All companions benefit from preventative care. This is care to prevent or lessen an illness. Following the correct preventative care protocol can improve, lengthen and even save your companion’s life.
Dental Health
Daily care of our teeth and gums is important for our general health. The same is true for pets. Over 80% of dogs and 70% of cats over 4 years old suffer from periodontal disease, a condition in which bacteria attack the gums. The best way to prevent your pet from developing this disease is proper dental health.
The American Veterinary Dental Society recommends a full dental cleaning every six months for your pet (the same recommendation that your dentist gives you). With proper home care, your pet may not need professional dental cleanings as frequently.
Brushing your companion’s teeth is by far the best home care available. Brushes reach between teeth and gums to remove tiny deposits of food. We have toothbrushes that are designed specifically to conform to your pet’s mouth, as well as finger brushes for small dogs and cats. In most cases, only the outside portion (cheek side) of the teeth needs to be brushed; the tongue side is usually kept clean by normal tongue activity and saliva. Starting your brushing regimen when your pet is a puppy or kitten will result in greater levels of cooperation.
For those pets that will not allow anyone to touch their teeth, there are dental products that can be sprayed into the mouth as an anti-plaque wash or applied to a cloth and rubbed on the teeth and gums.
Some pets want no part of preventative dental care. For these animals, dental treats may be the best option. There are rawhides for dogs and freeze-dried catfish treats for cats, both types treated with enzymatic dentifrice to help remove plaque. CET Dental Products make dental health easy. Hills T/D dog and cat food will also help remove plaque from the chewing teeth, but should only be fed to pets that are starting with clean teeth, as it may push plaque below the gum line.
For more information on dental health, please visit our Dental Prophylaxis & Procedures page and our Dental Health Products page.
Vaccinations
Maintaining a proper vaccination schedule is very important to your companion’s help. Vaccinations not only protect your companion from disease, but they help protect you as well. Some diseases and parasites are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted between species (for example, rabies & leptospirosis). Intestinal parasites are also zoonotic and can be prevented by having your companion’s stool checked at least once a year. Below is more information on our vaccination protocol.
Please click here for information on vaccination protocol for pets.
