To Our Most Valued Clients,
Heartworms
Spring is upon us and we are very excited to talk to you about HEARTWORMS! Heartworms can be contracted by cats & dogs through the bite of an infected mosquito. Our hospital has been using Proheart®12 for a few years with great success. We have had ZERO positive heartworm tests from patients that have had the Proheart®12 injection. There’s no reason to struggle with getting your dog to take a chewable every month when you can protect them with a once-a-year injection. Unfortunately, an injection is not available for cats at this time but we have some other great options for our feline friends.
Tick-Borne Disease
Last fall we started testing all of our canine patients for three tick-borne diseases with their annual heartworm test since we were seeing a large increase in symptomatic LYME & EHRLICHIA positive dogs. HUMANS can also contract the same tick-borne diseases, so it is important to know if the ticks in your area are carrying them. Symptoms of these diseases in canines can range from very mild (lack of energy) to severe (kidney failure) so it is important to screen for early detection. Prevention is always the best method – we recommend to use tick prevention all year long since we are seeing live ticks through the winter months. Simparica® is a monthly chewable flea & tick protection for dogs. Bravecto® Plus is a topical that provides 12 weeks of flea and tick protection for cats.
Feline Upper Respiratory Complex
Do you have a sneezy cat? Cats are commonly affected by upper respiratory infections. The most common viruses that cause upper respiratory infections in cats are feline herpesvirus type-1 (also known as feline viral rhinotracheitis or FVR) and feline calicivirus (FCV). These are HIGHLY contagious viruses that can be spread to other cats for up to 3 weeks after symptoms start. Common symptoms include nasal discharge, eye discharge, swelling and redness of the tissue around the eyes, and oral ulcers. If your cat has any signs of upper respiratory illness we can provide supportive care – there is no cure-all for viral infections. What can you do to help prevent it? 1. Follow recommended vaccine protocols – kittens should be vaccinated at 6 weeks followed by boosters every 3-4 weeks until 12 weeks of age. Then booster yearly. The vaccines help protect against many of the viruses that cause upper respiratory disease. 2. Quarantine any new cats you take in for at least four weeks. 3. Provide immune health supplements like L-Lysine gel or powder. 4. Reduce stress in your cats.
Looking forward to seeing you this year!
Sincerely,
Dogwood Animal Clinic
Heartworms
Spring is upon us and we are very excited to talk to you about HEARTWORMS! Heartworms can be contracted by cats & dogs through the bite of an infected mosquito. Our hospital has been using Proheart®12 for a few years with great success. We have had ZERO positive heartworm tests from patients that have had the Proheart®12 injection. There’s no reason to struggle with getting your dog to take a chewable every month when you can protect them with a once-a-year injection. Unfortunately, an injection is not available for cats at this time but we have some other great options for our feline friends.
Tick-Borne Disease
Last fall we started testing all of our canine patients for three tick-borne diseases with their annual heartworm test since we were seeing a large increase in symptomatic LYME & EHRLICHIA positive dogs. HUMANS can also contract the same tick-borne diseases, so it is important to know if the ticks in your area are carrying them. Symptoms of these diseases in canines can range from very mild (lack of energy) to severe (kidney failure) so it is important to screen for early detection. Prevention is always the best method – we recommend to use tick prevention all year long since we are seeing live ticks through the winter months. Simparica® is a monthly chewable flea & tick protection for dogs. Bravecto® Plus is a topical that provides 12 weeks of flea and tick protection for cats.
Feline Upper Respiratory Complex
Do you have a sneezy cat? Cats are commonly affected by upper respiratory infections. The most common viruses that cause upper respiratory infections in cats are feline herpesvirus type-1 (also known as feline viral rhinotracheitis or FVR) and feline calicivirus (FCV). These are HIGHLY contagious viruses that can be spread to other cats for up to 3 weeks after symptoms start. Common symptoms include nasal discharge, eye discharge, swelling and redness of the tissue around the eyes, and oral ulcers. If your cat has any signs of upper respiratory illness we can provide supportive care – there is no cure-all for viral infections. What can you do to help prevent it? 1. Follow recommended vaccine protocols – kittens should be vaccinated at 6 weeks followed by boosters every 3-4 weeks until 12 weeks of age. Then booster yearly. The vaccines help protect against many of the viruses that cause upper respiratory disease. 2. Quarantine any new cats you take in for at least four weeks. 3. Provide immune health supplements like L-Lysine gel or powder. 4. Reduce stress in your cats.
Looking forward to seeing you this year!
Sincerely,
Dogwood Animal Clinic