Frequently Asked Questions

• When should new puppies and kittens come in for their first visit?

  Puppies should have their initial examination around 6-8 weeks and kittens around 9 weeks of age if there are no signs of any problems or concerns. Multiple immunizations at different visits will be required to get your new pet’s immune system ready for exposure to the environment outside your home. Puppies and kittens are highly susceptible to viruses, infections, and/or parasites and proper early care and screening help to give your new baby the best start in life..

• What should I know about spaying or neutering my pet?

  Animal Medical Center recommends that all pet dogs and cats be spayed or neutered preferably around 4-6 months of age. There are numerous and well-documented health benefits gained by having your dog spayed or neutered. The “spay” procedure is a total hysterectomy (surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus). The neuter procedure for male patients is the surgical removal of the testis (site of sperm production). We take pride in going the extra mile to enhance safety and minimize pain by including state of the art screening practices, patient monitoring, and pain control techniques for EVERY surgery patient. Please contact us for more detailed information about these very important surgical procedures for your pet.

• How do dogs and cats get heartworm disease?

  Heartworms are transmitted via mosquito bites to infect dogs AND cats. Once bitten by the mosquito, microscopic larvae are injected into your pet’s skin. It takes about 6 months for these larvae to mature and be detected with heartworm testing. The more bites; the more heartworm larvae transferred. Please contact us to discuss the best way to prevent this life-threatening infection in your pet. A simple blood test is available for both dogs and cats. For more trustworthy and accurate information on heartworm disease please follow our link to the American Heartworm Society website.

• What are the most common dental problems in pets?

  Over 70% of all dogs and cats over five years of age suffer from periodontal disease, which means that they have loss of the supporting structures of the teeth. In most cases this process is uncomfortable, and it will eventually lead to problems such as loose teeth, bacteria in the blood stream, and damage to the kidneys, heart and liver. The majority of dogs and cats seen at this practice over the age of 5 have one or more painful teeth in their mouth.

• How safe is my pet’s procedure?

  Each individual procedure will vary from pet to pet and condition to condition. As with humans, the older the individual the more precaution needs to be taken. Typically a physical examination, review of the patients' medical history and blood work are recommended with older patients. These precautions will make a procedure as safe as possible with a senior pet.

• Why is it important that my pet has an examination or blood tests done yearly?

  The ratio of dog/cat years to human years is approximately 7:1. This means that if our pet has not been to the veterinarian in the past year, it is the equivalent of a human not having a check up in seven years.