Cold Laser Therapy

We are very excited to begin offering cold laser therapy to our patients.  

In simplest terms a cold lasers use an invisible wavelength of light that penetrates into tissues and causes positive cellular changes. Some of these beneficial changes include improved nerve conduction, dilation of blood vessels, and increased cellular energy by improving ATP production, stimulating acupuncture meridian points and decreasing free radical damage by helping cells produce more SOD, the body’s most potent natural antioxidant.

Laser therapy can relieve pain, reduce swelling, and increase range of motion. It reduces the

formation of scar tissue, promotes accelerated tissue repair and cell growth, and improves vascular and metabolic activity of damaged tissue. Laser therapy stimulates muscle trigger and acupuncture to provide musculoskeletal pain relief and has the ability to optimize muscle action and reduce nerve pain.

Cold Laser Therapy Benefits to your Pet

Anti-Inflammation – Cold Laser Therapy has powerful effects on swelling. This is mainly achieved because laser energy causes the blood and lymphatic vessels to dilate and activate.

Pain Relief – Cold Laser Therapy helps reduce pain by decreasing nerve sensitivity and blocking pain signals to the brain. In addition, Cold Laser Therapy  light enhances the secretion of natural pain killing chemicals such as endorphins and opioids. 

Improved Healing – Light photons from the laser penetrate deep into targeted tissues and accelerate cellular reproduction and growth. Laser light also increases cellular energy and ATP levels allowing injured cells to utilize nutrients better and remove waste faster.

 

 What can I expect?

You and your pet will be taken to an exam room for the quick procedure. Don't worry no needles, injections, or drugs are used. The operator will take the handheld cold laser and place it on your pets fur, no shaving necessary and begin performing the cold laser therapy. The length of the procedure varies depending on the condition being treated but most conditions require 2 to 8 minutes per site. Your pet will simply feel the sensation of the laser device moving across the skin, most pets will not need sedation and will be ready to go home after the procedure. Dr. Mayes will create a cold laser therapy schedule tailored to your pet's condition.

 

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.

Baby Its Cold Outside

Cold Weather Tips

Brrrr—it's cold outside!  The following guidelines will help you protect your companion animals when the mercury dips.

1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife.
2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.
3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm, dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.
4. Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.
5. Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.
6. Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.
7. Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself.
8. Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him, and his fur, in tip-top shape.
9. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information.
10. Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/pet-care-tips/cold-weather-tips.aspx

Holiday Boarding

Boarding your pets for the holidays?

Meet our kennel technicians Jaclyn and Janie:

Jaclyn - Kennel Technician

 Jaclyn was born in Corpus Christi, TX and moved to Fort Worth in 2005. She graduated from North Crowley High School in 2011with her CVA certificate. Jaclyn plans to graduate from Cedar Valley College as a Registered Veterinary Technician.

                                                             

Janie - Kennel Technician

 Janie was born in Fort Worth,TX and resides in Crowley with her three pets Mingo a boxer, Sammy a mini weenie and Precious her cat. She interned during the summer of 2011 and joined our staff in 2012. Janie was one of the few students at Crowley High school that completed the veterinary assistant program and became a certified veterinary assistant

What can i bring for my pet's stay?

We supply bedding and food (Science Diet Sensitive Stomach dry food) for your pet however we encourage you to bring your pet's favorite items and food if they are on a special diet.

We are very busy this season so please give yourself time to fill out boarding paperwork upon arrival.

Don't forget we close at noon on Saturday 12/22/12 and Monday 12/24/12 so these drop-off days will be very busy.

Drop-off procedures:

(please make sure we have record of your pet's current rabies, distemper/parvo(dhlpp), bordetella and instestinal parasite test(fecal)

• complete boarding agreement (available at drop-off or online Print Boarding Agreement)
• sign an estimate
• confirm any special medications or food instructions
• go over belongings and pick-up day

Give us a call for more information, we will be glad to help.

817-370-5566

                                                                         Courtney

                                                               

                                                                           Ashley



Holiday Puppies and Kittens

When gifting a puppy or kitten this Christmas keep a few things in mind.

Giving a pet is a very personal decision.
Does the recipient want a new pet and are they equipped to spend adequate time and resources on the pet?
What kind of pet would they like to receive?
Will the recipient afford the veterinary bills and a good quality food?

Puppies and kittens are precious and although they require a lot of work you are sure to reap the benefits of their love. If you are purchasing from a breeder have your veterinary clinic look over the records they provide. We want to make sure your pet is adequately protected with the appropriate amount of vaccinations and free from intestinal parasites. When adopting from an animal shelter they will most likely have the first set of vaccinations and be spayed or neutered but again have your vet look over the records.

Recommended Puppy Schedule:

6 weeks   Exam
                Intestinal Parasite Test (Fecal)
                Deworming Medication
                1st Distemper/Parvo/Parainfluenza/Herpes virus vaccination (DHPP)
                Heartworm Prevention/Flea Prevention
8 weeks   No Charge Exam
                2nd Dewoming Medication
                2nd DHPP vaccination
                1st  Bordetella vaccination
                Heartworm Prevention/Flea Prevention
12 weeks No Charge Exam
                3rd Dewoming Medication
                3rd DHPP vaccination
                2nd Bordetella vaccination
                Heartworm Prevention/Flea Prevention
16 weeks No Charge Exam
                4th Dhlpp vaccination (includes Lepto)
                Rabies vaccination
                full supply of Heartworm/Flea prevention
Don't worry if your pet is over six weeks when you start we will just make a custom schedule for them.

Recommended Kitten Schedule:

6 weeks   Exam
                1st FVRCP vaccination
                Intestinal Parasite Test (fecal)
                1st Deworming Medication
                Heartworm/Flea Prevention
8 weeks   No Charge Exam
                2nd FVRCP
                2nd Deworming Medication
                Heartworm/Flea Prevention
12 weeks No Charge Exam
                3rd Dewoming Medication
                1st Leukemia vaccination              
                3rd FVRCP
                Heartworm/Flea prevention
16 weeks No Charge Exam
                2nd Leukemia vaccination
                4th FVRCP
                Rabies vaccination
                full supply Heartwom/Flea prevention  
   
Don't worry if your pet is over six weeks when you start we will just make a custom schedule for them.

After your pet receives his/her rabies vaccination they will be old enough to be neutered or spayed.
This is also an ideal time to microchip your pet.        

If you have any questions please call or email.

Holiday Cheer

Here to spread the Holiday Cheer...
Don't forget your pets this holiday season, swing by the clinic for some great stocking stuffers!

Indulge your pet's sweet tooth with our Holiday Tin filled to the brim with t/d treats at just $5.99, for an even bigger savings bring the tin back get a refill for $3.00.

Give your dog a bounce in his step with our "Naughty or Nice" tennis balls for $2.00

Coming Soon:
Science Diet Ideal Balance Treats in exciting holiday flavors.

Ideal Balance™ Fruity Snacks with Cranberries & Oatmeal - Treats
Indulge your dog with a delicious, all-natural treat made with cranberries & oatmeal

Ideal Balance™ Veggie Chips with Pumpkin & Yam - Treats
Indulge your dog with a delicious, all-natural treat made with pumpkin and yam

Don't forget our new holiday candle assortment of delectable new flavors: Caramel Vanilla Latte, Sugared Cranberry and Hollyberry Hills.

I was overwhelmed with the sweet scent of Caramel Vanilla Latte as I entered the clinic this morning (it wasn't even burning the lid was just off from last night)!

Top 5 Holiday Dangers to Pets

Preventive Measures Can Save Pets

The holidays are a festive time for us and our pets. However, due to ongoing activities and constant distractions, we can easily overlook potential dangers to our four-legged family members.
Take preventive measures to protect your pets this holiday season. Being aware of these top five dangers could save you a trip to the veterinary emergency room.

1. Holiday Tinsel and Ornaments

Tinsel, while not toxic, is very attractive to pets, particularly cats. The shiny, dangling decoration reflects light and can move in the slightest draft — appearing to come alive to watchful critters.

The problem with tinsel is that once it’s consumed, it can cause serious injury to your pet. If not caught in time, this foreign body ingestion could actually be fatal as it twists and bunches inside your pet’s intestines. Immediate veterinary care is required.
In addition, bright and colorful tree ornaments can attract your pet’s curiosity. Place glass, aluminum and paper ornaments higher up on the tree. Pets can chew and swallow these fragile objects and not only can broken pieces form sharp edges that may lacerate your pet’s mouth, throat and intestines, they could also create a choking hazard.

2. Holiday Lighting and Candles

Twinkling, shiny and dangling holiday lights — such as the icicle, netting, garland, curtain, rope and candle varietal — may be another source of danger to your curious pets.
Got a pet that likes to chew? Electrical shock may occur when a pet chomps down on an electrical cord, causing tongue lacerations and possible death. Check your holiday lights for signs of fraying or chewing and use a grounded three-prong extension cord as a safety precaution.
If you have candles on display, place them in a hard-to-reach spot so that your pets can not access them. Not only can pets seriously burn themselves, but knocking over candles creates a fire hazard and may leave a trail of hot wax that will easily burn the pads of paws and more.

3. Gift Wrap Ribbon

You may be tempted to fashion your pet with a decorative ribbon “collar” but beware that this could become a choking hazard.
Also, it’s best to quickly discard ribbons and bows wrapped around holiday gifts so that your curious companions won’t be enticed to chew or swallow them. Ingested ribbon can cause a choking hazard and ultimately twist throughout the intestines, leading to emergency surgery and even death.

4. Food Hazards

Festive events often mean edible treats — and lots of them. Unfortunately, some of the most popular holiday goodies, such as chocolate, bones and nuts, can be extremely toxic or fatal to pets.

• Different types of chocolate contain various levels of fat, caffeine and the substances methylxanthines. In general, the darker and richer the chocolate (i.e., baker’s chocolate), the higher the risk of toxicity. Depending on the type and amount of chocolate ingested, dogs might experience vomiting, diarrhea, urination, hyperactivity, heart arrhythmias, tremors and seizures.
• Fat trimmings and bones are dangerous for dogs. Fat trimmed from meat, both cooked and uncooked, may cause pancreatitis. And, although it seems natural to give a dog a bone, a dog can choke on it. Bones can also splinter and cause an obstruction or lacerations of your dog's digestive system.
• Abundant in many cookies and candies, certain nuts should not be given to pets. Almonds, non-moldy walnuts and pistachios can cause an upset stomach or an obstruction of your dog's throat and/or intestinal tract. Macadamia nuts and moldy walnuts can be toxic, causing seizures or neurological signs. Lethargy, vomiting and loss of muscle control are among the effects of nut ingestion.

Keep your pet on her regular diet and caution visitors against giving your pet special treats or table scraps. For a full list of toxic foods, visit our toxic food guide for pets.

5. Toxic Holiday Plants

They may be pretty, but some holiday plants are poisonous—even deadly. As little as a single leaf from any lily variety is lethal to cats. Others to avoid:

• Christmas tree pine needles can produce oral irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, trembling and posterior weakness.
• Holly, commonly found during the Christmas season, can cause intense vomiting, diarrhea and depression.
• Mistletoe, another Christmas plant, can cause significant vomiting and diarrhea, difficulty breathing, collapse, erratic behavior, hallucinations and death when ingested.
• Poinsettias can cause irritation to the mouth and stomach and sometimes vomiting.

For more on toxic plants, visit our toxic plant guide.
Taking precautions with pets during these festive times can help ensure that you and your family will enjoy a happy — and healthy — holiday season!

http://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/pet-articles/pet-health/Top-5-Holiday-Dangers-to-Pets.aspx