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Pet Tips and FAQs
Parvo
Canine Parvovirus is a highly contagious disease that
attacks the fast growing cells of the body such as bone marrow or the
lining of the stomach and intestines. Without treatment it is
fatal and a few dogs & puppies succumb even with treatment.
Puppies need to receive at least 4 Parvo vaccines in order to be
protected and should not go out into public or be around strange dogs
until they are fully vaccinated.
There is now a strain of Parvo that came over from
Europe in addition to the strain already existing here. The normal
Parvo vaccine we have been using is not very effective against it.
Adobe recommends getting and carries an additional Parvo vaccine that
contains protection against the new strain.
Although vaccine recommendations may vary, Adobe still
recommends yearly parvo vaccinations for the Oxnard and entire Ventura
County area due to the high number of Parvo cases recently seen.
Microchips
Microchip your pet and keep the information up to date
with the registry. Having a microchip can mean the difference
between life and death and reuniting a lost or injured pet with its
owner. Remember Katrina and imagine the difference it made for the
animals that could be identified.
Pet Insurance
There are many companies out there for you to chose
between. The one we see most frequently is VPI* (Veterinary Pet
Insurance). Do your research and find the one that is right for
you and your pet. Now if you have $2000.00-$3000.00 set aside in a
fund for your pet in case of emergency you do not need to do this; but
if you don't, you should buy the insurance. One serious trip to
the emergency room or critical care hospital can easily run into the
thousands for a one to two night stay or a major surgery. Even
your general practitioner's bill can run up with a large surgery or long
term hospitalization. Pet insurance can make the difference in
life and death for these pets and keeps you, the owner, out of the poor
house. There are even plans that cover normal health care such as
vaccinations.
If your local hospital offers their own plan, why not
buy it instead? Many reasons! The main one being that you can only
use it at that clinic only. This does you no good at the emergency
room, any other vet's office or if you are out of state. National
pet insurance can be used anywhere, including at your vet!
Flea Protection
You need to use a good product such as Revolution,
Frontline, or Advantage every month. There are always fleas, even
in winter, and it is much easier to keep your pet and family protected
than to fight against a flea infestation. Flea products can be
purchase from your veterinarian or online pharmacies such as
VetCentric.
Over-the-counter products are inexpensive and DO NOT
WORK. Plus, 50% of cats will have seizures if exposed to these
products or if any dog products are placed on them (The ones I listed
above are safe for both dogs and cats). Research Pyrethrin on the
internet. Most OTC flea medications have either this or a
synthetic derivative of it.
As for natural flea products... Pyrethrin is as
natural as you can get and it still will kill cats. If you are
going to use the OTC brands be prepared to have fleas, the diseases they
can bring, and potentially a trip to the emergency room so you better
also have Pet insurance (see above)! |
