Reaux Animal Hospital 2106 W. Old Spanish Trail New Iberia, LA 70560 337-364-2811 www.ReauxVets.com
Lafayette Veterinary Care Center 110 Perard Street Lafayette, LA 70503 337-984-7611 www.LafayetteVets.com
NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2016
Creating a flea-free environment First and foremost, all pets whether indoors or outdoors need flea prevention every 30 days. The most effective preventatives kill the eggs and larvae of fleas (such as Sentinel or Sentinel Spectrum for dogs) because they prevent new fleas from maturing, however adulticides (such as Revolution for cats, or Frontline and Trifexis for dogs) remain a good choice to kill existing fleas. You’ll create a more effective guard against fleas if you treat your home environment the same day you treat your pet. You can do this by: •
Identifying areas in your yard that pets or wildlife may frequent, such as crawl spaces under the deck, porches, shrubs or trees or other areas, and try to prevent them from future access.
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Vacuuming and steam cleaning your carpets and upholstery to remove flea eggs, larvae and pupae. Make sure to dispose of the vacuum bag – fleas can still hatch in it after you’ve finished.
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Spraying a product that kills flea eggs, larvae and adult fleas to treat your house, garage, yard and kennel. (We carry pet and family safe versions of these!)
Frustrated or confused about fleas? We’re not and we’re standing by to help. Call or come by for solutions!
Are You Going Green? For years now our offices have made a concerted effort to operate in a green fashion by maintaining paperless records and utilizing green vendors and waste companies. As our practice has grown, we’re aware that many of our communications with you, our clients, are not green, which can be the preference of many. Starting this July
Lafayette Veterinary Care Center 337-984-7611 info@lafayettevets.com
we’ll transition to sending this newsletter letter exclusively by email and facebook. For those of you who still prefer paper (you’re not alone!) We’re happy to mail you a copy each quarter if you let us know! Request your future paper newsletters by calling, emailing or mailing the voucher below to:
Reaux Animal Hospital 337-364-2811 info@reauxvets.com
Request for a Paper Newsletter Complete this coupon below and mail back to 110 Perard Street, Lafayette LA 70503 Name: Check the hospital you routinely attend Address:
Lafayette Veterinary Care Center
Reaux Animal Hospital
Trend Alert! Doga (Yoga for You and Your Dog) is a Thing! They begin with play bows, tail tips wiggling high overhead. Then they push out their chests and extend their back legs so far I think surely, one of them is going to fall over. Next they transition to a “ski jump,” in which she thrusts out her back legs like a skier flying off the ramp. This is a signature doga routine for a beginner and it’s trending like crazy right now for good reason.
Pet Travel Safety Tips Going on a trip and want to take along your furry family member? Here are a few tips to help everything run smoothly and safely: •
Pets should be safely confined in a well ventilated crate large enough to comfortably stand, sit, and turn around. Crates should be secured and not able to slide or shift in the event of an abrupt stop.
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NEVER leave your pet alone in a parked car.
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Be prepared with food, water, bowls, medications, waste disposal bags, first aid supplies, leash, etc.
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Stop frequently for bathroom breaks and leg stretching.
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Plan out your route and choose pet friendly hotels to break up long trips.
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When travelling by air, check with the airline to ensure you have the proper approved carrier labeled with the proper identification.
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Schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for a check-up prior to departure. Depending on the destination, a health certificate may be needed for travel. Be sure to plan in advance, especially if travelling internationally.
Enjoy the ride! Amanda Cason, DVM
Doga is a partner yoga class that people do with their dogs for relaxation and strength building. Like yoga, doga balances, harmonizes, purifies and transcends the body and mind. What makes doga unique is the practice and benefits that create a harmony and synchronization of energy flow between the owner and dog together. The bonding that occurs in these moments between dog and owner can have tremendous health benefits for both. As veterinarians, we see many additional benefits to doga too. From teaching your dog to allow you to touch any part of his body, including his paws and toes, to the therapeutic, gentle muscle stretches and pain relieving benefits.
Being in close contact with your dog’s body provides an opportunity for regular health check as well. By running your hands over your pets body, under their legs and belly, you’re more likely to detect abnormalities and monitor change. Senior and physically handicapped dogs can also benefit from doga as long as the routine is adapted to their needs. Namaste. Allison Habetz, CVPM
Exercise crucial to pain-free cats
One key to help cats be less painful as they age is to keep their weight at an optimal level. More pounds equals more weight on a cat’s tender frame. Additionally, inactivity makes aging more difficult and painful for your cats. Instead keep them active! Daily physical exercise through play and hunting for food (a natural instinct) may be the best thing you can do to promote muscle strength, joint flexibility and overall health in your cats. Try introducing toys to your cat again. You’ll both love it! Also consider breaking up their meals into smaller dishes and hiding them through the house to encourage hunting.
Your Pet May Be Contributing to a LARGE Statistic
The United States has one of the highest percentages of the population that are clinically obese. Unfortunately, our canine and feline companions are trending in the same direction. Obesity can be described as a nutritional disease that affects animals with excess body fat. Animals that are 10-15% over the breed standard weight or have a body condition score of greater than 7 out of 9 are considered to be clinically obese. The telltale signs of an obese pet are weight gain, unwillingness to exercise, excess body fat, difficulty breathing, and an above average body condition score. Middle aged dogs that have been neutered, and indoor cats between the ages of 5 and 10 are most at risk. Obese pets are faced with increased health concerns including, but not limited to, bone and joint problems, digestive issues, breathing issues and diabetes mellitus. For the most part, what causes obesity is too many groceries and not enough fat burning exercise. An indoor lifestyle, and metabolism alteration, due to neutering, are other contributing factors for the fight against obesity. Although this is the most commonly seen scenario for an obese pet, weight gain can also be seen in cases of hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism, and insulinomas. When experiencing weight gain, weather it is believed to be diet-related or not, ask for help from your veterinarian. After other causes of weight gain have been ruled out, it’s time to turn to diet and exercise. Diets that are rich in dietary protein and fiber, but low in fat, are typically going to give the
best results in terms of weight loss, while maintaining a reasonable feeling of fullness. Diets such as Purina OM and DCO, Hill’s w/d, and Royal Canin Weight Control are all excellent choices. Regular exercise is also encouraged and can be good for us as well! Cats can be reluctant walking on leash, but may prefer to be engaged by laser pointers, which is enjoyable for all parties involved.
Treating your obese dog or cat can present its own challenges. It’s at this time that our pets depend on us to look after their own good. By adhering to strict diets, and increasing exercise when able, we are fulfilling our commitments as owner to provide them with happy and healthy lives. Dr. Garrott Van Bebber
Now offering Breed Specific Life Plans
Our group of veterinarians know each unique breed’s related needs and hereditary risks, and believe in screening and treating each pet individually based on these inherent risks. Early diagnosis can make the difference in a pet’s quality of life and help pet parents keep down the costs of health care. For all future routine care visits with our office, we will offer your pet an individually composed Life Plan outlining the predicted care and early detection screenings needed to prolong your pet’s life. Have a mixed breed dog or cat? That’s ok, these life plans are custom designed by our veterinarians for mixed breeds based on size and recognizable breed characteristics for both cats and dogs!
Follow u s on Summer’s here! Time Pinteres t for travel and we know that often means with your pet. Follow us on Pinterest at Lafayette Vets for many great pet travel tips and tricks.
Preparing for July 4th festivities Many pets become lost on July 4 because they’re scared and run away during festivities and fireworks.
Avoid bringing pets, even if leashed to firework showsthis can be very stressful to them. Keep your pets safe and provide them with safe comfortable places to be such as secure rooms, crates or kennels. But just in case they get out or loose despite your best measures, a microchipped pet is many times more likely to be reunited with their family. If your pet isn’t already chipped, now’s a good time to microchip them. Since our offices will be closed on July 3-4, call ahead (now) to arrange for anxiety
remedies or tranquilizers for pets who suffer from severe anxiety during fireworks.