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How often should my pet have an exam and blood work?
At Northtown Animal Clinic, we believe that the best way to prolong the relationship you share with your pet is to identify disease processes early and prevent the progression of chronic illness, before it becomes a problem. To keep tabs on your pet’s overall health, it is important to maintain annual exams and bloodwork.
We recommend an examination by your veterinarian every 12 months for healthy pets under the age of 7, and every 6 months for healthy senior patients. Those pets with chronic disease or mobility issues may require examination on a more frequent basis.
We also recommend annual blood work profiles to provide a continuous record for our veterinarian to identify trends and specific areas to focus on in an effort to prolong the duration and quality of life of our patients.
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At what age should I have my pet spayed or neutered?
There are several factors that play into this decision. Before recommending a spay or neuter surgery, Dr. Jeanes at Northtown Animal Clinic will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of having the surgery at various ages. Spaying or neutering age depends on breed (larger breeds can wait longer) and recommendations for each specific animal. Your pet will be given an exam prior to surgery to help determine whether your pet is healthy enough to undergo the surgical procedure. Current vaccinations are required at the time of surgery. Also a pre-anesthetic blood screen is recommended prior to undergoing anesthesia and surgery.
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What are heartworms, and how can I prevent my pet from getting them?
Heartworms are a serious, year-round parasitic threat to your pet’s health. After an infection occurs, treatment is not only very expensive, but can also be life threatening.
Heartworms are extremely common in the warm, humid environment in Jackson, Mississippi, and can infect both our canine companions AND our feline friends. Heartworms are transmitted from infected mosquitoes as juvenile worms known as microfilaria. Unless your pet is taking a heartworm preventative, these immature worms can grow into adults and cause serious damage to the animal’s blood vessels, lungs and heart, and possibly cause death.
There are several options available for prevention of this potentially life threatening disease. A monthly preventative can keep your dog or cat healthy and is much less expensive than having to treat adult heartworms. Dr. Jeanes at Northtown Animal Clinic will determine which preventative is right for your pet, based on needs and lifestyle.
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What financing options do you offer and is payment required at time of service?
Northtown Animal Clinic accepts cash, check and credit/debit cards as payment options. Our clinic does expect payment at time of service. Prompt payment helps our clinic to be able to provide the best service possible.
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