Care Animal Clinic Lakeland

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Care Animal Clinic Lakeland

At Care Animal Clinic, we provide top-notch care for dogs and cats. Our compassionate team is dedicated to offering personalized care for every pet.

From routine check-ups and surgery to boarding and grooming, we ensure your pet’s health and happiness. Welcome to Care Animal Clinic . Care Animal Clinic offers over 40 years of trained and experienced doctors and staff to give your pet the highest quality care at our state of the art medical and surgical facility. Wellness Focused - Client orientated - Striving for continual improvements to help

pets. Care Animal Clinic offers comprehensive medical and surgical care for dogs and cats of all life stages. We strive to provide complete care for our animal friends. We have put a lot of passion into making sure our procedures are the latest practices that ensure the best results for your Furry Friend. Every furry baby matters to us as if it was our own. Diagnostic based medicine, and a results oriented approach. Over 40 years of experience and a loving ,caring ,knowledgeable staff .Wellness Focused - Client orientated - Striving for continual improvements to help pets.

03/01/2025

Flea season! Well, it never really went away to be clear. Fleas can proliferate and exist in Florida’s climate year round. The little beasties have an extremely long history, and thus far, the human race has not managed to eradicate them. Current estimates suggest that 33% of all dogs and cats have an intense allergic reaction to one single flea bite. Scooting bottoms, licking about the tail and a**s, gnawing at the groin are reasonable suggestions that flea allergy is at play with your pet. Thankfully there are some decent oral medicines that are made this century to help reduce your pet's exposures.

📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

25/12/2024

This holiday season, we’re filled with gratitude for our amazing customers, friends, and community. Thank you for making 2024 so special! Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

20/12/2024

🤔Why should I have my dog vaccinated every single year?
👨🏻‍⚕️The reason dogs and cats are vaccinated every year is to re-stimulate their immune system to certain diseases. There is evidence that there is immunity from last year, measured as a titer, still circulated in the bloodstream but there is no definite proof that this immunity is still functional. Which simply means protection from specific diseases is not as secure as when we booster. The diseases that our dogs are typically vaccinated against are, in the least, severely debilitating if not deadly. As we have seen with the reoccurrence of smallpox and measles in people, we recognize that certain diseases are able to have outbreaks and pose serious medical problems. As in any vaccination protocol, the decision to give a booster is made with a risk-reward point of view. For example, three-year rabies is for the infrequently exposed pet like the house cat.
Schedule your appointment today: www.careanimalclinicfl.com

16/12/2024

Looking to spruce up your backyard, but not sure what plants are safe for your dogs? The plants listed below are considered safe for dogs. This means they are not expected to cause life-threatening issues for your dog.
🐶Black Haw
🐶Camellia
🐶Coral Bells
🐶Cornflower
🐶Feather Palm
🐶Fennel
🐶Moss Phlox
🐶Nasturtium
🐶Rosemary
🐶Sunflower
If you think your pet has ingested something harmful, contact us right away!
📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

13/12/2024

🤔Hypothetical Question: I keep seeing little whitish rice things in my dogs stool. Now my other dog has them too. Do you have any idea what this could be?
👨🏻‍⚕️Advice: You are seeing tapeworm segments. Dogs and cats get tapeworm from eating fleas. Adult tapeworms live attached to the lining of the small intestines and can be 6 or more inches long. The adult worm grows and produces tail segments which contain eggs. Segments are passed in the stool and immature fleas indiscriminately eat the worms eggs. When the flea matures and is swallowed by your pet, its body is digested away - freeing the young worm. From ingestion of the flea to when segments appear in stool in 3 weeks. Control fleas and you can control tapeworms.
Schedule your appointment today.
📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

09/12/2024

Vaccines for Cats That Are Highly Recommended
These vaccines are recommended for all cats based on their risk of exposure, the severity of the disease to be prevented, and the risk the disease poses to humans.

😺Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis: This is a herpesvirus that causes upper respiratory infections or pulmonary infections in cats. This goes far beyond a cat cold, since once a cat is infected, they are infected for life. The disease can be dormant in the cat’s system — but due to stress or other illnesses, it may be reactivated, at which time signs of disease will be more noticeable.

😺Feline Calicivirus: This is a highly contagious virus that causes upper respiratory infections in cats as well as oral disease (inflammation and ulcers on the tongue and gums). Some strains of feline calicivirus can cause painful lameness in the cat’s legs as well. Cats can become re-infected with this virus, so prevention is the key to keeping cats well.

😺 Feline Panleukopenia: Also called feline parvo or feline distemper, feline panleukopenia is a highly contagious virus caused by the feline parvovirus that invades and can kill rapidly by dividing cells in a cat’s bone marrow and intestines. The disease, which used to be the leading killer of cats, is now uncommon due to the highly effective vaccine. This is an important reason to continue vaccinating against it throughout your cat’s life.

😺Feline Leukemia Virus: FeLV is a retrovirus that weakens a cat’s immune system, meaning it changes the DNA of a cat’s cells, making them vulnerable to other diseases that can result in death. It’s transferred between cats through saliva or nasal secretions. Cats infected with FeLV may develop infections and cancer.

😺Rabies: Likely the most recognized on the list, rabies is a preventable viral disease that infects the central nervous system when a mammal is bitten by a rabid animal. The disease can infect any mammal, but it is most notable in raccoons, foxes, bats, and skunks. Cats (indoor and outdoor) can become infected when they have been bitten or encountered the saliva of an infected animal. The ultimate result is death. This disease can be transferred to humans, and pet vaccination is mandated by law in some states.

Time to schedule your cat's yearly vaccinations?
📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

06/12/2024

The right food choice for your dog can be very simple. If your dog likes the food and eats the correct measured amount on a daily basis, this may be an easy first criterion. He or she may like ice cream, a tablespoon, say but likely will not tolerate this over time. So, a good choice is they like it and their body tolerates it, especially over time. A third criterion is that the food choice is readily available and easily accessible. If you run out of food on a Sunday afternoon, can you easily get more?
Of course, there are “prescription” diets that have a generally intended benefit to a specific disease process and many of those have tons of studies and factual science behind them. Consult our vet care team by calling us at (863) 251-5887 to see if one might be right for your pet.

02/12/2024

What Are Sniff Walks?
Sniff walks are leisurely strolls that allow your dog to explore their environment through their powerful sense of smell. Unlike a regular walk focusing on exercise or training, sniff walks encourage dogs to engage their nose and follow their natural instincts. It's a chance for them to take in all the fascinating scents surrounding them, making the experience highly rewarding and mentally stimulating.

Dogs "see" the world through smell. A sniff walk allows them to explore the world through their most prominent sense — just as if we went on a walk and followed the path that looked the prettiest or most interesting to our eyes. Sniff walks are best done on long leashes (10+ feet long) to allow for more natural movement and freedom to roam. However, you should make sure your dog is trained to recall upon your command before allowing them to walk on a long leash. This will ensure that they will return to a “heel” position in case of any emergency and will keep you and them safe.

Sniff walks are an excellent alternative, or addition, to hikes, runs, or even more formal scent training, providing your dog with a unique and fulfilling experience. You'll be surprised by how much energy your dog can burn off just by following their nose.

📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

25/11/2024

The easiest way to treat worms in dogs is through prevention. To prevent worms in puppies and adult dogs, it’s important to:

🐶Provide proper environmental hygiene, such as cleaning up p**p immediately, treating your yard for fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, and routinely grooming your dog.
Properly deworm pregnant dogs.
🐶Deworm puppies.
🐶Provide year-round prevention, starting in puppies as young as eight weeks and at 2.8 lbs.
🐶Plan for several f***l examinations during your puppy’s first year.
🐶Provide year-round protection against fleas and ticks.
🐶Regularly test for worms at least yearly, but more often may be necessary based on lifestyle.

Give us a call today at (863) 251-5887 or visit us online to schedule an appointment: www.careanimalclinicfl.com

22/11/2024

🤔Hypothetical Question: My cat sneezes and coughs in fits and seems to struggle to breathe. He does this periodically and doesn't seem to have any other problems other than these episodes. Sometimes it worries me, should I bring him in?

👨🏻‍⚕️Advice: Your cat sounds like it may be affected by feline asthma. By itself, asthma is a manageable disease for cats. As in humans, there is no cure for it, but the severity of the life-threatening episodes can be controlled. The exact cause of asthma in cats is not known but the reason cats are susceptible is due to increased muscles in the walls of the bronchioles and higher numbers of mucus secreting cells. The muscles spasm and the muscles cells secrete and close off the smaller airways causing these fits, obviously, if enough airways are closed off then possibility for suffocation exists. Multiple medical managements are available.

Give us a call today at (863) 251-5887 or visit us online to schedule an appointment: http://careanimalclinicfl.com/

18/11/2024

Canine hip dysplasia is a common orthopedic condition in dogs, with a prevalence of up to 71% in affected breeds[1]. Hip dysplasia occurs during the dog’s growth stage and results in a deformity of the hip joint. If your dog is experiencing changes in their hind legs or you’re noticing they aren’t using those back legs the way they should, it’s time to talk with your veterinarian.

The most common signs to watch for include:
🐶Lameness or Limping in the Hind Limbs: This varies based on the degree of arthritic change.
🐶Lethargy/Decreased Activity: Due to the pain of getting up and moving around, dogs are typically less interested in activities.
🐶Signs of Pain: Dogs may guard their hips/hind legs and prefer not to be petted or touched in those areas. They may also show signs of fear and/or anxiety when approached.
🐶Weakness in the Hind Limbs: Dogs can appear wobbly when standing or moving.
🐶Stiffness: Even if they are moving around, their movements appear stiff. It often takes them some time to loosen up after standing, especially after resting for a long period.
🐶Muscle Loss: You may see the outline of the bones in the hind limbs and hips.
🐶 Shifting of Weight to the Forelimbs: Your dog may lean forward onto the front limbs to lessen the weight on the hind limbs.
🐶Mobility Issues: You may notice a reluctance to climb stairs, lameness after exercise, or difficulty jumping.
🐶“Bunny-Hopping” Gait: The hind limbs are held together, and your dog hops instead of running in a normal long stride.

If you're concerned about your pet's health. Don't wait, contact us today:
📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

15/11/2024

🤔Hypothetical Question: My cat is chewing and clawing at his hind end and has lost hair and developed sores in this area. It seems this is all he does now. What is going on?
👨🏻‍⚕️Advice: Based on your description this is consistent with fleas allergy. While it is one thing for a pet to have fleas, it is an altogether different and worse clinical disease if an animal is allergic to the flea saliva. A flea allergic animal has a severe inflammatory reaction to the saliva of the flea after only one bite. The treatment is a vacation from fleas and depending on the severity of the sores an antibiotic may be needed. Often it is necessary to use two flea products at the same time to provide the vacation. One product is directed to the adult flea while the other is inhibiting the development of immature fleas.
Schedule your appointment today: www.careanimalclinicfl.com

11/11/2024

Household cleaning chores are a part of life. If you have pets, you must be extra careful about the cleaning products you use. You want a product that is effective for cleaning and disinfecting, but also safe for your pets.

Cleaning products and ingredients that are pet friendly include:
✅Baking soda. This natural product can be used as a cleaner, stain remover, and odor absorber. It’s generally combined with water to make a paste.
✅Vinegar. This non-toxic cleaning agent can be used solo or combined with baking soda and lemon for a more robust clean.
✅Enzymatic cleaners. These cleaners contain enzymes (proteases, amylases, and lipases) that break down or dissolve organic waste, stains, or odor quickly and effectively. They’re essential for cleaning dog and cat urine.
✅Accelerated hydrogen peroxide. There are pet-safe disinfectants that are non-toxic. Some contain accelerated hydrogen peroxide (a patented form that is more stable than traditional hydrogen peroxide) and other ingredients, such as surfactants, making them effective cleaning and disinfecting products.

Cleaning Product Ingredients That Are Not Safe for Pets
When buying household pet-safe cleaners for your home, it’s important to always read the ingredients and know what ingredients are toxic or hazardous to pets. Remember, any chemical, whether manufactured or natural, can potentially be toxic and others may cause irritation to pets if they get it on them. When in doubt, play it safe and look it up and call your veterinarian with any questions or concerns.

📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

08/11/2024

🤔Hypothetical Question: My cat sneezes and coughs in fits and seems to struggle to breathe. He does this periodically and doesn't seem to have any other problems other than these episodes. Sometimes it worries me, should I bring him in?
👨🏻‍⚕️Advice: Your cat sounds like it may be affected by feline asthma. By itself, asthma is a manageable disease for cats. As in humans, there is no cure for it, but the severity of the life-threatening episodes can be controlled. The exact cause of asthma in cats is not known but the reason cats are susceptible is due to increased muscles in the walls of the bronchioles and higher numbers of mucus secreting cells. The muscles spasm and the muscles cells secrete and close off the smaller airways causing these fits, obviously, if enough airways are closed off then possibility for suffocation exists. Multiple medical managements are available.
Give us a call today at (863) 251-5887 or visit us online to schedule an appointment: www.careanimalclinicfl.com

04/11/2024

There are several reasons why your dog may have a rash on their belly. Having the cause diagnosed is important for proper treatment and future prevention.

Causes of a rash on a dog’s belly include:
🐶Skin infections. A bacterial or fungal infection can develop and spread when the skin barrier becomes compromised. This can occur from a cut or abrasion, trauma, or excess moisture.
🐶Skin allergies. Environmental and food allergies can lead to scratching, causing trauma to the skin. This damage to the skin can lead to skin infections, with signs such as itchy bumps and rashes. When not addressed early, the condition can worsen quickly.
🐶Parasites. A rash can develop on your dog’s belly from a reaction to flea bites (called flea allergy dermatitis), mites (called demodectic or sarcoptic mange), mosquitoes, or ticks. The irritation can expose your dog to additional infections from bacteria or yeast.
🐶Hormonal conditions. Certain underlying medical conditions, such as Cushing’s disease or hypothyroidism, can initially show up as hair loss and belly rashes from secondary skin infections. The hormonal imbalances that these conditions create affect your dog’s immune system and ability to fight infection, as well as hair growth.
🐶Environmental irritants. Dogs can develop belly rashes because of contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction to substances that touch the skin. The relatively hairless belly in most dogs predisposes this area to contact dermatitis. Potential irritants include plants such as poison ivy, pine needles, grasses, mulch, household cleaners, carpet fresheners, shampoos, or other irritants when they touch the skin.
🐶Heat. Some dogs exposed to very hot conditions can develop a rash in skin folds. This can be seen more frequently in overweight dogs and dogs with many skin folds. If not addressed early, this rash can quickly worsen into a significant skin infection with oozing and smelly pimples and scabs.
The underlying cause of the rash will determine your dog’s treatment protocol. Contact us today to schedule an appointment:
📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

01/11/2024

🤔Hypothetical Question: My dog is shaking her head and scratching at its ears. Is there anything I can do?
👨🏻‍⚕️Advice: Ear disease due to any cause has three common clinical signs. You have already mentioned two of them. The third one is discomfort progressing to pain. The good news is that there is a treatable and correctable cause. The mainstay of treating ear disease is identifying the responsible agent using microscopic analysis. Second, in order for medication to be applied to the ear, exudates and waxy debris must be removed otherwise you would be medicating wax balls. A clean ear canal enhances chances of success when dealing with ear disease. Finally, video otoscopy has taken much of the guesswork out of my treatments and diagnosis of ear disease.
Schedule your appointment today
📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

28/10/2024

Preventing Mats in Your Cat’s Hair
Prevention is always the best option for keeping mats at bay, and it’s pretty simple.

😺Brush your cat daily. Even if it’s just one area each day, that’s fine. Brushing will limit the formation of mats and help you catch them early, so they’ll be much easier to work through with a brush or comb.
😺Consider a short cut. Having your cat’s hair trimmed shorter means it isn’t long enough to mat, but keep in mind this can impact their ability to keep warm in cooler temperatures.
😺Keep the backend clean. A messy posterior means more nasty stuff that can stick in the hair and start the matting process. An unscented, hypoallergenic pet wipe is an easy way to clean the backside. It’s also helpful to give your cat a sanitary cut where the longer hair is shaved around this messy area. You can have your groomer do this for all your cat’s sensitive matting areas (chest, inner thighs, etc.)
😺Use the right tools. Different brushes and combs do different things. Talk with your veterinarian or groomer about the best way to brush your cat at home. If you’re using a tool with metal prongs, make sure they’re not too sharp.

📞 (863) 251-5887
🔍 www.careanimalclinicfl.com

25/10/2024

Motion-based nausea is an occasional complaint to vets. In fact, this is a hurdle for some owners presenting pets for medical or maintenance care. There isn’t a database with statistics related to the prevalence of these symptoms. There is, probably, greater than half of the time an underlying cause for pets vomiting in cars. These underlying issues are not typically dangerous as much as frustrating. Common remedies are available and generally considered effective.

Please call us at (863) 251-5887 for more information or to book an appointment.

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Opening Hours

Monday	07:30 - 17:30
Tuesday	07:30 - 17:30
Wednesday	07:30 - 12:30
Thursday	07:30 - 17:30
Friday	07:30 - 17:30
Saturday	08:00 - 12:30

Website

http://careanimalclinicfl.com/

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Care Animal Clinic offers over 40 years of trained and experienced doctors and staff to give your pet the highest-quality care in our state-of-the-art medical and surgical facility. Care Animal Clinic offers comprehensive medical and surgical care for dogs and cats of all life stages. We strive to provide complete care for our animal friends. We have put a lot of passion into making sure our procedures are the latest practices that ensure the best results for your furry friend. Every furry baby matters to us as if it was our own. Diagnostic based medicine and a results-oriented approach.