Wellness Care for Your Pet
At West Houston Veterinary Medical Associates, we truly believe in regular pet examinations. They are absolutely necessary to maintain good health throughout your pets’ lives. They allow veterinarians to look over your pets really well and evaluate their health as they age.
Regular examinations are also a time for learning and coaching. Our friendly staff is here for you if you have any questions or concerns about anything that is going on with your pets. This can be anything from training to diet, and so much more. You may even have concerns that you didn’t realize you had—our staff is trained to listen for things that clue us in to the fact that we may need to investigate further.
During routine examinations our veterinarians do a thorough check-up. Our veterinarians can look for any potential problems that may become more serious later. We want to catch things early before your pets are really ill. We may recommend blood work to further evaluate your pets’ overall health.
This is also a time to ensure your pets are up to date with vaccinations and any other preventative care necessary for good health. Your pets might require heartworm prevention, deworming, or flea and tick treatments while you are at our hospital.
Please contact us today at (281) 493-4712 to schedule your pets’ annual examinations. Don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions.
We are your pets partner for lifelong health.
Parasite Prevention
The idea of your pet being infested with parasites is a disturbing thought, but it’s also a medical issue that can have serious consequences if not properly dealt with or prevented. Parasites pose a variety of health issues for our pets, who can be very susceptible to certain parasites depending on age, region, and other factors.
At West Houston Veterinary Medical Associates, we emphasize the importance of preventing parasites. Through preventative measures, you can successfully protect your pet. Pets that are not protected often develop parasites, leading to serious problems for them and their owners. The cost of prevention is minimal compared to the cost of treatment, which can be expensive and stressful on your pet. Parasites like heartworm can even be fatal, so preventing parasites is of the utmost importance.
Flea Prevention / Control
Fleas can cause problems for pets ranging from minor to life-threatening. Not only can these parasites cause severe itching, irritation, and allergies, but they can also transmit tapeworms and diseases. Fleas can infest dogs, cats, ferrets, mice, and rats. And fleas don’t just stay on pets; they can bite people, too.
You don’t want these blood-sucking parasites on your pet or in your home. We can help keep them away or help you get rid of them if they’ve already found their way inside. Call us to find out how to eliminate and control fleas or to start your pet on a preventive today.
Heartworm Prevention
Heartworm is a big deal. It is especially prevalent in our area because it is spread through mosquitoes. Heartworms will spend their entire lives inside a dog’s heart. However, they do not start to cause any problems until they are full grown (up to twelve inches long) taking up quite a bit of space in a dog’s heart and lungs! They mostly live on the right side, causing lung disease and heart failure. If not treated, the disease is fatal.
Unfortunately, heartworms are hard to treat and often the treatment is as bad as the disease. As the adult worms die, they travel through the dog’s system, causing all sorts of problems. Even worse, some dogs need more than one treatment to get rid of all of the heartworm.
The good thing about heartworm is that it is easily prevented. Heartworm prevention also has the added benefit of deworming your pets for roundworms, hookworms, and other intestinal parasites. This is important for your dogs and your family. Parasites can be transmitted to people, making them very ill.
Tick Prevention
Ticks are becoming more and more prevalent in North America, and they’re now being found in areas where people and pets didn’t previously encounter ticks. These parasites aren’t just a nuisance; they can cause serious—and sometimes deadly—diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and tick paralysis. Contact us immediately if your pet starts coughing or has joint pain, trouble breathing, fever, weakness, or loss of appetite, weight, energy, or coordination.
The best method for keeping ticks off your pet is by keeping your dog or cat on a tick preventive. Even indoor-only pets are at risk because ticks can hitch a ride inside on your clothing or shoes. Tick preventives are safe and highly effective at controlling ticks and the diseases they carry. Call us to get your pet protected today!
