Frequently Asked Questions about Small Animals
We get asked many of the same questions over and over. We thought is would be of service to out clients to list several of the more frequently asked questions here.
As always if you have any questions about our reply, or if your not sure wether the answer applies to you and your animal, please call our office or drop one of the doctors a note and we'll try to answer your question as soon as we can.
Q. At what age should my cat or dog be spayed or neutered?
Technically, cats and dogs can be spayed at any time and neutered as soon as the testicles are descended. Beckett and Associates recommends that cats and dogs be spayed or neutered between 4-6 mos. It will also prevent to some extent undesirable qualities of sexual maturity such as marking behaviors.
Q. Should my dog be on heart worm preventative year-round?
It is recommended by the manufacturer and Beckett and Associates that dogs be on heart worm preventative year-round. Heart worm is transmitted from infected mosquitoes that have a blood meal from the dog. Mosquitoes can still be present through the winter season. Depending on the brand of heart worm medication you choose, it also prevents and treats certain parasites the dog may pick up from their outdoor environment.
Q. Is there such thing as a tick "repellent" on the market?
No. There are two bands of tick preventative that our office carries. Frontline® kills fleas, Flea eggs, and ticks. Note: with Frontline® when put on monthly, it will take at least 12 hours from the time the tick comes into contact with the treated animal to die. Preventic® collar will paralyze the mouth of the tick when comes into contact with the animals fur so that it cannot have a blood meal from the animal or human. The Preventic® collar should be changed every 3 months or sooner if gets wet.
Q. What is a "hotspot"
A hotspot is a superficial pyoderma, which is a surface infection of the skin. Hotspots can develop from excessive licking, scratching, secondary to insect bites, or any other minor trauma to the skin surface. Hotspots are usually in circular red-ulcer form and should only be treated by the veterinarian.
Q. When should I stop using tick preventative?
It is safe to stop tick preventative when snow covers the ground or daytime high temperatures stay below 15°F.
Q. What measures can I take to prevent my kitten from scratching up the furniture and will she/he ever grow out of it?
One trick you can try would be to shake ajar of coins, or make a loud noise when you catch the kitty is in action of scratching the furniture. You should always offer your feline friend something more appealing to scratch rather than your leather. Many pet supply stores carry scratching post and sprinkling catnip on it would be the icing on the cake. Also clipping the nails frequently will prevent or lessen the impact of the furniture. Our office also supplies cat nail caps called Soft Paws®. The gel caps are applied with an adhesive and may stay on for 3-4 weeks. This allows your cat to freely scratch without the damage. In the staff's experience, many cats will outgrow the urge to scratch every surface in the house.