The best way to keep your pet healthy is to prevent it from getting sick. Following good preventive health guidelines will keep your furry friend active longer and by your side more often.
An annual medical exam is the cornerstone of good preventive health. Since pets age faster than people, an annual exam with a comparison to previous exams helps veterinarians notice and react to changes quickly. During this exam, we will ask questions about your pet's diet, exercise, thirst, behavior, habits, elimination patterns, and lifestyle, as well as take a detailed look at the body's systems: mouth, eyes, ears, nose, throat, heart, lungs, belly, bladder, muscles, and more. Based on the exam and history, we will make individual recommendations to optimize health for your pet.
Lexington Animal Hospital recommends vaccines in accordance with the American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) and American Association of Feline Practitioners' (AAFP) guidelines. All dogs should have core vaccines (Rhinotracheitis, Calici, Panleukopenia, and non-adjuvanted Rabies vaccine), as well as lifestyle-dependent vaccines. All cats should have core vaccines (Rhinotracheitis, Calici, Panleukopenia, non-adjuvanted Rabies vaccine), and kittens and outdoor cats should be vaccinated against Feline Leukemia Virus.
Flea infestations result in severe skin infections and rashes, severe anemia , as well as transmit tapeworms, Bartonella, (the bacteria responsible for Cat Scratch Disease in humans), and Mycoplasma. Ticks are tiny arachnids (spiders) that survive by biting and feeding on many different animal species. Ticks spread many different debilitating diseases, such as Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Tularemia to both dogs and cats, as well as humans. Cats and Dogs can carry ticks into your home exposing you and your children to tick bites. In 2016 in Rockbridge County, 1 in 4 dogs tested positive for Lyme Disease, 1 in 5 dogs tested positive for Ehrlichia, and 1 in 32 dogs tested positive for Anaplasma.
Contrary to popular belief, a least one of the many tick species will be active year round in Rockbridge County, and pets require year-round tick prevention!
There are many different flea and tick preventatives available, some which can be applied topically, given orally, or embedded in a collar. Lexington Animal Hospital carries only FDA approved-products that are not only guaranteed to protect your pet but also incredibly safe for both you and your pet.
Learn more about Flea and Tick diseases in your area.
Heartworms are injected into a cat of dog's body through mosquito bites. Heartworms take six months to migrate through an animal's body before maturing into adults that live in the arteries around the heart. These adults cause severe damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver. Because mosquitos are active for the majority of the year in this area, we recommend year-round heartworm prevention in both cats and dogs.
In addition, a major benefit of heartworm preventatives is the additional protection that they provide against roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and whipworms. These intestinal worms can cause vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and lethargy in dogs and cats. Most of these worms can also cause disease in people. Protecting your pet against these internal parasites will also keep you and your human family members safe.
Lexington Animal Hospital recommends regular screening for certain infectious diseases. All dogs should be screened yearly for heartworm, intestinal parasites, and tick-borne diseases. Tick-borne diseases are rampant in our area, with 30% of dogs testing positive for a tick-borne disease. All cats should be screened for intestinal parasites, and outdoor cats should be screened for FeLV and FIV, serious viral infections spread through bite wounds. Dogs and cats can get worms (intestinal parasites) that can cause serious disease in themselves as well as their human family members.
We are passionate about good, quality nutrition that supports your pet's needs, whether growth for puppies and kittens, increased caloric needs in working animals , or targeted nutrition for pets with medical conditions, such as kidney, liver, and urinary tract disease. We recommend brands that develop recipes, choose ingredients, and assess effectiveness based on rigorous scientific standards.
A microchip is a tiny permanent form of electronic identification, no bigger than a grain of rice. Microchips are implanted under your pet’s skin in just a few seconds and will help reunite your lost pet with your loving family. Any time a pet is presented to an animal authority without an owner, an employee of the veterinary hospital, shelter, rescue league or animal control will scan them for a microchip. The information from the microchip is linked to a national database which can help owners track down their microchipped pet.
At Lexington Animal Hospital, the veterinarian will take time to answer your questions. One thing that differentiates us is the attention that our veterinarians give to each case and time to each owner to make sure you are comfortable with your pet's treatment. We are happy to answer questions, have discussions on a range of health issues, and build plans together that work for your pet.
If you have a question about how or why we do medicine, please ask! We are proud of our work, and included education as a pillar of our mission with great intention. The more you know, the easier it is to keep your pet healthy!
Hours:
M, Tu, Th, F: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm
Wednesday: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat & Sun: closed
Phone:
540-463-2715
Address:
28 Bones Pl
Lexington, VA 24450
Email:
LAH@LexingtonAnimalHospital.vet