I am a client at Liberty Veterinary Hospital, and my 2 gorgeous cats have been going there for a long time now. Dr. Johnstone, Dr. Collins, and the entire staff at Liberty Veterinary Hospital do a wonderful job taking great care of them. I recently got a new kitten who I call “Little Guy”. During his appointment he’ll get a standard physical, vaccines, parasite screening, and start year round heartworm & flea prevention. It’s very important to treat him with prevention, making sure no unwanted parasites spread through the house. Though my other cats (Gus and Jacob) use prevention as well, parasites can still get into the house any time of the year. Over the years I’ve learned it’s better to be safe than sorry.

While my Little Guy is just starting out, I’ve also got to protect my adult cats too. Did you know that some of the most common and dangerous ailments for cats are urinary & kidney problems, hyperthyroidism, and heart disease? And that these diseases usually go unnoticed by most owners because cats rarely show signs of a health problem until its severe? I wouldn’t have known either, but luckily Dr. Johnstone & Dr. Collins do a great job educating me on proper feline care. Thanks to them, I’ve gotten my cats examined and tested regularly to make sure my 4-legged friends live as long and healthy of a life as possible.

CAT NIP!!CAT NIP!! CAT NIP!!

This week, we direct the Liberty Vet pet blog towards the felines. I’ve been a patient at LVH long enough that I speak cat too. So meow to all your feline friends. Let’s discuss senior cat health.

I am envious of my cat friends. They seem to age a lot more gracefully than us dogs. Maybe it is true that cats have nine lives. Like all of us including the humans, aging is inevitable. At some age though, my cat friends need more and longer naps. Their appetites decrease. Remember those incredible jumps they could make to the top of the refrigerator?? Well as they get older it might just be a jump to the couch.

Liberty Veterinary Hospital strongly recommends an exam every six months for cats of any age, but it’s especially important for senior cats. Remember, cats age much faster than humans. My feline friends are great actors when it comes to hiding pain. Catch an illness early and treatment may be more successful and possibly less expensive. Wait until a cat shows symptoms, and it can be another story. Liberty Vet Hospital has a senior wellness plan for felines. Maybe if you meow enough you will convince your owner to investigate. Have them stop in and pick up a brochure. Tell them to visit with the adoption cats while they do.

So, dogs and cats, watch for next week’s blog. Sorry about teasing the felines with cat nip. Did someone say squirrel?? Got to go!

Woof, woof, Wrangler back to discuss senior pet wellness plans. This pet blog will have information on a dog’s senior health plan. Cats, retract your claws. Next week’s blog will be all about the felines.

So, a canine over 7 years old is in the equivalent of 40’s for a human life. Come on dog friends, we have all heard our owners and their friends discussing human ailments stemming from age. Gosh, even when they whisper, our dog ears pick up everything. Our owners hope for a pleasant retirement. So should we! Wouldn’t you all love to still chase animals, eat great food and nap every day?? Liberty Veterinary Hospital has this great plan for senior dogs.

What is this amazing plan? Well it includes physical and dental exams. We canines are very brave and quiet when it comes to pain. How many of us suffer in silence? The vets might see some weight loss, hear heart murmur or notice dental disease. Let’s talk blood. Complete blood chemistry will check the major organ systems in our bodies. Remember, there is more than just our stomachs!! How many of you have had an owner stick Tupperware under you to grab urine? What is that crazy person doing, right? Well a urinalysis can diagnose a lot, from diabetes to bladder stones. Have techs ever laid you on the table with that crazy camera over you? Smile and say cheese. Those are x-rays, & let the vet check your heart and lungs. Don’t forget eyes and blood pressure need checking too.

So, if you are a senior dog, bark to your owner about making you an appointment. Remember, just like humans, we need better wellness plans as we age. We also need senior care in our retirement. Ok felines, clean your fur, cough up some hairballs and read next week’s blog.

Welcome to the new Liberty Veterinary Hospital pet blog. Howling hello. I am Wrangler, this month’s blogger, a long time patient and dog of one of the Liberty Vet techs. Sorry, I am not as good looking as Brett Favre in his Wrangler jeans.

I find it interesting that whenever older humans chat, their conversations drift to illnesses. Sure their bodies break down as they age. I am barking loudly for us animals. We develop health issues too when we reach our senior years. Humans joke that at age 40 their bodies start falling apart. For us dogs, our golden years start around 7 years of age. For my cat buddies, they reach retirement years after 9 yrs of age.

Hey humans, let me woof at you some topics that probably sound familiar. I’ve overheard my owners discuss high blood pressure. Guess what. We senior dogs can have that too. Diabetes? Bet my dog bones, I have canine and feline friends who are diabetic. Kidney failure? Ever find your pet accidentally sitting in pee? Yep, I’ve seen many an owner catching urine with Tupperware. They catch some pee to test it. Finding it difficult to see the squirrels? Can your pet still chew on those good old dog bones?

So remember, our bodies age too. This month the Liberty Vet dog blog will focus on senior canine and feline healthcare. I will howl about this until I am hoarse. Look for information next week on keeping senior pets healthy. Because of excellent vet care, I am still feeling youthful. Off to chase some squirrels. I learned my lesson not to chase the skunks. See you at the next blog!

Woof, woof and hello again. Indy again, using my pet blog to educate all my dog and cat friends about allergies. So far, we discussed two types of allergies: inhalant and food allergies. Last, we need to discuss the allergy no dog or cat likes to admit they have. Are you severely itching? Are you biting at your behind?? Maybe your allergy is due to flea bites.

Yeah, I said it. Now calm down and stop howling or meowing. Don’t get all embarrassed. This problem can be resolved. Just one flea bite can be really irritating. Treatment isn’t that bad though. An antihistamine can ease the itch, and maybe you’ll get another pill treat. Maybe a medicated bath will help ease the itching. Ok, my cat friends wouldn’t enjoy a bath, but I actually like it. At least it is one on one time with your owner.

Once your symptoms are under control, a flea preventative isn’t just advised, it’s necessary! Liberty Vet now sells Bravecto. Most dogs actually like the taste of this an edible pill. Another amazing fact about Bravecto is that it only needs to be given every 3 months! My owner loves how simple that is.It even guards against ticks too. Don’t like pills? There are other topical flea products that help prevent fleas. Just have your owner ask your vet.

If your allergy is from a flea infestation, remember to bark at your owner to treat your home. Even after you get rid of the fleas in your fur, the whole area where you live needs to be treated to keep those nasty bloodsuckers from coming back! Liberty Vet carries products to help with that too.

Ok, I am done whining about the incessant scratching. Take care of it!Don’t wait too long. Remember, constant licking and scratching can lead to red, raw hot spots which can lead to infection. Don’t be inconvenienced any more. Don’t stop chasing that squirrel to itch. Don’t be impolite and lick or scratch in public . Tell your owner to take you down to the vet. Oh no, a jogger passing by…off and running!!! Good luck and watch for the next pet blog.

Glad all my friends are inside in the air conditioning. My favorite place to nap is over a vent this time of year. Don’t know why my owners complain about their energy bill. August is the month of “dog days of summer.” So I’m going to woof about the Liberty Veterinary Hospital senior wellness plans.

Our veterinarians recommend a physical two times a year. Many problems can be found early through exams. Are you getting too skinny? How does your skin look, any bumps? Want to keep chewing dog bones? A dental exam can reveal dental disease that may cause pain. Blood work sounds scary, but the LVH techs will gently collect a sample. Why blood work? Diabetes, liver or kidney disease and other weird stuff may be detected. You could say the senior wellness plans allow the veterinarians to play detective. Cool, that sort of makes me a police dog. It may seem weird when your owner puts a cup into your urine stream. For goodness sake, just let us pee! Well a urine test can help diagnose kidney failure, urinary tract infection, liver disease or bladder stones.

I can see the hair standing up on your back. Don’t stress out. It is a lot of information. The senior wellness plan covers even more: blood pressure, x-rays, thyroid test and eye exams. On your next walk, drag your owner into Liberty Veterinary Hospital to get a brochure. Remember there is a senior wellness plan for canines AND felines.

So cat and dog friends relax and enjoy the summer. Fall is coming soon and more topics to check out in the LVH dog blog. Remember to stay out of those hot cars this summer. Stay cool in these dog days of summer!