Posts Tagged ‘mrah blog’
Pet Dental Health Month 2013 Coming SOON!
Have you looked in your pet’s mouth lately? Do your pets kisses smell fresh? Did you know that without proper oral care eighty percent of all dogs and cats by the age of three will have the early signs of oral disease? Oral disease not only causes foul breath and pain for your pet, but a number of other health problems that can include tooth loss, red and bleeding gums, mouth infections, and even lead to heart and kidney problems.
Let us help you get your pet on the road to great oral care in 2013! Professional dental care with a Veterinarian and a regular at-home routine will help your pet enjoy a longer, healthier life. Plus it keeps your pet’s breath fresh for more “enjoyable” kisses. Starting January 2013 and all the way through February we are pleased to offer the following: complimentary dental exams, discounted dental cleanings, and 15% off dental products at both of our offices.
So how do you know if your dog or cat has a dental problem? Some signs are bad breath, brown or yellow teeth, excessive drooling, bleeding from the mouth, or a change in eating and drinking habits. A dental exam is the best way to determine your pet’s need for a dental cleaning if you are not sure. Call us today at 291-3932 or 228-0645 to get more details. You can also click here for great pet dental health information from the AVMA.
Wellness Exams-Your Pet Needs Them!
Regular wellness exams allow your veterinarian to evaluate your pet’s general health and become aware of any health 
problems before they become serious illnesses. Since your pet cannot vocalize his feelings, you must rely on regular physical examinations by a veterinarian and your at-home observations to assess your pet’s health. Your veterinarian may also wish to perform diagnostic tests, including blood tests and/or x-rays, to evaluate your pet’s health.
Routine blood testing, urinalysis (urine testing) and other tests are recommended for all pets in their “senior years.” Your veterinarian may recommend routine blood testing and urinalysis for younger pets to establish baseline values, which can be used for comparison as pets age.
How often does my pet need a wellness exam?
Every year for a dog or cat is equivalent to five to seven human years, so it is important that your pet receives a wellness exam at least every year, and more often when he enters his senior years. Many aspects of your pet’s health can change in a short amount of time, so make sure your pet does not miss even one exam!
Similar to people, pets need to visit the veterinarian more often as they get older in order to prevent and treat illnesses that come with age (visit Senior Pet Care for more information). AAHA recommends that healthy dogs and cats visit the veterinarian once a year for a complete exam and laboratory testing. Healthy senior dogs and cats should receive a wellness exam and lab testing every six months. Depending on your pet’s age and health, your veterinarian will suggest an appropriate physical examination schedule to help keep your pet in tip-top shape.
What can I expect during my pet’s wellness examination?
Your veterinarian will request a complete history of your pet’s health. Don’t forget to mention any unusual behavior that you have noticed in your pet, including:
- Coughing
- Diarrhea
- Eating more than usual
- Excessive drinking of water, panting, scratching or urination
- Vomiting
- Weight gain or weight loss
Your veterinarian will also want to know about your pet’s daily behavior, including his diet, how much water he drinks and his exercise routine. Your veterinarian may ask:
- Does your pet have trouble getting up in the morning?
- Does your pet show signs of weakness or unbalance?
- Does your pet show an unwillingness to exercise?
Please click here to continue reading the full article at HealthyPet.com!
Employment Opportunity
Have you always wanted to work with animals and the people who love them? Michigan Road Animal Hospital & 
MRAH @ 96th Street are currently accepting applications for hard-working, flexible,& cheerful client service associates who care about delivering the best client service around. This is a fast paced position in multi Doctor, multi hospital practice that requires a highly organized, detail oriented people-person. Previous relevant experience is a plus, but we are willing to train the right individual.
Please e-mail your resume & qualifications to indyvets@indyvets.com or mail a copy to:
Michigan Road Animal Hospital
7720 North Michigan Road
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Attn: CSA
Want A New Pet? Have Kids? Read on…
The Right Pet for Your Child’s Age
Thinking of adding a pet to the family? Make sure you’re bringing home an animal who is appropriate for your child’s age.
Infants
Infants cannot handle or take care of pets. So, if you already have a family pet when your child is born—or if you adopted soon after—make sure to formally introduce your infant to your pet. Supervise them as they get to know each other, gradually increasing the length of time they spend together.
Toddlers
Toddlers are curious and will pull at an animal’s fur, limbs and ears in an attempt to make contact through touching. Make sure that the pet you’ve adopted can handle being touched in this way. As your pet and child spend time together (always under your supervision!), take great care that your child doesn’t hurt your pet by grabbing. Also be sure that your child doesn’t grab your pet’s food and water dishes, your cat’s litterbox or its contents. If you have fish, keep small hands away from aquarium wires and out of aquariums!
3-5 Years
At this age, your child is learning about contact and empathy. ASPCA experts recommend a guinea pig for a pet. Guinea pigs like to be held, seldom bite and will whistle when excited or happy, to the delight of most kids. Your child can also help with responsibilities by filling the water bottle and food dish.
5-10 Years
Kids this age have inconsistent attention spans and are best off with small pets such as gerbils and goldfish. Supervise them during play sessions and while they do chores such as cleaning cages, filling water bottles and bowls, measuring food and scrubbing cage furniture and toys. This is a good time to develop good hygiene habits around pets with an emphasis on washing hands and surfaces when done handling or playing.
Please click here to continue to the full article!
Benefits of Spaying & Neutering
By ROBIN HENRY at HealthyPet.com
What Is It?
Spaying and neutering are surgical procedures used to remove the reproductive organs of dogs and cats. Spaying is the removal of the uterus and ovaries of a female dog or cat. Neutering is the removal of a male dog’s or cat’s testicles. These procedures are also sometimes referred to as “sterilizing” or “fixing” pets.
How Does It Work?
Both of these procedures are performed by a veterinarian while the pet is under anesthesia, medically asleep. Spaying is generally a more involved procedure than neutering because the reproductive organs are being removed from the internal body cavity.
Although all surgical procedures carry some risks, spaying and neutering are the most common surgical procedures performed in dogs and cats, and most pets handle the surgery very well. Be sure to follow your veterinarian’s instructions regarding withholding food and water before surgery. Your pet will need to stay at the hospital anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on age, size, sex and condition. Also be careful to follow all recommendations for home care or aftercare, such as pain medications and post surgery appointments.
Pets can be spayed or neutered when they are as young as 8 weeks of age, and many animal shelters follow this policy before releasing pets for adoption. Otherwise, the procedure is typically recommended for dogs and cats before they reach sexual maturity (at about 5 months old).
What are the Benefits?
One of the best reasons to spay or neuter your pet is to avoid adding to the problem of pet overpopulation. Every day in the United States, thousands more puppies and kittens are born than are human babies. The result is that there are not enough homes for all these pets. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) estimates that between 6 and 8 million pets enter animal shelters each year. Of these pets, the HSUS believes that at least half — 3 to 4 million — are euthanized. Many of these animals are young and healthy.
Spaying and neutering also have immediate benefits for you and your pet:
- Your pet will be much less likely to get a number of serious health problems that can be life-threatening and expensive to treat, such as uterine, mammary (breast) or testicular cancer.
- Spayed and neutered pets are less likely to try to escape and roam. Roaming pets are far more likely to get into fights with other animals or to experience traumatic injuries, such as being hit by a car.
- Neutering male cats makes them less likely to mark their territory (your home) by spraying urine.
- Spaying female pets prevents them from coming into heat, that is, actively seeking a mate. Females in heat may vocalize more and may leave bloodstains on carpets or furniture. A female dog or cat in heat may also attract unwanted male canine or feline visitors to your property.
- Spayed or neutered pets are generally more even-tempered and less likely to show aggression with other animals or people.
Common Concerns
Will my pet gain weight?
You can help keep your pet from gaining unnecessary weight by not overfeeding or overindulging him with treats and by making sure she gets plenty of exercise. Regular walks (for dogs) or playtimes (for cats) can help keep your friend fit.
Please click here to continue to the full article!
