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In Preventative Care

Heartworm Prevention

Heartworm disease is a [wiki base=”EN”]mosquito[/wiki]-transmitted disease that affects thousands of dogs each year. Heartworm disease in dogs is quite common in most Australian states but the further north you travel the more prevalent the disease becomes. It is usual for dogs not on preventative treatments to become infected by heartworm during their lifespan.

After injection by a mosquito, adult worms eventually start to grow inside a dogs heart and lungs, causing very serious damage. Due to their large size, they become a major barrier to the free passage of blood through the heart and eventually this causes the heart to enlarge and weaken.

Most dog owners do not realise their pet has a problem until the disease is well advanced. It is only in the later stages, when the disease is difficult to treat, that the animals manifest the typical signs of advanced heartworm disease, such as a deep cough, weight loss, listlessness and weakness. Other symptoms may include a lack of appetite, shortness of breath and blood in the urine.

While heartworm is an extremely difficult disease to treat, it is very simple to prevent.

 

There are several choices:

  • Monthly heartworm medications are very popular and come in the form of either a tablet (chewable or regular) or a spot on preparation that is absorbed through the skin. Some monthly heartworm medications will include other active ingredients that also control worms and fleas. All monthly preparations are 100% effective providing the correct dose is given for the dogs’ weight and that it is given monthly without missing any treatments for the dog’s entire life. Remember there can be mosquitos all year round.
  • An attractive alternative to monthly heartworm medications has been the advent of the yearly heartworm injection. This eases the burden of remembering monthly medications and is now extremely popular, safe and also 100% effective. It is best staged with your dogs annual vaccinations and can be started as early as 3 months of age although due to the rapid growth of puppies an extra injection is given at 6 months of age.
In Preventative Care

Pet Dental Health – critically Important Stuff!!!

Pet Dentistry

Pet Dentistry

For most of us, caring for our teeth and gums has been part of our daily routine for as long as we can remember. If we don’t we risk not only having bad breath but also plaque build-up and gum disease. Just like you, your pet needs dental care too.
Teeth and gum problems are some of the most common conditions we see in dogs and cats with over 80% of animals over 4 years of age affected to some degree. The severity of gum disease is dependent not only on age but also on diet and breed with small dogs and cats being more commonly affected.

Just as importantly it has been shown that poor dental health can increase the incidence of heart, liver, and kidney disease, and that good dental health can add up to 4 years of life to your pet.

At Kalinga Park Vet Surgery we provide the highest standard of dental care available for your pet. Under general anaesthetic, your pet’s teeth and gums will be examined and the tartar removed using an ultrasonic scaler similar to what your dentist uses. All teeth are individually assessed for health and longevity and finally polished to have them looking their sparkling best.

After your pet’s procedure will discuss a preventative home dental care program for your pet. We stock a number of convenient prescription diets aimed at preventing tartar re-occurrence as well as other dental care products such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, specialised chew treats and mouth sprays.

So if you would like to say goodbye to bad breath for your pet and have their teeth bright and white again call the clinic for a dental check-up for your pet.