Wellness Care
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that could not be more true for our furry friends. The aging process that we as humans go through in 70 to 80 years takes only ten to fifteen years in most animals. Early detection, treatment, and prevention of many health problems not only improves the quality of life for our pets but can also greatly extend their lifespan.
- Annual Wellness Exam
The cornerstone of Wellness Care at Lewis Animal Hospital is a complete and thorough physical exam every year. You might be surprised how often we discover a health problem during an Annual Wellness Exam that is unknown to the pet's owner. Most of these problems are minor and can be resolved quickly and easily, but occasionally we discover a major health issue that could be life threatening. Remember, a dog or cat ages five to ten years for every human year that passes. The following is just a few of the things we check during our exams:
- Listen to the heart and lungs to detect breathing problems, heart murmurs, and heart rhythm abnormalities
- Examine the ears for signs of inflammation and infection
- Examine the eyes for signs of cataracts, blindness, infection, and other vision problems
- Examine the lymph glands to look for enlargement
- Palpate the abdomen for signs of masses, organ enlargements, and other abnormalities
- Examine the mouth for signs of dental disease, tooth fractures, and oral masses
- Check the skin and hair coat for signs of fleas and other parasites, skin infections, and allergies
- Assess the pets weight and make diet recommendations if appropriate
- Vaccinations
At Lewis Animal Hospital we tailor the vaccine protocol of every patient to that patient's lifestyle, age, and special health concerns. We don't believe in the "one size fits all" approach when it comes to selecting which vaccines each individual pet may need. When you bring your pet in for vaccination, we will ask you questions about your pet's home environment, activities, and lifestyle. We will then make the best recommendations to protect your pet from the diseases that are mostly to be a problem.
- Parasite Control
Parasites are a serious concern for our pets. Some of these parasites also pose a risk to you and your family. Fortunately, it is relatively simple to prevent your pet from having to deal with these problems.
- Intestinal Parasites - Hookworms, Roundworms, Tapeworms, and Whipworms are parasites that can damage your pet's intestines, cause blood loss, and cause a variety of other problems. A common misconception among pet owners is that if you pet has worms you will see them in the stool. A pet has to have a very heavy load of worms before you will actually see them passing in the stool. When we do an Annual Intestinal Parasite Exam, we are actually looking for the worm eggs which are too small to see with the naked eye. All pets should be checked annually regardless of their lifestyle. We also carry products like Iverhart Max that will prevent you pets from being infected with many of these parasites.
- Heartworms are a blood borne parasite that affects the heart and large blood vessels that lead into the lungs. This disease is spread by mosquitoes and can be deadly if not detected and treated early. Fortunately, this disease is easily prevented by giving your dog heartworm prevention every month during the warm weather months (from April through November). Iverhart Max is the heartworm prevention medication that we recommend at Lewis Animal Hospital. We recommend all dogs have a Heartworm Test every other year even if they are taking prevention medication. There is a smaller risk for cats to be infected with heartworms also. Unfortunately, cats cannot be treated if they become infected and the disease is often fatal. Cats that live outdoors or live in areas with heavy mosquito problems should use Revolution on a monthly basis during heartworm season. You can purchase Revolution form our online pharmacy
- Fleas and Ticks are without a doubt the most common parasites that most pets will be affected by during their adult life. Besides being annoying to pets and a nuisance to pet owners, these "bugs" also can spread diseases like Lyme disease and Hemobartonosis. Fortunately we have very effective products to use to prevent and control these parasites that are safe for both your pet and your family. We recommend Comfortis for dogs to prevent these problems. Comfortis is a once a month chewable tablet that contains possible the most effective product for killing fleas. After giving your dog a COmfortis tablet you may see dead fleas falling off within 30 minutes! For cats, we recommend either Advantage or Revolution for these problems. Because cats groom themselves more aggressively, both these products need to be applied monthly. Advantage is now over the counter and can be purchased at most pet stores. Revolution can be purchased from our online pharmacy. We will be happy to answer your questions regarding any of these products.
WARNING: many over the counter flea and tick medications can be dangerous to your pets! While most pets can use these safely, a significant number of animals become violently ill after applying some of these inexpensive Frontline/Advantage knock offs. If your pet starts salivating uncontrollably, twitching, becomes disoriented, or becomes listless after applying any of these products, wash the pet immediate and seek veterinary care as soon as possible.