The Dog Owner’s Guide is an outline of all of the medical needs, things to do, and things to know for the entire life of your dog. This outline provides you a step-by-step outline with brief details of each contained in the “Explanation” section. The “Dog Owner’s Guide” is provided at no charge so that your pet will receive the best level of care available in order to have a long and healthy life. We have dedicated our services to enrich the lives of our clients and their pets by striving to offer the best quality service through client education, and up-to-date veterinary care.
Dog Owner’s Guide Sections:
- Puppies: The first year
- Adult Dog (age 1-6 yrs)
- Early/Middle Geriatric Dog (age 7-14yrs)
- Late Geriatric Dog (age 15 & beyond)
- End of Life Decision
- Explanation Section
- Frequently Asked Questions
Hospital Special Features:
- Community Service
- Laser Surgery
- Low Cost Spay/Neuter Program
- Low Cost Vaccination Clinics
- Obedience Training Classes
- Pet Adoptions
- Pet Boarding/Day Care at “Camp Jarrett”
- Senior Discount (10%)
About Our Hospital
Our hospital is equipped with a Well Trained Staff, In-house Lab, 2 table Surgery Suite, ICU cages, Surgical Laser, Pulse Oximeter Monitors, Orthopedic Instrumentation, 2 Dental Cleaning Units, Innovet X-ray Unit, and Microscope with Digital Camera.
Dr. Jarrett has special interest in:
- Chronic Ear Problems
- Pet Population Control
- Dermatology/Allergies
- Laser Surgery
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Cardiac Disease
- Arthritis Pain Control
- Internal Medicine
- Diabetes Management
- Cushing Disease Management
PUPPIES: THE FIRST YEAR
Congratulations on your new puppy! Puppy care will be a critical part of your dog’s well being throughout the course of its life. You will be given a vaccination outline complete with approximate dates for us to see you & your puppy. From 6 wks through 4 months of age there are several important exam/vaccination visits, and our desire is to make these visits a positive experience for everyone. To ensure your puppy has a great healthy beginning it is critical to complete his entire series of vaccinations prior to having contact with other dogs. Vaccinations do not protect your pet until the entire series has been completed. Once this has been done obedience training, socialization with other dogs and walking him in public can begin.
Medical Needs
- Breed Related Problems/Behavior Issues
- Comprehensive Physical Exam
- Dental Care Review
- Fecal Testing
- Parasite Control
- Spay/Neuter
- Vaccines
- Weight Evaluation
PUPPIES, ADULT & GERIATRIC DOGS
There are Things to Do and Things to Know for their best care.
Things To Do
- Bathing/Grooming
- House Breaking
- Collar/ID tags
- Microchipping
- Ear Trim (Cosmetic/Breed Specific)
- Obedience Training
- Feeding Schedule
- Pet Proof Home
- Food & Feeding
- Toys
Things To Know
- Addresses & Phone Numbers
- Emergencies (after hours)
- Animal Cruelty
- Internet Pharmacies
- Boarding/Doggie Day Care
- Leash Laws/City Ordinances
- Breed Related Problems
- Pet Insurance
- Behavior Issues
ADULT DOG
AGE 1-6 yrs
These ages are the prime of life for a canine. During this phase of your dog’s life, it is still important to continue with training to be sure bad behaviors are changed before they are a permanent problem. At these annual visits, your now adult dog needs:
Annual Medical Needs
- Comprehensive Physical Exam
- Weight Evaluation
- Fecal Testing
- Breed Related Problems/Behavior Issues
- Parasite Control
- Heartworm/Lymes/Erlichia Test
- Microchip Verification
- Spay/Neuter (if needed)
- Vaccines
- Dental Care Review
- Wellness Blood Panel
EARLY/MIDDLE GERIATRIC DOG
AGE 7-9/10-14yrs (BREED DEPENDENT)
Depending upon the size and breed of your dog, at this age you may notice that your old friend may be slowing down as he transitions to a senior. With proper and timely medical care, your dog can still live for many years. It is very important for owners to be aware of any changes in appetite, weight, skin appearance, lumps or growths, water consumption, urination, difficulty eating, limping, or is slow to get up. This is the age when these problems can be first identified and treated early to improve their quality of life.
Annual Medical Needs
- Comprehensive Physical Exam
- Weight Evaluation
- Fecal Testing
- Breed Related Problems/Behavior Issues
- Parasite Control
- Heartworm/Lymes/Erlichia Test
- Microchip Verification
- Spay/Neuter (if needed)
- Vaccines
- Dental Care Review
- Wellness Xrays (Cardiac & Arthritis)
- Wellness Blood Panel (strongly recommended)
LATE GERIATRIC DOG
AGE 15yrs & BEYOND
It is very important in this age bracket to continue with annual examinations, blood work, and x-rays. The key to making sure your senior dog has the healthiest and highest quality of life is to recognize and reduce factors that may be health risks, detect disease as early as possible, correct or delay the progression of disease, and improve or maintain the health of the body’s organs.
Annual Medical Needs
- Comprehensive Physical Exam
- Heartworm/Lymes/Erlichia Test
- Fecal Testing
- Parasite Control
- Dental Care Review
- Weight Evaluation
- Breed Related Problems/Behavior Issues
- Vaccines
- Wellness X-rays (Cardiac and Arthritis Evaluation)
- Wellness Blood Panel—VERY strongly recommended
END OF LIFE DECISION
Unfortunately, this time will come at some point in your pet’s life. When you feel that this time is close at hand, please make an appointment to have the doctor examine your pet. During this exam we will decide together if there is nothing more that can be done to relieve pain, improve body functions, or extend the quality of life. If there is no reasonable medical treatment for your life long friend’s condition, then and only then do we recommend and provide a caring, compassionate, painless and heart felt end of life.
Resources
Addresses & Phone Numbers
Parket County Vet Hospital ph: 817-596-0909 Fax: 817-613-0034
Poison Control for Animals ph: 1-888-426-4435 – This service charges a fee for each call.
Emergency Service
Metro West Emergency Clinic Weatherford Animal Shelter | 3201 Hulen (at I-30) 403 Hickory Lane Fort Worth, TX Weatherford, TX ph: 817-731-3734
Lost & Found Pets
Weatherford Animal Shelter ph: 817-598-4111
ANIMAL CRUELTY: Texas law provides anonymous protection for persons reporting cruelty to animals. Please call your local police or sheriffs department to provide information if you suspect this is happening to a pet.
BOARDING: Going out of town? Boarding your cat at a boarding facility is a good option to make sure your cat is well taken care. Choose a kennel based upon cleanliness & well trained staff; not on the price. Make sure all pets boarded, including yours, are vaccinated for all diseases by a veterinarian. Put your name on all blankets, collars, food, bowls, and toys that you leave at the kennel. Try not to board a kitten less than 6 months of age unless it is absolutely necessary as kennels can be a very stressful place for the very young. Leave a working emergency phone number with the kennel just in case they need to contact you. Our Camp Jarrett boarding facility requires vaccinations for all upper respiratory diseases. Special needs cats, such as diabetics or the very old, may be boarded but only after a discussion with the doctor of your cat’s medical condition.
BREED RELATED PROBLEMS/BEHAVIOR ISSUES: Please go to http://www.cfa.org/index.html for a listing/description of all the recognized breeds of cats in the United States. For behavior problems and issues please go to http://www.catsinternational.org/articles/index.html
COLLARS AND TAGS: Collars should be tight enough to not slip over their head, but loose enough to be able to place one or two fingers beneath it. Special break-away collars are made to ensure that kitty will not be strangled should the collar become hung up on a tree or other obstacle. Identification tags should be available, especially if your kitty goes outside. See Microchipping.
COMPREHENSIVE PHYSICAL EXAM: The doctor will examine your pet thoroughly by checking the ears, eyes, nose, throat, teeth, skin, heart, lymph nodes, palpating the abdomen, and checking for external parasites.
Puppies: The doctor will perform a comprehensive physical exam, also checking for congenital defects such as: juvenile cataracts, hernias, congenital heart murmurs, and proper bite. We will also let you know if your puppy can be started on vaccines and establish a written puppy vaccination program for you to follow.
Adult: The comprehensive physical exam is performed annually and will once again check for the items listed above and overall health. This is the best time to discuss with the doctor any adult behavior problems that exist.
Geriatric: During the comprehensive physical exam, we will be looking for the onset of age related problems such as renal disease, heart disease, dental disease, hypothyroidism, arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. We will strongly recommend a wellness blood panel and wellness x-rays to provide early detection of unseen age related medical problems. Late Geriatric pets are recommended to have twice yearly exams.
DENTAL CARE REVIEW: Caring for your dog’s teeth is the #1 best way to prevent infections of the heart valves, kidney, bladder, liver, spine, and lungs. Periodontal disease affects over 85% of pets over the age of three. Teeth accumulate tartar and bacteria. Over time, the bacteria are absorbed into the blood stream which gives them access to entire body. BRUSHING YOUR PET’S TEETH DAILY IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST—BUT ARE YOU GOING TO REALLY DO IT? Only 10-15% of extremely motivated pet owner’s ever attempt to brush their dog’s teeth and less that 30% keep it up for more than 1 month. Life is busy and even veterinarians do not brush their dog’s teeth. DENTAL DIETS work poorly. If chewing any kind of food cleaned teeth then neither you or your pets would need professional dental care. The only time that chewing action will clean teeth is when they are chewing on the leg bone of some large prey and are attempting to crack open the bones to get at the marrow. House pets no longer do this, obviously. Because of this, we strongly recommend using CET HEXTRACHEWS® at home to help prevent the bacteria that can lead to tooth loss. These single layer rawhide chews are impregnated with a safe disinfectant chemical, Chlorhexidine that is released when chewed. This chemical helps tremendously in killing oral bacteria that grow tartar (cement like covering of teeth that harbors infection close to the gum line). Unlike other dental care products, HEXTRACHEWS, have never caused intestinal blockage to my knowledge. They will either pass in stool or be digested. Most dogs will chew them completely but a few will attempt to swallow them whole. While watching your dog vomit one of these may be unpleasant to you, they are the only dental care that I know of that is handy and easy to use. Besides aiding in keeping your dog’s teeth clean, HEXTRACHEWS also keeps the breath fresh. All of this helps to reduce the frequency of your dog needing a general anesthetic dental cleaning. If tartar does build up on your dog’s teeth, then proper dental care involves cleaning the teeth annually as needed below the gum line during a light anesthetic procedure. Your dog’s need for a dental cleaning will be discussed each year during the DENTAL CARE REVIEW of the annual comprehensive physical exam.
EAR TRIM: According to some owners, certain breeds (Schnauzers, Dobermans, Great Danes, American Pit Bulldogs, Boxers) look better with their ears cosmetically trimmed. Dr. Jarrett will need to examine the puppy before setting up this elective surgery. The best age to perform this procedure is when the puppy is between 10-12 weeks of age. Ear trimming is a team effort. Strict instructions will need to be followed at home for several weeks. Ask us for an info/price sheet on ear trimming.
EMERGENCIES (after hours): Please call our hospital main phone number, 817-596-0909. If Dr. Jarrett is available the answering service will have him return your call promptly. Should Dr. Jarrett not be on call, the answering service will give you the number for the emergency animal hospital he recommends. Due to the very large size of the practice and the daily heavy case load, Dr. Jarrett is not able to provide 24 hour service year round. The emergency hospital will notify us of your visit to their hospital. The next day we will call to check on the condition of your pet. Please furnish us a copy of the medical record so we can stay current on your pet’s medical condition.
FECAL TESTING: Hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, coccidia, giardia and tapeworms are found through fecal testing in any age dog. Annual fecal testing is a must to keep them controlled. Hooks, rounds, and whips infect your dog prior to birth. These worms, coccidia and giardia, are also found in contaminated soil. Tapeworms are transmitted by fleas and can be a cause of scooting or anal irritation. If your pet is scooting, look at the dog’s rectal area for these ¼-1/2inch rice-sized worms. They may also be found on the surface of a freshly passed bowel movement. Please note that scooting is rarely caused by worms and is more often caused by full anal sacs or fleas.
FOOD & FEEDING: Feed national brands such as Waltham, Purina, Iams/Eukanuba, and Science Diet. The only way to cheapen dog food is to use cheaper less digestible ingredients which results in larger stool volume. Protein percentage on the ingredients tag may be the same on both cheap and more expensive dog food but the cheap brands will use indigestible proteins that have little nutritional value. With national brands, you will not need to add vitamins or supplements. Water should be available at all times except when crate training. Do not put food/water in the crate.
Puppies: Let the puppy eat all that they want for 15 minutes 3 times a day until the age of 4 months. After 4 months you should feed a controlled amount 2 times a day. If you leave food out all of the time, potty training will be more difficult. Water and food need to be picked up at night while you are house- breaking.
Adult: Change to adult dog food at about 1 yr of age. Most adult dogs only need 1/3 cup per 10-15 pounds of body weight a day. This amount needs adjustment depending upon breed, size, and activity. Feeding twice a day is best.
Early to Late Geriatric: As a dog ages, their nutritional needs change. At this age you can transition their diet from an adult dog food to a senior diet. Subtle changes in weight are often the first sign of disease. Weigh your geriatric dog every 3-4 months. Adjust his food intake according to his weight; not his hunger. Water should always be available, but an increase in thirst and urination frequency will be the first sign of several diseases.
BATHING/GROOMING: Bathing is only necessary when you cannot take the smell. Remember, the more you bathe the dryer and flakier his coat will be. Use a good smelling soap you like, as it makes no difference to the dog. Follow the bath with a conditioner (Mane & Tail) to replace the oils you washed out. Keeping your dog brushed 1-2 times a week removes dead hair, makes the coat shine, and allows you to inspect your dog for fleas and ticks often. Longhaired dogs will need a professional groomer to keep the hair cut short and styled (if desired). Introducing your puppy to a groomer early trains him to respond positively to the grooming process. Start this only after his vaccinations are complete. Keep the toenails trimmed short but don’t cut the pink area! It will bleed.
HEARTWORM/LYMES/ERLICHIA TESTING: Dogs are tested once a year for these diseases using a single combo blood test. An adult dog can not be placed on heartworm preventative until an annual negative test is performed. Since this test is only 84% accurate annual testing is necessary. Interceptor® is our recommended brand of monthly heartworm preventative. Lymes and Erlichia are
carried by ticks and fleas. Both need to be treated early in the infection, therefore annual testing is required.
HOUSE BREAKING: Take your puppy outside to the same area of the yard up to 5-6 times per day (after every meal, nap, or play period). Give him a special treat when he urinates or defecates in the correct area. Leave a small amount of stool in the area so the puppy will recognize the potty area. Puppies should be taken outside first thing in the morning, after feeding, playtime, naptime, and before bedtime. CRATE TRAINING can assist with potty training, but remember not to leave your puppy in for too long. Puppies need attention. Do not rub their face in their stool. It just makes two things to clean instead of one. Potty training can take just a few days or up to a few weeks. Be consistent and potty training will only take a short time.
INTERNET PHARMACIES: We have found most internet pharmacies to be repeatedly irresponsible when it comes to filling prescriptions. Most often they will refill a prescription without proper written authorization by the doctor. Furthermore, Texas law does not require veterinarians to write these prescriptions upon a client’s request. For these reasons we do not offer this service because it would be dangerous for your pet’s health as well as undercut our financial ability to provide our hospital services when you need them most.
LEASH LAWS/CITY ORDINANCES: Regardless of where you live in Parker County (within the city or in the country) your pet by law must be on a leash when not contained within a house or yard. Call the local police department in your city to find out the in-town limit for dogs per household. The limit is usually 3-4 dogs per family.
MICROCHIPPING: During this procedure a small glass computer chip, the size of a grain of rice, is injected under the skin between the shoulder blades. By reading this chip’s number with a small hand held electronic scanner, your lost pet can be returned to the rightful owner. The procedure can be performed during an appointment, or at the time of your pet’s spay or neuter. Our local animal shelter scans all found pets for a microchip number. A one time fee is charged for both the implanting of the chip as well as recording your microchip information in the national registry. For every 25 microchips that are implanted, 2 pets are returned to their owner by microchip identification at some point in their life. IT WORKS!
OBEDIENCE TRAINING: Teach your puppy not to jump up on you or bite you by saying “NO” in a loud voice and breaking contact with him immediately by placing him in a crate or small room by himself for 20-30 minutes. He will soon learn that bad behavior results in isolation or “time out”. Get him used to a collar and leash by placing them on him and then playing with him. Pick up the leash and gently pull him to you with encouragement and a food reward. Soon he will be excited to be on the leash because it means contact with you. Next comes sit, stay, down, heal, & off leash obedience. Consult an experienced obedience trainer for advice and a schedule of obedience training classes that fit your schedule. Ask us for a recommendation for a local trainer. Obedience training classes should not be started until your puppy has finished its complete series of puppy vaccinations.
OPTIONS FOR BURIAL: After the end of life decision has been made, you have the option of taking your pet’s remains with you for home burial. We offer coordination with a recommended pet cemetery that provides communal or private burial services at their facility. Also, we can arrange for private cremation with return of ashes in a wood urn.
PARASITE CONTROL: A good health regimen provides control of external and internal parasites. We strongly recommend Frontline Plus® monthly for flea and tick control. In extreme tick infestations, a Preventic® Collar can be used safely with Frontline. Interceptor® tablets provide monthly heartworm prevention and will help to prevent internal parasites such as hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms. Poop scooping the yard weekly, mowing, and eliminating standing water also reduces parasite problems.
PET INSURANCE: Many pet owners are wanting the highest level of care possible. Several pet insurance companies are now offering different levels of insurance depending upon age, breed, and sex of your animal. Most of them include preventative health care such as vaccines and parasite control as well as major medical coverage. If you are interested in providing insurance for your pet you can go on-line to see what your options are for this level of veterinary care. A good example can be found at www.petinsurance.com (VPI Pet Insurance).
PET PROOF YOUR HOME: Young animals love to chew when they’re teething. Keep electrical wires out of reach. Never give bones as a treat because they can splinter and cause serious injury. Items such as bleach, ammonia, disinfectants, drain cleaner, oven cleaner, paint, gasoline, rat poison and antifreeze can be fatal if swallowed. Poisonous plants include: lilies, philodendron, dieffenbachia, elephant ear, eucalyptus, spider plants, azalea, ivy, amaryllis, pyracantha, oleander, boxwood, Jerusalem cherry, and plant bulbs. Other items such as cosmetics, shampoos, skin creams, “perm” solutions, suntan lotions, sleeping pills, antihistamines, aspirin, and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can all be lethal to pets. Secure the lids to toilets and hot tubs as a puppy can fall in and not be able to get out. Garbage cans must be secure and covered to prevent dietary indiscretion.
SPAYING OR NEUTERING: We recommend having your pet spayed or neutered between 4 to 6 months of age. Spaying (ovariohysterectomy) is the surgical removal of the female reproductive organs (uterus and ovaries). This greatly reduces the incidence of mammary cancer, uterine infections, and helps to decrease overpopulation. Neutering (castration) is the surgical removal of the testicles. The benefits, besides preventing unwanted pregnancies, include reduced aggression, decreased urine marking, and roaming during breeding season. The only reason to not neuter is if your male dog is used for breeding or trained protection. Also, 20% of all intact male dogs develop perianal adenomas (rectal cancer). Neutering prevents this cancer almost 100% of the time.
TOYS: It is important to choose a safe toy for your puppy or adult dog. If pieces can be chewed off and swallowed, then it can be a hazard. A toy should also be large enough so that it can not be swallowed. Rawhide can be unsafe. We recommend Hextrachews, a single layer dental chew which dogs really love. It reduces bacteria in the mouth so it helps their teeth and breath, too. Because it is a single layer, Hextrachews are safer than standard rawhide.
VACCINES: Vaccines have been the cornerstone of protection for pets and still are. Puppies will receive a written outline of approximate dates when vaccines and puppy exams need to be given. Adult dogs are still recommended to receive annual boosters at the time of their annual comprehensive physical exam. Our hospital will mail you a reminder each time your dog’s vaccinations are due. We will discuss with you what vaccines are appropriate for your dog. Those vaccine recommendations are dependant upon factors such as boarding, grooming, and external parasite exposure. Listed below are brief descriptions of each vaccine.
- Rabies: Parker County law requires annual vaccination for Rabies
- Distemper/Parvo/Corona: Contains vaccine for 7 contagious diseases.
- Distemper: Upper respiratory virus that causes pneumonia, seizures, death
- Hepatitis: A severe liver disease caused by a virus.
- Leptospirosis: 2 types—an often fatal kidney disease. Fever & bloody urine.
- Parainfluenza: Upper respiratory virus causing pneumonia & kennel cough.
- Parvo virus: Intestinal virus–severe bloody diarrhea/vomiting. Often fatal.
- Corona virus: Intestinal virus. Bloody stool/vomiting similar to Parvo.
- Kennel Cough: Upper respiratory virus. Strong honking cough that last 3-4 wks.
- Lymes Disease: Carried by ticks/fleas. Swollen lymph nodes, fever, lameness.
WEIGHT EVALUATION: At each visit or exam, the veterinarian will evaluate your dog’s weight versus its bone structure. If your pet is overweight, then feeding less food is the only way to lose weight. Exercise is less than 10% of the weight control answer. For your dog to lose weight, first weigh your dog and determine how much you want it to lose. Second, reduce the total volume of current food consumed by ¼ to 1/3rd and feed that amount for 2 weeks. Now re-weigh your dog to check its progress. If no weight has been lost, reduce the volume of food by another ¼ to 1/3rd of its current food intake for another 2 weeks. Repeat this process until your pet reaches the desired weight. 40% of all American pets are obse!
WELLNESS BLOOD PANEL: During the annual comprehensive physical exam, we will recommend a wellness blood panel. This is strongly recommended on an annual basis for adult, early, and late geriatric dogs. This panel provides early detection of diabetes, renal/liver failure, heart disease, hypothyroidism, arthritis, and anemia. The wellness blood panel is offered at a reduced price (about 50% less) compared to a diagnostic blood panel for ill patients.
WELLNESS X-RAYS (CARDIAC/ARTHRITIS EVALUATION): Just like the wellness blood panel, we will offer wellness x-rays during the annual comprehensive physical exam. These x-rays screen pets for early signs of arthritis or cardiac disease. Early detection of unapparent orthopedic problems provides an opportunity to reduce pain and improve health. Most wellness x-rays do not require your dog to be anesthetized. Wellness X-rays are also offered at a reduced price (about 50% less) compared to diagnostic x-rays.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
EAR CLEANING: It is ridiculous for vets or anyone to say that you should not put water in a dog’s or cat’s ear. If you want to clean out an ear, put 1″ of dish soap in a pistol grip 16 oz spray bottle and fill it with tap water. Shake well. Now restrain your dog or cat (you might need help with this) and spray this heavy soapy water deep into the ear canal. You may need 15-20 squirts. Massage it very well to create a washing machine effect to break up the ear wax and dirt in the ear canal. Using a separate spray bottle of clear water, rinse the soap out of the ear using another 15-20 squirts. Repeat this if necessary. No matter how much your pet hollers, screams or objects you are doing him a great service and not really hurting the pet. It is necessary to remove all dirt, infection or wax or any medication will not work when it just sits on top of this gooey mess. DON’T GET BITTEN! Some pets will make you immediately aware that anesthesia is required to clean the ears. Let us know.
GRASS EATING: Dogs (and sometimes cats) do not eat grass when they are sick. They eat grass because it looks good, taste good, smells good and they are hungry. Dogs that are MOWING THE LAWN WITH THEIR TEETH, vomit, then go play normally are not sick. Some dogs can eat grass with no problem but most cannot. The cure is to keep them from eating it by mowing the lawn short, picking up the cuttings, giving your pet plenty of chew toys, and playing with them often. Concrete paving of the back yard is not the answer.
NAIL TRIMMING: Cut only the sharp tip of the nail. The pink quick is the same as ours so don’t cut it or it will bleed. Black nails are hard to judge so just clip off the tip. Start nail trimming when the puppy or kitten is young to get them use to having this done.
PREGNANCY: Dogs are pregnant for 60-63 days (about 9 wks). Dogs come in heat twice a year on average with the entire heat cycle lasting 3-4 weeks.
SCOOTING: Dogs scoot because their rear itches. Causes of itching in order are #1-fleas/ticks, #2-Full anal sacs, #3-cuts/sores/tumors, #4-diarrhea, and #197-worms. The only worm that causes scooting is tapeworms which are about ¼ to ½ inch long, white/yellow in color, and transmitted by fleas. If you see these on the dogs rear or on fresh stool ask us for a CESTOVED tablet or injection. Store wormers will not kill tapeworms.
SHAVING YOUR DOG: If you want to shave your dog…do it. Is it necessary? Probably not, but you will have a cooler dog. It will be easier to see fleas, ticks, tumors, sores, and stickers. Just remember that you should leave at least ½ inch of hair to prevent sunburn.
THUNDERSTORM FEAR: For dogs afraid of thunderstorms use about 1mg per pound of Benadryl tablets. It will make them sleepy and less anxious. Place them in a dark room with no windows or a crate with a light blanket or sheet over it. Don’t use the children’s liquid as it is too weak except for the very small tiny breeds.
TICK REMOVAL: Yes, you can pick ticks. It is better than leaving the tick on the pet to suck blood and transmit more disease. However, wear gloves or use tweezers! Tick blood has lots of diseases that you can contract through unbroken skin. Better to use a flea/tick spray and just let them die now and fall off in a day or two. We use and recommend FRONTLINE PLUS, PREVENTIC COLLARS, or OVITROL flea/tick spray to control ticks.
TRAVELING BY CAR OR PLANE: For dogs, use Benadryl for this as well in the same dose. Give it to them about 1 hour before traveling. Tranquilizers are not a good idea as they drop blood pressure and this can lead to shock especially at altitudes reached in a plane. For both cats and dogs do not feed the pet for 12 hours before traveling and only give a sip or two of water. This makes the pet less likely to vomit.
HOSPITAL SPECIAL FEATURES
COMMUNITY SERVICE: We take great pride in providing free medical care for all Parker County drug/service dogs of the cities, county, & state of Texas Law Enforcement agencies. It is our community contribution towards improving the quality of life for everyone in Parker County.
LASER SURGERY: Since 1999 our surgical suite has been equipped with an ACCUVET CO2 Surgical Laser. Soft tissue surgery is 75% less painful as well as almost bloodless. All spays, neuters, de-claws, ear trims, and many more soft tissue surgeries are now done exclusively with the laser. When coupled with post-op pain medications the ACCUVET CO2 Surgical Laser can make surgery as pain free as possible.
LOW COST SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAM: Pricing for spays and neuters is kept as low as possible to offer our clients the opportunity to prevent unwanted litters of dogs and cats. You will find our rates to be among the lowest anywhere when you compare our quality of service. There are 2 spay/neuter days per week for your convenience, and there is a free one night hospitalization either before or after surgery to make admit/discharge easy. You may also admit & pick up your pet the same day of surgery. Current pricing is available by calling the hospital at 817-596-0909.
LOW COST VACCINATION CLINICS: We hold low cost vaccination clinics in area grocery store parking lots on the 2nd Saturday April thru October. This mobile service provides pet owners with multiple pets an opportunity to have their pets vaccinated at a reduced rate. We have found this service to be very well received and a great way to introduce our hospital staff and services to new clients. While no exam/office call is required, we want to stress here the importance of having your pet examined once a year to make sure health problems are not a surprise later in life. Prices for these clinics are generally about ½ of the in-clinic cost. If you are interested in this service please ask our staff for a schedule/price sheet.
OBEDIENCE TRAINING CLASSES: We have a well recognized obedience trainer that uses the lighted parking lot at Camp Jarrett for training classes. Classes are held during the Spring, Summer & Fall on Tuesday evening’s. Ask us for a flyer if you are interested in enrolling your K-9 family member.
PET ADOPTIONS: Occasionally, we somehow manage to have and extra cat, kitten, dog, or puppy on hand. Help us find them a place to live and be loved. We ask $75 per adoption to cover our hard cost of medical care. All of hospital staff’s professional time and energy is donated. Check with us if you are looking for a new furry family member.
PET BOARDING/DAY CARE @ “CAMP JARRETT”: Send your pet to camp! Camp Jarrett, located in the old hospital at 1724 Ft. Worth Hwy in Weatherford is Parker County’s premier pet boarding & day care facility. Your pet can enjoy time away from you in our all indoor central air/heat kennel. Our services include:
- Free admit health/flea/tick checkup
- Veterinarian on call
- Personal food/toys/bedding allowed
- Sunday discharge available
- 3 potty breaks/day (8am, 4pm, 8pm)
- K-9 Camper day care
- Pet Products & Other Services
- Doggy Camper playtime
Dogs and Cats are camped in separate kennel rooms.
Special Offer: 1 day free trial K-9 daycare pass (new campers only)
For reservations: 817-596-0909 (Hospital phone number)
*****All admits and discharges to Camp Jarrett are by appointment only*****
SENIOR DISCOUNT (10%): While it may only be 10%, our senior discount has been greatly appreciated by our senior clients. Be sure to let us know if you are 65 yrs or older so we can permanently mark your client record.
