Meet My Doctor!
Dr. Felix Smith of Smith Animal Hospital, Ft. Valley & Perry, GA
I met Dr. Felix, his brother Dr.
Ben and their whole staff right after I got adopted and needed
heartworm treatment. I had to spend some nights there because of
that. I really didn't like having to stay, because I wanted to be
with my family, but these people were nice to me. The doctor's office is
not exactly my favorite place to be, but people like Dr. Felix make the
sticking, prodding and poking
more
tolerable. What makes Dr. Felix so special is that he really cares about
his patients and their family. Everytime I come, he always kneels down
to talk to me. Sometimes he offers me a cookie, but I usually don't take
it from him. (I always play hard to get around Dr. Felix, but don't tell
him I really do like the guy!) He's always willing to take as much time
as needed to help me and explain things to my people. He and the people
at my doctor's office are a big part of the reason I am healthy, happy
and still able to hunt birds at 12 years old (I think that's about 78 in
people years!) Every pet needs a good veterinarian. We're lucky to have
Dr. Felix and Dr. Ben!
Here is some important information about your dog's health.
No matter how well we are taken care of, we still can get sick or have accidents. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your vet.
Our mothers give us some antibodies when we are born, but they only last up to 16 weeks. We then need your help in fighting disease and sickness by making sure we're vaccinated. Most of these vaccinations are given as a series of shots; over a period of several weeks. After that we need an annual booster. Some of these vaccines come in combinations. It's always best for your people to check with your vet to make sure you get everything you need. Vaccines that are available for us are:
Canine Hepatitis: A viral disease spread through contact with infected animals, their feces or urine. Prevent this by getting a vaccination.
Leptospirosis: Extremely contagious through contact with infected animals, urine and feces. Infection can go undetected, therefore there may be no symptoms. This can also be spread to humans. A vaccination early will prevent this.
Parvovirus: This is an all too common killer of puppies. It is spread much the same as the others. A series of vaccinations given over a few weeks (with an annual booster) will aid in preventing this killer. If your dog will spend a lot of time with other dogs (staying in kennels, traveling to dog shows) your vet may suggest a booster every 6 months. Talk to your vet about this.
Parainfluenza: Highly infectious viral disease...also known as 'kennel cough'. It spreads quickly. See that you get the vaccination for this...as well as the annual booster.
Rabies: Rabies is ALWAYS fatal! It is transmitted through the bite of an infected warm-blooded animal. Most states require this annual vaccination.
Coronavirus: Highly contagious. Get the vaccination against this...as well as the annual booster.
Bordatella: Bacterial infection. A dog may catch this disease through contact with other dogs. Ask your vet about the vaccination.
Lyme Disease: A tick-borne disease. A vaccine may be recommended depending on your location. Ask your vet.
Click here to go back to the top.
Fleas: These little insects bite
and drink the blood of their hosts (like us dogs) and boy, they make you
want to scratch and scratch. Some dogs like Cricket are allergic
to fleas so they are extra aggravating to them. One bad thing about
fleas is that they spread tapeworms. They thrive in warm moist environments
which is why they can be such a problem in a place like where I live (Southeastern
United States). The best way to control fleas is prevention.
My folks work hard in trying to keep them from getting a foothold in our
yard and house. They use sprays and granules specifically made for
fleas control for the yard and they periodically spray in the house.
Mom also bathes us (yuck!) regularly with flea shampoo that usually
contains Pyethrins or Permethrin or a natural substitute (she likes to
switch shampoos). Sometimes they might spray or dust us (yuck again!).
If the fleas get really bad, they might use a topical product like Biospot
or Advantage or an oral flea preventative like Program. Sometimes it's
a trial and error sort of thing, but when they are able to keep fleas from
investing the yard, we hardly have to through the yucky stuff.
Ticks: These insects also bite and drink blood, and bites from ticks can cause Rocky Mountain Fever, Lyme Disease and more. Wooded areas in the Spring and Summer are where your dog may pick them up. If you find a tick...remove it carefully and promptly. Using tweezers, grab the tick by it's head and pull it straight out. Make sure the head is removed. There are special tweezers you can buy that make it easier. Dab the spot with alcohol to prevent infection. Control is basically the same as flea control. We don't have a problem here with ticks infesting our yard. We usually pick them up when we are in the woods.
Click here to go back to the top.
Internal Parasites:
Roundworm - Hookworm - Whipworm - Tapeworm
Most of these attack the digestive
system. All of these can lead to serious health problems, and even result
in death especially in young puppies. Fortunately there are
treatments for these. Talk to your vet about prevention and deworming.
Coccidia: To avoid these....make sure your puppy doesn't eat raw or undercooked meat.
Heartworm: This nasty thing is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito. It lives in the vessels of the heart and may be fatal. It is not a fun treatment to go through--BEAU AND I KNOW THAT FIRSTHAND! Prevention is a whole lot easier with monthly medicine. Your vet will do a simple blood test to be sure that heartworm is not already present before giving heartworm medicine.
External Parasites:
Lice: Most flea sprays and powders
will prevent lice.
Mange Mites: These are not visible to the human eye. They live near the hair follicle. These little guys spread quickly and are difficult to cure. They can also spread to humans. They must be treated by your vet.
Ear Mites: These things tickle and itch the inside of your ear and make you want to scratch your ears or constantly shake your head. They look like dark earwax or coffee grounds in the ears so if your people see this, they should contact your doctor for treatment.
Ringworm: This is highly contagious and can be spread to humans. This is a fungus and looks like oval, bare patches on the skin. See your vet for treatment.
Click here to go back to the top.