Check back regularly for news from the area of veterinary medicine and animal care tips from our expert staff.
10 Tips to Help You Care for Your Pets - September 2013
Below are some simple tips that should help make life easier for both you and your pets!
Jason Heller, DVM
Recognizing Illness - August 2013
Only a healthy pet is a happy companion. Assuring your pet's daily well-being requires regular care and close attention to any hint of ill health. The American Veterinary Medical Association therefore suggests that you consult your veterinarian if your pet shows any of the following signs:
Should you notice any of these signs, please call Northport Animal Clinic so we can help make your pet a healthy and happy one!
Jason Heller, DVM
Why Vaccines and Physical Exams Should Always Go Hand In Hand - August 2013
Having practiced veterinary medicine and interacted with my peers for almost 20 years, I think it is safe to say that the general consensus of the veterinary field is that there is a definite need to administer vaccinations to our animals. I would like to stress; however, the equally important need for a full physical exam.
When performing a complete physical exam, problems can be detected that might not be found or addressed on a line at a low/no cost vaccination clinic. At the Northport Animal Clinic, a full physical exam is performed on each and every animal to help detect underlying diseases or problems, even with low/no cost vaccinations.
What is a physical exam? A full physical includes the animals weight, temperature, examination of the eyes, ears and throat, listening to the heart and lungs, observing the animal walk and sit
and
thoroughly checking for any soreness, growths or possible problematic orthopedic areas. A good physical examination can detect minor abnormalities before they become serious problems as well as
identify major organ dysfunction without extensive and expensive medical tests. Offering diagnostic testing as
necessary plays a key role in preventing and treating health issues in any pet.
It is always easier to prevent than it is to treat!
Jason Heller, DVM
Pain, Treat, Heal - July 2013
Cold Laser Therapy for Animals – Only at Northport Animal Clinic
Injured canines, felines and exotic companion animals, can all suffer from the same neuromuscular skeletal and wound injuries that humans do. Unlike humans, companion animals have limited means to express their pain and discomfort and have learned to endure a great deal of pain before verbalizing their discomfort.
The Theralase superpulsed laser provides a safe and effective way to accelerate the healing of companion animals back to full vigorous health. The non-heating, non-invasive Theralase therapeutic medical laser accelerates the natural healing processes in tissue without any side-effects or discomfort. Depending on the severity of the injury, your companion could be back to full activity within a few treatments.
The Theralase laser is the most cutting-edge therapeutic laser on the market and we are the only Veterinary clinic on Long Island with this ground breaking technology.
If your loved one suffers from:
make an appointment with Northport Animal Clinic today to see if your animal will benefit from cold laser therapy.
Jason Heller, DVM
It's Tick Time - May 2013
I remember as a child living on Long Island, grabbing tweezers at a friends house and picking ticks off of their pets. I didn't even have pets then, but I knew that there was something very terrible about these ugly little critters. We didn't want them on us or on our pets. How can we prevent ticks from attaching on our family or pets? We have discussed some serious and sometimes deadly diseases that are available to our pets and family. Making an appointment at your Veterinarians office to find a realistic approach to a problem that might be very serious this year. Due to the extreme weather we have experienced over the last year please be warned that we have seen an enormous amount of ticks so far and the diseases they spread! Remember, all preventative products are not created equal, so call the Northport Animal Clinic today so we can discuss the proper flea and tick program for your animal.
Jason Heller, DVM
Flea and Tick Prevention - April 2013
Things sure have changed when it comes to flea and tick prevention. Flea collars, sprays, shampoos, dips, foggers and sometimes even exterminators were needed to rid us of fleas and or ticks. A trip to the supermarket or the pet store in addition to advertisements have shown us the variety and accesibility to different products. Some of these products are similar in ingredients and packaging to ones at your Veterinarians office. What's the difference? When spending on our pets, we want to make sure that the safest, most effective medicines are being used. Over the years, more time is spent on educating clients about products and where and why we should acquire them. Since all products are not created equal and since products that look similar have been proven over time to not always be what is expected, talking to your Veterinarian is the best way to protect your pets and family against these parasites. We recommend discussing quality and expense of these products before purchasing them from anywhere else. Most of the time, the products are less expensive at the Veterinarian's office. Most importantly, the relationship and trust that is built between owner and Veterinarian should allow open conversation as to which product is best suited for your needs. Call anytime to speak to my staff or myself about this or any other pet questions.
Jason Heller, DVM