Lake Emma Animal Hospital

Learn How to Keep Your Pet Healthy and Well-Behaved with These Tips

Vaccinations help pets live longer, healthier lives. Explore these links to learn about necessary vaccinations and other pet-related issues.

• Do you know how often your pet needs to be vaccinated for rabies? Learn about rabies vaccinations from the Pet Health Care Gazette.
• Vaccinations can greatly reduce your cat’s risk of developing diseases. Check out this article from the American Veterinary Medical Association to learn about the benefits of feline vaccines.
• Puppies need a series of vaccinations in a timely manner to protect them. Learn more about puppy vaccinations from Petco.com.
• Cats respond to different training methods than dogs. Check out these tips for training cats from Animal Planet.
• Some dogs are just barkaholics. Learn how to keep your dog from barking excessively by reading this article from the Humane Society.

For professional and compassionate pet care, call Lake Emma Animal Hospital at (407) 792-3322.

Tips for Training Your Cat

Cats are independent creatures, and they may be more difficult to train than dogs. However, they do respond to positive reinforcement and aversion tactics. Here’s some advice for training your cat to be better behaved.

Click and Treat Training

Use a clicker to get your cat to perform an action, like sitting. At first, just click and feed for no reason. Then, when your cat sits naturally, click and feed again. The next time your cat approaches and sits, expecting a treat, sound the clicker and say, “sit.” Add this command and your cat will sit on command in about a week or less.

Avoid Spraying Your Cat with Water

Some cat owners use a plant mister to punish jumping on the counter or other bad behaviors. This may discourage undesirable behavior temporarily, but some cats see spraying and chasing a game, in which case the undesired behavior might increase. A better cat training strategy is aversion rather than punishment. Try putting sticky two-sided tape on the counter. Cats find stepping on sticky tape uncomfortable and will eventually associate jumping on the counter with an unpleasant experience.

Making a Cat Obey the Come Command

This is a basic command that’s easy to institute. Say your cat’s name when petting or greeting it. Say it also when you put down the food bowl. Then call the cat by name before you make noises that the cat will associate with food. When the cat appears after hearing its name, reward with a treat. With time your cat will learn to come at your command.

Keep your cat healthier and happier with regular visits to the vet. Lake Emma Animal Hospital is a full-service veterinary medical facility that offers pet vaccinations, medical care, and even boarding. Call us today at (407) 792-3322 for more information.

What Vaccinations Does Your Dog Need?

There are a multitude of vaccinations available for dogs, but which ones does your dog need? That depends on your dog’s age and history.

In this video, Dr. Dale Howard explains that puppies must be given a combination vaccine that protects against distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and other diseases and viruses. All dogs over the age of three months must have a rabies vaccination. Learn about preventing disease through vaccinations by watching this video.

Vaccinations promote a longer, healthier life for your dog. If your dog or cat needs vaccinations, call Lake Emma Animal Hospital at (407) 792-3322.

Understanding the Importance of Immunizations for Your Pet

Pet immunizations and vaccinations are important in managing the health of your dog or cat. Without them, your pet runs the risk of developing a disease that’s hazardous to its health. An unvaccinated pet also runs the risk of spreading diseases and infections to other animals. Immunizations and vaccinations protect your pet and the local community in the following ways:

Protect Animals from Disease

The primary purpose of immunizations and vaccinations is to protect your pet from diseases. They accomplish this by introducing a modified form of the parasite, virus, or bacterium via injection. Once your pet’s immune system is exposed to the danger, it responds to the invader by creating antibodies. This controlled response allows your pet to fight off the disease in the event of exposure. Vaccinations are proven to protect pets from developing rabies, canine distemper, feline diabetes, feline herpes, and scores of other animal diseases.

Promote Pet Health

You can greatly reduce or even eliminate your pet’s risk of developing potentially life-threatening diseases with vaccinations and immunizations. Your pet’s good health will be easier to maintain with the help of vaccinations. Vets consider a combination of vaccines vital to promoting a long, healthy life for you cat or dog. That being said, not every vaccination available is necessary for every pet. Some pets may not require certain vaccinations depending on their breed, location, and exposure to other animals. 

Obey the Law

Each state has laws regarding vaccination schedules for your pet, especially when it comes to preventing rabies. Your state may require yearly vaccinations; others may require vaccinations every few years. Regardless, your vet will take into account legal requirements, risk factors for your pet, and your pet’s age when developing a vaccination plan and schedule.

Lake Emma Animal Hospital promotes your pet’s health through a wide array of services, including pet vaccinations and immunizations. Our Wellness program includes a physical exam and parasite testing. Call us today at (407) 792-3322 for more information about veterinary services, pet boarding, and vaccinations.

Get the Facts about Your Pet's Health Care with These Resources

Whether you have a new animal or an old companion, your relationship with your veterinarian is important. Call Lake Emma Animal Hospital at (407) 792-3322 to set up an appointment, or ask our friendly staff for advice.

• For more ideas on questions to ask your veterinarian during your visit, check out this list from PetPlace.
• This article from Yahoo! Pets provides some great topics to discuss with your veterinarian.
• This schedule from WebMD provides a timeline for vaccinating dogs and cats against harmful diseases.
• If you’re concerned that your pet is showing signs of illness, use this online symptom checker from Web-DVM.
• For a list of signs that indicate you need veterinary care for your dog, read this article from About.com.