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| Vaccinations | Diet | Estrus ("Heat" Cycle) | Spaying | Neutering |
| Flea Control | Tick Control | Heartworms | Declawing Cats | |
Vaccinations and other routine preventative medicine procedures should begin immediately after weaning.
All pets should receive booster vaccinations at timely intervals. Your veterinarian will make recommendations based on your pet's individual needs and stress level. A health check should be performed at least once yearly and certain tests run (e.g. stool testing and heartworm checks).
Depending on the breed and size, "heat" or estrus, normally begins between the ages of eight and fifteen months. Smaller breeds generally begin at a younger age than large breeds. Estrual cycles tend to become seasonal and regular as the animal matures. Often mature females cycle once in the spring, and once in the fall, not necessarily at exact six-month intervals.
On average, most estrus periods are about 21 days long. Vulvar swelling and bleeding discharge are common during the first 10 days. Days 10 through 15 are usually the most fertile, and a female is most likely to accept a male and conceive during this time. During the final five to six days, the female experiences a "going out" period and is less interested in breeding but still may be discharging slightly. IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, however, many dogs vary from this "average" schedule, and conception is possible ANYTIME a female is receptive to a male.
Arguments for having your pet surgically sterilized include:
The only reason not to have your pet spayed or neutered would be if you intend to use it as a breeder.
The optimum age to have a dog or cat "spayed" is between six and eight months. Anecdotal evidence suggests females may derive some hormonal benefit as regards bone maturation up to that time. From a long-term health standpoint, however, having a female spayed before its first estrus is the best way to avoid aging health problems.
Undesirable male behavior usually begins soon after six months of age. Male dogs not intended for breeding should be neutered as soon after six months of age as possible. Intact male cats usually develop behavioral traits that endanger their life and longevity. Having your male cat neutered may be a "lifesaving" procedure.
Given once monthly by mouth, Program® stops female fleas from producing live eggs. Program® can effectively reduce flea numbers in the environment and works best in animals maintained in tightly controlled areas (like houses and enclosed yards) with minimal opportunity for exposure to other animals who might bring in "fresh" flea populations.
Applied once monthly (usually on the pet's skin between its shoulder blades) these products spread over the skin and kill fleas for extended periods. Products available include Advantage®, Advantage Multi® & K9 Advantix®(dogs only), Frontline®, Defend®(dogs), and Revolution®. Frontline products and K9 Advantix® have added advantage in that they are also effective in tick control. Frontline Plus® is also available and contains an additional ingredient that helps render the flea eggs incapable of hatching. K9 Advantix® also controls flea eggs and larval fleas.
This is a newer flea medicine that has so far been introduced only for cats in the United States, but was recently approved for dogs as well. It is applied to the shoulderblades of the cat and directly on the skin. Promeris® is distributed by Fort Dodge Animal Health. It uses an ingredient called metaflumizone, which is a new approach that has not been used in flea medicine before. It works by damaging the nerves of fleas, preventing signals from properly going through their nervous system
Also a newer environmentally friendly flea medicine currently available for and approved only for dogs. It is administered as a once monthly oral treat tablet. Comfortis® is distributed by Elanco Animal Health. Its active ingredient, spinosad is purported to be very low in toxic side-effects and effective for a full four weeks when used as directed. Spinosad causes paralysis of the flea's nervous system resulting in the flea's death. Comfortis® is solely for flea control.
Fleas and ticks must be exposed to control products for a time before they are forced off of the host pet. Finding an occasional flea or unattached tick does not mean your flea control is inadequate.
There is no single best way to keep ticks from attempting to imbed in your pet's skin. Even the very best control measures still allow an occasional tick to be found. That is why daily inspection of your pet, paying careful attention to areas around the head and ears, armpits, and between toes is essential. Any parasites discovered should be carefully removed.
Preventic® tick collars for dogs are a forward step in tick control. Medication from the collar absorbed systemically by your dog usually is quite effective in keeping ticks from attaching. Preventic® tick collars are not available for cats.
Microscopic heartworm larvae are transmitted from infected dogs to susceptible ones by mosquitoes. The mosquito ingests blood from the infected host. Any ingested heartworm larvae undergo life cycle changes within the mosquito to become "infective larvae". These are then injected into previously uninfected dogs as the mosquito bites and feeds, and develop over time into adult heartworms.
Adult heartworms cause great damage over time to the host's heart and lungs. Cardiac failure eventually occurs and leads to difficulty breathing, exercise intolerance and generalized weakness. Circulating microfilaria (baby heartworms) also can cause kidney and liver damage. If untreated, canine heartworm disease often leads to death.
Preventive medications are available for once monthly administration. These medications act in slightly different biochemical ways, but each works to prevent adult heartworm development within the host. Common monthly heartworm preventatives that are administered orally include Heartgard®, Intercepter®, or Iverhart®. Revolution® is a "spot-on" product that is labeled as effective for heartworm prevention, and is applied topically once monthly. The doctor will advise you on the best means of control for your pet.
Definitely not, especially if you intend to keep your cat inside the house all, or part of, the time. However, unless you are absolutely sure your cat will never leave the house, we recommend removal of the front claws only, because back claws allow cats the climbing power to avoid injury. Declawed cats will still "pad" with their feet, and do not appear to be psychologically altered by not having front claws. The declawing procedure is safe and relatively pain-free, and post-surgical complications are rare.
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