Prevention is the key to your pet's long-term health. If a health problem or issue can be detected in its early stages, there is a far greater likelihood it can be resolved and treated with less difficulty, less expense and greater success. Twice yearly examinations are our chance to assess your pet's overall health, discuss any changes we see, educate and update you on advancements in medical care, and for you to discuss any concerns or questions you have.
Protecting Your Pet's Health
Your pet's wellness exams at our animal hospital in Mount Laurel includes our commitment to:
- Examine teeth, throat and oral cavity
- Check vision and examine the eyes
- Examine the ears for infection, ear mites, allergic reaction and other related health issues
- Examine the respiratory system
- Assess your pet's heart
- Test your pet's reflexes
- Palpate lymph nodes and abdomen
- Inspect the skin
- Palpate joints and muscles for arthritis and other orthopedic conditions
- Test to evaluate the function of internal organs, blood, and other systems
Deworming and Fecal Check: Dangerous parasites are always present in the environment. If brought into your home, these parasites can be passed from your pet to you and your family. Regular fecal checks and deworming are the best way to prevent parasitic disease and the transmission of intestinal parasites to your pet. It also prevents the shedding of parasite eggs, which can contaminate lawns or any place a pet defecates.
Regular Blood Work: A complete physical includes a heartworm test, parasite screening, and should include a blood test. Not only can a chemistry panel and complete blood count (CBC) identify the presence of underlying disease processes, but these tests help create a baseline should your pet become ill. Additionally, blood work is necessary if a dental cleaning, removal of a skin mass, or any other procedure that requires anesthesia is recommended.
At home, watch for subtle changes in your pet's body weight, appetite, water intake, urination and bowel habits, general attitude and activity level. Should your pet exhibit any changes or signs of potential illness, please don't wait. Call our office today for an appointment.
Good Communication Leads to Good Health
During each examination, we also listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and give you all the information you need to be the best caregiver to your pet. We also discuss your pet's medical history, nutritional needs, behavior and exercise routine. Good communication between you and your pet's doctor ensures your beloved companion is receiving the optimal care and attention needed to live a long, healthy life.
Balanced Vaccinations
Vaccinations are the number one way you can protect your beloved pet from serious infectious diseases and bacteria. However, not every pet requires the same series or frequency of vaccines. Our veterinarians tailor a vaccine protocol to your pet based on his or her breed, age, lifestyle and recommendations from the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Adult Dog and Puppy Vaccines
Core: DHPP (combined Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza), Rabies
Non-Core: Leptospirosis, Lyme Disease, Bordetella
Adult Cat and Kitten Vaccines
Core: FVRCP (combined Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia), Rabies, Leukemia (for felines that go outside)
Your pet's vaccine schedule is balanced to provide needed protection while not over-vaccinating. Please contact us for more information about our customized vaccination protocols and why they are best for your pet.
Caring for Your New Puppy or Kitten
Bringing a puppy or kitten home is a very exciting time for you and your family. Our doctors and veterinary team at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital share your joy and are here to support you with individualized puppy and kitten wellness programs and home care guidance.
Our puppy and kitten programs are designed to cover all the fundamental health care needs of your new pet during his/her early life stages. We partner with you to create a custom health plan so your new companion receives the vaccinations and examinations required to get the best start in life.
Your puppy's or kitten's first year of care at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital will include:
- Physical Examinations: Your puppy's or kitten's lifetime of wellness starts with its first comprehensive nose-to-tail physical exam. Puppies and kittens should have 3-4 exams between the ages of 8-16 weeks. These visits are important because they provide our veterinarians with an opportunity to assess your pet's overall health and to administer vaccines.
- Vaccinations: Due to their developing immune systems, puppies and kittens must receive a series of properly staged vaccines. Because every puppy and kitten is unique, we tailor our vaccination recommendations based on their lifestyle and/or breed and according to the suggested medical guidelines.
- Diagnostic Testing: Puppies should be tested for Heartworm and kittens tested for Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS.
- Parasite Prevention: Your first visit will include complimentary doses of heartworm and flea and tick preventatives.
- Extended Discussion: Do you have questions about nutrition, training, vaccinations, grooming, parasite protection, or overall health? What about tips for introducing your new pet to other pets and family members? We take plenty of time during these visits to offer health care and training advice, and address any concerns you have.
Puppy and kitten visits are an excellent way to get your new pet started on the road to a happy and healthy life. Let's take these important first steps together. Please call today to schedule an appointment for us to meet your new pet!
Senior Pet Care
Older pets make wonderful companions, and thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer than ever. By taking the time to learn more about the special needs of your senior-aged pet, you've taken the first step toward providing the best care for your friend in its golden years.
Pets in their senior years—those of about seven years of age and older—begin to go through a gradual reduction of their physical capabilities. However, this process can be slowed and managed through proper veterinary care, thereby offering your beloved pet an extended period of vitality and good health. Additionally, preventative care tailored to your pet's age, lifestyle, risk factors and other elements can help prevent common diseases or detect them at early and easily treatable stages. As a part of your senior pet's wellness care at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital, we offer a discounted comprehensive lab work package to give you and your veterinarian a complete overview of your pet's internal health and organ function.
With our help, you can prolong your pet's good health and well-being, even as his or her pace slows a bit. Together, we can make sure you and your faithful companion enjoy many more years together.
Flea and Tick Prevention in Burlington County
Fleas and ticks are more than a nuisance; they carry diseases dangerous to both you and your pet.
Prevalent tick-borne diseases in New Jersey include Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. All can be a significant threat you and your dog, especially during the warmer months of the year. Ticks and tick eggs live in the grass and weeds. Check and brush your dog after being outside, especially in grassy or brushy areas. If a tick is attached to your dog's skin, remove it carefully with tweezers and wash the affected bite area and your hands afterward.
Fleas are most abundant during the warm weather; however, if left untreated, they can be a problem year-round. In fact, flea infestation is one of the most common medical problems veterinarians see. Your pet can be allergic to fleas, and just one bite can result in a severely painful skin infection. Fleas can also transmit serious diseases such as bartonellosis (the bacteria that causes “cat scratch disease” in people), and parasites like tapeworms.
The best course of action to protect your pet and yourself from fleas, ticks, and the potential of tick-borne disease is prevention. There are many safe, effective flea and tick control products available at our hospital, and our veterinary team will help you choose the correct preventive regimen based on your pet's risk factors and health status. We also offer a Lyme disease vaccination and we recommend discussing whether it is right for your pet with one of our veterinarians.
Heartworm Disease and Your Mount Laurel Pet
Heartworm disease is a serious, life-threatening disease transmitted by mosquitoes. It affects dogs and, to a lesser extent, cats. Heartworm disease is found almost everywhere in the continental United States.
Clinical symptoms of Heartworm disease develop very slowly. Early symptoms include lack of energy, exercise intolerance, coughing and difficulty breathing. Because Heartworm disease is increasing in frequency and is a serious and deadly disease, we recommend your dog be tested annually.
Fortunately, Heartworm disease prevention is simple and effective. If you would like to find out more information on how best to protect your pet from this dangerous parasite or if you'd like to have your pet tested for Heartworm disease, please call Mount Laurel Animal Hospital today for an appointment.
Microchipping for Your Pet's Safety
A lost pet is a frightening situation with often devastating consequences. This is why the team at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital considers HomeAgain microchip lost pet IDs a fundamental way to protect your pet and an important part of responsible pet ownership.
Each microchip registers the animal with a unique identification number, which is filed in a database with your contact information. The contact information can be updated any time, and it is important to remember to do so whenever your information changes. If your pet is lost, the microchip can be scanned by animal control officers, at shelters and at veterinary hospitals in the U.S. and in many foreign countries.
HomeAgain membership offers additional benefits such as proactive pet recovery and free access to ASPCA Poison Control. HomeAgain also comes with services useful to pet owners such as their National Pet Recovery Database, Lost Pet Specialists, Rapid Lost Pet Alerts, Lost Pet Medical Insurance, Travel Assistance for Found Pets, and more.
This safe, reliable and permanent pet identification takes less than 10 seconds to implant and can save you and your pet days, weeks or more of fear and anguish.
Your 24-Hour Veterinary Pharmacy
Our commitment to your pet's health is also reflected by our fully stocked in-house veterinary pharmacy. When it comes to prescription medications, accurate dosage and administration is of the utmost importance. That's why we keep our pharmacy open 24 hours a day, so you can rest assured that any prescriptions your pet needs will be fulfilled accurately, at the right dose, in the right form within 24 to 48 hours.
We will also provide you with detailed instructions on the medication's use, discuss any side effects or interactions and even give your pet the first dose if possible. You can feel confident all the medications we dispense were obtained from safe, reliable sources and stored under the right conditions.
Ensuring you have convenient and timely access to competitively priced medications and other pet care products is an important aspect of our veterinary practice. Refills are easy, too. Simply give us a call at (856) 234-7626 or request a refill online.
Your Pet's Nutrition
Proper nutrition and a balanced diet, along with fresh, clean water, is an essential ingredient for your pet's overall good health. As your pet's caregiver, nutrition is the most significant health variable that you control.
Feeding your pet the highest-quality food you can afford is one of the best ways you can contribute to his or her health and vitality. Although the differences between premium and budget varieties may not be apparent on their nutrition labels, they are in the quality of the ingredients. Both may contain the same amount of protein but be very different when it comes to digestibility and nutritional value. Making the best nutritional choices for your dog or cat not only effects general health, but will improve the quality and length of your pet's life.
To support your efforts, the doctors at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital perform a thorough body condition evaluation during every physical examination, and give recommendations based on what we see. We can also provide you with important information on proper serving size, nutrient needs, and feeding strategies for your individual pet. We can also assist with diet planning and formulation, and work with you to establish a limited ingredient diet for your pet.
End-of-Life Planning
For many pet owners, even thinking about their pet's final days is difficult and emotional. Our pets are a part of our family. It is this strong bond, born from years of loyal companionship, that makes this time particularly hard to bear.
We encourage you to talk with our veterinary team about these issues before they become an urgent matter. Find out about your options, including at-home euthanasia, cremation and grief counseling, make some key decisions ahead of time and ask us to add this information to your pet's record. Taking the time to plan, as challenging as it may be, will lessen the pain and stress for you and your pet.
In the days, weeks, or months leading up to your pet's final day, you can rely on our veterinarians to provide you with the support and information you need to make informed choices each step of the way. The palliative care we offer your pet includes oxygen therapy, 24-hour hospice care and red blood cell and transfusion therapy.
All of us at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital will do our best to help you prepare for these important issues with the compassion and sensitivity they require.