Preventative Healthcare – Arcata Animal Hospital

A Lifetime By Your Side

Starts with preventative medicine.

Annual or Biannual Exams and Health Consultations

The cornerstone of a solid preventive healthcare strategy for your pet is a thorough annual examination and health assessment. For our senior patients, we recommend an exam every 6 months, as they can develop health problems that may not be obvious until they are advanced and more difficult to address. During these exams, we focus on several important areas:

Physical health check: Evaluate overall physical and emotional well-being.
Breed-specific concerns: Address any health issues related to your pet’s breed.
Tailored healthcare: Provide additional recommendations based on the exam findings.
Open communication: Discuss any concerns or questions you have about your pet’s health.

Annual or Biannual Laboratory Tests

Yearly or twice yearly (for our senior patients or patients with chronic health problems) blood/urine/fecal testing is one of the most valuable tools we have to assess how healthy your pet is internally. There are many conditions that are not obvious on physical examination and do not have obvious symptoms that you may notice until they are quite advanced. Laboratory tests allow us to establish what is a “normal” baseline for your pet and very often allow us to detect problems early, when it is easier to intervene.

While not technically a core vaccine, it's highly recommended in certain areas. This bacterial infection, spread through contaminated urine from infected animals (including wildlife), can cause liver and kidney failure.

Leptospirosis

Parvovirus

A severe viral infection leading to vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and life-threatening sepsis, often seen in puppies.

Adenovirus

Causes respiratory infections and can lead to acute or chronic liver inflammation or failure.

Distemper

A virus that often proves fatal, affecting the respiratory and nervous systems.

Calicivirus

Causes respiratory disease, often associated with oral ulcers.

Feline Herpesvirus-1/Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis

Causes infectious respiratory disease and eye ulcers. Vaccination helps prevent recurrence but does not eliminate lifelong infection.

Panleukopenia virus

Similar to canine parvovirus, this infection causes life-threatening vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and immune suppression.

Feline Leukemia Virus

Leads to lifelong immune suppression, increasing the risk of cancer, infections, and autoimmune inflammation. It's a core vaccine for kittens but optional for adult cats.

A viral infection transmitted through bites from infected animals, leading to progressive neurological decline and death. Rabies is present in many areas and is also a human health threat.

Rabies

Parainfluenza

A viral infection that causes respiratory issues.

Lyme Disease

Transmitted by deer ticks (black-legged ticks) and causes joint inflammation and potential kidney failure.

Bordetella

One of several organisms responsible for kennel cough, a common and highly contagious respiratory infection.

Canine Influenza

The influenza virus causes respiratory infections and may lead to pneumonia. Though not endemic in some areas, it may be recommended based on your dog's lifestyle.

Rabies

As in dogs, causes progressive neurologic decline and death typically after exposure through an animal bite.

Vaccinations

Part of overseeing the care and well-being of our patients is recommending and administering pet vaccinations to protect against certain diseases. These highly contagious viruses and bacterial diseases are spread a number of ways. Some are passed through close contact, contaminated areas, bites from other animals and some are airborne making it important to always vaccinate even an indoor pet. At Arcata Animal Hospital, we make it a point to tailor vaccinations according to the age, needs and exposure risk of each individual patient. Certain vaccines are considered “core” vaccines and should be administered to most pets. Others are “non-core” and are administered based on lifestyle and risk of exposure. We can work together to determine the best vaccination program for your pet. Schedule today to start a vaccine plan for a puppy or kitten, or to update vaccines for your adult pet.

Core Canine Vaccines

Additional vaccines are available for dogs with certain risk factors. Depending on where you live and your dog’s age and lifestyle, we may recommend one or more of the following:

Core Feline Vaccines

Parasite Prevention

Parasites are a significant health risk for our pets. These include worms or other microorganisms that infect the intestinal tract, respiratory tract, bloodstream, or internal organs. Other parasites such as fleas and ticks can make your pet very uncomfortable and itchy, and can also be as source of other serious infectious diseases. Annual fecal testing and blood tests can be done to monitor for the presence of parasites. Various preventive medications can be used to prevent infection. At your pet’s annual or semi-annual wellness exam, we can discuss parasites in detail and help you to implement parasite prevention measures that will keep your pet healthy and happy. For more information about pet parasites, visit VeterinaryPartner.com and type canine or feline parasites in the search bar.