Empowering You
Our philosophy is to be proactive in our education to pet parents instead of reactive to events that possibly could have been prevented through prior knowledge. Thus, our goal is to provide superior preventive medicine.
Empowering You
Our philosophy is to be proactive in our education to pet parents instead of reactive to events that possibly could have been prevented through prior knowledge. Thus, our goal is to provide superior preventive medicine.
Puppyhood & Kittenhood
Everyone loves a puppy or kitten! This stage is so exciting and is a time of major growth, exploration, and body and mind development. However, it is a brief time of their total lifespan and only extends to the first year to year-and-a-half. During this stage, we provide vital care components that build the foundation for a lifetime of health and happiness. We begin care with basic first vaccinations and parasite prevention plans that protect against harmful viruses, bacteria, or parasites that can seriously negatively impact your puppy’s or kitten’s health. During this important year, your pet will reach many milestones. Our staff will perform a thorough physical exam for congenital illness or developmental anomalies. These are only found through thorough monthly veterinary visits in the first few months of life. We educate the pet owner on the importance of spay/neuter operations and ideal timing for this to occur. Our goal is to minimize the chance of unplanned offspring as well as avoid unwanted hormonally-driven behavior and cancers through appropriate sterilization.
We also devote the first year of life to addressing nutritional needs tailored to the individual animal. We discuss appropriate caloric intake and food choices that set them up for healthy weights for life. Here we teach about the importance of good oral hygiene techniques like daily brushing or chews to minimize tarter or dental disease. But it doesn’t end there! Socializing at an early age is super important for their mental growth and behavior education. These need to be supervised play times with appropriately vaccinated fur friends. These social interactions have been shown to increase happy family bonding for life. House training is discussed with importance of when to go and how much is normal. In regard to felines, where to place litter pans, types used, and numbers per cat are important! There is a lot to learn but the goal is to allow a smooth transition to the adult and senior years of life.
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We also devote the first year of life to addressing nutritional needs tailored to the individual animal. We discuss appropriate caloric intake and food choices that set them up for healthy weights for life. Here we teach about the importance of good oral hygiene techniques like daily brushing or chews to minimize tarter or dental disease. But it doesn’t end there! Socializing at an early age is super important for their mental growth and behavior education. These need to be supervised play times with appropriately vaccinated fur friends. These social interactions have been shown to increase happy family bonding for life. House training is discussed with importance of when to go and how much is normal. In regard to felines, where to place litter pans, types used, and numbers per cat are important! There is a lot to learn but the goal is to allow a smooth transition to the adult and senior years of life.
Adulthood & Early Senior
Adulthood, and eventual senior status, is variable by breed and size and can be reached at ages ranging from two to ten years. At these life stages most pet owners think there is little to do when, in fact, this is where maintenance and upkeep are very important. Our goal is to maintain the longest possible healthy time with your pet in this portion of its lifespan. We work on fitness and mental health by maintaining a dialogue with the pet owner to discuss ongoing physical activities, creating pet jobs, and general daily routines. Usually our visits center around continuing the good foundation laid during adolescence. For example, continuous administration of year-round heartworm and flea and tick control minimizes the need for medications that become necessary when therapy is disrupted. During this adult life phase, we sometimes uncover allergies or illnesses not preventable with vaccinations. Accidents or medical emergencies can occur as these are some of the most active years of their lives. We are here to help the pet owner and the animal navigate these possibilities.
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Late Senior & Geriatric
When your pet’s steps slow and their coats turn to grey, they are entering their geriatric years. Our geriatric canine and feline friends are usually greater than 10 years of age…think humans that are 80-100 years old….and probably deserve a a medal (or at least a tasty treat) for getting through the puppy/kitten stage of curiosity and misadventure, playful learning, and development! They have lived an outstanding full life filled with activity, love, and companionship with their pet parents by their sides. But now what? What changes can we expect these “senior citizens” to be dealing with? How can we help them transition to their final years of life and continue to find fulfillment in them? Comfort and mobility are the cornerstones for a high-quality long life. The challenges this group faces include managing the chronic pain of osteoarthritis or chronic illnesses (i.e. heart, liver, lung, kidney, or oral disease). Mental stability and cognitive decline can trigger night wandering and confusion that may require appropriate medications and therapy.
Imaging and specific blood tests can help identify and treat certain illnesses or cancers. Sometimes it’s as simple as a diet change or weight loss program; other times treatment may be more complex and require specialty services. But there again we use treatments proven and studied to strengthen and stabilize these areas. Using a variety of modalities can assist in providing longevity and preserving the quality of life your pet has enjoyed. With proper veterinary care these furry friends can flourish right up to the end of their lives. And when the time DOES eventually come to discuss failing quality of life and aftercare services, we will be there too. Our veterinary staff is always there to support and guide our pet parents through a mutually agreed upon beneficial plan of care which ultimately provides peace of mind for our fur families
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Imaging and specific blood tests can help identify and treat certain illnesses or cancers. Sometimes it’s as simple as a diet change or weight loss program; other times treatment may be more complex and require specialty services. But there again we use treatments proven and studied to strengthen and stabilize these areas. Using a variety of modalities can assist in providing longevity and preserving the quality of life your pet has enjoyed. With proper veterinary care these furry friends can flourish right up to the end of their lives. And when the time DOES eventually come to discuss failing quality of life and aftercare services, we will be there too. Our veterinary staff is always there to support and guide our pet parents through a mutually agreed upon beneficial plan of care which ultimately provides peace of mind for our fur families