The backbone of our program to help your pet live a long and healthy life is Well Patient Care, designed to prevent illness and maintain good health.  As they say, an ounce of prevention IS worth a pound of cure!

1.  Vaccinations-  Most of the viral diseases that threaten the health (and even the life!) of our pets are preventable, with proper and timely immunizations.  Each species of pet has its own set of diseases; in dogs, parvo is the virus we see most often.  With cats, it's feline leukemia.  In horses, Eastern encephalomyelitis and West Nile viruses have caused many deaths lately.  We will help taylor your pet's vaccination program according to its needs, risk factors, age, and past vaccination history. 

Puppies and kittens need to begin this program at six weeks of age.  Foals can start around 4 months of age.  Young animals require a series of vaccinations in order to get them through a critical time, just as infants do.  Adults need boosters to maintain levels of protection in the safe range.

We will help you learn what your pets needs, and when, at the time of your first office visit, or call if you would like more details on this very important part of your pet's care.

2.  Parasite control- Our pets are plagued with a variety of parasites, both internal and external, that annoy, cause illness, or even death.  All are treatable, and most are even preventable. 

Heartworms threaten dogs and even cats.  Treatment is safer now than ever, but better still is preventative medication.  Even that has gotten easier, with Advantage Multi- a monthly topical that prevents both heartworms and fleas.  Hospital quality topicals and oral medications are available, safe, simple, and an excellent value for your pet.

Intestinal parasites can make your pet anemic, upset its stomach, cause debilitation, and even death.  Proper diagnosis and treatment can help keep them under control.

Fleas and ticks are always around, but are now easier than ever to control with the new veterinary label monthly topicals.  Safe, effective, and more economical than the old dips, they have made our pets' lives much more trouble-free.

3. Nutritional needs-  Each species has unique nutritional needs.  This means that dogs shouldn't eat people food, and cats shouldn't eat dog food.  You get the picture.  We recommend a high qualilty pet diet, formulated for your pet's special needs.  Science Diet is excellent; it precisely meets your pet's requirements, without bulky fillers.  Hill's also makes prescription diets for pets with special medical needs.

4.  Safe environment-  Pets are just like toddlers, and need to be protected from harm just as a toddler does.  It's best to keep your friend indoors as much as you are able, but if you can't do that all the time, a fenced yard is essential to keep your dog from injury on the road.  Shelter from the elements is also required.  Keep the Toddler Principle in mind when checking your home for hazards as well, and keep dangerous things out of their reach.