HEALTHY PET ADVICE
Microchipping Your Pet
No one ever plans to have their pet run away. But accidents happen and many lost pets end up in animal shelters across the country. Such shelters and pet rescue organizations always scan every animal that comes into them. Unfortunately, not all animals are microchipped. And not all pets are wearing identification tags or collars. Because of this, many pets are never returned to their owners. It's sad, but true.
Your beloved Fluffy becomes someone else's Fido. Your Rascal becomes some other family's Rex. But of course, that's a best-case scenario. Not all lost or runaway pets survive on their own.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Help create a happy ending to your lost pet story with microchipping.
When you are microchipping your pet, you want to be sure to fill out all the paperwork thoroughly as part of your microchip registration. When you include your address, email and phone number, it enables you to be contacted when your pet is found.
PLAN FOR AN UNEXPECTED SITUATION AND BE PREPARED IN CASE YOUR DOG OR CAT GETS LOST.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN MICROCHIPPING YOUR PET, BRING THEM TO ONE OF OUR DRIVE-THRU VACCINE CLINICS.
Heartworm Prevention
Once an animal is infected with heartworms, they must be treated as soon as possible to prevent the worms from rapidly growing and reproducing. An animal left untreated with heartworms can suffer major complications and ultimately death if nothing is done to treat the infestation.
So, you are probably thinking, how do I prevent these little pests from infecting my precious fur-kids? Well, the solution is very simple: keep your pets on monthly heartworm prevention. There are several different brands of heartworm prevention, but they all do about the same thing. Most importantly, they keep your pet from contracting deadly heartworm disease. So, for a small monthly amount your animal can live a longer, healthier, carefree life free of heartworms.
VISIT ONE OF OUR DRIVE-THRU SHOT CLINICS FOR A HEARTWORM TEST OR TO PURCHASE HEARTWORM PREVENTION. IF YOUR DOG IS ALREADY INFECTED WITH HEARTWORMS, WE OFFER LOW-COST TREATMENT AS WELL.
Flea and Tick Prevention
Gilbert, the dog, is our mascot here at VOCAL. When he came to us, he had suffered from flea and tick bites and all that is involved with that: the scratching, the biting, the whole bit. Like many pets with fleas, he had scratched so much in one place that his coat was very thin in that area.
Here at VOCAL, we hate to see pets going through so much misery and discomfort. That's why our veterinarian prescribes flea and tick prevention medication for all of the pets that we help with our fostering and adoption programs.
If you live in Florida, flea and tick prevention is a must for your dog or cat. If Gilbert could talk, he'd tell you that himself, as would your own pets.
The tick and flea medication uses insecticides that are not harmful to pets but are deadly to the fleas and ticks. Most of these products feature a variety of chemicals, each with a different task to accomplish. While one chemical kills the insects, another prevents the maturity of larvae and eggs, while another features a slow-reacting ingredient that allows the insects to live long enough to carry the poison back to their nesting site.
To get your dog or cat relief from those pesky insects, visit our drive-thru clinic and ask us about flea and tick prevention. We’ll suggest products that are both safe and effective for your pet. We wouldn’t have it any other way here at VOCAL. We’re all about ensuring the health, safety and well-being of all pets in our community.
Pet Vaccinations
At VOCAL, we take your pet’s health seriously. That’s why our clinic offers low-cost pet vaccinations for your dog or cat. When it comes to your pet’s health, vaccines are actually the single most important preventive medicine that we can give to our pets.
One of the most common is the DA2PP vaccination, which is a combo vaccine that protects your dog against the following four diseases: Canine Distemper, Adenovirus Type 1 (Hepatitis), Adenovirus Type 2 (Respiratory Disease), Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus. This is often called the distemper-parvo shot. If your dog is around other dogs at kennels and grooming salons, the Bordetella vaccine is also recommended. And of course, all dogs should have the Rabies vaccine.
We love cats just as much as we love dogs here at VOCAL. Just like the distemper shot for dogs, there is also a distemper shot for cats. The FVRCP vaccination protects your cat against Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia. Of course, your cat should also have a Rabies vaccination.
Some people think all of these vaccinations are not needed for their pets, but we recommend them as we know they are essential to your pet’s good health.