Taking care of your pet's teeth takes a little effort, but it helps them live their best life! Good dental hygiene in our pets is not just about treating problems - it is about good prevention. It starts with care at home. You may not know where to start when it comes to pet dental hygiene, so follow these four steps to help them keep and maintain great dental health.

YOU REALLY WANT ME TO BRUSH THEIR TEETH?

It’s so DIFFICULT!!! 

​Although daily brushing of your dog’s and cat’s teeth sounds overwhelming and time-consuming, this healthy habit will prevent painful vet visits and save you money while keeping your pet healthy and happy. With a little effort, both cats and dogs can be trained to have their teeth brushed regularly. 
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When you take time to brush your cat's and dog's teeth every day, the need for visiting the vet for pet dental cleanings is dramatically reduced. Excellent dental care is preventative, daily dental maintenance!

Try these steps when introducing teeth brushing to your pet:

Pets should usually receive a dental exam every 12 - 24 months depending on their age, breed, and dental health. Why? Because by age three, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have signs of periodontal disease. It is especially difficult to detect periodontal disease in cats without having a vet perform a dental exam. Your veterinarian will recommend a dental cleaning depending on the level of periodontal disease they detect during the exam. Pet dental exams are done under anesthesia for the safety of the veterinarian staff. Most veterinarians will recommend a yearly dental cleaning.

On the Bright Side
Tracy Animal Hospital encourages annual health check-ups which include an evaluation of your pet’s eyes, ears, mouth, heart, lung sound, skin, and coat wellness. Dr. Tracy also performs a dental screening during this visit. Ask us about one of our Wellness Packages - they include discounts on dental services.!

Some other great ways to take care of your pet’s teeth are to buy dental toys, treats, and healthy kibble.

Feed them a healthy kibble Soft food tends to build up plaque and bacteria on pet’s teeth and gums whereas healthy kibble creates an abrasive action when chewed that naturally scrapes off plaque. Dr. Tracy will be happy to discuss the right pet food for your specific pet. 

Tracy Animal Hospital has an online store. Take a look at some of the pet food we offer.

Periodontal disease is an inflammation of a pet’s gums. Unfortunately, it leads to bone loss, tissue destruction, and infection in the gum and teeth. Once the gums become infected, it is easy for the infection to enter into the bloodstream, potentially leading to heart and kidney disease. 

​Some of the most common symptoms of dental disease in dogs and cats includes:
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• Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
• Constant drooling
• Bad breath
• Yellow or brown tartar build up at the gum line
• Broken or cracked teeth

Getting periodontal disease identified quickly is essential because the sooner it is identified, the easier it is to treat. If left untreated, your poor baby may need many teeth extracted and suffer from painful diseases. Brush their teeth daily, visit Dr. Tracy for their annual wellness check-up, and quickly address any periodontal disease, so you can enjoy the companionship these little ones bring.​

Parasites damage pet organs, cause severe pain, and in extreme cases even lead to death. Our furry friends are such a huge part of our lives and are faithful companions! There are important actions pet owners can take to protect them from parasites and ensure they stay healthy while living the high-quality life they deserve.

 One of the most important steps we can take is to make sure they are up to date with their parasite prevention. While buying parasite prevention medication is an expense, we believe that weighed against treatment, or the permanent and sometimes fatal damage caused to pets, parasite preventative medication is the least expensive and best way to safeguard your precious pet's health. Treating heartworm disease, for example, is more costly than buying heartworm preventative medication. Treatment entails injections and oftentimes hospitalization is required. Recovery can take up to a couple of months. The American Animal Hospital Association places the average cost of preventative care for dogs at $5-15 per month, and the cost of treating a dog with heartworm at $400-1,000! But the worst cost of all is the loss of a beloved pet. 

​Even if you give your pet monthly parasite prevention medication, we recommend that testing be done annually to ensure no intestinal parasites go undetected. This ensures that your pets are parasite free for their health and well-being, as well as that of their families.​ Don't miss a dose! ​

The damage caused by parasites can vary widely. For some, these beastly freeloaders cause a slight discomfort while others will wreck havoc on our poor pets. Diarrhea, bloody stools, fever, weight loss, anemia, abdominal pain, lethargy, and heart disease are just a few of the symptoms of untreated parasites. In extreme cases, parasites can even lead to loss of life.

Some parasites cause zoonotic infections (parasites can be transferred from pets to people) which is another important reason to keep your animal friends protected from parasites such as hookworms and roundworms. 

Just because your cat or dog stays indoors, doesn't mean they are safe from parasites. Fleas, flies, mosquitoes and even a potted plant (soil) can create pathways for parasite invasions. So, our indoor pets must also be protected.  

1. Have the veterinarian deworm puppies and kittens because they can be born with worms (through their mother). They should be dewormed every TWO weeks (weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12). After this period, deworming every three months will sufficiently protect them.

2. Keep your lawn free from animal feces as they are perpetual playgrounds for parasites, sure to contaminate all who dare come in contact with the.

• ​​It is best to remove feces daily, but once a week is an absolute MUST.
• Keep all sandboxes covered when not in use.

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3. Give your pet a monthly parasite prevention medication. These medications protect your pet from a wide variety of Not sure which brand of medication to buy? Partner with your  veterinarian to ensure that you are giving your dog or cat the appropriate parasite preventative that factors in the size and weight of your pet. 

4. Talk to your pet about the right flea & tick medication for your pet. Fleas can carry tapeworms and cause severe skin allergies. When your pet bites their skin to relieve an itch and ingests a infected flea, it also ingests these harmful parasites that can ravage their health. Talk to us about options for flea preventative medication!

If you see your pet displaying any of the behaviors below, call your vet to get them tested. It is highly likely that they are infected with parasites.
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     1. Diarrhea
     2. Scooting
     3. Vomiting
     4. Distended belly
     5. Weight loss
     6. Dull coat
​     7. Blood in their stool (bright red or dark purple)

Heartworms are a vicious parasite that spread through the bite of a mosquito causing severe health repercussions. If left untreated, it can lead to heart failure, ravage other organs, or can even be fatal. A mild yet persistent cough, fatigue and weight loss are signs that your pet has heartworms. Currently, there is no cure for cats, but there is a treatment for dogs. However, it is expensive and physically hard on your dog. Prevention is key to great health and is cheaper, too!

The best way protect your pet is by having your veterinarian prescribe heartworm prevention. Keeping your pet on a consistent regimen of heartworm medication will safely protect them from these harmful pests.

Roundworm eggs can be spread by rodents, cockroaches, birds and earthworms. The feces of infected dogs will also house a ton of eggs, so when your pet sniffs and licks poop, these insidious eggs can become lodged inside them. If a mother is infected when pregnant, she will then pass the infestation on to her babies.

Some symptoms of roundworms in pets are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite which leads to malnourishment. 

Roundworms can be harmful to people as well. The eggs travel through the liver, lungs and other organs. In some cases they can cause tissue and nerve damage and can even enter the eyes. In severe cases, this leads to permanent nerve damage and even blindness.

Hookworms house themselves in the intestine. These parasites cause your pet to become anemic and weak. They can also damage pets' lungs which may then lead to pneumonia. Hookworms are especially harmful for young puppies, stunting their growth and if bad enough, they can even be fatal. Contact your veterinarian to get the necessary treatment that will get rid of hookworms. 

This is another parasite that can be passed to humans (zoonotic). Often, rashes and itchiness are the first signs of hookworm infestation. If it is left untreated, people can experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue and anemia. Your doctor can prescribe medication to rid your system of these foul hookworms.

Tracy Animal Hospital provides excellent veterinary care and is only a phone call away. Dr. Tracy will discuss all of the parasite preventative options available, creating the perfect health care plan for you and your pet.

Call us today at 281-970-0601, or click below to make an appointment.

Knowing what to ask the vet at your appointment ensures that your pet receives the specific care needed for a healthy and happy life. Here are five important topics that should be discussed every time you visit your veterinarian.

Getting your pets bloodwork performed when they are young and healthy will give your vet valuable information needed to determine their health status  and needs as they age.

Through bloodwork, your vet is able to discover a variety of health issues. It is easy to determine the healthiness of their internal organ function, including kidneys and liver as well as their red and white blood cells. Bloodwork can also ascertain the surgical risk levels and type of anesthesia needed for surgery.​

Here are some good questions to ask your vet regarding bloodwork:

• How often does my pet need to get bloodwork?
• Do pets need bloodwork before a dental cleaning?
• What should I do to prepare my pet for bloodwork?
• How does blood testing work?

The holiday season is a great time to make new memories with family, friends, and fur-babies! There are a just a few precautions that pet parents need to take to keep their pets safe this holiday season. ​Dr. Rusty Tracy, D.V.M. lists the 5 most common things to watch out for.

Human foods that are high in fat can be especially harmful to your pets. Since dogs and cats are accustomed to normal to low fat diets, ingesting fatty foods can cause weakness and pain as well as severe stomach upset including throwing up, diarrhea, and severe pancreatitis which is potentially life-threatening. If your pet exhibits several of these symptoms repeatedly, contact your veterinarian right away. Avoid giving your dog ham, fatty table scraps and left overs, and dark turkey meat. 

Ham bones & turkey bones are choking hazards for your pet. While you may not be directly giving your pet leftovers or bones, many dogs and cats get into the trash. For this reason we recommend that you take your trash out quickly. During this time of year we see an increase in dogs coming in for foreign body removals of disposable plates, silverware, or other items that had food remnants on them.

Candy, chocolate, and other sweets that contain xylitol can be toxic for both dogs and cats. Xylitol is just a sugar substitute found in some sugar-free candies, gum and recipes. When ingested by pets, xylitol may cause vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures, and in severe cases, liver failure. Make sure that you put your sweets far out of reach from your pets. 

Certain foods like nuts & raisins can also cause stomach upset for your pets. In high quantities, these can be toxic. Keep your pets away from the table and unattended plates of food. It's also okay to set some house rules for your guests and ask your them to not feed your pets.

Cats are notorious for eating tinsel. This sparkling decoration attracts cats like nothing else, so it's best to use a different decoration for your tree. Tinsel is thin and sharp and can easily wrap itself around the intestines or ball up in the stomach once ingested. Dr. Tracy has had to do several surgeries to remove balls of tinsel from cat intestines. Lights are another thing to watch out for.

Dr. Rusty Tracy asks pet owners to be alert this time of year: "You've got to watch out for cats getting up into the tree and electrocuting themselves. They like to chew on those lights! You don't have to get rid of all your decorations; it's just a time of year to be cautious." 

Be mindful of where you place your electrical outlets, and if possible, keep them out of reach from your pet. 

​There are few things that will startle you more than discovering a lump or bump on your dog or cat. You may be snuggling or petting your pet to find that there is something there that wasn't there before. Now, not all lumps and bumps on or under your dog or cat’s skin will be cancerous, but there is no way to know for sure without getting your veterinarian involved – this is especially important if the lump is not resolving itself or is growing in size.

Many times the lumps can be “lipomas”, or fat deposits under the skin. They are soft, rounded, non-painful masses, and usually present just under the skin. They are common and usually present no problems. However, A needle aspirate is commonly done and a veterinarian can let you know if the cells are cancerous or not.

​In most cases, lipomas do not have to be removed. However, there are occasions tumors grow to a very large size, or are in a location that is causing a pet an issue. In those cases, surgical removal may be recommended.

Treatment can range from surgical removal to referral to a specialist for chemotherapy and radiation. While we wish this method would be sufficient to stop the cancer, there are times where removal of a limb is necessary if the tumor is aggressive. Your veterinarian will be able to speak with you about the best option of care for your pet.