Veterinary Care Clinic of Smokey Point

01/03/2025

Happy World Compliment Day and Cat-Ur-Day!

Make your Kitty's day by showering them with compliments, cuddles and don't forget to toss in a treat or two.

What's your Cats favorite way to spend a Satur/Caturday?

27/02/2025

Avian Influenza /Bird Flu Update

As of February 26, 2025, Two Indoor-only Cats, in King and Snohomish County, have become severely ill with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory. Due to the severity of HPAI, one cat was humanely euthanized. The test results suggest that the two cats were infected by eating contaminated raw pet food and not from eating wildlife.

Both cats were fed Wild Coast Raw Brand Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula pet food. The Washington State Department of Agriculture has issued a public health alert as of February 14, 2025, regarding this food as it tested positive for HPAI.

Symptoms of HPAI in Cats may include any of the following:

• Fever or Lethargy
• Low appetite
• Reddened or inflamed eyes
• Discharge from the eye and nose
• Difficulty breathing
• Neurological signs such as tremors, seizures, incoordination or blindness.

To decrease your pet’s risk of HPAI we strongly recommend:

• Keep your pets away from wild birds, which may mean keeping them indoors
• Avoid feeding RAW Pet food or undercooked meat products
• Avoid consuming RAW Milk products
• Limit your contact with sick or dead wildlife
• Wash your hands immediately after handling raw meat products or handling wildlife.
• Report sick or dead birds to ODA @ 503-986-4711

For more information, please visit the Washington State Department of Agriculture at agr.wa.gov/

27/02/2025

Has your pet recently been diagnosed with Early Stage Dental Disease, such as Grade 2 Dental Disease?

We're sure you have many questions as to what "Grade 2" means and you are not alone.

Dental disease is graded by the accumulation of Plaque and Tartar, Gingivitis, tooth fractures and gingival bleeding.

In Grade 2 Dental Disease, a pet has accumulated so much Tartar that it is beginning to harden into a rock like structure called Plaque. This can begin growing so large that it makes its way under the gum line and begins to damage the root of the tooth.

In dogs and cats, this can happen quickly leading to root damage and death, which is a important reason that your Veterinarian may recommend a Dental Cleaning at this Grade.

Once your pet has had their full Anesthetic Dental cleaning, you can begin at home preventative care such as manual tooth brushing, VOHC approved Dental chews & Water additives.

Give us a call to schedule your pet's Bi-Annual exam and learn the ins and outs of Dental Care.

360-548-8500

23/02/2025

Happy National Dog Biscuit Day!

In honor of all our Biscuit loving dogs, here is a quick and easy way to make some safe and delicious home made dog treats.

These instructions are especially helpful for those pets on Prescription or limited ingredient diets.

21/02/2025

19/02/2025

Have you ever wondered why your pet is getting Dental X-rays when they get their Dental Cleaning?

X-rays can be worth a thousand words. In the case of this patient, the tooth appeared healthy from the visual inspection, but the X-ray shows a different story.

This pet was suffering from a painful condition known as a Tooth Root Abscess. This means that the patient has a pocket of puss and inflammation at the root of the tooth, near the patients sinus cavity, that is causing pain and irritation.

Without the X-rays, this patient would have kept this tooth and continued to be in pain. With surgical extraction of the affected tooth, it helped relieve this patients pain and helps keep the infection from spreading.

Give your pets the gift of a healthy smile, schedule their Dental Check up today.

14/02/2025

Dental disease or the infection of the teeth, gums, and surrounding structures and is one of the most common major health problem of cats and dogs.

According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, more than 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by the time they are three years old.

Without routine home dental care, like brushing, the build up of plaque (the sticky debris on teeth after eating) eventually turns to calculus (hardened plaque) and quickly forms small pockets where an animal’s gums meet its teeth. Once calculus has built up it, can lead to pockets of bacteria and infection that form at the base of the tooth. This infection can lead to painful tooth infections and bone loss.

When bacteria escapes the infected area, it can enter the blood stream causing havoc on the internal organs leading to serious health problems including heart, lung, and kidney disease if left untreated.

Many pets are stoic and show little to know symptoms. The indicators Veterinarians look for on examinations are red and inflamed gums, foul smelling breath, visible infection leaving the surrounding area of the teeth, loose or missing teeth, calculus build up and pain responses. In many cases, infection can be seen on Dental X-rays which appear as a void where the normal anatomy should be.

The best way to help slow or prevent Dental disease, is to practice home care such as: frequent tooth brushing, VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) approved water additive or dental chews.

In some cases, routine Dental cleanings under general anesthesia are required.

Talk to your Veterinarian today about your pets Dental Health.

11/02/2025

Feline Dental disease can affect up to 60% of cats by middle age. Dental disease in Cats is different than Humans and Dogs as they can acquire a dental disease called Tooth Resorption.

Tooth resorption is a common dental disease in which the body begins breaking down the roots of the adult teeth, much like when loosing their baby teeth. This process can be quite painful and irritating to Cats. They are masters of hiding pain and may only show subtle symptoms such as: Decreased appetite, swallowing food whole (no longer chewing), they stop eating dry food, tilt their head when chewing, grinding of teeth, random aggression/act out for no known reason and in extreme cases, these teeth may break off causing extreme pain.

The current treatment for these painful lesions are Tooth extraction under general anesthesia along with pain management.

Concerned your kitty may have Dental pain?

Give us a call today to schedule an exam.

09/02/2025

Is your dog bringing in all of the snow, ice and rain?

Teach your furry friends to "shake it off" before they come inside to help cut down on some of the outdoor tracking.

Teach your dog the "shake" command so when he's wet, the dog will leave the rain and snow outside your house.

08/02/2025

We can't believe it!

We must share this magical moment with everyone.

We have seen a Unicorn!!

A truly special, adorable and divine... Italian Greyhound PUPPY!

In all our years, we have only seen a handful of Italian Greyhound Puppies and every time, we are beyond excited.

Everyone share your love for our adorable new patient Akira 💞💞💞

Want more information on Italian Greyhounds? Check out the Italian Greyhound Club of America https://italiangreyhound.org/

07/02/2025

Valentines day is almost here!

What better way to show your pet you love them, than by getting them their routine preventative care.

At Veterinary Care Clinic, we focus on Preventative care to help you and your furry family member have many years together.

With the addition of Dr. Samson our new associate, we have more appointments available to help.

Give us a call today to schedule.

360-548-8500

VeterinaryCareClinicSP.Com

07/02/2025

Is your dog bored with staying inside due to the chilly weather?

Are they driving you up a wall with their energy?

Well look no further for some fun ideas to keep them mentally and physically tired with some of these great game from our friends at AKC.

Scent games are a great way to keep your dog stimulated indoors and channel their sniffing instincts. Games also help prepare for sports like Scent Work.

06/02/2025

Due to the inclement weather, we will be closing at 5pm today.

We will re-open Thursday February 6th at 9am.

For all Veterinary Medical Emergencies, please reach out to your nearest Emergency Veterinary Clinic.

02/02/2025

Dental health is a crucial aspect of your pet's overall well-being, as dental issues can lead to or result from other health problems. It’s essential to have your pet's teeth and gums checked by a veterinarian at least once a year to catch early signs of dental issues and maintain oral health.

If you notice any of the following signs, it’s important to have your pet’s teeth checked sooner: bad breath, broken or loose teeth, retained baby teeth, discolored teeth (grey or pink), excessive tartar, abnormal chewing, drooling, or difficulty eating, mouth pain, bleeding, or swelling. Changes in behavior, such as irritability, could also indicate dental discomfort.

Give us a call today to get their Bi-annual physical and oral exam scheduled and help keep your best friends pearly whites healthy in the years to come.

360-548-8500

01/02/2025

February is National Pet Dental Health Month.

Help keep your pet's mouth healthy by regularly brushing their teeth, offering Veterinary Dentist approved dental chews and water additives.

Stay tuned for tips and tricks for continual Pet Dental Care.

Home dental care can go a long way toward helping protect your pet against dental disease and related problems. Here’s how to make your dog or cat comfortabl...