Posts Tagged: healthy pets
Spring Forward With Healthy Pets!
Along with an annual exam, wellness bloodwork provides insight to what is going on inside your pet.
Testing can reveal:
- Infection
- Liver disease
- Renal/kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Dehydration
- Thyroid abnormalities
Dogs and cats over the age of 8 have the greatest benefits to receiving this bloodwork. Many times pets appear normal upon physical examination, and their abnormalities on the inside go undetected without bloodwork.
The process of disease development in pets can be slow. When an organ system starts to fail, that organ will compensate to bring function back to normal. Overtime, this compensation mechanism will fail as well, and the pet will become ill. Once the pet is in organ failure, treatment options are limited and prognosis is poor.
The good news is if caught early, three out of four pets have abnormalities that can be treated! Bloodwork is collected in the clinic and sent out to our lab. Results come back in 1-2 business days. During the month of April we are offering $15 off wellness bloodwork for our patients.
4 Ways to Keep Your Dog’s Joints Healthy
It may only be November, but the cold weather has made an early appearance this year. With the blowing snow and frigid temperatures, it’s easy for us to fall into a routine of warming up under a blanket by the fire or reading a book with a cup of coffee. Many times, our pets don’t want to go outside any more than we do. When we become sedentary, it can be harsh on our joints. This is also true for our pets. Just like our doctor encourages us to get exercise and take vitamins, there are several things you can do to keep your pet’s joints healthy as well.
1. Exercise. Take advantage of those warm, sunny days when they are here by taking your dog for a short walk. Keep your dog active
indoors with interactive games. Try hiding treats throughout the house and encourage him to sniff out the treats. Play fetch or tug if you have a room big enough. Doggy daycare is another good way to get them exercise and stimulation with other dogs.
2. Synovi G4: This is a chewable supplement filled with glucosamine, turmeric and antioxidants to help keep your pet’s joints healthy. It’s as easy as giving him a treat! We carry these supplements in the clinic and are
easily purchased with a prescription at SDMVC.
3. Acupuncture: This can help with a variety of health problems in pets. Acupuncture is performed by the insertion of fine needles into specific points on the body to stimulate specific points on the body. It can be very beneficial for dogs that have joint pain. We offer acupuncture at South Des Moines Veterinary Center with Dr. Franck.
4. Therapeutics: We have a wide variety of prescription medications that can help your dog’s joints if needed from anti-inflammatory medications to pain medications.
If you would like to discuss your pet’s joint health care, set up an appointment today!