Preventative Care

We strongly believe in preventive healthcare and the whole-body approach. From an early age we work with you to help your pet enjoy optimal health! Annual checkups allow the Doctor to get a medical history, provide a comprehensive physical exam, and assess lifestyle and health risks of your pet. Based on this, a wellness plan involving nutritional counseling, vaccination schedule, appropriate parasite control, and early disease intervention is personalized for your pet.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are an important part of your pets wellness plan. They help prevent disease and prolong the lives of pets. Disease prevention is always less hazardous to your pet’s health and less costly than dealing with the cost of treating a preventable disease. During your pets annual physical examination we will discuss your pet’s general health and lifestyle and recommend a vaccination protocol that is most suited to your pet’s needs.

There are two categories of vaccines: “core” vaccines that every pet should have, and “non core” vaccines that depend on the pet’s lifestyle and exposure risk.

For dogs, “core” vaccines include parvovirus, distemper virus, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus and rabies virus. “Non-core” vaccines include Bordetella (recommended for most dogs), leptospirosis (recommended for all dogs in our area based on increasing prevalence), and lyme vaccine (transmitted by ticks).

For cats, “core” vaccines include feline rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia virus and Rabies virus. A “non-core” vaccine that should be considered for all cats who may interact with other cats is for feline leukemia virus.

Some vaccines require boosters when initially given to achieve a protective immune response, and they are repeated every one to three years to maintain this immunity, while limiting over-vaccination. Vaccine titres can be performed for some vaccines for those who prefer.

Parasite Control

Internal and external parasites can make your pet (and, in some cases, your family) sick, so it is important to prevent these infections, and to provide timely diagnosis and treatment if infections occur.

Parasites primarily live in the intestines (roundworm, tapeworm, whipworm, giardia, etc) and skin (fleas, ticks, mites, lice).

We recommend continued coverage for both external and internal parasites year round, as it never gets very cold in our climate, so all parasites are found here year round. There are numerous options for parasite control available for both cats and dogs, in both oral and topical options. At your pet’s annual physical examination we will discuss your pet’s health needs and risk levels, and make a recommendation for preventative parasite control best suited to your pet’s needs.

Identification

Permanent identification is essential for reuniting lost pets with their owners. At Tsawwassen Animal Hospital we offer two forms of permanent identification:

Microchip: A microchip is the best form of identification a pet can have, and is traceable internationally. A microchip is a small electronic chip enclosed in a glass cylinder that is approximately the size of a grain of rice. It is implanted using a needle under the skin. It does not have a battery but is activated by a scanner being passed over the area. It then transmits an identification number to the scanner, which when typed into a database, will link the pet with their owner’s contact information. The only information found in the database is what you provide when the microchip is registered. Microchips can be implanted at any time, but most commonly this is under at the time of spaying/neutering.

Tattoo: A tattoo can be given when your pet is under general anesthesia. It is a series of letters and numbers placed inside the right ear which can be traced back to our veterinary clinic, and your pet. While this is a good form of identification, tattoos can become unreadable with time, and are difficult to trace if you/the animal move out of the area.

Weight Control

Excessive weight gain and obesity has become the most common preventable disease in dogs and cats in North America. As of 2020, the number of dogs who are overweight or obese (56%) surpassed the number of dogs at an appropriate weight (44%). Obsesity is a major health concern and can increase the risk of various medical conditions, including diabetes mellitus, joint damage/arthritis, kidney and pancreatic disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, bladder/urinary tract disease, skin problems, and cancer. Losing weight can help these patients reduce the risk of disease and even reverse some of the effects of these conditions. At Tsawwassen Animal Hospital our whole team has training in weight loss options and can help you create a plan to help your pet lose weight.