Holiday hazards for pets!

It's a wonderful time of year to celebrate with family and friends of both the 2 and 4 legged version.  Just remember that the holidays are best celebrated with out any unplanned trips to the Veterinary clinic so keep a watch out for things that can cause havoc to your celebrations.

Be well and be safe and we at AVVC wish you a happy and healthy holiday :-)

How To Care for Your Senior Pet

This is a great video explaining the importance of senior pet care!

To help celebrate our healthy senior pets we at Alta Vista are offering a special discount package to include a full physical exam free of charge with the payment of a full senior diagnostic lab work up for routine visits.  (full panel with thyroid, urinalysis, blood pressure check) This will be good from 11/10-12/10/14)  Please email or call the office for more details :-)

Prevention is the best protection!

What’s the best way to prevent bone, muscle and joint disease in your pet?

A yearly checkup! Make an appointment for your pet today!

Musculoskeletal disease (disease that affects your pet’s bones, muscles and joints) can affect pets of all ages. They can have aches and pains just like we do. But, because of their survival instincts, they try to hide it. And in the early stages of this disease, it’s hard to spot because your pet may look and act absolutely fine “on the outside.”

But what your pet looks like “in the inside” may be very different. Arthritis, toxins, hormonal abnormalities, infections, blood and blood vessel disorders or inappropriate nutrition can all affect the way your pet walks, plays and moves.

So what’s the best way to prevent or slow down bone, muscle and joint disease in your pet? Supplements? Exercise? Massage?

Nope.

The best way to prevent disease is to schedule regular yearly checkups with us. During your pet’s annual checkup, we can talk about all the things you can do to stop the development of or slow the progression of bone, muscle and joint disease. And we’ll examine every part of your pet “inside and out,” including:

• An orthopedic exam
• An assessment of body and muscle condition
• A review of your pet’s vaccinations
• A blood test if we think something “inside” your pet needs to be looked at

Make an appointment for your pet’s yearly checkup today. We’ll make sure all of your pet’s bones, muscles and joints are in good working order. We are committed to your pet’s well-being for their whole life. Call us today!

Vaccines: Protecting your Pets

Vaccines are very important in protecting our pets.  Parvo is one of the many diseases young 'un-' or 'under' vaccinated pets can get- it can be fatal but with quick, costly treatment there is a chance they can be saved.  The core vaccines for our dogs at our clinic are dhpp (a parvo, distemper combination), rabies and bordetella (to prevent kennel cough, a common and very contagious upper respitory infection).   Lymes and Flu are given on an as need basis.  For cats, fvrcp and rabies are core vaccines while being testing and vaccinated for felv is very strongly advised.  Regardless of what you read while browsing the internet, it is very important to remember to consult your trusted animal health professional to get the real deal on what is needed for you pet to stay happy and healthy for years to come!

Dental Health: How to Brush Your Pet's Teeth

Just because dental promotion month was 5 months ago, doesn't mean we should forget about our pets teeth. We need to stay on top of dental care on a regular, if not daily basis and this video is super helpful with showing why and how brushing is important!

Dog Owners: FDA Issues Warning for Chicken Jerky Treats

It is very important to be cautious about what you feed, not only yourself, but you pets.  Just because something is listed as "Made in America" doesn't mean that the ingredients are not out sourced, just that the product was created here.  If you must feed jerky and are not able to make your own. then buyer beware!



The more informed you can be the better it is for everyone, and please remember to always wash you hands after handling anything you feed your pet!



(As the video in the previous post had been deleted I have found another to share with you :)

In the Exam Room: Preventive Care Visits

Keep in mind that every patients needs may be different and therefore physical exams may vary depending on the age, health concern, behavior etc.  This is a good base line though to give clients anb idea of what is going on and what the doctor is looking for.

Icky Ticks and other parasites!

California spring is quickly bringing out all the icky, creepy crawlies.



As much as we all love to venture out with our pets, it is important to keep the protected as much as possible. They should be on a monthly (or as described by the product you have chosen) application of internal and external parasite prevention.

 

To start internal parasite prevention we would first perform a small blood test to make sure the pet is negative. Then we would prescribe medications such as Iverhart, Sentinel, Trifexis tablets or Revolution topical.  



To prevent external parasites we recommend high quality over the counter products such as Activyl, Advantage, Parastar, Frontline topical, or Comfortis tablets.  Revolution topical and Trifexis tablets also prevent adult fleas as well as internal parasites. Sentinel is a product that sterilizes flea eggs as well as internal parasites but an adult flea/tick prevention is still needed with this product.



There are some products out there that are toxic for cats so be very cautious when purchasing and applying them.  It is advised to buy them from your veterinarian as they have the best idea what would work for you.  If that is not possible, make sure that it is from a reputable, licensed pharmacy and that the product is one that is recommended by your veterinarian.



Keep an eye out for certain symptoms of parasite related disease your pet (or even you in some cases) can get.  Nothing is 100% but the best we can do is cover our basis for a happy and healthy spring!



Check out this video for some great information on ticks, the diseases they spread and what to watch out for

10 Facts about Ticks | petMD



Check out our references page at our website  www.altavistavetclinic.com for more information on certain products we carry and why.



Like us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alta-Vista-Veterinary-Clinic/208040675877162?ref=hl

Heartworm Prevention

Please take the time to read more on preventing these terrible parasites in your pet.  Although it is not as endemic in our area, the treatment is not currently available in the US so it is still very important to stay on prevention.  To help celebrate and promote heartworm prevention awareness month we are offering specials at the office to get all pets current- please call or email the office for more information!

Crazy Time - Simon's Cat

A funny for your Friday!

These cartoons are not only adorable but amazingly accurate as my fellow cat owners will agree.

Happy Spring!

Happy Sunshiny Spring! 

The bay area is a kaleidoscope of activity during this wonderful time of year.  The parks are open beckoning us with their fresh air, and array of color.  The people are out and about enjoying this time with their families, everyone seems to be smiling and happy.  One of the best seasons for us pet people out there- not too hot yet for all those activities we have been waiting for. 

Although there are many wonderful aspects to this newly found outdoor freedom, it is wise to proceed with caution.  Even just around the home, danger can be lurking for the unsuspecting victim.  Pets loose in the garden, yard or garage could be at risk.  Please check out the links below for some great information on what to watch out for. Certain species of flowers that may be appealing for them to eat, insecticides, cleaners, rocks, cocoa mulch, grapes off of vines, walnuts and more.  We want you all to have a safe and happy sunny spring season!

http://www.rd.com/slideshows/hidden-dangers-for-pets-at-home/

https://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/pet-articles/pet-health-toxins/Spring-Garden-Safety-for-Pets.aspx

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/springtime-safety-tips

One Big Kitty - :60 seconds

I have always been a fan of Hill Rx diets and as expected, have had much success with this one as well!  It has been very palatable for both our kitty and doggy patients and we have already seen weight loss.  Being an overweight pet makes you prone to heart and liver disease, early onset joint pain, diabetes, breathing problems and general high risk for even routine procedures.  It is very important to keep an active lifestyle and to eat healthy balanced foods so you and your fuzzy friend can live long and happy lives together!

Searching for a friend...

Searching for a friend....



I have to say that it is very important to take a look at your life before introducing a dog into it.  Your schedule, activities you enjoy, the living situation, and even finances all play a huge roll into what kind of dog would suit you best, as well as what life would be best for the dog.

A very active pet that needs a lot of room to search and explore would be miserable in a small apartment (unless the owner was diligent about outdoor activities) and most small dogs get overwhelmed in massive outdoor situations.  There are always exceptions to the rule of course, but these are helpful guidelines as a pet is not a one to two year fling, if we are lucky, we get many years of enjoyment out of each others company.

Size and age also are a factor to keep in mind.  There are many resources to explore online, meeting with friends or neighbors who have similar breeds can also be very helpful.  Getting information on certain health issues some breeds may be prone to is also very important as some have a higher incidences of problems that may not be covered by insurances.  Adding any pet into your life should not be a spur of the moment decision, that could prove to be disastrous for you and most of all, very traumatic for the pet.

Supporting rescue groups is very important as they work very hard to save unwanted animals out of shelters and they also do lots of work assessing pets and will help place them into the right family.  This can prove to be very helpful for 1st time pet owners not familiar with what may suit them best.  Adopting from a shelter is wonderful as well if you are comfortable with what your needs are and are able to be flexible with a pet that may have some special needs.

This article is great as it highlights certain breeds and how they could suit you, it is a great guideline for those who are interested in rescue as some mixed breeds have a dominate or at least a breed idea you can base activity level and personality off of.  A dog (or any well thought out pet) can be a wonderful thing to have the opportunity to share a life with if the research is done and the tools are used.

I found Puddles as a rescue through my clinic (her story is in my previous post :)  and although I wasn't ready for a spunky little chihuahua mix- I was secretly hoping to adopt a quiet well mannered poodle mix....  Puds has turned out to be the best dog for me, who has not only given me the excuse to be more active outside, she knows how to force me to relax when its "tv time"  (napping with her favorite chew on my lap).  So remember, this information is a guideline, not the rule and sometimes what we think we want, is not what we need and that can be applied to anything.



Find the Right Dog Breed Group for Your Family - Pet360 Pet Parenting Simplified

Spaying and Neutering: The Responsible Thing to Do (+playlist)

I have to say that the AVMA has done a wonderful job with informational videos.  As you can see from my previous posts, I really like them!

I can't tell you enough how important this is and as educated people are, I still see way too many pets that have not yet been spayed or neutered.  It is one of the most important things you can do that not only improves the health and well being of them specifically but for the species as a whole. There are many programs out there that can help if you have concerns about logistics, cost, etc. SO there is really no excuse for all owned pets to not be fixed!  Please refer to our resource page at www.altavistavetclinic.com  for more information :)