Veterinary Services for Puppies & Kitties

Congratulations on your new puppy! We are so happy and honored to make your pet part of the Victoria Park Animal Hospital family. We have provided some guidelines and helpful tips on how to keep your puppy healthy and happy and live a long life with their families. 

Dental Health: Keeping your pet's teeth and mouth healthy is very important to maintaining good health. The most important thing you can do to maintain your pets dental health is to do home dental care. Work with your pet from an early age to get them used to brushing their teeth. Did you know that plaque can build up in 24 hours, tartar can form in 48 hours, and periodontal disease can develop in 2 months? As food particles, saliva and bacteria collect on the dental surface, they form a soft plaque. Within teeth and harbors more bacteria, which may result in gingivitis, an active inflammation of the gums. The large amount of bacteria can become a source of infection for the rest of the body. Each time your pet breathes and swallows, the bacteria is spread to the lungs, heart, kidneys, and other organs, potentially causing organ disease. Daily teeth-brushing is the most effective way to slow down this process. At this young age, they will easily learn how to tolerate and even enjoy their teeth getting brushed. 

Bathing, Ear Cleaning, Nail Trims: Start teaching your pet at an early age to tolerate and even enjoy getting bathed, having their ears cleaned, and getting their nails trimmed. Many pets hate getting their nails trimmed and become extremely stressed which can cause harm to themselves and to the staff. While watching tv with your pet, play with their ears, mouth, and paws so they get used to these areas being touched. Offer a lot of verbal praise and treats as a positive reinforcement for this. Bring them in routinely for baths, which will include ear cleaning, nail trims, and expression of their anal glands. Please inquire with our staff regarding our bathing services. 

Heartworm and Flea/Tick Prevention: In the Southeast United States, especially South Florida, monthly heartworm prevention and flea prevention are highly recommended. Mosquitoes transmit heartworm disease from pet to pet. Heartworm disease can cause severe illness and even death if left untreated. The treatment for this disease is very expensive and is very hard on the pet. Fleas and ticks can transmit parasites such as tapeworms, and other bacterial diseases such as Lymes's disease and Ehrlichiosis. Please inquire with our staff regarding our recommended monthly heartworm and flea/tick prevention for your pet. 

Nutrition: Nutrition is crucial in keeping your pet healthy and for living a longer life. We know how important it is for you to be healthy and we encourage the same standards of nutrition for your pets. We recommend pet foods where the main ingredients consist of real meat, healthy grains, fruits, vegetables, and no byproducts. Feed your pet a puppy food until 1 year of age at which time you can switch to an adult formulation. We pride ourselves on recommending only the best quality foods for your pets. Please inquire with our staff for more specifics on a recommended diet for your new pet. 

Training: We recommend beginning training early with your pet. The older your pet becomes, the more difficult it can be to train them and reverse negative behaviors. Training encourages a healthy development of manners for your pet which leads to a happier and more rewarding relationship with your family members. 

Pet Insurance: We highly recommend pet insurance to help manage pet health care and offset unforeseen emergency costs. Pet insurance companies do not work directly with veterinarians. These companies are independent businesses. We encourage our clients to learn about the different pet insurance policies and pick one that meets your needs. People believe that young pets are healthy and do not have health problems. Although younger pets are generally healthier, we still see many conditions that can become costly. Pet insurance can save you a lot of stress and money. Included is some information on different pet insurance companies. 

Spay/Neuter: We encourage all our clients to spay and neuter their pets. Spaying and neutering your pet can prevent many diseases such as cancer, infections, and inflammatory conditions. Spaying and neutering your pet may also prevent the stressful hormonal behaviors associated with heat cycles. Please inquire with our staff to discuss and schedule your pet's surgery. 

We hope our puppy packet helps start you off on your journey with a healthy and happy puppy. We are always available to answer any questions you may have and guide you in the right directions. Thank you for entrusting Victoria Park Animal Hospital with the care of your new family member!!!