Here are a few of the reasons that sedation dentistry is a far cry from what’s best:

1. Risky breathing business. Think of how often your mouth was suctioned during your last dental cleaning. Now imagine that same procedure on an animal that doesn’t understand what’s going on. It’s absolutely necessary that your pet has a protected airway to prevent fluid from traveling to the lungs.

2. Cleaning teeth in a moving mouth: impossible! Cleaning teeth coated with tartar and plaque takes time, skill and the proper training. It also takes tools like power scalers and hand instruments with sharp edges. One tiny move of the head could mean injury for the patient. A roused patient (whether a normally sweet kitten or a Doberman) could easily bite the nearest hand.

3. Licensed to clean. Your vet is trained to administer anesthesia to your pet based on his size and health assessment. The vet team continually monitors your pet during the entire procedure for your pet’s safety and your peace of mind.

4.Under the gum. Scaling and polishing beneath the animal’s gum line would be next to impossible without anesthesia. For many patients, the tartar and bacteria below the gum line is much greater than what we can see above the gum line. Cleaning only what’s seen (above the gum line) is purely cosmetic and ignores what will certainly turn into a bigger health issue affecting heart, lungs or kidneys.

5. The whole tooth. Examining the inner part of the mouth (e.g. tongue and back side of teeth), charting teeth, and taking x-rays would all be virtually impossible without properly administered anesthesia.

6. Safe at last. We want your pet to be safe, and we want our staff to stay safe as well. The best way to be sure of that is for your pet to be under anesthesia while having a dental cleaning.

While you may have your teeth cleaned twice a year, your pet only needs a cleaning at your vet’s recommendation. To spread out those professional cleanings, don’t forget to brush your pet’s teeth at least three times a week and preferably daily. If you have questions or would like to set up an appointment, give Town N Country a call.

Part of a routine check up at Town N Country is a visual inspection of your pet’s teeth. Even if your cat isn’t finicky like Morris the cat or a hero like Lassie, she may need to have her pearly whites cleaned.

Your own teeth are brushed twice a day, and still should be cleaned professionally every six months. Our pets’ teeth don’t usually get brushed ever, so your pet may need a professional cleaning done once every six months to two years. We’ll recommend the frequency according to your pet’s unique needs.

You may also notice symptoms that may indicate dental trouble – like a pet that’s not eating well. When dental problems are discovered (or confirmed) during an exam, a cleaning is scheduled.

Here’s what you can expect when your pet is scheduled for an appearance on Canine (or Feline!) Camera…

Setting the Scene. Prior to the cleaning, pre-anesthetic lab work is needed. On the day of the cleaning, a pet has to follow the same fasting procedure that anyone undergoing surgery would. Consult with your vet for the cutoff time on the night before for all food and water. And of course, your pet won’t eat the morning of the cleaning.

Prepping for the Show. Once you arrive to Town N Country, your pet will receive a pre-anesthetic exam which is much like a regular physical exam. A vet will listen to heart and lungs and check the pet’s gums and teeth to check and see if anything has changed. If not, the staff will proceed.

With a normal lab report, your pet is ready for a straightforward procedure. While the veterinarian completes your pet’s customized anesthesia and pain plan, the technical staff puts into place the IV catheter.

Lights, Camera, Action. Routine safety precautions are followed. For example, a tube is positioned in his airway to protect his lungs from water going down his windpipe while delivering 100% oxygen to his lungs. The IV fluids support his circulatory system. As anesthesia is administered, oxygen levels, heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, temperature and respirations are continually monitored closely.

Once the pet is completely under anesthesia, the technicians will take digital radiographs or x-rays of the teeth. The next step is to actually clean the teeth. For above the gum line cleaning, calcified tartar and plaque are removed with the use of calculus removing forceps, hand instruments and power scaling equipment.

If the process stopped here without polishing the teeth, bacteria and sugars would damage the teeth at the next opportunity (probably lunch). Polishing the teeth removes all the microscopic etchings that the scaling equipment made on the teeth.
Once the polishing is finished, the circumference of each tooth is probed to see if there are any pockets harboring plaque and bacteria.

The Plot Thickens. If there is a diseased tooth, it’s at this point that it would be removed. Extraction and treatment methods depend on the tooth’s size and position. For example, a molar might require sectioning the tooth into halves for easier removal. With the tooth out, the remaining socket needs to be flushed out and cleaned.

The Finale. Once your pet wakes up, he’s ready to go home with you. If you can brush his teeth at least 3 or 4 times per week or use a plaque barrier weekly, he may not need his next cleaning for many more years.

Credits. February is National Pet Dental Health Month -it’s a great time to brush up on dental health skills and have your pet’s mouth examined at Town N Country. Give us a call!

NH3QGHW3RMSZ

This month we’ll be talking a lot about taking care of your pets’ teeth – and encouraging you to bring in your furry friend for a dental cleaning. And if you schedule a February cleaning, we’re also giving you one more thing to celebrate. If you have your dental cleaning in the month of February you will receive a dental health basket full of wonderful free things:

Instinct’s RAW bone
CET chews
Purina DH food sample
Oravet Toothbrush
Oravet Toothpaste
3 oral hygeine sessions (when we brush your pet’s teeth)
1 coupon for $100 off next dental cleaning – good for one year

So pick up the phone now and give us a call to schedule your visit. And watch this space and our Facebook page for more information on how to keep your pet’s teeth healthy and pearly white!

For the feline diet, remember that cats are obligate carnivores – they must have the high protein and low carbohydrates that only come from meat.

Good choices for your cat may be Instinct’s Raw (available in our freezer section) Instinct’s canned line of cat food or Purina OM for the ‘chunky’ cat. If your cat has an affinity for the crunchy, you’ll find the best kibble to sprinkle on your favorite kitty’s dish at our office.

Since dogs are not obligate carnivores, they have a few more possibilities for their diet. You may want to have a look at Purina OM canned or dry or Instinct’s Raw. Unless your dog is extremely active, we don’t usually recommend Instinct’s kibble or canned food since they tend to be too high in calories.

Since your dog’s nightlife might not be as active as your cat’s, he still needs exercise every day. Click here to discover creative alternatives to dog walking.

If you have further questions about your pet’s diet or level of exercise, don’t hesitate to call us. We love to hear from you.

A treadmill is hard work for dogs, too!

1. Doggie day care derails doggie doldrums. Most of our regular daycare customers are scheduled to come in on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which are incidentally, our favorite days of the work week! Just like parents of small children schedule “play dates,” you can schedule supervised time with other dogs.

Having someone else in temporary control of your pet’s exercise and social interaction allows you the needed time to focus on other errands or duties. And your pet isn’t banished to a lonely house or back yard for a long stretch of time. Everyone wins!

2. Dog Walking: In Service. Some clients rely on Town and Country’s dog walking service for regular exercise. Others contract with us during their vacation or even after knee surgery. A 30-minute waist-slimming power walk goes for 10 bucks. Contact us for more details.

3. Neighborhood kids and responsibility. If you know a teen or mature pre-teen, consider hiring her for walking your dog. A long work day for you could be more interesting for your dog if he’s walked around lunchtime – or right after the school bus comes.

4. Take me out to the Bark Park. After the first visit, you may be singing a happy song, and so will your dog. In our area, there’s a Bark Park located in Elon right beside the Beth Schmidt Park. Don’t forget water for your pet to be sure she stays hydrated, and of course, keep a couple plastic bags in your pocket for efficient scooping and keeping the area clean.

5. Tread softly on a treadmill. If folks in Hawaii can teach a dog to surf, teaching a dog to walk or run on a tread mill is a cinch in North Carolina (or any other state with inclement weather.) The secret is to start slowly and steadily keep working.

6. YES to balls in the house. You know which toy or ball really gets your dog moving, so pick it up and throw it! Your dog may quickly “fetch” or think the object of the game is “keep away” but either way, he’s moving. You may not get two miles in this way, but every little bit helps and your creativity puts a smile on everyone’s face.

7. Sleeping cats, awake! Most of our tips have been for dogs but cats need exercise too. Cat trees or toys on strings usually motivate the most reticent kitties.

So what are your favorite ideas for pet exercise? Send them to us, or walk on over to our Facebook page and share them.

Image courtesy of Flickr and normanack

Even with your pet, image is everything. No one wants to admit that the family pet is overweight because he overeats or doesn’t exercise. Here are a few examples of why your pet might be overweight – despite your protests to the contrary:

1. Exercising in a box. Have you ever heard someone say that their dog gets lots of exercise he’s in a fenced in the back yard? Dogs are not so different from us in regard to exercise. We like interesting exercise: a walk around the neighborhood trumps the yard every time. One of our nurse’s dogs is a great case in point. Her spaniel dashes outside to do her business and quickly races back to the door to be let back inside. Her favorite place on the sofa is still warm!

In the wild, a dog would be motivated to either catch prey or avoid becoming prey by running very fast. In a confined area, a dog will stop when he’s tired and fail to get an elevated heart rate for any length of time.

2. “She doesn’t eat that much!” I hear a lot of statements in a given week that are just this side of the whole truth. Simply put, more calories in and less calories burned make a chubby pet. A straightforward solution is to measure the pet’s food before it goes into the bowl.

If the regular kibble is at a reasonable level, the problem may lie in the treats. It’s very easy to fall into a pattern of rewarding good behavior with Beggin’ Strips, Busy Bones and sausage links, but they add up to too many calories!

3. Cats are carnivores. Outdoor/indoor cats may bring you offerings of a dead bird or a dead mouse close to your favorite slippers. It’s their not-so-subtle way of letting you know you should be very proud, and by the way, we really like meat.

Dry food is almost all carbohydrates, and indoor cats don’t need that since they’re not burning lots of calories hunting for food. A high protein, low carb diet is best for your kitty. Raw is a very healthy and tasty cat food, sold in the freezer section at Town N Country. For more details, click here.

So – is it time for a New Year’s resolution for your pet? Working in a little more exercise for your pet often benefits the rest of the family. If you have questions about your pet’s weight, diet or exercise levels, don’t hesitate to call us!

Image courtesy of Flickr and Lambchop.

We hope you had a super holiday, and that you’re facing a wonderful new year. How many resolutions have you made for the year? And for us – the bigger question is – have you made any resolutions for you and your pet?!

We’d love for you to share those resolutions with us! Email them to us, or post them on the Facebook page. And if we can help you with weight loss, exercise, social time, a more convenient preventative treatment (like Vectra 3D), or a better diet, please give us a call.

Again – happy new year!

1. Tame the Tannenbaum. The lovely branches of a live tree are very appealing to a cat. Try to place your tree so that it’s not near a piece of furniture that your cat could use as a spring board to jump from. Families with adventurous puppies or kittens may opt to have the tree in a play pen as a precaution.

2. Spiked Water. Dogs and cats are funny critters, drinking from toilets or Christmas tree stands at any opportunity. Water from the stand could poison your pet due to the pesticides or fertilizer solutions designed to keep your tree fresh. To block your pet from drinking this water, strategically place a Christmas tree skirt over the stand.

3. Keep Those Angels Way Up High. Cat or dogs may try to chew on ornaments or lights, and tinsel and ribbons can also be tempting. Unfortunately, all that glitters can wreak havoc on the digestive system of a pet that ingests them and could require a costly, traumatic surgery. Keep potentially dangerous decorations at the top of the tree. To discourage a cat’s curiosity, apply a cat repellent to the base of tree or on strands of lights near the bottom of the tree. Turn off tree lights if you’re not home.

4. Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas. Many times in nature, bright colors are a warning. It’s true that poinsettias, mistletoe and holly are all poisonous to your pet. If you decorate with them, keep them out of your pet’s reach.

5. Don’t Give Her That Figgy Pudding. You may be tempted to slip some of the rich food that you love to your pet, but keep in mind that too much fatty foods could result in pancreatitis. Beware of symptoms like stomach pain, vomiting, and lethargy – they could indicate a serious problem that needs immediate medical attention. Questions? See the article on Should You Give Your Dog Table Food?.

6. It’s a Wrap! As you’re wrapping presents and singing loudly along with your favorite Christmas tunes, be aware of ribbon. An ingested ribbon can cause a blockage in the intestine or stomach and require emergency surgery.

7. The More the Merrier? Holiday guests will change your routine somewhat. Some pets are happy to welcome extra folks into your home, and other pets are a little nervous with company, especially small children. Be sure your dog still gets the needed exercise, and perhaps allow your cat a little extra space for a bit.

You know we love seeing your pets – and we’d love for you to visit this Christmas, but we don’t want it to be related to a holiday mishap. So check our list – maybe you should check it twice – and keep your pets safe and happy as you celebrate this wonderful time of year.

Don’t have a Cow, Man Seriously, you could give a cow. Or a flock of baby chicks or honey bees or a goat. It’s loads better than another necktie for Dad or apple ornament for the teacher. It would be a cool thing to give in the name of your pet, too!

There are some great ideas in Heifer International’s gift catalogue for more creative ideas. We had a lot of fun browsing around all the options – and imagining the possibilities.

A Gift for Them, a Gift for You After completing the checkout process, you will have the opportunity to create personalized cards to tell your friends and family that you have honored them by giving a Heifer gift. And what an honor – knowing that they’ve been a part of changing someone’s future for the better.

As an added bonus to you, for every $10 you donate, Town N Country will enter your name into a raffle for a free spa weekend* when you forward your receipt to admin AT tncvet.com. Go here: Heifer International to choose your gift and give!

This Christmas, Break the Cycle of Poverty, One Family at a Time If you feel more comfortable – or if you just want to come see us – you can also drop by office and make your donation! We always love to see you – but it’s especially nice to visit our friends during the holiday. Our business wouldn’t exist without you and your pets.

And although it’s been said…Merry Christmas to you and yours!

* The Spa weekend includes 3 nights at our Doggie Daycare or Kitty Condos followed by a luxurious bath and mani/pedi! Sounds like a Christmas present to us! Good luck winning!

Why we’ve changed. Here’s why we recommend that dog owners make the switch. First of all, Vectra 3D has a unique formula that we deem to be superior to anything else currently available. It kills and repels six different types of common parasites that can spread serious diseases to dogs: fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, sand flies, mites, and lice.

Let’s compare… Compared to K9 Advantix, we like that Vectra 3D controls fleas in all four stages of a flea life cycle (adult, eggs, larvae, and pupae). Controlling fleas in the non-adult stages will not only make Vectra 3D more effective in the short run, it will help avoid the development of a populations of fleas resistant to insecticides. In addition, K9 Advantix does not repel lice, and it does not kill or repel mites.

Compared to Frontline Plus, we like how Vectra 3D has repellants to six different parasites. Frontline Plus repels nothing and takes 24-48 hours to kill fleas. This gives parasites more of an opportunity to infect your dog. The slow action and lack of repellant may be why so many people think Frontline resistant populations are developing. Like K9 Advantix, Frontline plus does not kill mites or sand flies.

A couple more positives. Vectra 3D costs the same as or a little less than Frontline. AND Vectra 3D is not only made in the United States – it’s made in North Carolina! You’ll be supporting our local economy in more ways that one.

How to Use Vectra 3D Vectra 3D works like Frontline in that you apply an oil to the back of the dog’s neck, and the oil spreads through the dog’s fat cells to protect the whole body. The next time you need to buy flea and tick control for your dog, stop by and pick up Vectra 3D.

And finally – the rebate details: When you purchase 6 doses per pet of Vectra brand products, you are eligible to receive a $10 VectraPet Check that can be used at Town N Country for your next purchase. When you purchase a year’s supply, or 12 doses in the same visit, for the same pet, you’re eligible to receive a $25 VectraPet Check.

A note for cat owners. Do not put Vectra 3D for dogs on cats. It is perfectly safe for dogs using Vectra 3D to be around cats. However, one of the active ingredients in Vectra 3D for dogs is Permethrin. Even a small amount of Permethrin is toxic to cats in two to 48 hours. For cats we advise Revolution.

Got a question you’re itching to ask? As always, if you have any questions about Vectra 3D or about the parasite control product you are currently using, give us a call. We’ll be happy to talk to you and answer any questions you might have!