Most Often Asked Pet Questions

We are often asked a variety of questions about general topics. From questions about spay/neuter to heartworm prevention, the following information is meant to provide baseline knowledge. If you think your pet is ill or having general difficulties, please contact us for an appointment, diagnosis and treatment.


Frequently Asked Questions

How often should a puppy/kitten get their shots?
A puppy/kitten should have their vaccinations at 6 weeks, 9 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks.

How old does my pet need to be to get a rabies shot?
A puppy/kitten should have a Rabies vaccination on their 4th and last set of puppy/kitten shots at 16 weeks.

How old does my pet need to be to get "fixed"?
Kittens and puppies should be at least 16 weeks old to be neutered or spayed. All patients recuperate overnight at our facility.

The benefits of spaying early are:

  • No estrus (heat) cycle.
  • Decreased likelihood of males roaming into yard.
  • Decreased chance of certain types of cancer.
  • Recover quicker from surgery with less chance of complications.

The benefits of neutering early are:

  • Decreased roaming of male animals.
  • Decreased chance of aggressive behavior.
  • Decreased chance of territorial marking.
  • Decreased chance of certain types of cancer.
  • Recover quicker from surgery with less chance of complications.


What Flea and Heart Worm preventions do you recommend? 
Topical Flea/Tick Monthly Prevention

Dogs

  • Frontline - A waterproof treatment that prevents fleas, flea eggs, ticks and chewing lice.
  • Advantix - Prevents fleas and ticks, it also repels mosquitos.
  • Advantage - Prevents fleas.


Cats

  • Frontline - Prevents fleas and ticks
  • Revolution - Prevents fleas
  • Advantage - Prevents fleas


Oral Flea and Heartworm Monthly Prevention

Dogs

  • Comfortis- Chewable, beef-flavored tablet that kills fleas and prevents flea infestations.
  • Sentinel - Prevents heartworms and the intestinal parasites, hook worms, round worms and tapeworms.
  • Capstar – 24-hour flea prevention and Comfortis – monthly flea prevention


Cats

  • Capstar – 24-hour flea prevention


What are heartworms? 
Heartworms are parasites that mature in the chambers of the heart and block major arteries, causing heart failure and death.

How do animals get heartworms?
When the mosquito feeds, it can transmit infective larvae to the healthy dog. The larvae penetrates the dog's skin it migrates through the tissues and develops over the next few months, eventually reaching the dog's heart.

Are Heartworms treatable?
Yes, the doctor will decide what is the best action to take after x-rays are done.

How do you prevent heartworms?
There are several medications for heartworm prevention that you give monthly.

My dog has worms that look like grains of rice, what are they?
These are usually the internal parasites called tapeworms.

How does my pet get tapeworms?
Your pet gets tapeworms ingesting fleas or small animal carcasses such as squirrels and rabbits.

Once my dog is diagnosed, how are tapeworms treated?
Your vet will treat your cat or dog with Praziquantel, otherwise known as Droncit. Droncit works by attacking the tapeworm, leaving it helpless in the gut of your pet where it is digested and expelled. This is probably the best way to treat tapeworms, since traditional wormers available in your local grocery store or pet superstore, don’t affect tapeworms.   Dr. Crawford recommends Iverhart Max as a heartworm, intestinal parasites and tapeworm preventative.

How can I prevent tapeworms?
You can prevent tapeworms by keeping your pet on a flea preventative. Dr. Crawford recommends Iverhart Max for tapeworm prevention.