Chemotherapy

Getting a diagnosis of cancer in your pet is usually the last thing anyone wants to hear, yet it happens fairly frequently. Now that our pets routinely receive adequate nutrition, preventative care, and are more often kept supervised and under control we don’t tend to lose them at young ages to viral diseases, heartworm, malnutrition, and being run over by the tractor in the field. As a result they live long enough to develop the diseases more common in older animals, one of which is cancer.

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Considerations When Getting a New Pet

One of the joys of being a general practice veterinarian is that I get to see lots of new puppies and kittens as they are getting their start in life with a new family. I get to talk about what is needed to keep them healthy and how to start early on the path to good citizenship all while holding an irresistibly cute fuzz ball. Unfortunately for the happy expectations can sour due to poor foresight prior to acquiring their new pet. Here are some serious considerations that need to be made before committing to care for an animal for the rest of its life.

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Craigslist

People find their pets in quite a wide variety of ways. Some come from pet stores, some from rescue organizations, and some even just saunter up to the front door and announce that they will now be living there too. Lately I have been seeing lots of pets who have been found on Craigslist. Although the stories behind each of the animals are as varied as the animals themselves, I am starting to see a disturbing trend that potential Craigslist adopters should keep in mind. For your consideration are three cautionary tales, all actual cases that have come through my hospital in the past 6 months.

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Cuterebra, Bot Fly Larvae in the Skin

Here it is again, cuterebra (cute-a-ree-bra) season. This is the time of year when my personal favorite clinical entity rears it’s not so cute little head on dogs and cats and rabbits around town. The appeal of this little beastie to me is that it is quick and easy to diagnose, quick and easy to fix, and you get a suitably gross souvenir for your efforts. I am talking about a type of fly larva that makes a little nest for itself inside the skin of mammals while it is waiting to pupate and become an adult fly.

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Dental Care Products

     Village Center Veterinary Care is happy to state that we are officially going to carry dental products for our clients. Dental care is something that many of our staff is passionate about and we are excited to have this inventory. The company we have chosen for our chews is Tartar Shield. This company has done many studies for their products and we feel confident about using them for Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets alike. The Soft Rawhide Chews were proven to reduce up to %54 of tartar formation after 1 month of use in dogs! The cat treats (used for ferrets as well) was proven to reduce up to %42 of plaque formation as well! Please, ask to speak to a technician to learn more about these studies. We will also be carrying toothbrush/toothpaste options for our furry clients. We have chosen to carry C.E.T. brand for both these products as we have personally enjoyed them and have had great reviews previously.

“For more than 2 decades the mission of Tartar Shield Pet Products has been the development of practical measures to improve the dental health of companion animals. The need for measures or products to prevent dental plaque, tartar, gingivitis and periodontal disease in dogs and cats has been recognized for many years. Based upon extensive research experiences in preventive dentistry at the Indiana University School of Dentistry, a research program was initiated to address these problems”.

Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews were awarded the coveted Veterinary Oral Health Council’s (VOHC) Seal of Acceptance for Tartar Control.

Read more here: https://tartarshield.com/

     Dental Care is something to not take lightly in the health of our furry loved ones. A lot of times, to no one’s fault, clients will not realize how bad their pet’s teeth are until it is too late. “Too late” meaning their pet will end up needing a full mouth extraction at the age of 10, with a lump sum of money going towards it, when preventative dental care could have lessened the outcome. By establishing regular dental routines with your pet, you will greatly reduce the chance of catastrophic dental development over years and years of plaque buildup. Please, feel free to ask us about these rawhide chews, cat/ferret treats, sprinkles (yes, bacon flavored sprinkles that are GOOD for your pet), toothbrushes and toothpaste kits, and how they can better your pets dental health.

     Tartar shield spent many years perfecting their product with one thing at the forefront of their developments – your pets. These rawhides are made in such a way that they can break apart and give in to your pet’s teeth much easier than a traditional raw hide. While your pet is gnawing away at these chews, every part or their tooth is being appropriately scraped by the intricate design within the rawhide structure. The tiny scraping motion of tooth-to-chew breaks off plaque and prevents the formation of any more plaque. Not only that, but these chews are deconstructed in a way that if a pet were to swallow them whole, their natural stomach acids will have no problem dissolving the chew. We also appreciate the texture, flavor (BACON!), and the proven results that have come from these chews.

Lastly, for all our American-Made clients – Yes, these are made right here in the U.S.A.

Dental Inventory