What is "preventive healthcare?"
Weighing a kitten on the 'baby
scale'.
Preventive healthcare incorporates the things that we should do
for ourselves and our pets to keep us and our pets healthy.
What things are necessary to prevent health problems in
my pet?
A few things necessary for a preventive health care program are
"species specific." This means some pets require special
vaccines or special testing to assess their health. However,
in general, preventive health care incorporates:
*Recommendations are in keeping with The American College of
Veterinary Parasitologists, The Companion Animal Parasite Council
and the Centers for Disease Control.
** Recommendations are in keeping with those of The American
Heartworm Society.
*** Recommendations are in keeping with those of The American
College of Veterinary Parasitologists.
(back to
top)
A physical examination for your pet incorporates many of the
same things that are included in you own physical examination:
- Weight is checked and recorded to determine optimum weight for
the patient. Changes in weight can be an early indicator of
some disease processes.
- Eyes, ears, and skin are checked for inflammation, discharge,
or other abnormalities.
- Palpation (feeling) of the abdomen to check for abnormal masses
or discomfort. The doctor also checks for any enlarged lymph
nodes.
- The doctor checks heart and lung sounds for any
abnormalities.
- Palpation and manipulation (moving) the limbs and joints to
determine pain or abnormalities.
- Teeth and gums are examined for signs of dental disease.
- The patient's temperature is also checked and recorded.
Checking the ears for any discharge,
inflammation, or infection.
During the examination, we may draw blood to check for heartworms or
check blood chemistries and/or blood count. We also monitor
chronic health conditions at this time, evaluate the effectiveness
of current treatment, and check blood levels of medications to
ensure they are in a therapeutic range.
Generally, your pet should have a wellness examination annually.
Your veterinarian can detect early signs of illness and a treatment
plan implemented before a life-threatening event occurs. As a
pet ages or acquires certain health conditions, the recommendation
may change to having more frequent examinations. Follow the
advice of your pet's veterinarian.
We also administer your pet's necessary vaccinations at this time, in
compliance with legal or current disease prevention
recommendation.
(back to
top)
Annual health examinations and vaccinations are important routes
to a healthy lifestyle. Vaccinations protect our pets from nasty
and potentially fatal diseases. In past years, annual vaccinations
were the standard. However, recent research has shown that
some immunizations are lasting longer than one year, specifically,
the DHPP (Distempter/Hepatitis/Parainfluenza/Parvo Virus) vaccine
in dogs and the FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotrachitis/Calici
Virus/Panleukopenia) vaccine in cats.
Rabies
Rabies is the one vaccination that is required by law. The
vaccine is first given when the puppy/kitten receives their final
distemper combo booster, and is then given routinely throughout the
pet's life.
Canine Vaccinations
The DHLPP/DHPP (a.k.a. Distemper combo vaccine) is started when
puppies are between the ages of 6-8 weeks. They will get a booster
every 3-4 weeks until they reach 16 weeks of age. It is important
to finish this series of vaccinations on time otherwise the series
will have to begin again. This vaccination is good for one year.
After receiving their one-year booster, the Distemper combo
immunization is good for 3 years. The Leptospirosis portion of the
vaccine (the L in the DHLPP) still needs to be given every year,
due to the potential spread of the disease to humans.
The Bordetella vaccination (a.k.a. Kennel Cough) is available in
two forms. The subcutaneous (under the skin) can be used in puppies
as young as 8 weeks with a booster in 3-4 weeks. The intranasal (in
the nose) can be used in puppies as young as 3 weeks, with a
booster after 6 weeks of age. At most facilities, this vaccine is
given yearly. For kennels that do a lot of boarding, they may
require the vaccine to be given every 6 months. This vaccine is
strongly recommended for dogs going to boarding kennels, grooming
parlors, day care, dog parks, training classes or any place where
dogs gather.
Feline Vaccinations
The FVRCP (a.k.a. Distemper combo vaccine) is started when
kittens are 8 weeks old. They will need one to two boosters 3-4
weeks apart. After receiving their one- year booster, the Distemper
combo immunization is good for 3 years.
Kittens should be tested for FeLV/FIV (Feline Leukemia
Virus/Feline Immunodeficiency Virus).This is a simple blood test
performed during their first exam. It is important to know the
kitten's status, especially if you have other cats in the household
or plan to get another cat in the future. If they test negative,
there is a vaccination for Feline Leukemia. Kittens will receive
the initial vaccination with a booster in 3-4 weeks, then
yearly.
Ferret Vaccinations
Kits start their Distemper vaccination series at 8 weeks of age,
with two more boosters 3-4 weeks apart. Three weeks after the last
booster, they can get the Rabies vaccination.
Adult ferrets receive Distemper and Rabies vaccines yearly in
conjunction with their health examination. The Rabies vaccine is
generally given 1-2 weeks after the exam and Distemper vaccine.
(back to
top)
Heartworm Test
Heartworms are parasites spread by the bite of an infected
mosquito. The worms are not transmitted directly from dog to
dog. The mosquito is needed for transmission from an infected
pet to a non-infected one. The adult heartworms live in the large
vessels that go from the heart to the lungs. Here they can
cause blockages in blood flow but, more importantly, they stimulate
inflammatory reactions within the lining of the blood vessels that
can progress throughout the pet's body. This inflammation can
have far-reaching, even life threatening, consequences.
Medication is available that is designed to prevent the worms from
maturing. Before the preventive medication is administered,
it is necessary for the dog to be tested and found to be free of
the parasite. This test is done by checking a small specimen
of blood.
Dogs are the preferred "final" hosts of the heartworm but
cats can be infected as well. Although there is
a treatment for heartworm disease in dogs, there is no treatment
for infected cats. Therefore, heartworm preventive is
recommended for cats as well as dogs. The life cycle of
heartworms varies between dogs and cats. Therefore,
cats do not have to be tested before starting on preventive
medication.
(back to
top)
Technicians applying topical flea control
medicine.
Here at Care-Pets Animal Hospital, we recommend year round flea
and/or tick control for both indoor and outdoor pets. Fleas and
ticks can be found on indoor pets that never even go outside. They
can hitch a ride on your pant legs and drop off in your house only
to be picked up by your pet. These pesky critters cause our
pets to be itchy and miserable. Fleas can cause
anemia, flea allergy dermatitis and tapeworm infections, to name a
few. Ticks, besides attaching themselves to our pets,
sucking their blood, swelling up and possibly bursting, can carry
diseases transmittable to humans, such as Lyme disease, Rocky
Mountain Spotted Fever and Ehrlichiosis.
In Southern Indiana, we are having milder winters than in the
past. This mild weather prevents the 28 consecutive days of
below freezing temperatures necessary to kill insects. If
the humidity and temperatures are just right, you can have active
fleas year round. There are several monthly products available,
both topical and oral, to help control these pests. It is always
easier to prevent an infestation than it is to try and clear one
up.
Please feel free to call us with any questions you may have or
speak with one of our staff members at your pet's next
appointment.
(back to
top)
Proper nutrition is as important for our pet as it is for
us. The nutritional requirements for each life stage are
different. Young animals, like human babies, require a more
"high powered" diet. Higher concentrations of protein,
calcium and fat are need for these youngsters. Adult pets
require a less concentrated diet although the quality of
ingredients still needs to be high. Senior pets often require
diets that have even less concentration of protein and fats.
The general health of the pet as well as life-style will dictate
nutritional requirements as well. Follow the advice of your
pet's veterinarian regarding the proper diet.
There are many, many brands of pet food on the
market. How do we know which is the "best?" Why are
some foods so much more expensive than others?
The quality and consistency of formulation are just two of the
factors involved in pet food pricing. Pet food manufacturers
design a diet formulation in two basic manners. Either they
calculate the type and amount of ingredients that they
use or they perform feeding trials and monitor body
condition, energy, and laboratory values obtained when a particular
formulation is fed to a group of animals. A paper was
presented at The World Small Animal Veterinary Association in 2001
that discusses the finer points of What
Reading a Label Will and Won't Tell You about the
Food.
Things to Consider When Evaluating a Pet
Food
- Is the nutritional adequacy statement based on feeding
trials?
- Is there a phone number on the label for consumer inquiries? If
the answer is no to either of the above questions, I would be
disinclined to use the food. If the answer were yes to both
questions, then I would call the phone number and make the
following inquiries:
- Does the company run AFFCO feeding trials on each of their
products or product families?
- Does the company have their own manufacturing plants or do they
contract with an outside feed mill or manufacturing plant?
- Does the company have a Research and Development
department?
- Where does the company get their raw ingredients? Are they from
established sources or do the sources vary? What kind of standards
does the company have for raw ingredients? Do they do any testing
in-house before using an ingredient for manufacturing?
- What kind of testing does the company do at the end of each
run? Do they hold the product for shipment until this testing is
completed?
- Does the company do stability testing of their products? Do
they know the shelf life of their product? Do they put "Best Used
By" dates on their product?
Finally, I look at any promotional material that is available
for the product (including the packaging) and evaluate how the
product is marketed. Are they basing their marketing claims on a
sound scientific rationale? Is the marketing based on a gimmick?
Does the company market their product by bad-mouthing other
companies?
(back to
top)
Exercise is another key ingredient in the physical and mental
health of your pet. Some benefits of exercise include healthy
weight management, reduction in obesity-related diseases, and
greater joint mobility/flexibility. Remember to always
consult your veterinarian before beginning any exercise routine
with your pet.
- An exercise routine combined with proper nutrition will help
ensure that your pet maintains a healthy weight.
- Exercise will also help an overweight pet shed unneeded
pounds.
- Start slow when beginning an exercise routine. It will
take time for your pet's system to adjust to the new regimen and to
be able to sustain long periods of activity.
- Before beginning an exercise routine with an overweight or
senior pet, we recommend having your pet examined to make sure they
are healthy enough to perform exercise related activities.
Ways to exercise your dog:
- Play fetch in the back yard.
- Take your dog on walks in the neighborhood or park.
- For small housedogs, place feeding and resting areas at
opposite ends of the house.
- Train active dogs on agility courses.
Ways to exercise your cat:
- Place feeding and litter box areas as far apart as possible.
Having these areas on different levels works well.
- Some cats can be trained to walk on leashes. If your cat
is amenable to this, short walks outside are excellent ways to
exercise.
- Interest your cat with interactive toys. Chasing balls or
laser pointers will give your cat a full workout.