Preventative Health Care

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Preventable disease is on the rise since 2006, there has been a 36% increase in canine diabetes and a 16% increase in feline diabetes. Heartworm disease, dental disease and the diseases associated with fleas and ticks are also increasing in prevalence.
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Routine preventive care visits are the best way to stay on top of good health and to catch underlying illnesses as early as possible.
Conversations about lifestyle, diet and behavior in addition to diagnostic testing are critical to ensure your pets maintain a healthy life. Because animals can't say when something is wrong, sick pets don't visit the veterinarian until their illness is well established and the pet is showing outward signs.

Preventive care visits:

• Establish and monitor individual baseline values. Performed early in life, preventive care testing provides a baseline for interpretation of data obtained at subsequent visits and can establish trends that are more specific to individual pets.
• Spot slight abnormalities in results and perform further diagnostics, if needed, in a timely manner.
• Ensure vaccines and preventives are up-to-date and provide necessary services, as needed.

 

​Canine Vaccine Protocol:

• DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo, and Parainfluenza) should be given every 2-4 weeks starting at 6-8 weeks old through 16 weeks old, then a 1 year booster, then 3 year boosters there after.​
  • If starting late or as an adult, a minimum of 2 vaccines is recommended before annual boosters

• Rabies is typically given at 12 weeks. Rabies has a 1 year booster, then 3 year boosters there after
• Lyme and Lepto are initially given at 12-16 weeks, a booster 2-4 weeks later, then given annually
• Bordetella (the kennel cough vaccine) has one initial vaccine at 6-8 weeks old, then given every 6-12 months depending on the rules of your chosen boarding facility
• Bivalent Influenza (Flu) is initially given at 12-16 weeks, but can be started at any age. It needs two doses, 2-4 weeks apart. Subsequent boosters are administered annually.

Feline Vaccine Protocol:

• FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia) should be given every 2-4 weeks starting at 6-8 weeks old through 16 weeks old, then a 1 year booster, then 3 year boosters there after.
  • If starting late or as an adult, a minimum of 2 vaccines is recommended before annual booster.
• Rabies is typically given at 12 weeks. Rabies is given annually here at SVH with the PureVax Rabies vaccine for cats. You may request a 3 year vaccine, but it increases the risk for a fibrosarcoma (cancerous lesion) at the injection site.
• FeLV (Feline Leukemia) is usually only given annually to outdoor cats who are more likely to come into contact with this virus. 

​***As of December 1st, 2023, Salem Veterinary Hospital will be requiring the following vaccines for all healthy patients who will be staying in the clinic for more than the length of a single veterinary appointment (for example, boarding, baths, drop offs, surgeries, etc.) unless exempt by a veterinarian.***

• Canine
  • Rabies
  • DHPP
  • Bordetella
  • Influenza
• Feline
  • Rabies
  • FVRCP

Heartworm & Tick-borne Disease Screenings

Every dog should be tested annually for heartworms and tick-borne diseases. 
AND every pet should be on a heartworm preventative and a flea & tick preventative ALL YEAR LONG! (Free puppy doses offered at your pet's first visit! *See details.)

• Heartworm disease: Spread by mosquitos with infected larvae. Larvae develop in the animal into adult worms that live in the heart and its vessels. ​Click here for more details on heartworm disease!
• Anaplasmosis: Carried by the deer tick or black-legged tick. Can cause low platelet and white blood cell counts, as well as chronic joint pain and possible neurological signs if left untreated.
• Ehrlichiosis: Carried by the lone star tick or brown dog tick. Can lead to autoimmune diseases, bleeding complications, and even permanent blindness if left untreated.
• Lyme disease:  Carried by the deer tick or black-legged tick. Can damage the joints and kidneys and cause possible neurological signs if left untreated.

Testing for FIV and Feline Leukemia

Indoor cats should be tested as kittens. Outdoor cats should be tested yearly, as their risk is highly increased.

• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus: Primarily spread through bite wounds, FIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, impairing its ability to fight infections. Approximately 2-5% of healthy indoor cats in the US are infected, but the incidence can be as high as 24% in free-roaming outdoor cats.
• Feline Leukemia:  FeLV can take two forms- one that attacks the immune system and one that develops as a cancer. Cats that do not develop the disease at the time of exposure may become potential carriers, infecting other cats via the litter box, food/water dishes, through feces, and during lactation.

Yearly Intestinal Parasite Screenings

Hookworms: can cause blood loss, weight loss, diarrhea, failure to thrive, severe anemia, and even death
Roundworms: symptoms can include expelling roundworms through vomit or feces, abdominal discomfort, poor hair coat, failure to gain weight, pot-bellied appearance, and death when large numbers obstruct the intestines
Whipworms: can cause bloody diarrhea, weight loss, dehydration, anemia, and in extreme cases, death 
Coccidia: can cause bloody, watery, diarrhea, weight loss, and blood loss
Giardia: symptoms can include, diarrhea, failure to gain weight, dehydration, vomiting, and poor coat appearance

The Importance of Microchipping

• Save This Life has patented a way to use a quick Google search to help you find your lost pet! Each Save This Life microchip number is searchable online. When someone finds a pet and searches the microchip number, they can privately contact the pet owner through text and email. The pet owner also receives a GPS map powered by Google Maps of where the person who found their pet is located!

Spay and Neuter

• If you've ever visited any animal shelter, you've seen some of the thousands of pets each year who are homeless, and many of them run out of time and are euthanized. You can't save them all, but you can help prevent pet overpopulation by spaying or neutering your pet.
• Spayed pets  are at much lower risk for ovarian cancers and cysts, mammary gland tumors, and uterine infections. Unspayed females are also more likely to exhibit inappropriate urine marking during their heat cycles.
• Neutered males are less susceptible to prostate disease and testicular cancer. Castrated males are often more affectionate and people-oriented, and neutering your pet usually keeps him from marking in your home to mark his territory. 

*New pets will receive a free heartworm preventative dose (one month supply) in their size during their first visit at SVH. Cats and dogs must be less than one year old to receive free dose. Only one free dose allowed per pet.