April is Heartworm Prevention Month! This month we’re deep diving into everything about heartworms, from risks to incidence to treatment to prevention!
See those little wiggle worms? 🪱
These are heartworm microfilariae as seen under a microscope. These are early-stage, immature heart worms seen in a blood sample of a dog. The small, red circles surrounding these worms are red blood cells. This video was taken in hospital from one of our canine clientele!
So what are heartworms? 🩸
Heartworms are a parasite of the blood and are transmitted by mosquitos. Dogs are the natural host of heartworms, and if an infected dog is left untreated, dogs have been known to have hundreds of foot-long worms (yes, FOOT-long) in their circulatory system.
What about cats? 🐈⬛
Cats can also get heartworm disease, but it is very different from dog heartworm disease because cats are atypical hosts. While there is heartworm treatment for dogs, there is currently no treatment for cats. (Keep an eye out for our cat specific heartworm disease post next week!)
What’s the risk? 🫀🫁
Heartworm diseases causes lasting damage to the heart, lungs, and arteries, and can affect a dog’s quality of life. It is a very dangerous disease that poses severe risks to an animal’s cardiovascular health.
What can I do to protect my pet? 🐶🐱
Prevention is key! Specifically, YEAR ROUND prevention. Heartworm transmissions can occur at any time of year even in low incidence areas like Southern California.
Prescription prevention such as Nexgard Plus, Interceptor Plus, Simprica Trio, and Revolution all protect against heartworms as well as other parasites and tick borne diseases.
If you would like to get your pet on heartworm prevention, give us a call at 858-748-3326 📞
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#heartworm #heartwormprevention #heartwormpreventionmonth #heartwormpreventionsaveslives #veterinary #veterinarian #vethospital
Solensia
Give your cat the gift of mobility and comfort with Solensia, a monthly injection to help manage osteoarthritis pain in cats. One client whose cat recently started receiving Solensia injections said, “I started Solensia because my 16-year-old cat was pooping outside of the box. 3 days after starting it, she started using the litter box again! Poor decrepit thing couldn’t posture in the box.” Contact us to discuss how Solensia can improve your cat's quality of life! 🐱💉 To learn more, contact us: https://bit.ly/3kFKjwt
Librela
Introducing Librela: a game-changer in osteoarthritis pain management for dogs. 🐶 One veterinarian's heartwarming account: "We had a 12-year-old Newfoundland that suffered from bilateral hip dysplasia. The owners were contemplating euthanasia since he wasn't responding to current therapy. We gave Librela, and, in less than 30 days, the dog was running and chasing squirrels in the backyard." Trust Librela for happier, more active furry companions! Contact us to learn more about Librela: https://bit.ly/3kFKjwt
Veterans Day
Remembering and thanking our heroes, today and every day. 🇺🇸 #VeteransDay
Cat thinks something
Buzzing into awareness: Bee stings affect pets too! Just like humans, our furry friends can experience swelling, redness, and pain. Watch out for allergic reactions, as severe swelling or signs like breathing difficulties warrant immediate veterinary attention. #BeeSafety #AnimalPainAwarenessMonth
Look at this handsome little fella! His name is 🐶 Grold 🐶, and he's got to be one of the cutest little Pitty pups we've seen! In our last post, we gave you the typical vaccine schedule that goes hand-in-hand with your pets' well checks, but! The names of all of the vaccines are really odd, and do we really know what they do? Check out the comment section for the explanation! #powayanimalhospital #powayah #sandiegoveterinarian
🥰 My gosh, how quickly they grow! 🥰
This is little Miss Luna, the sweetest little black Lab you’ll ever meet, at her first wellness exam, her second & now! Can you tell the difference?
Yesterday we mentioned that our two adorable littermates weren’t able to meet just yet because they have only had their first wellness check & first round of vaccines. Little Miss Luna, on the other hand, is free to start being a regular at the dog park because she has completed all of her check ups & vaccine boosters!
How many wellness checks & rounds of vaccines are necessary? Generally, there are 3 & they will begin around 8 weeks. Here is the ideal schedule for both species:
Puppies:
8 weeks- 1st Distemper-Parvo.
12 weeks- 2nd Distemper-Parvo. 1st Bordetella if your dog will be around other dogs or entering certain facilities.
16 weeks- 3rd Distemper-Parvo & Rabies (both good for 1 year). 2nd Bordetella if your dog will be around other dogs or entering certain facilities.
Kittens:
8 weeks- 1st FVRCP & test for Feline Leukemia.
11 weeks- 2nd FVRCP. 1st dewormer. 1st FeLV if your cat will be outdoors.
14 weeks- 3rd FVRCP. 2nd dewormer. 2nd FeLV if your cat will be outdoors.
Stay tuned for our next post where we explain what all of these vaccines protect our pets against.
* As with any type of vaccines, even in humans, there is a small risk of the immune system overreacting to them. This may vary from lethargy, mild irritation and muscle soreness around the vaccine site to more serious reactions, like vomiting, diarrhea, facial swelling, difficulty breathing or collapsing. If you think your pet may be having an allergic reaction, call our office immediately. If it is outside of office hours, please contact the emergency room or urgent care that is closest to you.
#theygrowupfast #vaccinationeducation #wellnesscheck #powayanimalhospital #powayah #sandiegoveterinarian #veterinary #vetlife #veterinarianapproved #petsandvets #pets #weloveourpets #petcare #
Let your pet un-leash their holiday cheer 🤩🎄
Has your pet had their Christmas photo taken yet? You still have a few days to come in for a service and get one!
Call the office soon before appointments fill up!
#christmasphotoshoot #merrychristmas #christmasmood #tistheseason #santapaws #happyholidays #powayanimalhospital #powayah #sandiegoveterinarian #veterinary #vetlife #vetmed #veterinarianapproved #petsandvets #pets #weloveourpets #petcare #family #sandiego #poway #petsofinstagram #dogsofinstagram #cutedogs
Look at this little, adorable pupper named Jyn! What an amazing holiday with a new addition to the family!
While it may be a super sweet idea to gift a family or a loved one a new pet, there are a few things that you do need to think about:
- Try to find a pet that matches their lifestyle! Young and active family? Try a Terrier or a Collie! Small and quiet, or maybe an older couple? Maybe a cat or a pup that would love to cuddle with them while they read!
- Consider the financial costs of having an additional member of the family. It can be expensive at times, so think about whether that would be something that the new owners would be okay with.
- Consult everyone in the home. We would imagine that ideally everyone would be excited about it, but it would be a good idea to ask if this would be a good time, if younger kiddos are ready to learn about new responsibilities, or if at the moment enough people would be able to have the time to help with training.
- Remember that a pet is a long term commitment, and that puppies grow up into adults, who then grow into frosty-faced seniors. Make sure that the person you're gifting the pet to is ready for this life-changing animal, and that hopefully once the novelty wears off the new pet doesn't end up in a shelter by next Christmas. That sounds horrible, but sadly happens more often than not.
#puppylove #christmasmood #tistheseason #santapaws #powayanimalhospital #powayah #sandiegoveterinarian #veterinary #vetlife #vetmed #veterinarianapproved #petsandvets #pets #weloveourpets #petcare #family #sandiego #poway
Alice in her yellow rain jacket
When your trying to work but the kittens want to play
This is us attempting to take a picture of all these frenchies...
This is us attempting to take a picture of all these frenchies together :D
