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April 6, 2010
A Client asks:
Is it true that I can get ringworm from my pet? If so, how can I protect myself and my family?
Our Response:
Actually, yes! Ringworm is “zoonotic,” meaning that it is an infection that can be passed between people and pets.
For those who don’t know, ringworm is a fungal infection that appears as baldness, particularly in patches. It is not usually itchy, and it may not have the same ring-like pattern in pets as it does in humans.
Ringworm most commonly manifests in younger animals as their immune systems are not yet fully developed. It is spread via host-to-host transmission, but as the fungus is found within hairs, it can survive in the environment as well. Some animals can become ringworm carriers, but complete eradication of the fungus is possible.
After diagnosis, it is important to follow all of your veterinarian’s recommendations and carefully follow prescription instructions. There are many things you can do to help prevent infection throughout your household. Avoid holding, cuddling, and handling your pet as much as possible. Buy disposable latex gloves and use an old t-shirt as a “smock” for times when handling is absolutely necessary. Confine your pet to a single room, ideally without carpeting. Thoroughly vacuum any carpeted area where your pet has been, again as the fungus is found within the hairs. Disinfect hard surfaces with a 30-part water/1-part bleach solution. And of course, basic hygiene is key, so be sure to wash food and water dishes and your hands diligently.
If you suspect that you have contracted the ringworm fungus, go to your doctor as soon as possible and keep practicing these hygiene techniques. Your pet’s treatment can take anywhere from six to twelve weeks, so patience is required! Best of luck to you, your family, and your pet during treatment!
April 21, 2010
A Client asks:
I know that veterinary clinics can be extremely busy at times, but quieter at others. What’s your quietest time or best time for me to schedule my pet’s regular check up appointment?
I was also wondering what they best days during the week are to bring my dog to Doggie Daycare.
Our Response:
As you’ve suggested, a veterinary office can be an unpredictable place! We are a general practice, meaning that we don’t have separate emergency facilities. Therefore, we see emergency cases in our standard treatment areas—whenever they happen to come in (during office hours). Check out our “Appointment Policy” regarding how we work with emergencies and our regularly scheduled appointments.
While we can never be sure what each day will bring, we do notice some trends in our scheduling. The most in-demand appointment times, as you would probably guess, are on Saturdays. Many clients also like to schedule visits before or after their 9 to 5 work days, so they’ll choose 8:30, 5:00, or 5:30 slots when they are available. Particularly over long holiday weekends, Mondays and Fridays may be busier as well. Clients may have noticed a minor issue over the weekend that can be addressed on the following Monday, or they may want to cross a pet’s appointment off their “to-do” list on Friday, before their weekend plans. Though not a guarantee, your best bet for an available appointment could be Tuesday through Thursday between 10:00 and 12:00 or 2:30 and 4:00.
Our daycare openings (Monday through Friday) follow some of the same trends as our medical appointments. Both boarding and daycare are part of our Kennel Facility Services. Therefore, a kennel full of boarding pets leaves less room for daycare guests. Many boarders are dropped off on Friday, and if for instance the client’s flight doesn’t return until after our Sunday evening hours, the pets won’t be picked up until Monday. So, we may have fewer daycare slots open on Mondays and Fridays. However, this does mean that Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays offer a higher likelihood for group playtime as we have more daycare guests on these days. Furthermore, during holidays and Spring Break, daycare could potentially be unavailable altogether if the kennel is full with boarders.
From Labor Day to Memorial Day, excluding holidays in between, sometimes we can set up several days of daycare for a pet, often up to a few weeks in advance, space permitting. However, over the summer, clients should call the day of a daycare request to ensure that we have the space. We open at 7:00am, so we can take your early morning calls. Note that over the summer, as both daycare and boarding are in higher demand, the cost of daycare rises slightly between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Again, schedules at a veterinary hospital can be quite unpredictable, just as they can be at human doctor offices. That is the nature of caring for urgent or sudden illnesses and injuries alongside of routine cases. For obvious reasons, emergencies receive priority care. In terms of both appointments and daycare, it helps if you are open to mid-week and/or mid-day scheduling. And whether we are busy or quiet, we truly appreciate your patience if the unexpected does throw us off schedule, and we are grateful that you’ve chosen our vets as your “other family doctors”!
If you would like to schedule an appointment or arrange for daycare, we can be reached at (703) 723-1017.
May 19, 2010
A Client asks:
Why do dogs and cats need so many vaccines on a yearly basis? People don’t seem to need vaccines so often.
Our Response:
While human babies’ vaccine and booster schedules seem to mirror the puppy and kitten protocols, you’re right, the parallels decline as the human child gets older. Kids need the occasional booster every few years, and we are all urged to receive the yearly flu shot, but dog and cat recommendations are certainly for a higher load of vaccines. As examples, you can check out our Grooming and Boarding vaccine and preventative care requirements.
So, why the annual (or even semi-annual) recommendations? First off, preventive care is both safer and cheaper in terms of pet health. It is by far preferable to prevent illness—and potentially even death—than to see your pet suffer. Treatment for some of these illnesses can involve a relatively simple course of antibiotics all the way up to extended periods of hospitalization. This can mean discomfort, fear, or pain for your pet and uncertainty, anxiety, or financial strain for you—particularly if you have to factor in visits to the Animal Emergency Hospital or to specialists. And some illnesses, such as rabies, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV, or feline AIDS), and feline leukemia virus (FeLV), are not even treatable, so vaccination may be the best defense your pet can have.
These defenses work only if your pet’s schedule is maintained. Vaccines give a level of immunity by allowing the body to create and harbor antibodies; however, those antibodies need to be boostered regularly to sustain protection. Humans need tetanus shots every ten years; pet vaccines simply require boosters at a greater frequency as their vaccines have shorter durations.
Some vaccines are what we call “lifestyle dependent.” You and your vet should discuss and weigh your pet’s risk of exposure to determine which vaccines are appropriate. Bear in mind, rabies, of course, is required by law. At any rate, just like with humans, for pets prevention is often the best medicine.
If you have any specific questions regarding your pet’s vaccine schedule, or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please feel free to give us a call at (703) 723-1017.
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