Healthy Cats
Any true cat aficionado will tell you that nobody owns a cat; we are instead merely permitted to share the same space, and are grateful for the opportunity. It is a common misperception that cats are "low maintenance" pets. Cats require special care and in return provide a special love. We recommend an indoor lifestyle for all of our cat patients. Cats that have access to the outdoors can benefit from special precautions to minimize the risks encountered outside of the home.
A healthy cat needs the following:
- Annual Physical Examinations
- A parasite detection and protection protocol
- A customized vaccination schedule
- A comprehensive oral hygiene regimen including professional dental cleanings
- Proper nutrition
- Exercise and mental stimulation
- Unconditional love
- A yearly comprehensive physical examination is the most valuable service we provide for your cat. Our veterinary team can work with you to customize a health care plan that is as individual as your pet. Part of our comprehensive examination includes a thorough account of your cat's lifestyle, risk factors, and symptoms- we call this a patient history. Use our Feline History form to help us to help your cat at his or her next appointment.
- Cats are susceptible to heartworm infections, even if they live indoors. Heartworm disease in cats can be life threatening, but is difficult to detect and impossible to treat. Fortunately, heartworm disease is very easy and inexpensive to prevent! We recommend out feline patients are tested yearly for exposure to heartworm disease and benefit from year round heartworm prevention.
- We use Zinc-Sulfate Centrifugation- the industry "gold standard" for intestinal parasite detection. Our fecal testing methods are more likely to detect the presence of intestinal parasites than the passive floatation methods commonly used in other clinics.
- Our PureVax feline vaccines help to reduce your cat's risk of developing a vaccine site sarcoma. We also offer the Merial Purevax Vetjet transdermal vaccination system. A customized vaccination schedule will protect your cat against life threatening diseases: Rabies, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, and Feline Leukemia.
- Annual dental cleanings are essential to the health of your cat. A professional dental cleaning beneath the gum line can treat and even reverses existing dental disease. We can help you select an easy home care regimen that promotes good oral hygiene in your cat.
- The right diet exists for even the most finicky of felines. Cats have very specific nutritional needs and are prone to obesity- a "big" concern in our feline patients. Today's premium diets not only provide essential nutrients and energy; they can aid in the prevention of hairballs, urinary disorders, dental care, and more. Part of our annual examination includes helping to pair the right diet and feeding plan to the individual needs of your cat.
- Mental stimulation is important for both you and your cat. A bored cat is more likely to exhibit inappropriate behaviors such as urine marking, anxiety, and destructive clawing. Charles Dickens once said, "What greater gift than the love of a cat?" Unconditional love is as important to your cat as food, water, and shelter.