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PREVENTATIVE HEALTH STRATEGY FOR THE HEALTHY ADULT DOG 1. WELLNESS EXAMINATIONS TWICE A YEAR Dogs mature at an accelerated rate compared to people. While the precise figure is debatable, dogs age an average of seven human years for every calendar year. Adolescents grow at an even faster pace, with a 1-year-old dog into its teen years. Decreasing the time between examinations creates a better opportunity for the early disease diagnosis and intervention. This, in turn, results in improved treatment outcomes. 2. VACCINATIONS FOR CANINE DISTEMPER, PARVO, AND RABIES VIRUS EVERY 3 YEARS AND BORDETELLA ( KENNEL COUGH) YEARLY. 3. IF INDICATED BY RISK ASSESSMENT, YEARLY VACCINATIONS FOR BORELLIA ( LYME DISEASE) AND LEPTOSPIROSIS. If your dog frequents the woods, parks, or countryside consider vaccinating against the risk of Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease is spread through a bite from an infected deer tick. The incidence in dogs in the Parkville area is about 10 ? 15%. These ticks are small ( about the size of a pin head) and are spread by deer and mice. They are considered endemic to this area of the country. Leptospirosis is an old disease making a comeback. It can be rapidly fatal (causing kidney or liver failure) and can be spread to people. Dogs pick this up by drinking from puddles, ponds, streams, or other water sources. It is spread by raccoons, rodents, opossums, and livestock. 4. STOOL ( FECAL) WORM CHECK EVERY 6 MONTHS. The Centers for Disease Control recommends a fecal exam every 6 months. 5. COMBINATION BLOOD TEST FOR HEARTWORM, LYME DISEASE, ANAPLASMOSIS, AND EHRLICHIOSIS ONCE A YEAR. 6. HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVE PILLS ( INTERCEPTOR, HEARTGUARD PLUS, or ADVANTAGE MULTI TOPICAL DROPS ) GIVEN MONTHLY ALL YEAR LONG! The reason to give heartworm preventative all year long is that it also protects your dog against the major intestinal worms which, in turn, protects you and your family from these worms. 7. FLEA AND TICK PROVENTATIVE ( FRONTLINE PLUS) SHOULD BE GIVEN ALL YEAR LONG. Not only does this protect your dog from fleas and tick, it also keeps the people in the household protected so they are not exposed to fleas and ticks living on their dogs. Ticks, of course, can spread Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever to people, while flea bites can spread Plague, aggravate allergies, and can cause tapeworms if swallowed. 8. WELLNESS BLOOD TESTING YEARLY. Research shows more than 10% of pets brought to veterinary hospitals for routine check-ups have some form of underlying disease or abnormalities that do not show up on the physical examination. Wellness blood testing helps identify these problems so they can be treated at an earlier stage when the prognosis is better. For dogs less than seven years old we recommend a CBC/Mini Chemistry screen. For dogs seven years and older, we recommend a complete CBC and Chemistries with thyroid testing. 9. URINALYSIS YEARLY. Protein and other substrates in the urine can often be the earliest indication of an underlying medical problem. PREVENTATIVE HEALTH STRATEGY FOR THE HEALTHY ADULT CAT 1. WELLNESS EXAMINATIONS TWICE A YEAR. Cats mature at an accelerated rate compared to people. While the precise figure is debatable, cats age an average of seven human years for every calendar year. Adolescents grow at an even faster pace, with a 1-year-old cat into his mid-twenties. Decreasing the time between examinations creates a better opportunity for early disease diagnosis and intervention. This, in turn, results in improved treatment outcomes. 2. VACCINATIONS FOR FELINE DISTEMPER ( PANLEUKOPENIA), RHINOTRACHEITIS, AND CALICI VIRUS EVERY 3 YEARS IF USING CONTINUUM HCT by INTERVET (THE ONLY USDA APPROVED 3 YR. CAT VACCINE FOR DISTEMPER, RHINOTRACHEITIS, AND CALICI VIRUS). VACCINATION FOR RABIES EVERY 3 YEARS. 3. IF INDICATED BY RISK ASSESSMENT, YEARLY VACCINATIONS FOR FELINE LEUKEMIA (FELV) AND FELINE IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (CATS AIDS OR FIV). If you have greater than two cats in a household, OR if any of the cats goes outside unattended, OR if you may adopt new cats and bring them into the household without testing them for FELV/FIV first. I do not recommend the vaccination for Feline Aids ( FIV) at this time until a better laboratory test for FIV is developed. Cats that have received the FIV vaccinations currently will test positive for FIV on the laboratory test, and therefore, there is no way to tell which cats are vaccinated vs. cats that have clinical disease. 4. STOOL ( FECAL) WORM CHECK OR WORMING EVERY 6 MONTHS. The Centers for Disease Control recommend a fecal exam or worming with a broad spectrum wormer every 6 months. 5. COMBINATION TESTING FOR FELINE LEUKEMIA AND FELINE IMMUNODEFICIENCY BLOOD TEST ONCE A YEAR. For all cats going outside or for all cats living with other cats if any of the cats in the household goes outside. For any new kitten or adult cat that is to be introduced into the household. For any sick cat. 6. BROAD SPECTRUM TOPICAL PARASITICIDE MONTHLY ALL YEAR LONG. For cats traveling outdoors Revolution is the recommended drug as it prevents flea and tick problems, heartworm, roundworms ( thereby protecting the owners), mange, and ear mites. For strictly indoor cats ONLY, Frontline Plus or Advantage are an alternative ( although they only protect against fleas & ticks and fleas respectfully). A new topical product, Advantage Multi, for cats is also now available that treats and prevents fleas, heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, and ear mites. It is recommended for all cats Research shows that more than 10% of the pets brought to veterinary hospitals for routine check-ups have some form of underlying disease or abnormalities that do not show up on the physical examination. Wellness blood testing helps identify these problems so they can be treated at an earlier stage when the prognosis is better. For cats less than 10 years old we recommend a CBC/Mini-chemistry screen. For cats 10 years and older we recommend a complete CBC/Chemistry with thyroid testing. Protein and other substrates in the urine ( such as crystals) can often be the earliest indication of an underlying medical problem (some of which can be treated by dietary changes if detected early).
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