Knowledge is Power! Wellness Exams
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Like people, dogs and cats can benefit from routine Wellness Exams too; with one important difference--pets age faster than people. Pet Wellness Exams include screenings for a variety of potential diseases. These screenings are usually accompanied by an individualized risk assessment of your pet's genetics, environment (where you live and emerging disease risks in your community), your pet's interaction with other pets and wildlife, travel plans, and other lifestyle considerations.
Pet Wellness Exams also help your veterinarian determine a proper prevention program, including a vaccination schedule tailored specifically for your pet. By using personalized pet health protocols, veterinarians can pinpoint specific preventive health care needs for your pet.
Fall is "Bring Your Cat to the Vet" Season at GBAC.
Coupon for $10 Off Your Cat's Next Wellness Exam
 Great Brook Animal Care
207-339-0700
Worried about getting your cat to the Vet?
Click here for tips to make a trip in the car
easier for your cat.
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| Ask the Vet: Poison Ivy | Dr. B and Tug  |
Dear Dr. B,Can I get poison ivy from
my dog or cat? R.U. Allergic
Dear R.U., Yes, you can. Your pet's coat will pick up the oils from the leaves of the Poison Ivy (PI) plants. Although PI rarely bothers your pet, it is quite possible that when she comes into the house and you give her that big hug, some of the oils on her fur will be transferred to you! For your safety, if you know or are highly suspicious that your pet has been playing in the ivy, then a bath before hugging is in order. I recommend a bath in Dawn dish soap, rinse and then that big hug. Better safe than rashy! Poison Ivy  | FYI: The shiny green leaves of P.I. will turn red as the summer moves towards fall. It can become quite large, have a woody stem and produce pretty--and highly toxic--red berries. P.I. will cause the allergenic rash we are familiar with until the hard frost of late fall. Common at the edge of fields, in the woods and near fresh water ponds/lakes, P.I. is also often found in salt-water habitats. Look for it around or near the beach roses. Dr. B
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| Ordering Prescription Pet Drugs Online
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Some of the many Internet sites available for purchasing Veterinary prescriptions are not legitimate. The FDA has found "companies that sell unapproved pet drugs...dispense without a prescription and sell expired drugs. Pet owners may think they are saving money, but in reality, if they do not know the source of the products being dispensed, they may be putting their pets at risk."
For safety sake, order from a website that is recommended by your veterinarian after a physical examination. Knowing the source, not only keeps your pet's medical history up to date, but also will ensure safety and accurate follow-up for your pet with his doctor if a problem should occur.
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| Pets' Pain and Performance
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Human and animal pain thresholds are about the same. However, animals instinctively hide theirs so that potential preditors will not see them as weak and easy prey. Your veterinary staff will ask if you've noticed any change in your pet's performance or behavior as often these are the first signs of disease. What may seem like "bad behavior" may be the symptom of an underlying health problem. For example, having accidents in the house (dogs) or outside the box (cats) may indicate some sort of urinary disorder.
From an interview with Dr. G. Landsberg, Ontario,
www.dvm360.com
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| In the News
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Payment Plans, Credit Cards, Consumer Protection
The CareCredit® GE Money card plan is now available to clients at Great Brook Animal Care. This plan allows qualified consumers up to six months at 0% interest to pay on a pre-approved line of credit.
A new consumer protection law, the FTC's Red Flag Rule, which requires any business that offers credit to consumers, is technically in effect. All veterinary, dental and physicians offices are expected to comply. The rule is meant to create better protection for consumers against identity theft, for those who use credit as a form of payment for services. The security provided by CareCredit Plan, along with the extended time for qualified buyers to pay their bill, allows clients the ability to provide their pets the recommended care of their veterinarians.
From "Veterinary Practice News"
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Those Darn Fleas, A Few Facts
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- Flea infestations, the most common parasite problem of dogs and cats, are a YEAR ROUND problem.
- Their complicated life cycle makes them the peskiest of pests!
- They live on your pet and in your home as they feed, breed and grow.
- In order to survive and thrive, fleas need two things: warm blood (like a vampire)--your pet's and a dark humid place to cocoon--your home.
- Under good growing conditions, the entire flea life cycle takes three to four weeks. If the environment is not the best, the eggs can lay dormant for months, e.g. in winter.
- Female fleas will begin to lay eggs within 48 hours of landing on your pet. Each female can produce over 2,000 eggs during her lifetime.
 There are two very important facts to remember: - Fleas will not survive more than three to four days without food--blood.
- For kittens, flea infestations can cause serious blood loss very quickly as those vampire fleas can eat 15 times their weight, in blood, at each meal. Think about it.
So, to overpower these little buggers, it's necessary to stop the feeding on your pet--topical treatment and clean the house.
Controlling the Problem -- Things That Really Work
- Use a topical flea control product like Vectra3D® (Dogs), FRONTLINE®Plus (Cats) or Advantage® (both) on the skin (at the base of the neck) each month, for ALL the pets in your family.
- Clean the environment by a thorough vacuuming of carpets and pet sleeping areas to remove eggs and flea feces. ALWAYS discard the vacuum cleaner bag after using when you are trying to get rid of a flea problem in your home. Use a product such as Knockout, available through our office and online pharmacy.
You may have to repeat this for two to three cycles (months) while the topical treatment is working to kill the fleas on your pet.
- For extreme flea infestations ask about CAPSTAR® (dogs and cats), an oral medication which kills adult fleas within hours.
For those dogs who love to swim all summer, a new once a month, oral medication is available by prescription. Learn more about this flea protection, Comfortis®, by going to our online pharmacy, or call us for details. 207-339-0700
Following your Dr.'s recommendation for once a month flea treatment for life, you will win the battle against the fleas! |
| Did you know?
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The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. More than 70,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities. AVMA members are dedicated to advancing the science and art of veterinary medicine including its relationship to public health and agriculture.
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 Getting Your Cat to the Vet
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 Here are some suggestions to make a trip to the Vet's office easier on your cat. Sometimes, it's getting to the visit that is more stressful than the visit itself! Using a pet carrier to get to the Vet will significantly contribute to a better overall experience. A feeling of security will be offered to your kitty when you place him in a carrier on your trip to his Wellness Exam. Cats seem to prefer the hard plastic kind of carrier.
Getting Your Cat Into the Carrier
Bring the carrier into the area where your cat ordinarily likes to sleep. Leave the door open, place a small amount of food or treats inside. After a couple of days, the curiosity most cats are famous for will send them inside to investigate. Allowing your pet to get used to the carrier before putting it into the car will help to make the trip a far less stressful experience. When your cat arrives feeling safe, it will be calmer and have a more pleasant visit with the doctor.
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Adoption Update - Xena
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We are happy to report that "Xena," who was featured in our spring newsletter as available for adoption, is now happily living with her new family! We miss her, but we are so happy that she has found a loving new home.
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More About the Vets
Great Brook Website
Email the Office
Great Brook
Hours of Operation
Monday - Thursday
8am - 6pm
Fridays 8am - 4pm
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Great Brook
Animal Care
Mission Statement
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To provide exceptional service and consultation to our clients so that they may be informed and empowered animal caregivers who are able to nurture their animal family members throughout their lives. At Great Brook
Animal Care we provide
Total Life Care with
Tender Loving Care.
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Puppies and More!
Training Classes
New Puppy Class
Starts August 25
Offering classes through October.
Canine Adventures
website
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FUN FACTS!
Dogs...
don't have a collar bone.
have ten vocal sounds. One of them is the "food guarding" growl, a low-pitched sound. A study, conducted at Lorand University in Budapest, of 20 adult dogs of various breeds, sex and size showed that "the bone is mine" is the most universally understood among canines tested. See the video at www.dvm360.com (search for growl sounds).
Cats...
do have a collarbone.
Tricolor or calico cats are always female.
The
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) research has determined
that cats are brought to the veterinarian only about half as often as
dogs. Some veterinarians attribute this to cats being better than dogs
at hiding illness, making it difficult for owners to realize there is a
problem.
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Community Connections
The people you see at the clinic may also be the people you see in the community...
Marshwood/Noble H.S.
Health Science Interns
Great Bay Community College,
Vet Tech Program
Job Shadow Program Students
Welcome!
University of NH's
Thompson School Interns
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Lost Pets
Returned Home
Microchips for Your Outdoor Cats
Fewer owners think of their outdoor cats when they think of their pets getting lost. Cats often wander, but return to their homes, so owners often forget that they too can benefit from being identified with a microchip. Eighty-seven percent of microchipped pets are successfully returned to their owners.
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