Vaccinations
The discovery and development of vaccines has been an important step in health care, both for people and for pets. Vaccinations offer protection against major viral and bacterial diseases that cats and dogs may be exposed to. Vaccines contain small quantities of altered or “killed” viruses, bacteria, or other disease-causing organisms. When administered they stimulate your pet’s immune system to produce disease fighting cells and proteins or antibodies to protect your pet against disease. Pets are susceptible to disease at any age and it is very important to have your young puppy or kitten vaccinated for maximum protection.
When your puppy or kitten is first born, they receive some initial immunity from their mother’s milk in the form of colostrum. At about eight weeks of age, this immunity starts to wear off. Your puppy or kitten then needs vaccinations in order to build their immunity against harmful diseases. Puppies and kittens usually receive three sets of vaccinations at eight, twelve, and sixteen weeks of age.
Vaccinations provide disease protection for a limited period of time. It’s important that your pet has a yearly wellness examination as well as any necessary vaccinations. Many pet owners are concerned about over-vaccinating. Each pet brought to us has their life style assessed to determine the appropriate vaccinations, which is reflected through the latest AAHA and American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) recommendations. We have dog and cat vaccines that are labelled for use every three years for certain diseases, again minimizing the number of vaccinations given to your pet.
Parasite Control
Internal Parasite Treatment
We follow the guidelines of the Companion Animal parasite Council (CAPC) that recommends year-round treatment for internal parasites. Deworming treatments should be given every month until your pet is 6 months of age, then every one to three months. It is important to deworm you pet regularly because large worm burdens can accumulate quickly and pose a serious health risk to your pet and your family.
Flea and Tick Prevention
Our climate in the Lower Mainland is perfect for the reproduction and growth of fleas. Fleas are not just a spring and summer event. We recommend year-round preventative treatment.
We have seen more ticks in our area in the past few years. Ticks can transmit serious diseases and cause tick paralysis. We recommend regular preventative treatment for ticks.
Heartworm Prevention
Although not endemic to our area, if your pet is travelling into a heartworm area it is important to use heartworm preventatives. Heartworm is a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes. Infected dogs can develop adult worms which live in the large blood vessels of the heart. Prevention is the key and is safe and effective.
Senior Pet Wellness Program
Pets typically enter their senior life stage at the age of seven years. Smaller dogs generally live longer than larger dogs and cats generally live longer than dogs. Dogs and cats age more rapidly than people and every year in a dog’s or cat’s life is equivalent to approximately seven human years. Thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. The aging pet is susceptible to a variety of health conditions and diseases, including weight gain or loss, dental disease, osteoarthritis, cancer, diabetes, thyroid conditions, and heart, kidney, or liver disease.
Regular veterinary examinations help keep your pet healthy and are extremely important for senior dogs and cats. Laboratory tests, such as blood and urine tests, can help us detect health problems before they become clinically apparent. With this valuable information, we can often delay the onset or the progression of some diseases. We recommend that senior dogs and cats visit the veterinarian every six months for a complete physical examination and laboratory testing.
End of life care
We understand the challenges of caring for your older or terminally ill pet. We can help assess your pet’s quality of life and help you prepare for end of life. We view euthanasia as a final act of caring and kindness for our pets. We provide a compassionate environment where they can pass surrounded by the people who love them. If you wish, your pet’s ashes can be returned to you. You can also get a glazed clay impression of your pet’s paw print.