Tag Archives: veterinary visits

Cat Care, Dog Care, General Care

Defeating Pet Odors in Your Home or Apartment

Do you find your home or apartment starting to smell a little too much like your pet? It’s not uncommon for our furry friends to leave a bit of an odor around our living spaces. Return your home to its former freshness with these tips from a Floyds Knob, IN veterinarian:

Brushing

Brushing your pet on a daily basis can do wonders for cutting down on odors. Not only does brushing remove loose and dead fur from the coat, trapping it in the brush and preventing it from winding up on the furniture and carpet, it spreads essential skin oils through the fur. This moisturizes the fur naturally, effectively reducing shedding before it can even begin. Ask your vet to recommend a good brush type for your pet’s fur consistency and length.

Bathing

One of the best ways to get your pet smelling fresh again is with a bath. Always use a safe canine- or feline-formulated shampoo, as human shampoos may be too strong for your pet’s sensitive skin. If your pet is new to bath time, ask your veterinarian for a few tips on getting started.

Be careful not to bathe your pet too often—this can actually backfire by drying out the skin, leading to more shedding instead of less. Your vet can tell you just how often bathing will be appropriate.

Odor Control Products

There is a wide variety of odor-control products out there on the market made just for pets. Head to your local pet supply store to pick them up. You can also use air fresheners to get your home smelling great again, but remember: air fresheners simply mask smells for a time, allowing them to return eventually. Products like odor neutralizers actually combat the enzymes that cause odors at their root.

Clean Pet’s Items

Wash your pet’s bed and toys on a regular basis. Not only does this keep things smelling fresh, it removes dander, plaque, and other detritus that may accumulate there. If an item can’t be tossed in the washing machine, gently hand wash it with warm soap and water in the sink.

Veterinary Visit

Still unable to get your home smelling fresh again thanks to your pet’s odor? It may be time for a visit to the vet’s office. Skin conditions and other medical maladies may be the root cause! Set up an appointment with your Floyds Knob, IN vet today.

Cat Care, Dog Care, General Care

Preventative Healthcare Basics for Cats and Dogs

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Preventative care is more effective, far safer, and more cost-effective than treatment. Here, your Georgetown, IN veterinarian goes over the basics of preventative healthcare for your dog or cat.

Pest Control

Is your pet on medications to protect against ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, and worms like heartworm and roundworm? This is an essential preventative care measure, because eradicating the infestations and infections these critters cause can be difficult. It’s much better for your pet to be protected against them initially; call your vet’s office if your pet needs these medications.

Vaccination

Have your pet vaccinated early on in life to prevent dangerous illnesses like parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis, leukemia, parainfluenza, and rabies. It’s far easier—and less expensive—to avoid these diseases in the first place rather than treat them. If you’ve recently adopted a young pet, or if you have an older pet who needs vaccinated, contact your vet’s office promptly to get an appointment set up.

Quality Diet and Regular Exercise

We don’t often think of diet and exercise as preventative healthcare measures, but they are just that. Feeding your pet a high-quality food throughout their lifetime is one of the best ways to keep all body parts and functions healthy. Having them exercise on a regular basis is key for staving off obesity, keeping the body fit, and maintaining mental stimulation and good behavior. Talk to your vet for specific recommendations on your cat or dog’s dietary needs and exercise routine.

Spay or Neuter

Having your pet spayed or neutered early on in life is about more than preventing unwanted litters and helping to control the homeless pet population (although it works perfectly to those ends, too!). Pets who remain intact are far more likely to be diagnosed with genital cancers or other forms of cancer, like prostate and breast cancer. UTIs and other common ailments are also more likely in pets who haven’t been spayed or neutered. If your pet needs the procedure performed, call your vet’s office to schedule the surgery.

Veterinary Visits

Don’t forget: another key part of ongoing preventative healthcare and overall wellness is regular visits to the vet’s office. Your veterinarian can keep your pet’s overall health in tip-top shape when they see your animal friend regularly. Contact your Georgetown, IN animal clinic today—we’re here to serve all of your pet care needs!

Cat Care, Dog Care, General Care

Lengthen Your Pet’s Life with These 5 Essential Tips

What pet owner wouldn’t want to maximize the time they have with their beloved animal companion? Use these five tips, as discussed by your Floyds Knob, IN vet, to keep your furry friend around for as long as possible.

Veterinary Visits

The importance of regular veterinary visits cannot be stressed enough. They allow your veterinarian to catch any health problems early, before they’re allowed to develop into major medical issues. Office visits also let your vet keep you updated on the latest pet-care techniques and insights. Most veterinarians recommend that they see pets at least twice a year, so set up an appointment today.

Preventative Medicine

Vaccinations and preventative pest medications are two of the best ways to keep your pet healthy throughout their lifetime. Vaccinations protect against worrisome and costly disease, and pest medications avoid the hassles of infestations and infections. If your pet needs vaccines, booster shots on the vaccines they already have, or preventative medications against fleas, ticks, or parasites, call your vet.

Quality Diet

Feeding your pet an age-appropriate, well-balanced diet throughout their lifetime is key to maintaining good health over the years. Ask your veterinarian to recommend a premium cat or dog food for your pet, and see if specially formulated diets for specific health benefits would be useful. Also be sure to ask about proper portion sizes and scheduled mealtimes.

Regular Exercise

Every pet needs their exercise to stay healthy. Obesity is one of the leading causes of health issues amongst today’s domestic pet population; avoid it with regular exercise, coupled with a great diet. Take your pet on walks, romp around on the living room floor, or play fetch the backyard. However you accomplish it, be sure to get your pet moving for several minutes at a time, at least once per day.

Dental Health

Dental health is an often-overlooked aspect of pet care, and oral issues are some of the most commonly diagnosed medical problems in pets as a result. Don’t let your pet fall victim to the dangers of dental issues—check the teeth and gums regularly, brush your pet’s teeth with a canine- or feline-formulated toothpaste, and provide your pet with good chew toys to help scrape off excess plaque before it can harden into tartar.

Your Floyds Knob, IN veterinarian is here to answer any further questions you have about your pet’s health and well-being. Call the clinic today!

Dog Care, General Care, General Health

Is Your Dog’s Shedding Becoming Excessive?

Shedding is a natural part of life for most dogs, but an excessive degree of shedding isn’t normal. If you’ve noticed an increase in the amount of dog hair on your furniture and in your carpets, use these tips from your Floyds Knob, IN veterinarian to address the issue.

See Your Veterinarian

Before doing anything, make an appointment to see your veterinarian. Various medical issues could be linked to your dog’s excessive shedding, including parasites, allergies, infection, and many more. This is especially likely if it seems as though your dog’s shedding amount has increased dramatically in the course of a few days or weeks. Your vet can tell you if anything is amiss; even if it isn’t, you can move on to other options without worrying about your dog’s health.

Provide a Great Diet

What goes into your dog is very important for how he or she looks on the outside. A proper diet is essential for great skin and fur health; ensure that you’re feeding your canine companion a nutritionally balanced, high-quality dog food that is appropriate for his or her age, breed, weight, and overall body condition. A senior dog, for instance, needs quite different food than a puppy. If you’d like a recommendation on what to feed your pooch, call your vet’s office.

Brush

Daily brushing sessions can do wonders to cut down on the amount of fur that your dog sheds, thereby preventing it from winding up on your carpets and living room chairs. Use a dog-specific brush and run it through your dog’s coat every day. This will remove loose and dead fur, smooth out tangles, and moisturize the fur with essential skin oils. Of course, it will also keep your dog looking and feeling like a million bucks!

Bathe

The occasional bath can also be useful to remove loose fur, keep your dog smelling fresh, and have them look their best. Use a canine-formulated shampoo—available at vets’ offices, pet supply shops, and some retail outlets—as human shampoo may be too strong for your pooch’s sensitive skin. Be careful not to over-bathe, though, as bathing too frequently can actually backfire and dry out the skin, leading to more shedding instead of less.

Would you like recommendations on a great pet brush or dog shampoo for your canine companion? Want more advice on reducing your dog’s shedding? Contact your Floyds Knob, IN vet.