid form. Most are given once a month. We recommend year-round use of preventative here in Maryland.
A special note about heartworms in cats: Cats are resistant hosts of heartworms. Some cats appear to be able to rid themselves of the infection spontaneously. It is assumed that such cats may have developed a strong immune response to the heartworms, which causes the death of the parasites. Cats typically have fewer and smaller worms than dogs and the life span of worms is shorter. However, heartworms do not need to develop into adults to cause significant pulmonary damage in cats, and consequences can still be very serious when cats are infected by mosquitoes carrying heartworm larvae. Please call to discuss if heartworm prevention is appropriate for your cat. (Taken from the American Heartworm Society.)
For more information, please visit www.heartwormsociety.org.
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Flea and Tick Product
Fleas and ticks can be a major problem for you and your pet. Fleas cause itching, skin irritation, and allergic dermatitis, as well as transmit tape worms. They breed with amazing success, rapidly leading to an infestation of your pet’s home. Ticks can also transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Ehrlichia canis, Anapalsmosis, and others. While these insects are stubborn, there are numerous products available to help keep them off of your pet and out of your house. Whether you prefer the ease of a monthly topical liquid or want to discuss holistic alternatives, we can help you find the best product for your pet. We recommend year-round use of preventative here in Maryland.
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