1. How often does my pet need to be examined by a
veterinarian?
We recommend a minimum of an annual wellness exam for all
pets. If your pet is of a "senior" or "geriatric" age, we recommend
an exam every 6 months instead.
2. How old is my pet in human years?
See attached Human/Pet Age Analogy Chart
3. How often do I need to bring in a fecal sample for
examination?
We recommend testing a fecal sample annually. If your pet is
having soft stool or diarrhea, we should perform an additional fecal
flotation at that time. A fecal flotation commonly helps identify
roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and coccidia. It may also
diagnose tapeworms and giardia.
4. Does my pet need flea or tick preventative?
Yes. All dogs are at risk of flea or tick infestation. Also, any cats
that go outside or live with another pet that goes outside are at
risk. We recommend using Frontline Plus during all non-winter
months.
5. Should I spay/neuter my pet?
Yes!
BENEFITS:
Females:
* Decreased Risk for Developing Mammary Cancer
Females spayed before the onset of their first heat have less
than 0.5% chance for developing mammary tumors. This
incidence increases to 8% if a female is allowed to have one
heat cycle and 26% after two heat cycles. No preventative
effect for mammary tumors is seen if a female is spayed after
the age of 2 1/2 years.
* Eliminates the Risk of Pyometra
This life-threatening uterine infection may develop in any
unspayed female dog or cat. The uterus fills with a pus-like
fluid and emergency surgery is necessary in most cases.
* Eliminates the Risk of Ovarian and Uterine Cancers
The uterus and both ovaries are removed during the spay
procedure.
* Eliminates Unwanted Heat Behavior in Felines
Female cats will vocalize and actively seek males for breeding.
* Eliminates Unwanted Visits to Your Residence From
Interested Males
* Eliminates Unwanted Pregnancies Contributing to the
Pet Overpopulation Problem
Hundreds of thousands of pets are euthanized every year due
to lack of homes.
Males:
* Eliminates the risk of Testicular Tumors
* Decreases Roaming Behavior and Intermale Aggression
* Decreases the Risk of Urine Spraying in Cats
* Eliminates Contributing to the Pet Overpopulation Problem
Myths:
* Neutering or Spaying Causes Obesity
Research has shown that neutering or spaying your pet does
not cause your pet to become overweight or obese. Over-
feeding and lack of exercise contribute to weight gain. At 6
months of age (when most veterinarians recommend spaying
and neutering) most pets are growing less rapidly and becoming
less active. If pets are fed the same amount of food, weight
gain results.
* Neutering or Spaying Changes My Pet's Behavior
Behavior changes are usually not seen after surgery, although
male dogs and cats may show less aggression towards other
males of their species.
6. How often do I need my pets teeth cleaned?
This varies greatly from pet to pet. Some animals need their teeth
professionally cleaned (dental prophylaxis) every 6 months while others may only need it done every 5 years. When your pet is
in for an examination the veterinarian will discuss your pet's oral health with you.
7. My cat is overweight, what should I do?
Obesity can cause a number of health problems in cats just as
in humans. If you don't know if your pet is overweight, one of
our veterinarians or technicians can evaluate your pet with you.
They may recommend feeding less food, eliminating treats and/or
table food, feeding a lower calorie food or increasing the amount
of exercise.
8. Should I let my cat outside?
No. With the proper care and stimulation every cat can happily live
indoors. Indoor cats have a much longer life span than outdoor
cats. By keeping your cat indoors you eliminate many potential
hazards such as cat fights, being hit by a car, Feline Leukemia &
animal abuse.
9. My cat never goes outside, does he/she still need
vaccinations?
Yes, even if your cat never goes outside he/she is still at risk for
preventable diseases. The two vaccines we recommend for
indoor only cats are FVRCPC (distemper) & Rabies.
Why FVRCPC?
-You can bring these viruses in to your home and infect your cat.
Why Rabies?
-Rabies can be carried by many mammals including bats and no
home is immune to having an occasional bat sneak in.
-Rabies is also a serious public health concern for humans.
10. How many litterboxes should I have for my cat?
The basic rule of thumb is to have one more litterbox than the
total number of cats in your household.
Example: If you have 1 cat, you should have 2 litterboxes.
If you have 2 cats, you should have 3 litterboxes, etc...
11. My cat is urinating outside the litterbox, what should I do?
The first thing to do is set up an appointment with a veterinarian
to have a urine sample analyzed and a thorough physical
examination. Often times the problem is medical and needs to be
treated with medication or a diet change.
If a medical problem is ruled out, there are numerous things to
consider:
1. Do you have enough litterboxes in the house?
You should have one more litterbox than the total number of
cats in your household.
2. How often do you scoop/clean the litterboxes?
Fecal material and urine clumps should be removed daily.
The litter should be changed completely and the litterbox should
be washed monthly. When washing the boxes try to use a
mildly scented or unscented cleaner. Cat's noses are much more
sensitive than ours and they don't like the scent of cleaning
solutions.
3. Where are the litterboxes located?
If you have multiple litterboxes, they should not be located
right next to each other.
If you have multiple floors, you should have one on each level
of the house.
Make sure they are not in a high traffic or loud area of the house.
4. What kind of litterboxes do you have?
Some cats like uncovered or covered, low sided or high sided,
automatic cleaning, etc... Try different kinds until you find one
your cat likes.
5. What kind of litter do you use?
There are many different types and textures of cat litter. Try
different kinds until you find one your cat likes.
Also, most cats do NOT like scented litter. The scented litter
is more for our benefit than the cats!
12. What kind of scratching post will my cat like best?
There are numerous kinds of scratching posts on the market.
We have found that most cats tend to prefer posts made with sisal
rope (looks like binder twine) or carpet.
When cats scratch, they like to be able to pull very hard against
their nails so the post should be as stable as possible. This is why
they will choose your couch over a simple post! You can make
it more stable by either nailing it to a floor/wall or you can purchase
a three sided post (it looks like a pyramid). If your cat doesn't
seem interested in the post right away, try rubbing some
catnip on it.
