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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)General Pet Health Questions01. Which vaccinations does my puppy need?02. Which vaccinations does my kitten need? 03. Does my adult cat or dog really need to be vaccinated? 04. How do I get rid of fleas on my pet? 05. How do I get rid of ticks on my pet? 06. What should I feed my pet? 07. When can I have my pet neutered? 08. Isn't it better to let my female dog/cat have a litter of puppies/kittens first? 09. What are heartworms? 10. Why does my dog/cat have such horrible breath? 11. Why should I have my pets teeth cleaned? 01. What vaccinations does my puppy need? Puppies need to be vaccinated for distemper, adenovirus (hepatitis), parainfluenza, parvovirus, (commonly abbreviated DA2PP). Vaccination for leptospirosis, tracheobronchitis and Lyme disease are options depending on your puppy's exposure risks. Puppies should begin their vaccination series for DA2PP at 6-8 weeks of age, and get a booster every 3-4 weeks until they are close to 4 months of age. Rabies vaccination is given after 12 weeks of age. The schedule for vaccinations may vary depending on your puppy's needs. 02. What vaccinations does my kitten need? Kittens need to be vaccinated for feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia, (commonly abbreviated FVRCP) and feline leukemia. Kittens should begin their vaccination series for FVRCP at 6-8 weeks of age and feline leukemia after 9 weeks of age. Both need to be boosted every 3-4 weeks until the kitten is 4 months old. Rabies vaccination is given after 12 weeks of age. The schedule for vaccinations may vary depending on your kitten's needs. 03. Does my adult cat or dog really need to be vaccinated? Recently there have been articles in pet magazines indicating that adult pets do not need vaccinations annually. There are on-going studies to evaluate duration of immunity of vaccines. It has not been proven that all adult dogs and cats retain immunity as they age, so it is important to have an annual physical exam so that your veterinarian may tailor a vaccine program to your pet's needs. It is our job to read the current literature regarding immunizations and to offer you the latest in vaccine protocols as vaccine technology changes and new information emerges regarding duration of immunity. 04. How do I get rid of fleas on my pet? In the past, getting rid of fleas meant bathing and dipping your pet with strong smelling chemicals, fogging the house, and treating the yard repeatedly. Fortunately, treating for fleas has become much easier and safer with the advent of new monthly topical products. There are specific products for both dogs and cats. We recommend the use of Frontline, which is a safe and effective control for fleas and ticks, and doesn’t wash off if the pet goes swimming or is bathed. We recommend the use of Revolution for cats for flea prevention, as it also provides protections against heartworms, ear mites and some intestinal parasites. Be sure ALL dogs and cats in the home are treated to get rid of a flea infestation. Yard and house treatments with chemicals are not commonly necessary. We do recommend thorough vacuuming of the premises and damp mop any non-carpeted areas. Washing any bedding the pets are exposed to can also facilitate flea removal. It has been our experience that the topical products sold at retail stores do not work well. 05. How do I get rid of ticks on my pet? Ticks can pose a real hazard to pets and people, and good prevention is important. For dogs, the monthly topical flea and tick treatment Frontline can be used. The only product available for cats is the monthly topical Frontline. It is important to check your pets regularly for ticks, and be sure and protect yourself also whenever in the woods or tall grass. 06. What should I feed my pet? As in people, good nutrition is important for good health in pets. There are a multitude of pet foods on the market, all claiming to be better than the others. While a number of diets may be suitable for your pet, we recommend feeding a premium type of diet. It does not have to be the most expensive, but should not be the cheapest. The cost of a diet is determined by the quality of the ingredients. Cheap diets use cheap ingredients, which do not provide suitable nutrition. Your pet has to eat more to try and meet his needs, so the cheaper diet is often not less expensive. Food made with a lot of low quality ingredients and fillers will also cause your pet to defecate more. Food that comes in cute shapes or wild colors is full of artificial colors and preservatives that can be harmful. Puppies and kittens should be fed a growth diet for the first year of life, and then switched to an adult or lite-adult maintenance diet. Treats should be kept to a minimum, and can include hard biscuits or healthy "people food" such as fruits, vegetables, or lean meats. Table scraps such as fatty meats, gravies, and breads should not be fed. There are a wide variety of food options available and we would be glad to discuss the proper diet for your pet. 07. When can I have my pet neutered? Puppies should be around six months old to be spayed (females) or castrated (males). Most females come into heat around 8 or 9 months of age. The old wives tale that females should be allowed to come into heat once is just that-a tale. Removing the reproductive organs before sexual maturity (first heat) greatly reduces the chance of mammary cancer. Once a female comes into heat, the hormones are present that increase the chance of some cancers. We also evaluate your pet’s mouth at the time of surgery to be sure all the baby teeth fell out properly. If not, this is an ideal time to remove any retained baby teeth. 08. Isn't it better to let my female dog/cat have a litter of puppies/kittens first? Absolutely not! Again, the cancer preventing benefits are the highest
if the pet is spayed before her first heat. The bigger issue is the
number of unwanted pets; the shelters are full of pets needing homes
that may end being euthanized for lack of a home. And don't forget the
extra expense of having puppies or kittens; extra food for the mother
and the babies when they are ready to be weaned, vaccinations and deworming
for the babies, and the possibility of an emergency cesarean section
if the mother has problems giving birth. For children wishing to experience
"the miracle of birth", there are videotapes available. By
viewing one of these, you are also demonstrating responsible pet ownership
to your children. Heartworms are blood parasites that are transmitted by mosquitoes. The "baby heartworms", called microfilaria, circulate in the bloodstream, maturing to adult worms in the heart and vessels of the lungs. The mature worms can cause permanent heart damage, leading to heart failure. All dogs are at risk. Heartworms can be detected with a simple blood test. It is easy to prevent heartworms; once-a-month chewable heartworm preventives are available that also protect against intestinal parasites. All puppies should be started on heartworm preventive at their fist visit. We recommend that heartworm preventive be given year-round due to Michigan's unpredictable winter temperatures and to continue the intestinal parasite protection. A dog infected with heartworms can be treated, but permanent heart damage can occur and the treatment is costly. It is much simpler and less expensive to prevent them from occurring. Although cats have some natural resistance to heartworms, they still can become infected. Recent studies have shown that of cats tested positive for heartworm disease, over half were indoor-only cats! The heartworm preventive called Revolution also will protect your cat against some intestinal parasites, as well as fleas and ear mites. This is a safe, topical treatment that can be easily applied once monthly year round. 10. Why does my dog/cat have such horrible breath? The most common cause of bad breath is dental disease. Dental plaque and tartar build up on the teeth, causing a bad odor. Infection under the gum line or infected teeth can also cause a bad odor. Dental tartar is easily recognized as yellow-brown deposits on the surface of the teeth. The gums may also be red and inflamed. Certain diseases can cause bad breath in pets also, such as diabetes mellitus, kidney disease and oral cancer. Your pet will probably also have other signs of illness. If your pet develops bad breath, they should have a thorough oral exam performed. In some cases, dental radiographs may be required to identify a bad tooth. 11. Why should I have my pets teeth cleaned? Regular dental cleanings help keep your pet's breath smelling fresh, but more importantly they help keep your pet healthy. A diseased mouth can lead to heart disease or kidney disease from the constant source of bacteria in the mouth. And dental disease can cause your pet a lot of discomfort, making chewing a painful ordeal. A recent study showed that pet’s that undergo routine dental care can actually live 4 years longer!
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This page last edited
January 15, 2007 6:49 PM
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