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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Charlotte-Animal-Hospital/334238266601900
FEBRUARY is
“National Pet Dental Health Month”
During the month of February 2012 we are offering 15% off scheduled dental procedures.*
Dental disease is one of the most common diseases in dogs and cats. It can cause a serious health risk that could potentially damage your pet’s teeth, gums and internal organs. If you would like more information or to schedule a dental cleaning for your pet, please feel free to call 941-625-6111 and one of our receptionists will be happy to assist you. Remember to call ahead for scheduling as appointments fill very quickly.
If you would like to learn more about Pet Dental Health please visit the links below:
http://www.avma.org/press/releases/100125_npdhm.asp
http://www.petdental.com/pd2/index.jsp
*The 15% discount will only apply to the current costs of the actual dental procedure which includes; the pre-anesthetic blood work, the anesthesia, dental x-rays, any extractions that were performed, and any gingival suturing if applicable. Any additional services, treatments, medications, products, etc. will be regularly priced.
Low-Reactive Canine Leptospirosis vaccines are now available for your dog’s protection.
What is Canine Leptospirosis?
Canine Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that dogs and other mammals, including humans, can acquire that primarily affects the kidneys or the liver. Any mammal that is infected with Leptospirosis becomes a carrier. All dogs, small to large, are susceptible of acquiring this disease. Any where that dogs may cross paths with wildlife, from your own yard to the Dog Park, exposure to Leptospirosis is a risk. Wildlife and livestock are reservoirs for canine Leptospirosis. Some species include, but are not limited to, dogs, raccoons, rodents, squirrels, skunks, opossums, armadillos, foxes, coyotes, deer, and livestock.
Is your pet at risk of acquiring leptospirosis?
If an infected or recovered carrier mammal urinates in an area that your dog comes into contact with, then your dog is at risk. The most common route of transmission is ingestion. The infected urine can come into contact with your pet’s mucous membranes or by the dog walking through the infected urine, then licking their feet. Other routes of transmission can be a dog rummaging through rodent-contaminated garbage. Also contamination through the skin is possible. For example, a dog that swims in contaminated water may become infected. The incubation period (the time from infection to the onset of clinical signs) is four to twelve days.
How can you protect your pet?
You can add the Lepto vaccine into your pet’s regular vaccination program to help protect your pet from acquiring Canine Leptospirosis. Annual boosters are recommended to provide the best immunity. It is recommended that after giving your pet their first Lepto vaccine the pet receive a second booster in two to three weeks. After the booster series, administering the vaccine annually would be sufficient. You may speak with your pet’s veterinarian to discuss any recommendations, options, and risks in regards to your pet’s specific healthcare needs. They will be happy to answer any questions you may have in regards to the Lepto vaccine.
To learn more about Leptospirosis from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, click on the link below:
http://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/
Now Available,
Companion Therapy Laser Treatments
We now have Class IV Laser Therapy available for chronic pain control, this is a non-drug, non-invasive treatment. The therapy laser radically increases circulation, which reduces pain by stimulating an endorphin release and radically excites the energy carrier in the cell (the ATP) to heal cells in 1/3 to 1/2 the normal healing time. A laser only acts on abnormal cells and does nothing to normal cells so you cannot over treat a pet with laser therapy.
Laser treatments are cumulative and one builds upon another. Generally, one treats a pet with a series of treatments for the best effect.
A therapy laser treats any inflammation, pain or acute trauma and any chronic conditions which cause pain, stiffness, and resulting loss of mobility.
You may see radical improvement after one treatment but generally several treatments are required to gain the maximum effects especially for chronic conditions.
Help heal your pet with this drug-free, pain-free, relief for your companion.
Visit our online store!
With the click of a button you can get everything you need for your pet delivered directly to your home or current location.
For example; you are away on vacation with your loving pet Pepper. Pepper runs out of her Heartworm Prevention. You can go online to your own personal pet portal and have the products delivered directly to you, wherever you are. It's that simple.
Getting started is easy, simply log into your own
personal Pet Portal to start shopping today.
Don't have a Pet Portal?
Click on the Pet Portal button to sign up for your free account.
FDA Warns Consumers of Health Risks in Regards to Using Internet Pharmacies
The FDA advises against using internet pharmacies that are unlicensed because they create significant risks to your pet’s health. For more information regarding internet pharmacies, please read the article and watch the video from the FDA website link listed below:
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048164.htm
At Charlotte Animal Hospital it is imperative to us that our patients receive the highest quality pharmaceutical products, especially where life-threatening illnesses are of a concern. We do understand the reasons for clients to find products at a lesser cost, however, a lot of the times our products prices are often better. Also, we often have rebates, guarantees, and counseling for a lot of our products. When you purchase your pet’s products from us you can assure that the products are of the highest quality and you can trust that the products are coming from a licensed veterinarian.
If you are an established client, at your request we will write prescriptions for your pet, though we would like for you to be able to make an educated decision of where you purchase prescriptions for your pet. To help assist you in making an educated decision, we have included some information regarding the sale of prescriptions from “discount houses”.
*Major manufacturers uphold strict policies for the sale of prescriptions through licensed veterinarians. “Discount house” sales are usually through non-approved vendors.
*Some of the better known discount houses have been cited by the FDA and State Boards of Pharmacy for violating prescribing procedures.
*In the United States, a lot of pharmaceuticals that are manufactured and labeled for use in other countries end up in “discount houses”. These illegally diverted pharmaceuticals are then sold from these “discount houses” without the client really knowing where the pharmaceuticals originally came from.
*When dealing with “discount houses”, a lot of clients find trouble with damaged products, delays, lost shipments, shipping charges and that the savings are not worth the trouble.
*Most manufacturers guarantee their products through authorized, licensed veterinarians. So those guarantees are null and void when the products are purchased through non-approved vendors. You can be assured that if you purchase a product from us and there is a guarantee with that product, we stand by that guarantee.
*When purchasing pharmaceuticals from us, you can have confidence knowing that the products came from a legitimate manufacturer and that the staff has the knowledge to consult with you concerning the products.
If you are an established client, and you would like for us to write prescriptions for your pet to be filled at a “discount house”, we will only be able to do so according to the guidelines listed below:
1. All prescribing laws, state and federal, are the same as if you were to purchase the products from us.
2. We will not have communications with any “discount houses” in any manner, to avoid possible issues with doctor-patient confidentiality.
3. It would be your responsibility to submit the prescription and be sure that it was labeled, shipped and used properly.
4. We will not be held responsible for any product failure concerns for products that were purchased elsewhere. This includes heartworm, flea, tick, and intestinal parasite prevention.
5. In regards to heartworm preventative prescriptions, you must have a current negative heartworm test on file with us before we can write a prescription to be filled at a “discount house”.
Our mission at Charlotte Animal Hospital is to provide our clients with access to leading edge products and services and authoritative educational content focusing on enhancing the human animal bond, and to provide high quality pet health and wellness services and assist your pet to live a longer, happier, and healthier life.