Feline Well Care

Wellness care is an important part of the medical care of your pet. Disease prevention and early detection is essential in allowing your pet to live a long and happy life. We offer comprehensive wellness care for every stage of your cat's life.


Physical Examination
As our feline friends live shorter lives than we do, we stress the importance of an annual examination (or biannual exam in senior and high-risk patients). Thorough check-ups and preventive care can help alleviate serious health problems. At the physical examination the doctor will perform a complete physical, review your pet's medical history, recommend needed tests or services, and discuss care recommendations.

Oral Health Care
Regular dental care is important in maintaining your pet's teeth and protecting your pet's health. Dental disease is the most common disease affecting pets. By the age of three, the majority of cats are already suffering from dental disease. Approximately 25% of cats develop painful cavity-like lesions at or below the gumline. These resorptive lesions are extremely painful and can cause significant periodontal disease. Cats instinctively hide their pain, so you may not be aware of a serious condition. An oral exam is part of every complete physical exam, so if your pet is due for an exam, come in and we will check your pet's oral health at that time.

Our technicians will also show you how to take care of your pet's teeth at home to keep them their best between professional cleanings. We can discuss methods and products to help slow the accumulation of plaque and decrease the frequency of professional cleanings.

Keeping your cat's teeth healthy will give your pet a healthier, happier, longer life. As an added bonus, clean teeth give your pet sweet breath!

Intestinal Parasite Control
Intestinal parasites including roundworms and tapeworms can make your pet ill and these parasites can infect people!

We provide appropriate testing to screen your pet for these parasites and prescribe medication to treat and prevent reinfection. Outdoor cats are at high risk for infection, so we treat all outdoor cats annually to eliminate infection. We are now using a topical dewormer that is very safe and effective - no more bitter pills!

Feline Leukemia and Immunodeficiency Testing
We routinely test all kittens and newly acquired cats for feline leukemia (Felv) and feline immunodeficency virus (FIV). Outdoor cats are at a much higher risk for these diseases, so we recommend vaccination to prevent leukemia infection. Vaccination against FIV is not recommended at this time, due to limitations in differentiating vaccinates from positive infected individuals with the current available vaccine. We will screen cat who fight outdoor more frequently for FIV.

Immunizations
Immunizations are a vital tool in preventing serious and potentially fatal disease. Recent research has shown that some immunizations last for three years or more, while others require annual revaccination. Several leading veterinary immunologists believe that repeated vaccination of a pet that is adequately protected for a disease can aggravate immune mediated and allergic disease.

Our goal is to adequately protect your pet from fatal diseases without potentially aggravating other disease conditions. At LVH we routinely vaccinate healthy adult cats for feline panleukopenia and respiratory viruses every three years. Antibody titers are used to assess protection in cats with certain medical conditions.

Of significant concern has been the increased occurrence and association of a tumor, fibrosarcoma, associated with adjuvanted vaccines in the cat. At LVH we only use Purevax and Continuum vaccines, which contain no adjuvant and are not associated with fibrosarcoma.

Heartworm Disease Prevention
Heartworm infection can occur in cats. The worms do not reproduce in cats, but 1 or 2 worms can cause life threatening disease and sudden death in cats. The incidence of infection in cats is 1/10 th that of dogs, and most commonly presents as an allergic bronchitis. We now have a topical heartworm preventative for cats that also prevent fleas, intestinal parasites, and ear mites. This product is ideal for outdoor cats who are at greater risk for acquiring these infections.

Early Disease Detection   As pets age it is important to acquire a baseline assessment of their metabolic function. Early detection of disease allows us to treat or slow its progression. We strongly recommend screening bloodwork, urinalysis and or radiographs in senior patients on an annual basis.

Permanent identification
We strongly recommend microchip identification of all pets. Microchipping is a simple permanent means of identifying your pet. If your pet is lost or stolen and brought to a shelter, pound or veterinary hospital, he can be positively identified and safely returned to you. We implant microchips with a syringe and needle in the subcutaneous tissue over the shoulder blades. Many clients prefer to have this done during the spay or neuter surgery since the rather large microchip needle can be painlessly inserted while the pet is asleep for surgery.

Pharmacy
We maintain a complete inventory of pharmaceuticals, vitamins, shampoos, flea and tick control products and heartworm preventatives to meet the needs of your pet. We also carry a full line of prescription diets. We will help you chose the product most beneficial for your pet, based on their unique lifestyle.

Individualized Flea and Tick Control Programs
Fleas not only irritate your pet, they also carry disease and and cause serious allergic responses and skin infection.

We develop programs for the specific needs of your pet and your own particular environmental situation. Our healthcare team will review with you the best ways to control fleas in your house, in your yard and on your pet. We will assist you in selecting the flea control and prevention products most suitable to your pet and lifestyle.

Dietary Counseling
We will provide guidance regarding your pet's nutritional needs for each life stage, including dietary requirements for growth, weight maintenance and performance.

Behavioral Counseling
We can provide advice regarding the correction of problems such as excessive scratching, inappropriate urination, house soiling and aggression. We refer to a board certified veterinary behaviorist to assist in management of many aggression cases.