Wellness Care

Your pets well being is our priority so we are here for you and your pet every step of the way, seven days a week, with compassionate and experienced doctors, specialists, and technicians, as well as caring customer service representatives.

We want to ensure the healthy growth of your puppy or kitten with a comprehensive treatment plan that covers routine health visits, vaccines, follow-ups, spay and neuter information, dental care, or any health concerns that may arise. We will create a customized plan for your pet’s wellbeing with guidelines outlined especially for you. These include:

Physical Examination

The most important tool a veterinarian can offer you is an exam. That is why it is done at least once a year to make sure your pet is in good health and to catch any changes in your pet’s health early on. A full head to toe physical exam is done. They take an extensive history and go though your medical record. Recommendations are discussed based on those 3 important facts done during your pets exam.

Fecal Analysis

Your pet’s fecal sample is sent to the lab for processing via centrifugation (i.e. the process of separation through spinning) to check for intestinal parasites. Whether your pet goes outside or stays strictly indoors, your pet is susceptible to parasites simply by living in the city. As a precaution, we check your pet’s feces at least once a year, or whenever your pet has any symptoms of parasite infection.

Blood Work

Your pet’s blood is checked at least once a year. Pets age much faster than humans. One year is equivalent to several human years. Skipping one year of blood work is like not having a check up for ten years! Blood work screens your pet’s organ functions for any changes and abnormalities, can track any trends, and catch early signs of disease when it can be most treatable.

Vaccines

Vaccinations are important to keep your pet healthy. They prevent and protect. We recommend certain vaccines based on our community, your pet’s lifestyle and in accordance with official regulations.

They may include core vaccinations as well as “lifestyle based” vaccines. Core vaccines are required (or strongly recommended.) We suggest lifestyle vaccines if your pet will have an associated risk (that is, geographical or lifestyle based exposure) that would warrant additional vaccination protection.

The following vaccines are required or strongly recommended. It is advised that these vaccines are completed throughout the life of your pet:

Rabies (core vaccine)

New York State Law requires the rabies vaccine. Therefore it is a part of our core vaccine plan. The first vaccine is given to canines, around 16 weeks of age, and is then followed up with a booster at one year and then every three years after that. For cats, the rabies vaccine is given once a year starting at 16 weeks of age.

DA2PP/FVRCP (core vaccine)

A DA2PP (canine) or FVRCP (feline) is a combination vaccine of highly contagious and infectious diseases that can be transmitted between dogs and cats respectively — and can be fatal. This vaccine is also part of your pet’s core requirement. It is imperative to start this vaccine protocol around eight weeks of age and then be boostered at four-week intervals until 16 weeks of age to ensure proper immunity. After the series, this vaccine will offer protection for one year before it needs to be boostered. It then needs to be boostered every three years after that.

Bordetella (Canine Specific) (core vaccine)

Bordetella (also known as kennel cough) is a highly contagious disease, particularly for dogs that attend day care or go to dog parks. A Bordetella vaccine is given annually but in New York City, Bordetella is recommended and used to be required every six months.

Leptospirosis (Canine Specific) (core vaccine)

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans as well as animals and can be contracted through the urine of rodents that roam our city parks at night. We consider the Leptospirosis vaccine to be part of your pet’s required core vaccination based on potential exposure to leptospirosis at the many dog parks in our area.

If detected early, Leptospirosis is treatable. If not caught and treated appropriately this disease can be fatal. This vaccine must be boostered two to three weeks after its initial administration and then updated once a year.

The following vaccines are lifestyle-based. Your veterinary will advise you if vaccination is necessary

Lyme (Canine Specific) (lifestyle based vaccine)

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is contracted through the bite of certain species of tick. The Lyme vaccine is recommended for those dogs that travel to wooded areas, play in tall grass, or frequent areas that are known to contain ticks. Since deer are known carriers of the Lyme tick, dogs that go to areas inhabited by deer are particularly at risk. After this vaccine is given for the first time, it must be boostered two to four weeks after that. After the initial Lyme vaccine series is completed, it is then given annually.

Influenza (Canine Specific) (lifestyle based vaccine)

Canine influenza, also know as dog flu, is a highly contagious infection caused by an influenza virus. It is recommended to vaccinate your dog if your pet will be spending time in public spaces such as the dog park, group walks, or at a kennel facility. Like most vaccines, a second booster needs to be done within two to three weeks of the initial shot, and then boostered annually.

Year-Round Preventatives: Flea, Tick, and Heartworm Disease

Heartworm is a disease carried by infected mosquitos with the blood-borne parasite from an infected animal the bite of a mosquito can transfer the worm parasite is if your pet is unprotected. It then grows over time in your pet in your pet’s heart and arteries and can become as large as six to twelve inches long and live up to five years. Heartworm can be fatal to your pet.

The treatment for heartworm disease is costly, dangerous, and requires close monitoring and frequent veterinary visits. Prevention is not only easier but also cheaper and offers protection against other common gastrointestinal parasites. Heartworm prevention is easy and offered as a once a month tablet that can be started as early as eight weeks of age. We recommend year-round heartworm prevention.

Fleas

Fleas live in the environment and can pass from infected pet to pet, as well as from pet to human. Fleas feed off of the blood of their host and can cause a range of problems including scratching, skin irritation, and disease. Fleas live all year-round and thrive on the body of you and your pet. Fleas can also flourish in your carpet and furniture.

Spotting a flea on your pet can be difficult. If you suspect fleas, look for their fecal matter that appears as dark oval flakes on your pet’s belly or tail. The fecal matter will turn red on a wet paper towel because it contains blood.

A flea infestation is not only a nuisance but can also affect you and your family’s health and comfort. Prevention is easier and safer. A once a month preventative can be started as early as eight weeks of age and should be given over your pet’s lifetime.

Flea Facts:

Fleas have four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, adult.
A female flea can lay at least 20 eggs a day.
A flea can live more than 100 days without a blood meal.
Winter does not always kill fleas. Many larvae can survive periods of freezing temps when wrapped in their cocoons.
Pets with fleas can develop anemia, tapeworms and/or intense itchiness (pruritus).
Many pets are allergic to the flea saliva, which causes severe irritation and possible skin infection.

Ticks

Ticks live in tall grass and wooded areas, so it is important to check your pet thoroughly after visiting these environments. Ticks love to hide and can survive cold fall or winter temperatures, so but sure to check your pet’s ears, tail end, and belly year-round.

When a tick engorges itself in your pet for 48 hours or longer, it can potentially transmit a tick-borne disease. If your pet is unprotected, the likelihood of your pet contracting a disease, such as Lyme, is very high. If you ever suspect that a tick has been on your pet for longer than 24-48 hours, we suggest speaking with your veterinarian about sending a blood sample to the lab to ensure no tick-borne disease was transmitted. This blood test is usually taken four to six weeks after exposure.

Make sure to speak to your veterinarian about the different preventions available. We recommended a Lyme vaccine if travel to risky areas is in your pet’s future.

Dental Care

Your pet has deciduous teeth (baby teeth) that should fall out around six months of age so their permanent adult teeth can come in. However, you should start brushing those baby teeth now to get your pet accustomed to having their mouth handled, and their teeth brushed.

You may not notice your pet losing their teeth because they usually swallow them. But don’t worry it’s safe! Sometimes the adult teeth may come down and not push some of those baby teeth out. During the preoperative spay or neuter exam, we can determine if any deciduous teeth have not fallen out and remove them at the time of the spay or neuter surgery. It is important that all deciduous teeth be removed so they do not cause harm to the permanent teeth.

It is recommended to brush daily, but if that becomes a challenge, brushing every other day is better than nothing at all. Although there are a variety of dental toys and treats, nothing beats brushing for dental hygiene. Preventative dental care should be routine in the life of your pet to ensure that the gums and teeth stay as healthy as possible.

Dental disease can lead to many different health issues in your pet throughout its life. Preventative care can keep the buildup of plaque, tartar, and gingivitis at a minimum. Periodontal disease develops when tartar is not removed. Damage to the gums can cause pockets that develop into abscesses. The bacteria that grow in these pockets can lead to loss of teeth, bone loss, local infection, and focal infection that can result in other health issues with internal organs such as the lungs, kidneys, and heart.

Throughout the life of your pet, dental procedures will be recommended and provided when deemed necessary by one of our veterinarians. Your pet’s mouth will be physically examined during all routine examinations. Based on the periodontal disease stage of your pet’s mouth, we will advise you when the next dental procedure should occur.

If you know of (or even suspect) a broken tooth, smell bad breath, see red, irritated, or bleeding gums or swelling around the mouth or face, or suspect your pet is experiencing mouth pain, please call or office as soon as possible to book an appointment.