Hill-Dale Veterinary Hospital, Newsletters

Home Information - Services Information - Products Photo Gallery Featured Pets For Your Information Our Staff Frequently Asked Questions Contact Us - Information	TWICE A YEAR FOR LIFE October has been designated as Pet Wellness Month! It is easy to forget that pets age nearly seven times faster than humans! One year in our lives may not seem like much but one year in your pet’s life is. We recommend physical examinations every year for all pets and every 6 months for senior or geriatric pets. On the average, a comprehensive physical examination for your pet costs little more than a pizza dinner at a local restaurant. What are the components of a good physical examination for your pet? Much the same as for you during your annual check up! • Listening to your pet’s heart and lungs • Examination of your pet’s eyes for aging disorders or disease • Examination of your pet’s ears for infection or irritating wax build-up • Feeling your pet’s body for lumps and bumps which may be of concern • Checking your pet's weight to ensure it is normal and taking its temperature for signs of internal infection. • Feeling your pet’s joints for signs of painful arthritis or sport related injuries. • Examination of your pet’s skin and haircoat for proper health. • Checking your pet’s teeth for signs of dental disease or decay (80% OF ALL PETS OVER THREE YEARS OF AGE HAVE SOME FORM OF DENTAL DISEASE!) • Discussing your pet’s behavior with you to have a better idea of his or her health and activity at home. (Many times behavior problems begin because of a physical problem). You can prepare for your pet’s physical examination by writing down any health or behavior concerns you may have about your pet so these may be discussed with your veterinarian. You should bring a fresh sample of your pet’s stool with you so that it may be tested for intestinal parasites. If your pet is older than seven or has a history of other health concerns it is wise to also bring a urine sample. This can be difficult with cats but relatively easy with dogs. Just as our Physicians recommend blood tests for us periodically, it is even more important with pets! They can’t talk in human terms and unfortunately we do not have x-ray vision. Even though a pet appears healthy on the outside, there may be problems going on inside that we simply will not know about unless we do some easy bloodwork. Of all the things we spend about $20-25 per month on, quality veterinary care for our precious pets is a true bargain. If you haven’t had your pet in for his or her regular check up, don’t delay, call our office today for an appointment. WHEN YOU SMILE, THE WHOLE WORLD SMILES BACK AT YOU - AND YOUR PET? Dental disease affects one of three pets over the age of three! Over time, tartar can accumulate on your pet's teeth, first causing gingivitis and then gaining strength if untreated resulting in decay and bone loss. We as humans know how important it is to see our dentist regularly. It is even more important with our pets because they do not brush their teeth and age much more rapidly than we do. Bacteria and decay in the pets mouth enters the bloodstream where it is rapidly transported throughout their body, potentially affecting their heart, kidneys and liver over time! Can you see obvious brownish-gray build up on your pets teeth? Does your pet have red or inflamed gums? Has your cat developed mats around its tail area? Does your pet vomit for seemingly no reason? Is your pet reluctant to chew its dry food? Is your cat avoiding its litterbox? Is your pet irritable or fussy? These are all signs or symptoms that could be related to dental disease. Each year at your pet's annual physical exam our doctors will check your pets mouth for signs of dental disease. A dental “prophy” or cleaning may be recommended as well as treatment of existing dental disease if needed. Imagine not brushing your teeth or seeing your dentist for 6 years or more! Yuk! Remember, pets rarely complain. It is our job to detect problems early and help keep your friend happy and healthy! Call us right away if your pet has not had a physical exam in over 6-12 months. Why wait for trouble to find you or your pet? IMPORTANT STORY ABOUT SAFETY As a veterinarian, I am often called upon in emergency situations that involve saving a pet’s life. Please Click Here to read a story with a very compelling lesson that should be shared with everyone you know. The wrong dosage of flea treatment can be deadly to your pets, even when your intentions are good! IS ORDERING FROM ON-LINE and MAILORDER COMPANIES REALLY A BARGAIN? You have probably seen the widespread television commercials advertising heartworm, flea, and tick preventive products at low prices. In fact, most ads boldly state that they sell the exact products as your veterinarian but for much cheaper prices. The old saying "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" certainly applies to these companies! While all of us love to save a dollar anywhere we can, when it comes to prescription medicine for your pet there are some serious considerations to keep in mind: 1. The law specifically states that a Doctor/Patient relationship MUST exist in order to dispense prescription drugs. This means that the Veterinarian must have examined the pet and performed any necessary precautionary testing prior to use of, or continued use of, any prescription product. We are responsible for taking the time to review the medical situation as well as educate you on any potential side-effects to your pet. 2. There have been numerous consumer complaints filed against some of these companies as well as fines imposed by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for consumer fraud relating to improper sale of prescription products. Several states Attorney Generals have filed suit for dispensing medications without a valid Doctor/Patient relationship, as well as sales of counterfeit, expired, foreign, or mislabeled products. 3. Products such as Frontline and Heartgard (popular flea, tick and heartworm preventive medications) are guaranteed by your Veterinarian if purchased from a Veterinarian and used as directed. Purchases made on-line or from warehouse companies are not guaranteed by the manufacturer. This can be very important! If you purchase Heartgard from your vet, use it as directed, and your dog contracts heartworm disease, the manufacturer will pay for the medical treatment of your dog. 4. Though their ads sound wonderful, the average savings is usually in the range of $.50 to $5.00, and often we are actually cheaper. We are able to offer free-dose with purchase programs from the distributor and obviously do not charge shipping and handling or require minimum orders to qualify. Our Doctors have dedicated their lives to this profession. They put their reputation and license on the line to ensure that you receive quality products which are in the best interest of your pet. Certain warehouse and internet pharmacies skirt the fringe of the law, and sometimes violate it, for the sole purpose of generating quick profits. We do not believe your pet's well being is worth the risk of purchasing from these dealers for possibly NO savings or only a few dollars. HAVE A HEART! Years ago Heartworm disease was responsible for the sickness and death of many dogs. Heartworms are actual worms which migrate as larva (carried by mosquito) through your pet's bloodstream until they reach the heart, growing in length up to twelve inches! Obviously the presence of these worms inside the chambers of the heart causes serious damage and eventual death unless detected early and treated. Heartworm disease is still around but thanks to modern medicine, protecting our pets from this silent killer is now very easy! The best insurance for protecting your pet from heartworm disease is by year ‘round administration of preventive medication. There are a number of wonderful preventive medicines available to choose from. We rely on: Heartgard Plus is a chewable beef-flavored cube you feed to your dog once per month. Heartgard Plus also protects your dog against some intestinal parasites! Revolution is a liquid applied topically once per month to your pet's skin. Revolution helps prevent fleas and some other external and internal parasites as well. Interceptor is a monthly chewable tablet which protects your pet against heartworms and intestinal parasites as well as whipworms. We encourage you to discuss with your veterinarian which preventive is the right one for you and your pet. One very important reminder! Even if you faithfully give your pet its heartworm preventive every month all year long, you should still bring them in for a heartworm bloodtest once each year. Why? Because we are all human and occasionally we forget to give the monthly dose on time or miss a dose here and there. It has happened that a pet contracts heartworm disease despite being on the preventive year ‘round. If we did not test each year it is conceivable that the disease could go unchecked for almost 2 years without detection! In pet years that is a long time, and great damage could occur. The costs of treating or managing a pet with heartworm disease are huge compared to the minimal expense of a yearly test and preventive. Heartworms can be anywhere and anytime mosquitoes are present (even in the winter in the house) - don't play roulette with your pets health, test and prevent today! WE ARE A PROUD SPONSOR OF K.I.N.D. NEWS! K.I.N.D. (Kids in Nature's Defense) is an award-winning children's newspaper published by the National Association for Humane and Environmental Education of the Humane Society of the United States. We've participated in the KIND News Adopt-a-classroom program since 2001, sponsoring K-2 primary grades at East Elementary School in Baraboo! Our sponsorship provides the children with 9 monthly issues, September through May. Each issue comes with a teacher's guide and 32 copies of the newspaper. Teachers also receive KIND Teacher, a book of reproducible worksheets and other resources. KIND News not only talks about proper pet care in a fun and colorful way, it teaches children the importance of having compassion and regard for animals. It also sends messages about having compassion for their fellow students, respect for their teachers, the importance of volunteering in their community and the need for recycling. Humane education is an important step toward making life better for animals and people alike. KIND News helps teach children kindness to animals, people and our environment. Afterall, the reason we send children to school is to mold and change behavior. Education is the key! For more information on KIND News feel free to call the office or check out their website at: http://www.kindnews.org/!

TWICE A YEAR FOR LIFE

October has been designated as Pet Wellness Month! It is easy to forget that pets age nearly seven times faster than humans! One year in our lives may not seem like much but one year in your pet’s life is. We recommend physical examinations every year for all pets and every 6 months for senior or geriatric pets. On the average, a comprehensive physical examination for your pet costs little more than a pizza dinner at a local restaurant. What are the components of a good physical examination for your pet? Much the same as for you during your annual check up!

•    Listening to your pet’s heart and lungs
•    Examination of your pet’s eyes for aging disorders or disease
•    Examination of your pet’s ears for infection or irritating wax build-up
•    Feeling your pet’s body for lumps and bumps which may be of concern
•    Checking your pet's weight to ensure it is normal and taking its temperature for signs of internal infection.
•    Feeling your pet’s joints for signs of painful arthritis or sport related injuries.
•    Examination of your pet’s skin and haircoat for proper health.
•    Checking your pet’s teeth for signs of dental disease or decay (80% OF ALL PETS OVER THREE YEARS OF AGE HAVE SOME FORM OF DENTAL DISEASE!)
•    Discussing your pet’s behavior with you to have a better idea of his or her health and activity at home. (Many times behavior problems begin because of a physical problem).

You can prepare for your pet’s physical examination by writing down any health or behavior concerns you may have about your pet so these may be discussed with your veterinarian. You should bring a fresh sample of your pet’s stool with you so that it may be tested for intestinal parasites. If your pet is older than seven or has a history of other health concerns it is wise to also bring a urine sample. This can be difficult with cats but relatively easy with dogs.

Just as our Physicians recommend blood tests for us periodically, it is even more important with pets! They can’t talk in human terms and unfortunately we do not have x-ray vision. Even though a pet appears healthy on the outside, there may be problems going on inside that we simply will not know about unless we do some easy bloodwork.

Of all the things we spend about $20-25 per month on, quality veterinary care for our precious pets is a true bargain. If you haven’t had your pet in for his or her regular check up, don’t delay, call our office today for an appointment.

WHEN YOU SMILE, THE WHOLE WORLD
SMILES BACK AT YOU - AND YOUR PET?

Dental disease affects one of three pets over the age of three! Over time, tartar can accumulate on your pet's teeth, first causing gingivitis and then gaining strength if untreated resulting in decay and bone loss. We as humans know how important it is to see our dentist regularly. It is even more important with our pets because they do not brush their teeth and age much more rapidly than we do. Bacteria and decay in the pets mouth enters the bloodstream where it is rapidly transported throughout their body, potentially affecting their heart, kidneys and liver over time!

Can you see obvious brownish-gray build up on your pets teeth?
Does your pet have red or inflamed gums?
Has your cat developed mats around its tail area?
Does your pet vomit for seemingly no reason?
Is your pet reluctant to chew its dry food?
Is your cat avoiding its litterbox?
Is your pet irritable or fussy?

These are all signs or symptoms that could be related to dental disease. Each year at your pet's annual physical exam our doctors will check your pets mouth for signs of dental disease. A dental “prophy” or cleaning may be recommended as well as treatment of existing dental disease if needed. Imagine not brushing your teeth or seeing your dentist for 6 years or more! Yuk! Remember, pets rarely complain. It is our job to detect problems early and help keep your friend happy and healthy! Call us right away if your pet has not had a physical exam in over 6-12 months. Why wait for trouble to find you or your pet?

IMPORTANT STORY ABOUT SAFETY

As a veterinarian, I am often called upon in emergency situations that involve saving a pet’s life. Please Click Here to read a story with a very compelling lesson that should be shared with everyone you know. The wrong dosage of flea treatment can be deadly to your pets, even when your intentions are good!

IS ORDERING FROM ON-LINE and MAILORDER COMPANIES
REALLY A BARGAIN?

You have probably seen the widespread television commercials advertising heartworm, flea, and tick preventive products at low prices. In fact, most ads boldly state that they sell the exact products as your veterinarian but for much cheaper prices.

The old saying "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" certainly applies to these companies! While all of us love to save a dollar anywhere we can, when it comes to prescription medicine for your pet there are some serious considerations to keep in mind:

1. The law specifically states that a Doctor/Patient relationship MUST exist in order to dispense prescription drugs. This means that the Veterinarian must have examined the pet and performed any necessary precautionary testing prior to use of, or continued use of, any prescription product. We are responsible for taking the time to review the medical situation as well as educate you on any potential side-effects to your pet.

2. There have been numerous consumer complaints filed against some of these companies as well as fines imposed by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for consumer fraud relating to improper sale of prescription products. Several states Attorney Generals have filed suit for dispensing medications without a valid Doctor/Patient relationship, as well as sales of counterfeit, expired, foreign, or mislabeled products.

3. Products such as Frontline and Heartgard (popular flea, tick and heartworm preventive medications) are guaranteed by your Veterinarian if purchased from a Veterinarian and used as directed. Purchases made on-line or from warehouse companies are not guaranteed by the manufacturer. This can be very important! If you purchase Heartgard from your vet, use it as directed, and your dog contracts heartworm disease, the manufacturer will pay for the medical treatment of your dog.

4. Though their ads sound wonderful, the average savings is usually in the range of $.50 to $5.00, and often we are actually cheaper. We are able to offer free-dose with purchase programs from the distributor and obviously do not charge shipping and handling or require minimum orders to qualify.

Our Doctors have dedicated their lives to this profession. They put their reputation and license on the line to ensure that you receive quality products which are in the best interest of your pet. Certain warehouse and internet pharmacies skirt the fringe of the law, and sometimes violate it, for the sole purpose of generating quick profits. We do not believe your pet's well being is worth the risk of purchasing from these dealers for possibly NO savings or only a few dollars.