Creating a flea-free environment - Lafayette Veterinary Care Center

Reaux Animal Hospital
2106 W. Old Spanish Trail
New Iberia, LA 70560
337-364-2811
www.ReauxVets.com
Lafayette Veterinary Care Center
110 Perard Street
Lafayette, LA 70503
337-984-7611
www.LafayetteVets.com
NEWSLETTER
SUMMER 2016
Creating a flea-free environment
First and foremost, all pets whether indoors or outdoors need flea prevention
every 30 days. The most effective preventatives kill the eggs and larvae of
fleas (such as Sentinel or Sentinel Spectrum for dogs) because they prevent
new fleas from maturing, however adulticides (such as Revolution for cats,
or Frontline and Trifexis for dogs) remain a good choice to kill existing fleas.
You’ll create a more effective guard against fleas if you treat your home environment
the same day you treat your pet.
You can do this by:
•
Identifying areas in your yard that pets or wildlife may frequent, such as crawl
spaces under the deck, porches, shrubs or trees or other areas, and try to
prevent them from future access.
•
Vacuuming and steam cleaning your carpets and upholstery to remove flea
eggs, larvae and pupae. Make sure to dispose of the vacuum bag – fleas can
still hatch in it after you’ve finished.
•
Spraying a product that kills flea eggs, larvae and adult fleas to treat your house,
garage, yard and kennel. (We carry pet and family safe versions of these!)
Frustrated or confused about fleas? We’re not and we’re standing by to help. Call
or come by for solutions!
Summer’s here! Time for travel and
we know that often means with
your pet. Follow us on Pinterest at
Lafayette Vets for many great pet
travel tips and tricks.
Follow u
s on
Pinteres
t
Trend Alert! Doga (Yoga
for You and Your Dog) is
a Thing!
They begin with play bows, tail tips
wiggling high overhead. Then they
push out their chests and extend
their back legs so far I think surely,
one of them is going to fall over.
Next they transition to a “ski jump,”
in which she thrusts out her back
legs like a skier flying off the ramp.
This is a signature doga routine for a
beginner and it’s trending like crazy
right now for good reason.
Pet Travel Safety Tips
Going on a trip and want to take along your
furry family member? Here are a few tips
to help everything run smoothly and safely:
•
Pets should be safely confined in a
well ventilated crate large enough to
comfortably stand, sit, and turn around.
Crates should be secured and not able to
slide or shift in the event of an abrupt stop.
•
NEVER leave your pet alone in a parked car.
•
Be prepared with food, water, bowls,
medications, waste disposal bags, first aid
supplies, leash, etc.
•
Stop frequently for bathroom breaks and
leg stretching.
•
Plan out your route and choose pet friendly
hotels to break up long trips.
•
When travelling by air, check with the airline
to ensure you have the proper approved
carrier labeled with the proper identification.
•
Schedule an appointment with your
veterinarian for a check-up prior to
departure. Depending on the destination,
a health certificate may be needed for travel.
Be sure to plan in advance, especially if
travelling internationally.
Enjoy the ride!
Amanda Cason, DVM
Doga is a partner yoga class that
people do with their dogs for relaxation
and strength building. Like yoga, doga
balances, harmonizes, purifies and
transcends the body and mind. What
makes doga unique is the practice and
benefits that create a harmony and
synchronization of energy flow between
the owner and dog together. The
bonding that occurs in these moments
between dog and owner can have
tremendous health benefits for both.
As veterinarians, we see many additional
benefits to doga too. From teaching
your dog to allow you to touch any part
of his body, including his paws and
toes, to the therapeutic, gentle muscle
stretches and pain relieving benefits.
Being in close contact with your
dog’s body provides an opportunity
for regular health check as well. By
running your hands over your pets
body, under their legs and belly, you’re
more likely to detect abnormalities and
monitor change. Senior and physically
handicapped dogs can also benefit
from doga as long as the routine is
adapted to their needs.
Namaste.
Allison Habetz, CVPM
Exercise crucial to pain-free cats
One key to help cats be less painful as they age is to keep their weight at
an optimal level. More pounds equals more weight on a cat’s tender frame.
Additionally, inactivity makes aging more difficult and painful for your cats.
Instead keep them active! Daily physical exercise through play and hunting for food
(a natural instinct) may be the best thing you can do to promote muscle strength,
joint flexibility and overall health in your cats. Try introducing toys to your cat again.
You’ll both love it! Also consider breaking up their meals into smaller dishes and
hiding them through the house to encourage hunting.
Your Pet May Be Contributing to a LARGE Statistic
The United States has one of the highest percentages of the population that are clinically obese. Unfortunately, our canine
and feline companions are trending in the same direction. Obesity can be described as a nutritional disease that affects
animals with excess body fat.
Animals that are 10-15% over the breed
standard weight or have a body condition
score of greater than 7 out of 9 are considered
to be clinically obese. The telltale signs of an
obese pet are weight gain, unwillingness to
exercise, excess body fat, difficulty breathing,
and an above average body condition score.
Middle aged dogs that have been neutered,
and indoor cats between the ages of 5 and 10
are most at risk. Obese pets are faced with
increased health concerns including, but
not limited to, bone and joint problems,
digestive issues, breathing issues and
diabetes mellitus.
For the most part, what causes obesity is too
many groceries and not enough fat burning
exercise. An indoor lifestyle, and metabolism
alteration, due to neutering, are other contributing
factors for the fight against obesity. Although
this is the most commonly seen scenario for
an obese pet, weight gain can also be seen in
cases of hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism,
and insulinomas. When experiencing weight
gain, weather it is believed to be diet-related or
not, ask for help from your veterinarian.
After other causes of weight gain have been
ruled out, it’s time to turn to diet and exercise.
Diets that are rich in dietary protein and fiber,
but low in fat, are typically going to give the
best results in terms of weight loss, while
maintaining a reasonable feeling of fullness.
Diets such as Purina OM and DCO, Hill’s
w/d, and Royal Canin Weight Control are all
excellent choices.
Regular exercise is also encouraged and
can be good for us as well! Cats can be
reluctant walking on leash, but may prefer
to be engaged by laser pointers, which is
enjoyable for all parties involved.
Treating your obese dog or cat can present
its own challenges. It’s at this time that
our pets depend on us to look after their
own good. By adhering to strict diets,
and increasing exercise when able, we
are fulfilling our commitments as owner to
provide them with happy and healthy lives.
Dr. Garrott Van Bebber
Now offering
Breed Specific
Life Plans
Our group of veterinarians know each unique breed’s related
needs and hereditary risks, and believe in screening and
treating each pet individually based on these inherent risks.
Early diagnosis can make the difference in a pet’s quality of
life and help pet parents keep down the costs of health care.
For all future routine care visits with our office, we will offer your pet
an individually composed Life Plan outlining the predicted care and
early detection screenings needed to prolong your pet’s life. Have
a mixed breed dog or cat? That’s ok, these life plans are custom
designed by our veterinarians for mixed breeds based on size and
recognizable breed characteristics for both cats and dogs!
Preparing for
July 4th festivities
Many pets become lost
on July 4 because they’re
scared and run away during
festivities and fireworks.
Avoid bringing pets, even if
leashed to firework showsthis can be very stressful to
them. Keep your pets safe
and provide them with safe
comfortable places to be
such as secure rooms, crates
or kennels.
But just in case they get out
or loose despite your best
measures, a microchipped
pet is many times more likely
to be reunited with their
family. If your pet isn’t already
chipped, now’s a good time
to microchip them.
Since our offices will be
closed on July 3-4, call ahead
(now) to arrange for anxiety
Are You Going Green?
For years now our offices have made a concerted
effort to operate in a green fashion by maintaining
paperless records and utilizing green vendors and
waste companies.
As our practice has grown, we’re aware that
many of our communications with you, our clients,
are not green, which can be the preference of
Lafayette Veterinary Care Center
337-984-7611
info@lafayettevets.com
many. Starting this July we’ll transition to sending
this newsletter letter exclusively by email and
facebook. For those of you who still prefer paper
(you’re not alone!) We’re happy to mail you a copy
each quarter if you let us know!
Request your future paper newsletters by calling,
emailing or mailing the voucher below to:
Reaux Animal Hospital
337-364-2811
info@reauxvets.com
Request for a Paper Newsletter
Complete this coupon below and mail back to 110 Perard Street, Lafayette LA 70503
Name:Check the hospital you routinely attend
Address:
Lafayette Veterinary Care Center
Reaux Animal Hospital
remedies or tranquilizers for
pets who suffer from severe
anxiety during fireworks.