ON HOLD

For those of you who are following my blog, thank you. But, for now, I will discontinue posting until I can get a bigger audience. I will continue my twitter posts which you can find by searching for joedvet.
Thanks.

Getting a puppy/ Dog - Part 2

Last month I addressed getting a purebred dog and finding the right dog for you. This month, I want to talk about where to get your dog (or cat)

Or better, where should I not get my pup?
I see my worst specimens from pet stores and flea markets. These are also where impulse purchases happen and many times, the price is greatly inflated. I can't count the number of herediary defects and parasites come with these creatures.
The healthiest pets come from either casual breeders, family, and friends. I define casual breeders as an individual who has a dog which has a litter every few years. Fine purebred dogs can come from professional breeders, but think about what you want in a dog. Do you want to pay 500 to thousands for nice conformation or should you aim at a personality match.
Getting a dog from the shelter is a great idea, but I recommend to brouse online. Once you go to the shelter, it turns into an emotional decision.
There are numerous rescue societies now run by good hearted people. Your Veterinarian should have some numbers you can call.
Next month, I want to address which pup in the litter should I pick and how old of a puppy is right for me.

Dog Breeds

This month I got reminded fo the importance of choosing the right breed, the right puppy. Most pups are bought on emotions and appearance, which leads to disaster. If you looking for a purebred dog, you need to look at the general qualities associated with a certain breed. Some are hyper, some are stubborn, some aggressive. Not every dog in a line fits the mold, but I can predict in most cases what to expect based on what is waiting for me in the exam room. Consider a couple helpful online aids. AKC.com an online aid: http://www.akc.org/future_dog_owner/find_breed.cfm

Also, Iames has one too that I like: http://www.iams.com/iams/breed-information.jsp

Next month I will address what applies to all purebreed and mixed dogs: Which puppy in a litter is right for me? Where should I go to get a pup?

VACCINATIONS

Simple topic, simple solution to expensive to treat, life threatening diseases, yet my clinic has been flooded with Parvo cases this last week. I have seen a resurgence of distemper. I have seen more leptospirosis. And in cats, many positive cases of Leukemia. Why?
None of these pets were currently vaccinated. If you ae reading this, you are probably a concerned pet owner and I am preaching to the choir, but encourage your friends, remind your neighbors. It is life or death issue.

Missed last month on blogging. I should settle down again now.

April 2010 Updates.

Sorry I am a little late on updating. I missed the Month of March. It just flew by. Early March, my wife and I took a great cruise from Barcelona to Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira, and Granada. A great break from real life. Soon followed Spring break with my Grand daughter, then followed by visits from relatives. Now back to normal, for awhile.
I want to touch on parasite control just briefly, as there are so many aspects, a dozen books would maybe cover the whole arena. I like to keep it simple. Stay away from most OTC products for fleas and ticks; flea collars, dips, and shampoos. They cause more damage than help. Look to the new generation products. Topicals that are not absorbed systemically like Frontline and Advantage are great. But not all topicals are created equal as most OTC products contain permethrin, a systemic insecticide.
I will address other parasite controls later, such as heartworm and intestinal worm, but to avoid a long blog, I will stop and aim for a new one soon.
OTC - means over the counter.

Thanks for your time

Clinic news and dental stuff

Good day to all. I wanted to let my clients know I will be out of the office a few days coming up over the next two weeks. Call the clinic to get a current schedule and find out which Veterinarians will be there. I can't let February go by without commenting on dental month. We try to provide discounts every year in February to encourage good dental care. This year, we offer 25% off dentals. It is a great deal and I hope you take advantage of this offer. But keep in mind, dental care is a year round effort. I don't mention brushing teeth as much as I should - secret - I don't brush my own pets teeth - but it is the best way. You need to start young and keep it up. I love dental treats. There are so many good ones and they help with stress too. There is also tartar control foods, one of which we carry made by Science Diet. Call for ideas and suggestions.

Dr. M

My old pet is losing weight.

Too fat, too thin. Veterinarians see it daily. The causes multiple. This month, I will address the older pet losing weight. Yesterday, an older cat came in with weight loss and reminded me what owners often say, "I thought Fefe was just getting old"
Although it varies with breeds and species, senior issues start cropping up around 10 years of age. Weight loss is not necessarily bad, but if they are losing muscle mass, that is, you can feel their spine easily or head ridges, something could be wrong. 90% of the time, simple blood tests can identify issues which can either be corrected, slowed, or managed. Anyone with a senior pet should consider yearly blood tests.
Also, a common problem I will see is senior pets losing weight and they have them on senior diets, which encourage weight loss. Many seniors (like us) need added calories, not less.
Next month, I will address younger pets losing weight.
Thanks for listening.