February is Dental Month

Wow, February is almost here and we are gearing up for Dental Month.

Dental Prophylaxis (teeth cleaning) is $25.00 of during the month of February, call us today at (817) 370-5566 to schedule an appointment!

Dr. Mayes recommends yearly dental cleaning for your pet(s).
 "Poor oral care leads to devastating disease processes in the mouth as well as other parts of the body such as the liver, kidneys and heart. Many people do not realize how important dental care is for their pets until they have a serious problem. By then, extensive (and oftentimes expensive) dental work must be performed. We are equipped to perform extensive dental work if necessary, but our goal is to educate owners about the importance of good dental care before it reaches that point."


Top 5 Signs of Dental Disease

1. Bad breath
2. Yellow plaque accumulating on teeth
3. Yellow/brown tartar accumulation on teeth
4. Red gums
5. Gum line recession

An astounding 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS).

What should I be doing in between my pet's dental cleanings to maintain clean teeth?

• Hill's t/d Unique kibble scrubs away laden plaque in the mouth to promote systemic health, clinically proven to reduce plaque, stain and tartar buildup.
• C.E.T. Hextra Chews
  Provides a well-known antiseptic effect and helps remove plaque and reduce tartar. Chews are coated with exclusive patented 10% solution of chlorhexidine gluconate.
• Daily Brushing
• Drinking water additive (C.E.T. AQUADENT, Breathalyser)
  Helps maintain oral hygiene, prevent plaque accumulation, and freshen breath when used along with a regular home dental care program for cats and dogs.
• "Mini" dental cleanings for pets with excessive tartar accumulation with periodic preventative scaling and polishing in between annual cleanings.

The staff in our clinic has noticed that Science Diet Healthy Advantage pet food is very good at keeping teeth sparkling clean in between annual dental cleanings in both our cats and dogs.

Science Diet Healthy Advantage is a veterinary exclusive diet.

Dog Training

Exciting things are happening at South Meadow Animal Clinic!
We would like to introduce our new dog trainer Dr. Mark Elvington, owner of K9-Sense,LLC.

About Dr. Elvington

My first career was in chemistry.  After recieving a Ph. D. I worked for the U. S. Department of Energy for many years.  My love for dogs, however, drew me to volunteer at animal shelters where I gained volumes of hands on training experience.  For 10 years this continued, until I realized that my passion was working with dogs. I made the decision to change careers.  I pursued formal education in dog training and I am now certified by the Animal Behavior College, a professional dog training school. I am also a graduate of Randy Hare’s Professional Trainers Course at Alpha K9, a full time course that encompasses canine obedience training, explosives and narcotics detection, police handler protection training, tracking, and kennel management.  I am also an active member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.  I most recently worked as a canine trainer and handler with wildlife scent detection dogs for a cougar population study.  I feel that my scientific background meshes well with modern training methods like reward based behavior modification, methods which are based in the science of learning.

K9-Sense, LLC, offers a board and train program designed for the family dog.  Your dog will board at South Meadow Animal Clinic for four weeks and receive training in the foundation behaviors – sit, down, stay, heel, and come.  He or she will learn to respond to voice commands and hand signals and to work through distractions.  You are invited to visit your dog seven to ten days into the program to watch a training session and observe his or her progress.  During the last week your participation is necessary.  We will schedule several training sessions so that you and your dog can learn to work together as a team.  The cost of the program is $1400 with half due at the beginning and half due at the end.