Day & Evening Pet Hospital

Veterinarian Palm Harbor

Call: 727-785-7200
511 Magnolia Ave
Palm Harbor, FL 34683

Hurricane Season is Here….

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Hurricane Season has arrived and we want to make sure you have the basics down.  Hopefully nothing extreme happens this year, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for the worst-case-scenario.

PREPARATION:

1.  Get your pet micro-chipped.  This form of identification is permanent. Tags and collars can become loose and fall off, but a micro-chip will stay in place for the lifetime of your pet!

A micro-chip is a tiny computer chip, about the size of a grain of rice that is inserted under the pet’s skin between the shoulder blades.  It is basically a painless procedure.  In the chip itself is your contact information so your pet can be easily returned to you if you get seperated.

2.  Ensure you have enough water for not only you and your family, but for your pets too.  Sometimes this is forgotten about.

3.  Additionally, don’t forget about their food!  Also, if he or she is on any medication you need to have these packed as well.

4.  Having crates and/or carriers for each of your pets is important.  Some pets get extremely “excited” when a big storm hits which can cause different behavior than you are used to handling.  If you do need to go to the “safe spot” in your house, bring your pets with you and keep them in their own crate or carrier (preferably underneath a table or some other heavy furniture).

5.  If you have a dog, have a leash with you as well.  After it is OK to leave the “safe spot” and you all go outside, keep him on a leash and don’t let him drink any water on the ground.  Debris and other possible toxins can be in the water after a bad storm which will be harmful to your pet.

Here is a good slideshow that shows exactly what everyone should have in their own Pet Emergency Kit:  Click Here

Hopefully you will never experience any need to use your pet’s micro-chip or your Pet Emergency Kit.  However, being prepared never hurt anyone–not even your pets!  Love, Day and Evening Pet Hospital

 

All These Vaccines?? (Part 2!)

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Hopefully you saw our last blog, as this one is a continuation of the previous one.  Click here for Part 1.

The next vaccine that we are going to go over in detail is for cats only.  And yes, it’s another very important one.

Here are the details:

“FVRCP” Vaccine

“FVR” – Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis:

  • Signs include coughing, sneezing, discharge from eyes and nose, high fever, dehydration, loss of appetite
  • Airborne
  • HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS!
  • Serious, but not often fatal. Can cause permanent damage to eyes and respiratory system

“C” – Caliciviruses:

  • Signs include loss of appetite, elevated temperature, lethargy, sneezing, oral ulcers and discharge from the eyes are seen.
  • Transmitted by direct contact (bowl, cage, brush, etc.)
  • HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS!
  • Recovery expected in 7-10 days. May cause rapid death in young kittens and older cats.

“P” – Panleukopenia:

  • Signs include loss of appetite, followed by vomiting and diarrhea
  • Spread through infected feces
  • HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS!!
  • FATAL!

 

Kitten Vaccination Schedule:
– Start as early as 6 weeks
– Minimum series of 3 vaccines
-3-4 week intervals
– A fourth booster vaccine is available for cats to receive optimum protection.
– Following the first series, vaccinations are required at yearly intervals.

We have specials on vaccines currently!  We are a low-cost, high-quality Pet Hospital to provide for you and your pet.  Check out our next blog and learn more about another vaccine!  For our coupon page, click here.

All These Vaccines??

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There are a lot of vaccines that any vet will recommend your dog or cat have.  Most clinics require specific vaccines in order to board your pet in their facilities!  But what are they and what are they really for?

A lot of these vaccines have some pretty wild names and, unfortunately, make it harder to understand for some pet owners.  It is our hope that these next series of blogs will help make clear what certain vaccines are and what they do/prevent.

Our first one is:

“DHPP” Vaccine
The DHPP is a vaccine that protects against four of the most common contagious illnesses. We recommend that dogs receive this vaccination yearly.  Each letter of “DHPP” has a meaning and is described below.

“D” – Distemper:

  • Signs include coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, fever, and/or discharge from the eyes/nose. Squinting of the eyes is often the first sign
  • Spreads through body secretions
  • It is highly contagious!
  • Often Fatal

“H” – Hepatitis:

  • Affects the dog’s liver
  • Spread through the infected dog’s urine
  • Rare, because it has continued to be controlled by vaccines

“P” – Parvovirus:

  • Signs include vomiting, fever, depression, diarrhea, and/or often contains large amounts of blood
  • Spread through an infected dog’s feces
  • HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS!!
  • HIGHLY FATAL!!!

“P” – Para influenza:

  • Signs include runny nasal discharge, trouble breathing, and/or lethargy
  • Spread through an infected dog’s nasal secretions
  • Intensifies Kennel Cough (a highly contagious respiratory disease)
  • Can cause Pneumonia

 

For puppies under 6 months:
– Start as early as 6 weeks
– To be given in 3-4 week intervals
– Minimum series of 3 vaccines
– A fourth booster vaccine is available for dogs to receive optimum protection.

For dogs over 6 months:
– Vaccine is recommended at yearly intervals.

We have specials on vaccines currently!  We are a low-cost, high-quality Pet Hospital to provide for you and your pet.  Check out our next blog and learn more about another vaccine!  For our coupon page, click here.

*June Specials*

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Hey everyone!

We have some specials going on at the Day and Evening Pet Hospital and we wanted to let you know a little bit about them.

Because fleas and ticks are more prevalent in the summer time, (your dogs and cats are surely outside more than they are in the winter time) we wanted to tell you a bit about some products.  Certain products are 10% off this month!  Here is a list of the specials we have going on this month with details for you:

Activyl®
This is a treatment used to kill both fleas and/or ticks.  You apply it to a small area of skin which allows it to spread throughout the entire coat of your dog or cat.  Click here and here for pictures of how it works.

Certifect®
This is a treatment used to kill both fleas and ticks.  It is for dogs only.  You can get the discounted price for all sizes.  Click here for a video of how it works.

Resultix™
This is a spray-on treatment to detach and kill ticks.  It can be used on both cats and dogs.  You spray it directly on the ticks and they are expected to be dead within 3 hours.  It is now 10% off this month.  Click here for a short video on how it works.

We care about you and your pet.  These products will help you and your pet live a healthier and happier life.  Come on in and see us so we can recommend which product is best for you and your pet’s needs.

Some Florida Pet Laws You Need to Know

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It’s summertime in Florida and it’s hot.  It’s going to get hotter and we all know it.  For the safety of you and your pet, there are Florida laws any pet owner should be aware of.  Here are some:

One law which may not be widely known and of interest is you cannot leave your dog or cat in a parked car without proper ventilation.  

Let’s say you are running into a store quickly and will be right out, but forget to roll down the windows.  On an 85 degree day, the temperature in your car can easily get well above 100 degrees in less than 15 minutes.  Your pet can have a heatstroke just from that alone.  If your pet is left in the car even longer than that, your pet can suffer from other complications and can even die from the heat.  If a police officer sees a pet in your car without proper ventilation, you can be cited and fined for well over $300.  (As a note, even if the windows are rolled down or cracked, your pet can still suffer from a heatstroke and is therefore highly recommended that you don’t do this.)

Another law is your dog or cat is not allowed to run at large within the Pinellas County.

Per the Pinella’s County law, “at large” is defined as “any dog or cat on the owner’s premises which is not within the unobstructed sight and in the control of the owner, or any dog or cat not confined by sufficient means to assure that it is maintained on the property of the owner; or any dog or cat off the owner’s premises which is not controlled by an adequate leash or tether, or otherwise under the owner’s physical control.”  You can be cited and fined for this as well, so keep close to your pet!  With the heat and all, it’s best that you keep a close watch on your pet anyways.

Another law states that you cannot tether, fasten, chain, tie, or restrain a dog to any stationary object.

If you have your pet fastened to a dog house, tree, fence, etc. this is considered unlawful.  However, there are some exceptions and you can review them here.

Additional pet laws that may be of interest to you for Pinellas County and can be found here.

Everyone have a safe summer!  Love, Day and Evening Pet Hospital