Senior Wellness

Senior Wellness

It can be hard to admit when we see the signs of old age in our animal companions, but the fact is that most dogs are considered seniors when they hit seven, cats around nine. Pets age much more rapidly than humans, which means diseases and illness progress quicker as well.

To ensure that your pet has the longest, healthiest, most comfortable life possible, Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic encourages you to bring your senior pet for exams and blood tests twice each year. This way, we can track how your pet is aging, and we’ll be more likely to catch any developing diseases before they’re big problems.

Blood tests are one of the most important parts of a senior exam. These blood screenings—often referred to as a “senior panel”— monitor red and white blood cell counts and reveal how well the kidney, liver, pancreas, and thyroid are functioning.

Periodontal disease is always a threat to our pets’ health and comfort, and it’s particularly tough on older pets. That’s why a dental exam is always part of any senior pet screening as well.

Finally, make sure to let your vet know about any behavior changes in your pet. Once dogs and cat get to the geriatric stage, monitoring for signs of cognitive dysfunction—such as losing housebreaking, getting lost or wandering aimlessly—is very important.

To schedule a wellness exam for your senior pet, call us at 425-226-9960.

Microchipping

Pet Microchipping

One of the worst feelings to experience as a pet owner is the realization that your pet has gone missing. Only 17% of dogs and 2% of cats make it back to their owners—which can make it feel like you’ll never see your pet again if they get lost.

Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic wants to encourage you to consider microchipping your pet, even if they live entirely indoors–because even indoor pets can escape and become lost. Unlike collars and tags, microchips can’t fall off and they serve as permanent identification for a pet’s entire life. Microchips are also rated for 25 years, meaning they never need to be removed or recharged during your pet’s lifetime.

Microchipping a pet is simple, relatively painless and very affordable. Once implanted, authorities only need to scan the chip to locate your information. But remember: a microchip is only useful if your contact information is updated.

Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic believes microchipping is the safest, most effective method of pet recovery available, helping reunite more than 15,000 lost pets to their owners every month. To get your pet “chipped”, call us at 425-226-9960.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations

Vaccinating your pet is a relatively inexpensive but very important way to protect his or her health. In addition to preventing many life-threatening illnesses, vaccinations can prevent diseases prevalent in wildlife and those that can be passed to humans. It’s important to administer vaccinations when pets are puppies and kittens because their young immune systems are still developing and need protection to stay healthy.

While any medical treatment involves some degree of risk, in the case of vaccinations, the benefits far outweigh any potential side effects. Adverse reactions are rare and usually mild and short-term when they do occur.

Which vaccines should your pet have? “Core” vaccines are those recommended—and possibly mandated by law—for most pets. Core vaccines include:

  • Rabies (dogs and cats)
  • DA2PPV – Distemper, Hepatitis, Adenovirus 2, Parvo and Parainfluenza (dogs)
  • FVRCP – Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia (cats)

Other non-core, but highly suggested vaccinations for cats include FeLV to protect against feline leukemia. For dogs, bordetella, leptospirosis and canine influenza shots are recommended if they frequent dog parks, boarding kennels, or any place where they’re socializing with other canines.

It’s also important to note that even pets who live primarily indoors should be vaccinated, as they can still be exposed to disease. Your Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic veterinarian can advise you which vaccinations are required or recommended for your pet based on age, health, and lifestyle. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us at 425-226-9960.

Surgery

Pet Surgery

If surgery is required, Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic can perform routine elective surgeries.

Procedures we perform:

  • Spays and neuters
  • Anesthetic dental cleanings, dental radiographs, and extractions
  • Soft-tissue surgeries (mass removals, wound repairs, torn nails, etc.)

For more complex neurological, orthopedic and specialty procedures, we can arrange referrals to skilled veterinary specialists in the area.

Patient safety and comfort is our main priority. Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic’s veterinarians provide skilled pain management during and after all surgical procedures, ensuring your pet recovers quickly and with minimum discomfort.

If you are considering surgery for your pet, please contact us at 425-226-9960 to schedule a consultation.

Dental Care

Dental Care

Imagine if you never brushed your teeth or had them cleaned. Pretty frightening, right? As you can guess, things would eventually start to go very bad inside your mouth: teeth would rot and decay, gums would become inflamed and infected. Bacteria from those rotting teeth would eventually travel into your bloodstream and could cause other serious health problems. And we haven’t even mentioned the daily, debilitating pain.

It’s the same scenario for your dog or cat. While some people might laugh at the idea of brushing their pet’s teeth or taking them for a dental cleaning, the fact is that by age three, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some evidence of periodontal disease. Periodic dental exams help maintain proper oral hygiene and prevent future problems.

Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic offers complete pet oral health services, including:

  • Dental exams
  • Dental X-rays
  • Extractions

Following American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines, Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic only does cleanings and dental work on anesthetized pets. To ensure your pet is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia, we do require a routine blood test before the procedure.

Preventive Dental Care

Brushing your pet’s teeth several times per week is the best way to prevent plaque and tartar build-up. If you have a pet that won’t tolerate brushing, our veterinarians can also recommend products that will help keep your pet’s mouth healthy in between cleanings.

To make an appointment for a dental exam or cleaning, call us at 425-226-9960.

Preventative/Wellness Care for Cats

Wellness Care for Cats

Just like you, we want your cat to live the longest, healthiest life possible. That starts with the basics: quality food, enough exercise, good grooming, and yes, regular check-ups.

Annual exams are your pet’s first line of defense. Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic’s comprehensive annual exams include checking their overall health by taking their temperature, examining skin and coat, lung and cardiac function, internal health, oral hygiene, eyes, ears, and demeanor.

Vaccinations: Keeping your cat up to date on immunizations and booster shots is a highly effective way to prevent many common diseases and infections like distemper and rabies. Beyond those core vaccines, your pet’s age, lifestyle, and likely exposure to certain diseases will be evaluated before we recommend additional inoculations.

 Dental Care: Imagine what your teeth would be like if you never cleaned them. Well, the same thing is happening to your cat’s teeth without good oral care. We recommend annual dental cleanings and can show you tips for brushing your pet’s teeth, which can reduce the need for expensive extractions and more serious dental work down the line.

Parasite Control: Fleas, ticks, worms – preventing them in the first place is much easier and ultimately less expensive than getting rid of them after they’ve infested your cat. We recommend monitoring your pet and having them screened for internal parasites regularly, and we offer a variety of alternatives for flea, tick, and heartworm prevention.

Proper Nutrition: There’s a lot of choices when it comes to what to feed your feline friend. Cats are true carnivores and making sure they get proper nutrition is very important to their health. Our veterinarians can help you figure out what is best for your cat and your lifestyle.

Behavioral Evaluation: Changes in mood or behavior, lack of grooming, or litterbox problems can often be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Swiftly addressing these shifts can help to identify and treat the root cause.

Haircoat Care: Cats are fastidious by nature, but cats with long, thick coats and those who live indoors still may need regular brushing, grooming, and nail trims. Proper skin and hair care can prevent things like matting, bacterial infections and more.

FelV/FIV Testing: We recommend this testing for all kittens and yearly for cats who go outdoors.

Exercise: Cats are athletic creatures and getting enough exercise–especially if they live indoors–is extremely important in maintaining cardiovascular health and a healthy weight.

Senior Animals: At Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic, we love elder pets! We also know that preventative care is even more significant for them. Cats are living longer than ever, making them more susceptible to disease and illness as they age. We recommend twice-yearly exams and screenings for senior cats to help prolong and improve the quality of their life.

Preventative/Wellness Care for Dogs

Wellness Care for Dogs

Just like you, we want your dog to live the longest, healthiest life possible. That starts with the basics:  quality food, enough exercise, good grooming, and yes, regular check-ups.

Annual exams are your pet’s first line of defense. Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic’s comprehensive annual exams include checking their overall health by taking their temperature, examining skin and coat, lung and cardiac function, internal health, oral hygiene, eyes, ears, and demeanor.

Vaccinations: Keeping your dog up to date on immunizations and booster shots is a highly effective way to prevent many common diseases and infections like distemper and rabies. Beyond those core vaccines, your pet’s age, lifestyle, and likely exposure to certain diseases will be evaluated before we recommend additional inoculations.

 Dental Care: Imagine what your teeth would be like if you never cleaned them. Well, the same thing is happening to your dog’s teeth without good oral care. We recommend annual dental cleanings and can show you tips for brushing your pet’s teeth, which can reduce the need for expensive extractions and more serious dental work down the line.

Parasite Control: Fleas, ticks, worms – preventing them in the first place is much easier and ultimately less expensive than getting rid of them after they’ve infested your pet. We recommend monthly year-round flea and internal parasite protection, as well as yearly fecal screening. We offer a variety of alternatives for flea, tick, heartworm, and internal parasite prevention.

Proper Nutrition: There’s so much confusion about what to feed dogs. Grain-free kibble? Home-cooked meals? Raw food diet? Proper nutrition is so important to your pet’s good health, and we can help you figure out what is best for your pet and your lifestyle.

Behavioral Evaluation: Changes in mood or behavior can often be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Swiftly addressing these shifts can help to identify and treat the root cause.

Haircoat Care: Grooming and bathing are fundamental aspects of proper pet hygiene. Proper skin and hair care can prevent things like mange, matting, bacterial infections and more.

Exercise: Regular workouts support musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health in dogs of all ages, as well as improve their overall mental well-being.

Senior Animals: At Fairwood Plaza Animal Clinic, we love elder pets! We also know that preventative care is even more significant for them. Dogs age much more rapidly than humans, so diseases and illness progress faster as well. We recommend twice-yearly exams and screenings for seniors to help prolong and improve the quality of their life.