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Summer in Ontario is a great time to be outdoors taking advantage of the warm weather! That being said, it’s important to ensure your pet is well protected against parasites.

Parasites can cause serious illness and can be fatal if left untreated. For example, fleas can transmit tapeworms while mosquitoes can transfer heartworm to pets. Ticks can also spread a number of diseases such as Lyme disease which can affect both pets and people.

Oftentimes pets show no obvious signs or symptoms in the early stages of infection which is why parasite prevention is extremely important.

Here are some parasite prevention tips:

• Protect your pet with the appropriate parasite prevention recommended by your veterinarian
• Take your pet for routine check-ups and wellness blood testing
• Perform regular parasite checks on your pet after being outdoors
• Wash your hands after any exposure to dirt, sand, pet feces, and raw meat
• Keep your yard free of feces by picking up stool regularly

Remember, it’s much easier to prevent disease than to treat it!

Speak to your veterinarian about what parasite prevention is best for your pet.

 

What is a Professional Pet Dental Cleaning?

Have you ever wondered what happens during a professional pet dental cleaning? Now you can see what happens behind the scenes with our full step by step video!

Establishing good oral care habits can prevent dental disease from occurring. Home care options include brushing your pet’s teeth, water additives, dental chews and dental diets.

Once tartar is formed, a dental cleaning is usually indicated.  A thorough dental cleaning requires anesthesia in order to perform dental x-rays and remove tartar from the teeth and under the gum tissue.

Signs of dental disease include:
– Bad breath
– Drooling
– Difficulty chewing
– Loose or missing teeth

If you notice any of these signs in your pet, schedule an oral health exam with your veterinarian!

We love our senior dogs! Their calm and loyal demeanor along with their wise soul makes them the perfect companion. At the same time, it is important to understand that our senior dogs (>7 years of age) have special requirements.

So, what can you do to help your senior dog? Here are some tips:

Schedule regular visits to the vet-
Your senior dog should be examined at least once yearly, or better yet, semi-annually. Remember dogs age a lot faster than humans, which means that a lot of things can change in a shorter period of time. Even if your senior companion appears healthy, illnesses often remain hidden. Not to mention, it is much easier to prevent disease than to treat it!

Brush your dog’s teeth!
Dog’s require oral care too! If you are unable to brush your dog’s teeth, consider using a water additive, dental diet or chews to keep the teeth clean. Alternatively, schedule an oral examination with your veterinarian to see if your dog requires a dental cleaning.

Feed your dog a high quality diet-
Veterinary Prescription Diets are formulated by veterinarians and contain high quality ingredients to ensure that your senior dog is getting all the nutrients he or she needs to ensure a well balance diet. Veterinary Prescription Diets are designed appropriately for your pet’s life stage and health care needs. You may also be happy to know that veterinary diets are actually similar in cost as pet store diets.

Consider adding a fatty acid, glucosamine or chondroitin supplement to your dog’s diet-
Fatty acids are beneficial for dogs suffering from arthritis or other joint diseases.

Exercise your dog-
Exercising can help your dog maintain healthy joints and muscles. At the same time, it is important to tailor your dog’s activity to their individualized needs.

Over the years, natural selection has given cats the ability to mask their pain extremely well. Pain is a sign of weakness, and weakness is sign of an easy prey. Often, illnesses in cats go undetected due to the fact that they show minimal signs of pain. Therefore, it is important to look for subtle behavioral changes in our furry family members.

For example, certain behavioral changes include:

-Lameness
-Difficulty moving
-Hiding
-Decrease in overall activity
-Lack of grooming
-Inappetence
-Growling
-Coughing
-Sneezing
-Incontinence
-Straining to urinate or defecate

Similar to humans, pets also have routines and any irregular behavior is generally a sign of stress. If your cat is displaying any of these symptoms please consider having them examined by your veterinarian.

Behavioural Signs of Pain in Cats: An Expert Consensus. Merola I, Mills DS. PLoS One. 2016 Feb 24;11(2):e0150040.