Dog Breed Selector

Choosing a dog can be exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. After all, you're committing to care for a living, breathing being who will depend on you his entire life! When choosing a new dog, so many questions run through your mind: "What kind of dog should I get?" "What's the best dog breed for me?" "Will he be a good fit with my family?"

The first step to being a responsible dog owner begins before you even bring home a dog. Thoughtfully and seriously assess your needs before making a decision, and you'll live long, happy lives together. Using a Dog Breed Selector, just answer a series of questions, and we'll find the right breed of dog for you.

(Source: https://www.akc.org/dog-breed-selector/)

Services: Boarding

We offer boarding services for dogs and cats while their owners are out of town. Below is a list of the requirements that must be met before scheduling boarding for your pet. These requirements are for the health and safety of your pet and other animals at DeWitt Animal Hospital.

Dogs:
1. Must have a minimum of 2 Distemper/Parvo (DHLPP) vaccinations administered by a veterinarian, with the last given after 16 weeks of age or within the last year.
2. Must have 1st and 2nd Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccination, or last one given within one year.
3. Must have a current Rabies vaccination required by New York State law.
4. Must have been tested for Heartworm test within the last year.
5. Must have a negative fecal examination within one year.
6. We require all boarding animals to be spayed/neutered prior to boarding.

Cats:
1. Must have a minimum of 2 Distemper (FVRCP) vaccinations administered by a veterinarian, with the last given after 16 weeks of age or within the last year.
2. Must have been Feline Leukemia/FIV tested after 12 weeks of age.
3. Must have a current Rabies vaccination required by New York State law.
4. Must have a negative fecal examination within one year.
5. We require all boarding animals to be spayed/neutered prior to boarding.

Pocket Pets:
We offer boarding services for small animals such as rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, birds, etc. We require you bring everything these pets will need during their stay - cage, bedding, food and any special instructions.

While boarding, your animal will be overseen by all members of our staff during hospital hours. Please call the hospital to discuss specific services you would like provided during your animal's stay. All boarding reservations must be made ahead of time, and all new clients must provide current veterinary records before reservations can be made.
Schedule an boarding for your pet today!

Services: Pharmacy

At Dewitt Animal Hospital, we have a well-stocked pharmacy to provide your pet with the most efficient medical care. Our pharmacy enables our doctor to prescribe a variety of medications for his patients. These medications can either treat your pet that may be sick or in pain, or prevent diseases such as Heartworm and intestinal parasites. When refilling a prescription, our doctors and staff carefully review your file to make sure your pet is up to date on exams as well as any lab work. We stay up to date on our files so our doctors can keep an eye on their patients and adjust dosages of medications if needed.

We recommend purchasing medications through your veterinarian. Please be cautious when purchasing medications for your pet online.

When needing your prescription refilled, please allow our technicians 24 hours notice. You can call us, email, or request a refill through your ePetHealth account. 

First, a Vet Exam!

First thing is to get Fluffy to a veterinarian for an examination and vaccination. Choose a veterinarian to visit regularly; don't count on the discounted shot clinics offered away from veterinary offices. Fluffy needs a personal doctor just as you do.

While you're at the veterinarian's office, ask questions about predispositions to medical problems. For example, some breeds are sensitive to skin or allergy problems, others to joint problems or bloat. The best place to get medical answers is from a qualified veterinarian.

After initial vaccinations are done, take Fluffy to the veterinarian for regular checkups, usually once a year, for boosters and a routine examination, and take him when you suspect or find a problem and when he's ill.

Now I understand you don't want to run to the veterinarian's office every day or week. There are some things you can and should do yourself to help insure his health and safety.

Clean, quality food and fresh water are a must. Fluffy's breeder and the veterinarian can help you select a food best suited to Fluffy. Food dishes must be kept clean, especially in hot weather when bacteria grow very rapidly. I recommend stainless steel dishes, elevated at least knee high for Fluffy. Stainless steel is nearly indestructible and can be sanitized very easily.

Exercise — physical and chewing — should be part of Fluffy's daily routine. Proper levels of exercise keep people and pets physically fit and help fight off disease. Exercise along with a proper feeding program should keep Fluffy from becoming overweight. Adjustments in food amounts and protein and fat levels need to be addressed as Fluffy ages — your veterinarian can help decide when changes are needed.

Chew toys help Fluffy relieve his natural chewing instinct in a positive manner and help keep his teeth clean. Regular toys help Fluffy occupy his time and enjoy himself while you're away.
Personal hygiene and grooming are part of everyone's daily life and should be part of Fluffy's life too. Have you ever smelled someone who hadn't bathed or used deodorant? Did you move away from them rather quickly? When were you last hot, tired, and really sweaty and dirty? Didn't a shower feel wonderful?

Well, Fluffy likes to be brushed and clean, too, and he's certainly a lot more pleasant to be around when he doesn't smell bad. You can handle some of the grooming at home; however, I recommend that all dogs be professionally groomed at least every 12 weeks. Many pets are bathed every week or two and groomed monthly or every six weeks because their owner's take pride in their pets' appearance.

Cleaning up the yard after Fluffy urinates and defecates can be a dirty job, but someone has to do it! Worm eggs leave the dog's body in the feces and worms can repeatedly re-infest the dog if the feces are not cleaned up. (The easiest way to deal with this job is to teach Fluffy to use one spot as a toilet so you always know where to look for the piles.)

You can do the clean-up chore right before an evening shower. If you have a hard time remembering to do the job, reward yourself afterwards with a fun romp with Fluffy or other special treat.
Do weekly home health inspections of Fluffy from head to tail and face to feet so you'll immediately know when something changes on his body or if an area becomes sensitive. Early detection can often save lives.

Basic obedience is important for every dog. I believe every pet should learn to obey “come,” “sit,” “down,” “stay,” “stand,” and “stop.” Many classes are available in the area; check the Bulletin board listings and the advertisements in Dog Owner's Guide to find a club or business near you.
Do a safety check of your house. Jot down problem areas as you check each room to see what dangers lie in wait for a puppy or dog. Things to watch for are electric cords that tempt puppy to chew or grab, cleaning rags or sponges left in puppy's reach, hanging cords on draperies and window blinds, small objects that puppy might swallow, a bowl of candy on the coffee table, etc. Keep puppy out of the garage — even a teaspoon of spilled anti-freeze can be deadly.

Make sure you can confine Fluffy when you cannot watch him. Use a crate or baby gates to keep him safe when you are busy.

Friends of Animals Spay/Neuter certificate program

At the DeWitt Animal Hospital we are proud to participate in the Friends of Animals Spay/Neuter certificate program. This program helps to make spay/neuter surgeries more affordable so that each pet owner can help in the decline of pet overpopulation.
The following requirements must be met prior to scheduling surgery at our facility. Records must be reviewed by our office prior to a surgery being scheduled.


Dogs:
1. Must have proof of a minimum of 2 Distemper/Parvo (DHLPP) vaccinations administered by a veterinarian, with the last one given after 16 weeks of age or within the last year.
2. Rabies vaccination is required by New York State and must be current.
3. New patients must have a pre-surgical examination performed at DeWitt Animal Hospital prior to scheduling surgery.

Cats:
1. Must have proof of a minimum of 2 Distemper (FVRCP) vaccinations administered by a veterinarian, with the last one given after 16 weeks of age or within the last year.
2. Rabies vaccination is required by New York State and must be current.
3. All cats must be tested for Feline Leukemia/FIV prior to surgery with the minimum acceptable age of 12 weeks.
4. New patients must have a pre-surgical examination performed at DeWitt Animal Hospital prior to scheduling surgery.

There may be additional fees that accompany the use of a Friends of Animals Certificate. Additional fees usually occur if the animal is greater than 6 months of age and over 50 pounds or female cats that are over 6 months of age and are near or in their heat cycle or are pregnant. Female dogs cannot be spayed during heat due to increased health risks - please discuss this with the veterinarian.

To maintain the safety of your pet while they are under anesthesia, intravenous fluids are required and are NOT covered by the Friends of Animals Certificate. Take-home pain medication is also required to keep your pet comfortable at home the days following the surgery, this is also an additional fee to the owner. Please call the animal hospital directly to discuss these, and any other fees that may be incurred.

Optional Pre-Anesthesia Blood work is offered at an additional cost. There are several different options for this blood work and it can be discussed at the Pre-Op Exam.

Please visit Friends of Animals to obtain information regarding purchasing a certificate to get your pet spayed/neutered.

Food Allergies in Dogs and Cats

Your Pet's Itchy Skin

Itchy skin in the small animal is often more than just a minor annoyance. Red, oozing bald patches; rashes; and large expanses of hair loss are unfortunate markers of very real discomfort for which a cause should be sought and dealt with.
Food allergy is one of the itchiest conditions known to cats and dogs. Animals eat a variety of processed food proteins, flavorings, and colorings that are further processed inside their bodies. Proteins may be combined or changed into substances recognized by the immune system as foreign invaders to be attacked. The resulting inflammation may target the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or other organ systems, but in dogs and cats it is the skin that most often suffers from this immunologic activity.
Many people erroneously assume itching due to food allergy requires a recent diet change of some sort. In fact, the opposite is true.

Food allergy requires time to develop; most animals have been
eating the offending food for years with no trouble.
What Kind of Allergy?
Allergic skin disease and its secondary infections dominates small animal practice. Pets can be allergic to insect bites (fleas are not inherently itchy unless the pet is allergic to flea bites), airborne proteins (such as molds, pollens, and dust mite parts) or foods. Pets can and often do have multiple allergies adding together to make them itchy. The skin infections that come from scratching perpetuate the itching. To solve the problem, the infection must be cleared up and the offending allergen(s) removed from the pet's world.
There is controversy about how common food allergy is in dogs and cats. Some experts feel it is relatively rare while others feel is much more common than we realize. It is hard to tell because there is no simple test for food allergy and the skin lesion distribution is difficult to distinguish from that of airborne allergy, which is frequently concurrent in the same patient.
So what are our clues that a pet has a food allergy? There are several hints:

• The itching is not seasonal (this is obviously hard to tell in areas that do not freeze during winter).
• Itching started when the pet was less than 6 months of age or greater than 5-6 years of age.
• No response to treatment for sarcoptic mange.
• Corticosteroids have not been helpful in managing the itching. Corticosteroids may or may not work on food allergy itching but they almost always work for other allergies.
• There are accompanying intestinal signs like vomiting or diarrhea. These are seen in 30 percent of food allergic pets.
• The lesion distribution is compatible with food allergy , especially if an itchy anal area and/or recurrent ear infections are involved.

Any of the above findings or observations warrant pursuit of food allergy.
Please note that several of the above criteria relate to what you, the owner, observe at home. Trouble results when the veterinarian must speak to different family members about the pet and there is disagreement in their observations. It is best to have one person, preferably the one who has the most contact with the pet, be the spokesperson and make the relevant judgments.
The Flea Factor
Some animals have many allergies. It would not be particularly unusual for an animal with a food or inhalant allergy.

More Here

Cat's Teeth Examination for Cat Owners

It's easy to recognize if your cat has a broken leg, but how about a broken tooth? You would think pets would stop eating when they had oral problems. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case. By the time most owners recognize oral disease in their pets, the problem is chronic and progressive.


So what can a loving cat owner do?
Monthly examinations of your cat's mouth are easy and can be rewarding. If you are not sure, check with your veterinarian to make sure your cat is friendly enough for a safe oral exam. It is best to place your cat on a well-lit, sturdy table. Exams performed on the floor can be difficult and unrewarding. A brief oral exam should only take a minute or two. Most pets are easy to work with. If your cat growls anytime during the exam or seems irritated, it would be wise to stop.
Before opening your cat's mouth, examine the face for swelling, especially below the eyes. Frequently a broken upper fourth premolar tooth will cause an abscess that may spread below either eye. Fractures of the upper canines (fang or eye teeth) can also cause swelling on top of the nose. Next, feel around the neck below the ears. Abnormal swelling of this area can occur from infection, cancer, or inflammation.
Next, take a whiff of your pet's breath. How? Gently pull the lips back to expose the side of your pet's teeth and gums. If there is a foul odor, care is often needed. Since cats cannot brush their own teeth, gingivitis and periodontitis are the most common diseases affecting our feline friends. Reddening of the tissue where the gum meets the tooth may represent inflammation, infection, or trauma. In cases of advanced periodontitis, there may also be bleeding and discharge from the gums. Treatment of gingivitis consists of cleaning and polishing the teeth to remove built up plaque. Depending on the degree of periodontal disease, surgery may also be needed to remove pockets that develop around teeth. Daily brushing is usually easy and essential to control gingivitis.
Examine the teeth for fractures. Unfortunately, cats sometimes eat things that are not friendly to their teeth. If the object chewed is harder than the tooth, fracture may occur. Broken teeth with nerve exposure will usually result in an infection at the tooth's tip. Food and bacteria will travel down the root and may eventually affect your cat's heart, liver, and kidneys. Treatment involves removing the tooth or root canal therapy in selected cases.
Gently press on the teeth and note any movement. Loose teeth should be reported to your veterinarian. If your pet’s teeth are not routinely brushed, periodontal disease and loose teeth will usually occur. Bacteria by-products under the gum line destroy the bone that holds teeth in their sockets, creating loose teeth. Eating with loose teeth can become uncomfortable for your pet. The front incisor teeth are usually affected before the back teeth. Treatment is available to try to save loose teeth.
Most cats older than three years old will have tooth resorption, which can be painful. Tooth resorption commonly occurs at the gum line. If your cat will allow it, gently press a cotton swab to the gum line around the outside of the teeth. If your cat starts quivering and chattering, there is probably tooth resorption. Treatment is to pull the affected tooth.
Oral growths may be benign or cancerous. Some tumors occur at the gum line while others are found below the tongue or on the inside of the cheeks. Hopefully, immediate care may result in a cure.
Monthly oral exams can uncover hidden disease. The more you look, the more you may find. When problems are noted, your veterinarian should be called in for a closer exam and treatment. In the long run your cat will probably live a longer and happier life, and would thank you.
Dr. Jan Bellows is a board-certified veterinary dentist. His office, Hometown Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic, is located at 17100 Royal Palm Boulevard in Weston, Florida. He can be reached for consultations at 954-349-5800.
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