Posts in Category: Pet Health & Wellness

While most store-bought pet treats are perfectly fine for your pet, sometimes you want to go the extra mile and make something from scratch to show your love. This way, you know all the ingredients that your pet is consuming, and can feel good about giving your pet something homemade. 

Panting is perfectly natural for pooches. They pant when they’re happy, pant when they’re thirsty, and pant in your face when they just want attention! 

Cats, on the other hand, are rarely caught with their tongues hanging out. It’s perfectly normal for a cat to indulge in a few deep breaths after a bout of active play, but if your cat starts panting heavily for no discernable reason, a call to your pet’s doctor may be in order. 

Most pet owners put down fresh water each day before leaving the house and refresh it as necessary. We all think our pets drink when they’re thirsty, but are they getting enough water? How can you tell?

While the image of a slobbering rottweiler or a menacing pack of pit bulls might be what comes to mind for most when aggressive dogs are discussed, our smaller canine companions are not exempt from this description. They may not have quite the bad rap that dobermans or German Shepherds can have, but pint-sized pups can carry quite the pugnacity as well. 

Understanding why the aggressive small dog has so much attitude can help pet owners to better train and enjoy their pets. No judgement here from the staff at Androscoggin Animal Hospital, we are here to help. 

Most of us know that our pets should be vaccinated, but few really understand what pet vaccines are needed and why. Vaccines are an essential part of your pet’s preventative care. Even a little indoor lap dog needs some vaccinations, and Androscoggin Animal Hospital wants to help you to better understand why we recommend them.

Pet Vaccines as Part of Preventive Care

Similarly to human medicine, our veterinary team recommends pet vaccines in order to prevent serious disease in our dog (and cat) patients. 

A vaccination allows the body to learn how to mount an effective immune response against a particular virus or bacteria so that if it is exposed at some time down the line, it is better able to defend itself.

Some vaccinations provide complete or near complete protection against the disease while others just help to decrease the risk of serious infection. Regardless, pet vaccines are a powerful tool when it comes to keeping our furry friends happy and healthy and are a cornerstone of pet wellness care. 

Not all pets need all vaccinations, and not all vaccinations are created equal. Our veterinary team takes pride in assessing each patient to determine what vaccinations are necessary. We also utilize quality vaccinations that are stored and administered appropriately to ensure effectiveness.  

Understanding Your Dog’s Vaccinations

So what are all these vaccinations that you see in your pet’s reminders? When it comes to dog vaccinations, we can divide them into core (necessary for all dogs) and non-core (to be given based on risk factors).

Core Dog Vaccinations

• Rabies—Rabies is a serious disease that is almost 100 percent fatal when contracted. It is also a zoonotic disease, meaning humans can contract it from infected animals. Due to its serious nature, Maine requires all dogs to be vaccinated between 12 and 16 weeks of age and then again annually. Triennial vaccinations may be given with an appropriate vaccine and after the first annual booster is administered. 
• DHPP (Distemper combination)—The distemper vaccine is actually composed of four different vaccinations in combination. Canine distemper, canine hepatitis (also called adenovirus 2), canine influenza, and parvovirus are all very serious diseases. Vaccination of puppies several times until they reach four months of age is recommended. Boosters are typically given annually thereafter.

Non Core Dog Vaccinations

• Leptospirosis—Another zoonotic disease, leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that is found in wild animal urine. Infection can cause serious liver and kidney problems in both pets and people, which makes this vaccine a frequently recommended one for most dogs. 
• Bordetella —One of the primary offending bugs in canine kennel cough, Bordetella can cause upper respiratory issues including a very persistent and very contagious cough. This vaccination is typically recommended for social dogs who will spend time around other pets in grooming, training, boarding, or play scenarios. 
• Canine influenza —Another very contagious and potentially serious respiratory bug, the canine influenza virus is a little newer on the scene, but this is definitely a vaccination to consider for social butterflies. 
• Lyme disease—Carried by ticks, Lyme disease is a serious bacterial disease that can cause fever, joint pain, and kidney problems in our canine companions. In Maine, this disease is endemic, and the vaccination is often recommended in conjunction with good tick prevention in at-risk pets. 

Pet vaccines are an important part of keeping your animals and human family healthy and thriving. If you have questions about our recommendations for your pet or vaccines in general, please contact us. We are always happy to help.

Many people who love trivia may be stumped by the phrase inspiratory paroxysmal respiration. We can easily infer that this phenomenon has something to do with breathing, and maybe some kind of spasm, but otherwise the general public might be stumped by the meaning of this one. 

Inspiratory paroxysmal is, in fact, the medical term for a reverse sneeze, a common occurrence in some pets. But what exactly is it and how do you know if your pet’s okay?

When your cat isn’t eating, sleeping, or playing, they’re probably grooming themselves. Indeed, they are an exquisite keeper of their coat and simply won’t stand for any dirt, debris, tangles or, you guessed, dead or loose hair. As a result of their fastidiousness, they swallow a great deal of hair. Most of it passes through their digestive system without incident. But sometimes, it comes back up. 

If you’ve wondered about your cat’s hairballs from time to time (and if they really are something to worry about), we’ve got the basics for you.

There are so many positives when it comes to dog ownership, but that doggy smell is not one of them. It’s not always bad per se, but it is unmistakably “canine” in nature.

It’s easy to overlook or ignore mild odors, but when the aroma of a smelly dog takes over the entire house, it’s time to act.

Clean and Shiny

After a nice scrub and rinse, most dogs will continue to smell pretty nice for a while. Naturally, they will begin to smell somewhat doggy between baths and grooming appointments. Why does this happen?

The new year always brings about a chance for reflection and taking stock of our blessings and accomplishments. And at this time of year it feels natural to be grateful for our clients and patients, and all we’ve experienced with you this past year. Although it wasn’t always rosy, the chance to help you care for your pets is always an honor. 

Androscoggin Veterinary Hospital is always looking for ways to help enhance pet health and reach pet owners who may be interested in new pet health information or even just a dose of silly fun. And our pet care blog is one way we can do that on a regular basis.

With that in mind, we’ve looked back at most-read blogs of 2019, and compiled them here for you. Enjoy! 

Lumps and bumps on pets are a common cause of veterinary checkups. You may be petting your fur friend and suddenly find a small lump under the skin. Or, you may notice that an old bump on the skin is now bleeding, or has changed in color. Masses, cysts, skin tags, and other issues that appear on or underneath your pet’s skin is a frequent concern among pet owners.

If you are asking yourself, “What’s this lump on my pet,” we can help answer the question. Many of these are benign, but there is cause to be concerned with certain skin growths. The team at Androscoggin Animal Hospital takes a closer look at these anomalies.