1. Why do we declaw cats that are less than 6 pounds only?
A declaw is basically an amputation of the nail and bone to the first knuckle. We feel it is too painful for a heavier cat to try to walk on amputated feet. For this reason, we recommend declawing as early as 16 weeks of age. We also will not declaw all four feet. We perform front declaws only.

2. When do we spay or neuter a dog/cat?
We recommend spaying and neutering before the animal goes through puberty. This usually means between 4 and 9 months of age. The old wives tale of letting a female go through her first heat cycle before spaying is false. Spaying an animal before their first heat cycle reduces the chances of mammary (breast) cancer by 80%, reduces the number of unwanted litters and keeps the intact males from marking your property. Neutering male animals reduces testicular and prostate cancer, reduces the animals need to roam, and decreases aggression.

3. What vaccines does my pet need?
We tailor your pet’s vaccine schedule to your lifestyle. If your pet does not need a certain vaccine, we do not give it. Dogs and cats both require rabies vaccines after 16 weeks of age. In Michigan, the first rabies vaccination expires in 1 year. Each subsequent rabies vaccine expires in 3 years.

1. What additional vaccinations does my kitten need? All cats need distemper vaccination. The distemper vaccine covers Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia. This vaccine is boosted every 3-4 weeks until the kitten is 16 weeks of age (with at least 2 vaccines after 12 weeks of age). Cats going outdoors also need a feline leukemia vaccine annually. This vaccine is given 2 times separated by 3-4 weeks when your kitten is at least 9 weeks of age.


2. What additional vaccinations does my adult cat need? Feline leukemia is an annual vaccination for outdoor cats. Our leukemia vaccine is a recombinent transdermal vaccine which reduces the chance of firbrosarcomas.  Both indoor and outdoor cats get feline distemper vaccine either yearly or every 3 years. We vaccinate with a 1 year rabies vaccine that does not contain adjuvant to decrease vaccine reactions such as fibrosarcomas.


3. What additional vaccinations does my puppy need? Dogs need the distemper combination vaccine. This vaccine covers Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo, and Parainfluenza. When your puppy reaches 12 weeks of age Leptosporsis and Coronavirus are added. This vaccine is boosted every 3-4 weeks until your puppy is 16 weeks of age. Bordatella (Kennel Cough) is needed when the puppy is going to be groomed, boarded or taken to puppy classes. This vaccine is given intranasal and boosted with an injection 3-4 weeks later and can start as early as 4-6 weeks of age. Lyme disease vaccination is also available.


4. What additional vaccinations does my adult dog need? Distemper is an annual vaccine, but there is a 3 year core distemper vaccine, which we give on years the rabies vaccine is not given. The leptospirosis vaccine is an annual vaccine. Dogs that are going to be boarded, groomed or taken to obedience or agility classes also need the Bordatella or kennel cough vaccine annually. Lyme disease vaccination is also available.

4. Why does my pet need an exam to get vaccines?
Our doctor performs a thorough nose to tail exam each time your pet comes in for vaccinations. She checks the skin, eyes, ears, mouth, teeth, abdomen, tail and feet for any abnormalities. We perform exams as preventative care to catch problems before they become extreme. Our doctor makes sure your animal is healthy enough to receive the vaccines prior to giving them. If your pet is sick and receives vaccines, your pet’s immune system will become overloaded and unable to develop the immunity needed to fight off the diseases vaccinated for, and will also keep your animal from being able to heal from the sickness they already have. Our appointment slots are scheduled every half hour to give you, the technician and the doctor enough time to discuss your pet’s needs. This is at least 10-15 minutes longer than any other animal hospital in the area.

5. Do I need to schedule an appointment?
We do accept walk-ins, but we prefer appointments. Walk-ins may have to wait for already scheduled appointments to clear prior to being seen. Scheduling an appointment will allow you to see the doctor in a timely manner, instead of waiting for indiscriminate amounts of time. There are also times in the day the doctor is unavailable, so we make sure to schedule around these times.

6. Why does my dog need a heartworm test if he’s on year round heartworm prevention?
We require an annual heartworm test for the health of your animal. If you missed a dose, your dog vomited a dose or spit out the dose when you didn’t realize, your dog may get heartworm disease. Should your dog be positive for heartworm disease and you give the preventative, your pet could have a fatal anaphylactic reaction to the dying worms and larvae. A simple blood test can alleviate these concerns.

7. Why does my pet need a parasite screen (fecal floatation) when their stool is normal?
Animals carry intestinal parasites some of which are microscopic. Many intestinal parasites, including hookworms and roundworms, are also zoonotic, which means transmissible to humans. Young children are especially susceptible because they forget to wash their hands after touching and playing with pets. Hookworms cause cutaneous larva migrans where the larva tunnel through the skin. Roundworms cause visceral larva migrans where the larva travel into the eye or other organs. Other intestinal parasites and protozoan, including giardia and coccidia, are not covered by over-the-counter dewormers and can irritate and damage the GI tract of pets.

8. Why does my pet need heartworm preventative if he doesn’t go outside? Does my cat need heartworm prevention?
Heartworm disease is transferred by mosquitoes and is a fatal disease in cats and dogs. The mosquito bites the animal and inserts the microfilaria (baby heartworm) into the blood stream. There it travels through the circulatory system until it reaches the heart, where it will mature and reproduce. Many heartworms can fill the heart causing damage and failure. Mosquitoes can travel into the house or car, and it only takes one infected mosquito for your pet to develop heartworm disease. Monthly preventative breaks the life cycle of the microfilaria, causing it to die before becoming a mature heartworm.