Turner Veterinary Clinic News
July is Preventive Care Exam Awareness Month
If your pet is normally healthy and between the ages of 12 months and seven years, an annual exam is usually sufficient. Pets enter middle-age around age seven and their senior years around age 10, so we recommend bi-annual check-ups for pets in this age group. This is when we most often start seeing issues such arthritis, diabetes, and kidney disease. Your puppy or kitten under one year will need to come in several times before his first birthday for routine vaccinations and monitoring.
If your pet needs a new vaccine or booster, we will provide it at this appointment. This is also a great time to talk to our staff about any behavioral concerns, parasite prevention, exercise, and diet. We will check your pet for parasites and let you know if we discover any. Our comprehensive preventive care exam also consists of the following:
- Intestinal or stomach problems, which might show up as abnormal stools, diarrhea, or vomiting
- Unusual urinary discharge or mammary gland issues in females
- Nasal issues, which might include labored breathing, allergies, asthma, coughing, or sneezing
- Coat and skin for problems with anal sacs, hair loss, pigment changes, or excessive shedding
- Teeth and gums for oral health diseases
- Legs and feet for problems such as torn nails, weakness, limping, or joint pain
- Eyes and ears for signs of normal vision and hearing as well as absence of unusual discharge
- We will check your pet's weight at each visit to establish a baseline and let you know if we have any concerns about being overweight or underweight
Preventing and Treating Hot Spots on Your Dog or Cat
Acute moist dermatitis, more commonly known as hot spots, occurs due to a bacterial infection on your pet’s skin. Your dog or cat will naturally bite, chew, lick or scratch his skin in response to an irritant. Unfortunately for your pet, this tends to increase rather than decrease his discomfort. Anal gland disease, allergies to fleas or food ingredients, mange, tick bites, and inadequate grooming are the primary causes of hot spots in companion animals.
Hot, humid weather can cause excess skin moisture that in turn causes hot spots to develop. It’s especially important to check your pet’s skin for evidence of hot spots now that the weather is consistently warm.
Safety Tips for a Fun Summer with Your Pet
Dog owners can become too relaxed keeping an eye on their dog near water because they assume all dogs possess an innate ability to swim. This simply isn’t true, particularly for dog breeds with small hindquarters and large chests. When bringing your dog to a pool or beach this summer, make sure you’re in the water with him and remain no more than an arm’s length away. If you decide to go boating with your dog, he should have a life jacket just like everyone else in the boat.
Internal and external parasites can be a problem all year long, but they’re especially prevalent in the summer. Fleas can survive long periods without a living host and may burrow in your carpet or furniture until one becomes available. Be sure to vacuum your carpet regularly, wash your pet’s bedding in hot water, and give your pet frequent baths during the summer to minimize fleas.
If possible, keep your pet indoors when you’re mowing the grass, applying chemicals, or working in the garden. Chocolate mulch is popular among gardeners, but can be toxic to pets if ingested. Insecticides, snail bait, and slug bait are among the top 10 accidental poisonings for domestic pets. If you set rodent traps outdoors, make sure your pet can’t get at them. Some of these chemicals can cause seizures, tremors, and death. You may want to consider an organic alternative for your lawn and garden products.
There’s no shortage of opportunity to cook outside in the summer. Your dog or cat would like nothing better than to find scraps of meat on the ground or even grab whatever is cooking on the grill. Food meant for people can be toxic and a choking hazard while your pet could burn himself on a hot grill. Having a pet underfoot is probably not a good idea at these events. If your pet is present, make sure that all guests know he is not to receive any scraps.
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February is often associated with love, thanks to Valentine’s Day, and that makes it a perfect time to show extra care to the pets who mean so much to us. While treats and cuddles are always appreciated, one of the most meaningful ways to support your pet is by focusing on their health from the inside out. Dental health and heart health may seem like separate topics, but they are closely connected and both play a major role in your pet’s overall wellness.
When was the last time your pet saw the veterinarian for a checkup, not because they were sick, but just to stay healthy? Preventive care is one of the most important ways to give your pet a longer, happier life. It’s not about doing one big thing. It’s about the small, consistent steps that help avoid bigger health problems later on.
The holidays are full of sparkle, laughter, travel, and to-do lists a mile long. As joyful as this season can be, it often means busier schedules and less time for everyday routines. In the middle of the holiday rush, it's easy to overlook one very important family member: your pet.
If you're lucky enough to have a senior pet, you know just how special that bond becomes over time. From cozy afternoons on the couch to the look in their eyes that says, "I've known you forever," there’s a deep and quiet understanding between you. As pets get older, though, their needs change. Aging isn’t a disease, but it does require us to adapt how we care for our beloved companions.
The good news? With the right care and attention, senior pets can enjoy happy, healthy golden years. Here are seven simple but meaningful health tips to help your older dog or cat feel their best.
Has your dog seemed a little more reserved lately, or is your cat less interested in playing with their favorite toys? It can be easy to attribute these changes to aging or mood, but pets are experts at hiding discomfort. The good news is that there are plenty of subtle signals that can provide clues that your pet may be experiencing pain, and many treatment options to help alleviate this discomfort.