Wishing you a safe, happy and healthy holiday season and new year! |
| Annual Care for Dogs |
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We all know that preventing disease or catching it in its early stages is far better than treating it once it has had time to progress. Preventive health care on a regular basis will save your pet from needless suffering. Annual Physical Exam Physical examinations are recommended for pets once a year. If your dog is older or has medical problems they may need more frequent exams. A year is a long time in a dog's life. Assuming our pets will live to their early teens receiving a yearly exam means they will only have about thirteen check-ups in a lifetime. During your dog's annual physical exam you should review these aspects of your dog's health with your veterinarian:
Vaccinations You may have heard about the current controversies regarding vaccinating dogs and cats. Some researchers believe we do not need to vaccinate annually for most diseases. How often we should vaccinate for each specific disease in adult animals has not yet been determined. We do not know how long the protection from a vaccine lasts. It may be 5 years for one disease and 3 years for another, and less than 2 years for another. Almost all researchers agree puppies need at least three combination vaccinations repeated at one year of age. They also agree rabies vaccinations must continue to be given according to local ordinances. Experts generally agree the core vaccines for dogs include distemper, canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis and respiratory disease), canine parvovirus-2, and rabies. Non-core vaccines include leptospirosis, coronavirus, canine parainfluenza andBordetella bronchiseptica (both are causes of 'kennel cough'), and Borrelia burgdorferi (causes Lyme Disease). Researchers at the Veterinary Schools at the University of Minnesota, Colorado State University, and University of Wisconsin suggest alternating vaccinations in dogs from year to year. Instead of using combination vaccines (vaccines against more than one disease), they recommend using vaccines with only one component, e.g., a vaccine that only contains parvovirus. So, one year your dog would be vaccinated against distemper, the next year against canine adenovirus-2, and the third year against parvovirus. Then the cycle would repeat itself. Other researchers believe we may not have enough information to recommend only vaccinating every 3 years. As with cat vaccines, manufacturers of dog vaccines have not changed their labeling which recommends annual vaccinations. Again, each dog owner must make an informed choice of when to vaccinate, and with what. Consult with your veterinarian to help you make the decision. Heartworm Testing When and how often pets should be tested for heartworm infection is also a matter of debate. In making a decision on when to test, we must consider how common heartworm disease is where the pet lives, what heartworm preventive the pet is receiving, and how long the mosquito season lasts. The American Heartworm Society (AHS) advises all adult dogs being started on a heartworm preventive for the first time should be tested. In addition, all dogs should be tested annually for heartworm infection. In the past, if a dog had been on preventive methods routinely, it was not considered necessary to test every year, perhaps only every two to three years. Because of reports of animals on preventives that still contracted heartworms, the AHS recommends a more conservative testing routine. It may be too difficult to document when an animal hasn't been checked in three years, and therefore, annual testing will ensure that an infection is caught in plenty of time to effectively manage it. Control of Intestinal Parasities As with vaccinations and heartworm testing, you will find different opinions on when or if fecal examinations should be performed and when or if pets should receive regular 'dewormings.' Decisions on testing and worming should be based on circumstances such as:
Regular deworming is recommended by the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists (AAVP), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC). Control of Intestinal Parasities for Puppies
Nursing Dams Adult Dogs Newly Acquired Animals Roundworms and hookworms of dogs can cause serious disease in people, especially children who may not have good hygiene habits. Treating your dog for worms is important for your pet's health as well as your own. Many veterinarians would agree that at a minimum, dogs should have an annual fecal examination performed. Fecal examinations are advantageous. By having a fecal examination performed, you will know if your dog has intestinal parasites. If she does, you may need to change her environment and access to other animals. You will also know what type of parasites she has so the proper medication will be selected to kill all of them. Geriatric Screening Many veterinarians are starting to recommend screening tests for our older pets. Diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, and some hormonal diseases occur much more frequently in older animals. Blood tests and sometimes radiographs are helpful to test for these conditions and identify them before severe and irreversible damage is done. An abnormal result means we can diagnose and treat the condition early. Normal results are helpful in giving us a baseline with which we can compare future results. Many of our older animals are also on medications and may require tests to evaluate the medication level and potential harmful effects on various organs. Oral health is also extremely important in our older pets, so they may require more frequent dental check-ups.If you have an older dog, discuss these options with your veterinarian. In summary, annual exams along with recommended blood screening in older animals, vaccinations, heartworm testing, and parasite control will help your dog live a happier and longer life. |
