VT NH Veterinary Clinic

07/29/2024

07/23/2024

Travel requirements have changed prior to the August 1st deadline and travel back to the US from low risk rabies countries (ie Canada) has been simplified. Dogs will still need to be microchipped, six months of age or older and the owner will need to fill out an online CDC Dog Import Form and present the receipt. Rabies vaccination is still also required to travel to Canada. Check the CDC website for changes before travel with your pet!

There are four requirements for dogs that have ONLY been in countries that are dog-rabies free or lo

07/03/2024

Please join us in welcoming our newest veterinarian Dr. Heather Federow! We are excited to have her join our team here as a mixed animal practitioner providing care in both our small animal clinic and to equines. Dr. Heather is a 2024 Ross graduate, from New York, and enjoys trail riding her QH, crocheting and paddle boarding. Her veterinary interests include surgery, holistic medicine and fostering the human-animal bond.

06/18/2024

This week is supposed to get really hot. Make sure that your pet has plenty of water available, try to do exercising during the cooler hours, if you would not walk on the pavement/asphalt barefoot do not walk your pet on it, and NEVER leave your pet in the car! All pets stay safe during this heat.

06/12/2024

Did you know that female cats can go into estrus (heat) and be able to reproduce as young as 4 months of age? More typically they will start going into heat between 6-9 months of age, but late spring is typically "kitten season" when un-spayed cats are having kittens. Local shelters and rescues already have their hands full this time of year, so we do recommended spaying and neutering for the majority of cats at 5-6 months of age, sooner if you have a brother - sister pair!

06/05/2024

Does your dog like to swim? If so please keep a look out for blue-green algae blooms which can be toxic to our canine companions and avoid contact with affected water. For more information you can check out the Cornell Riney Canine Health Center 's page on cyanobacteria linked in this post. In the next few weeks the Vermont Department of Health cyanobacteria tracker will also be updated to search for and report blooms.

05/29/2024

Traveling with your dogs this summer? If you plan to leave the country, including to Canada, and back please take some time to review the new rabies and health certificate requirements to take effect August 1st:

https://www.cdc.gov/importation/traveling-with-pets.html

05/25/2024

Reminder that our office will be closed Monday May 27th for the Memorial day holiday. We do have a veterinarian on call for equine emergencies as usual and a small animal veterinarian on call 8am to 2pm for current patient's needing urgent care. We will re-open Tuesday morning.

05/16/2024

More at home dental care tips for your pet:

Neglecting your pet's oral hygiene can lead to pain and health problems. Here are some easy-to-follow tips on how to care for your pet's teeth without overwhelming yourself or your furry companion.

05/14/2024

How can you help maintain your pet's oral health at home? Daily brushing is the best option, but there are a variety of other ways to aid in dental health maintenance at home including chews, food and water additives as well as gels and sprays. Look for the VOHC seal to help select safe and effective home care products.

05/08/2024

Have we mentioned our amazing staff lately? Not only do they provide compassionate nursing care for our patients, skilled technical support and keep our clinic running smoothly, but they also provide entertaining environmental enrichment. Here is the kitten crew on their very own cardboard ship! These cuties all have homes, but spent some time here with us for care and socialization.

04/30/2024

We often say we couldn't do this without our wonderful team and today we would like to acknowledge our compassionate team of veterinary assistants. From keeping our patients comfortable post-op to running lab work and assisting in exam rooms they truly help pets stay safe, calm and comfortable during their time with us.

04/29/2024

It's porcupine season! 🏞️ This is the time of year we start seeing an increase in dogs getting quilled by porcupines. No, porcupines don't shoot their quills at dogs. Instead, porcupines back into & swipe their tails at curious dogs who get too close, resulting in a muzzle full of quills!

If this does happen to your pup, please do NOT attempt to remove the quills yourself! You can push the quills deeper, break them and cause migration, miss a few, or get bitten by your dog. Quills are painful and require removal by a veterinarian. Prevention: leash up in & around wooded areas from dusk to dawn when porcupines are most active!

04/25/2024

Did you know that pets can get diabetes too? It is more common in older dogs and cats and can present with a variety of clinical signs. We have a variety of tools available to manage our diabetic patients including continuous blood glucose monitoring (freestyle Libre).

04/23/2024

Does your dog suffer from allergies? Environmental allergies are a common cause of seasonal itching in our canine patients. In addition to topical and oral medications used to manage allergies, we also have a monoclonal antibody injectable called Cytopoint that can be very helpful for managing canine allergies.

Learn more here: https://www.cytopoint.com

04/19/2024

Vaccine series (for equines): Tetanus

Clostridium tetani is an anerobic (meaning it grows in environments that do not have oxygen) bacteria that creates spores to reproduce. Tetanus spores are normally present in soil and survive there for years. This means that horses are at constant, regular risk of exposure to tetanus spores through punctures, wounds (including superficial ones), or surgical sites. Tetanus is not contagious and cannot be spread between animals.

When Clostridium tetani causes disease it does so through release of a neurotoxin. The toxin causes muscle contraction, which in horses can result in a "sawhorse" stance, inability to open their mouth, or swallow. Mortality in animals is reported between 70-75%. Horses that survive generally require intensive care in a hospital.

Vaccination is very protective and tetanus has rarely been documented in fully vaccinated animals. Vaccination for tetanus is done every 12 months. Boosters should happen if an animal gets surgery or has a wound more than 6 months after their annual vaccine.

https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines/core-vaccination-guidelines/tetanus
https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/tetanus
Green SL, Little CB, Baird JD, Tremblay RR, Smith-Maxie LL. Tetanus in the horse: a review of 20 cases (1970 to 1990). J Vet Intern Med. 1994 Mar-Apr;8(2):128-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1994.tb03210.x. PMID: 8046676.
van Galen G, Delguste C, Sandersen C, Verwilghen D, Grulke S, Amory H. Tetanus in the equine species: a retrospective study of 31 cases. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd. 2008 Jun 15;133(12):512-7. PMID: 18615902.

04/18/2024

Does your pet have a microchip? Microchips are an easy way to ensure your pet always has identification with them! The contain a unique number that you register with your contact information allowing vet clinics and shelters to scan your pet and call to identify them in the event they are missing and do not have a collar or tags on. Our newer microchips also allow us to check your pet's temperature when scanned. They are also required for most international travel.

If your pet does not already have a microchip, you can ask for one at your next visit if you are interested. If your pet does have a microchip already please be sure to keep your contact information updated with the microchip registry! Many pets adopted from shelters will already have a microchip.

04/16/2024

FORLs (feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions), also called "neck lesions" are a common dental concern in our cat patients. These cavity-type lesions are defects that typically start where the crown of the tooth meets the gumline and can cause pain and eventual fracture of the tooth. These lesions can sometimes be detected on examination, in which case dental radiographs and likely removal of the affected teeth will be recommended. Other times, they are only visible on radiographs and found during routine dental cleaning and oral examination. The definitive cause of these lesions is not known.

You can read more here: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951295

04/12/2024

Spring is here (finally!) and with it we all get reminded to vaccinate our horses, donkeys, and mules. Over the next several weeks we will go over various diseases we vaccinate for, and why we do so.

There are five vaccines that are recommended for every equine, these are called core vaccines. The five core vaccines are for: Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Western Equine Encephalitis, West Nile Virus, Rabies, and Tetanus.

Vaccines are also given based on increased risk of an individual equine for several other diseases. Risk-based vaccines that we offer include: influenza, herpes, leptospirosis, botulism, Potomac horse fever, and strangles.

These guidelines are intended to be a reference for veterinarians who utilize vaccines in their respective practices. They are neither regulations nor directives and should not be interpreted as such.

04/11/2024

What is the strangest place you've ever found a tick? This one impressed us when we found a tiny tick firmly attached to this poor cat's tongue!

04/09/2024

Spring is here and ticks are out! Help prevent tick borne illness by checking your pets carefully for ticks and using effective tick prevention. We carry authentic Seresto collars, Bravecto and Credelio oral preventatives, as well as K9 Advantix topical for dogs and Revolution Plus for cats. Please let us know questions you may have regarding tick preventatives for your pets and we can help you find the option that is right for you.
We do also have a safe and effective Lyme vaccination available for dogs.

04/05/2024

This is Cow the cat, who came with the concern of chewing on one side. Routine examination can help us detect dental disease in our pets before it becomes a painful problem. Once Cow was anesthetized we were able to radiograph his teeth and found a few surprises, including that this tooth (far left on xray) was broken below the gumline. After careful extraction he recovered at home and is back to chewing normally.

04/04/2024

Due to the spring snowstorm we will be closing early today Thursday, April 4th at 4pm.

04/02/2024

Have you heard of leptospirosis? Lepto is a bacterial disease that is spread by wildlife and is a growing concern in our area. Our clinic has diagnosed and treated a number of patients for this disease, that can cause liver and kidney issues in dogs. It is also zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted to humans. Vaccination is an important piece in preventing lepto, and is the "L" in the canine DHLPP vaccine.

03/31/2024

Happy Easter from bunnies Bernie and Cam!

03/28/2024

Mosquitoes are out and can spread heartworm disease, please let us know if you have any questions regarding prevention for your pets. Sadly, we have been treating a few cases of heartworm at the practice. Is is more common in dogs who are transported from higher prevalence areas, but is being diagnosed in local dogs as well.

03/25/2024

You may have heard the term body condition score or BCS when your pet comes in for an preventative care exam, this refers to the following chart and helps us determine if your pet is at a healthy weight. Studies have shown that pets kept close to the ideal BCS (4.5/9) live longer, and suffer less from arthritis and diabetes. Does your pet struggle to maintain a healthy weight? Limiting calories and encouraging consistent exercise can help, please let us know if you need help meeting goals for your pet.