Its that time of year again to protect your pets from heartworms. Mosquitoes transmit heartworms from dog to dog in the spring, so it is time to get your pet into a Veterinarian and tested for heartworms. To start your pet on prevention, a veterinarian will draw blood and run a test. If the test is negative they can start on heartworm prevention such as HeartGard. Prevention for your pets should start around April 1st to December 1st. Here at Palmer Animal Hospital we believe year-round prevention is best for two reasons. First, if the prevention is stopped for the winter,  your pet will have to be tested every year.   If your pet is on year-round prevention they will be tested every other year.  Secondly, if your pet stays on heartworm prevention year-round, it is easier to remember to give it every month and you are less likely to forget the medication. Prevention is definitely recommended instead of treatment.   Heartworm treatment may be long and painful. dogs and cats of all ages are susceptible. Heartworms spend their adult life in an animals heart or pulmonary arteries, could cause right-sided  heart failure. Signs can vary from nothing at all to persistent cough, fatigue, fainting, and weight loss. Heartworms are serious and can be fatal. So bring your pet into your veterinary hospital and get your pet tested for heartworms.

Many pet owners like to buy their products online, but they don’t always know what they’re actually getting. When you order online products make sure its from a trusted source.  If not the product you order may be ineffective or dangerous for your pet. For example, a customer bought Frontline Plus online for his two cats. Frontline is supposed to kill fleas, flea eggs,  and ticks but when they gave their two cats a dose of Frontline they went from having a few stragglers to a full-blown flea infestation. Since this product didn’t seem to kill the fleas like it was supposed to, one cat started to get a really bad flea allergy and the other started to get sick at the same time.  Be cautious of where your product is coming from; unknown sources may provide fraudulent product or one only available in other countries.  These products are not legal in the US, probably will not be effective, and may be harmful to your pet.   There are different ways to make sure you are getting safe, effective products for your pet. Purchasing from a veterinary hospital is usually the best way to go because veterinarians buy directly from the  manufacturer.  Online products are often diverted through 2nd or 3rd parties.   If buying online be sure you are purchasing from a reputable site. Be sure to check the package graphics, they should match with an authentic box. Keep in mind the even when buying authentic product from a unauthorized online source, manufacturers will not honor the product warrantee if something a problem occurs.  Veterinary medicine is nothing to joke about, if you want the best product for your pet buy it from a trusted source.

With the arrival of the New Year, we are planning on trying to catch up with the age of technology by  using electronic reminders.    This means that we will be sending out emails and texts to 1) remind you about health care services your pet is due for such as Annual Well Pet Exams, Vaccinations, and Routine Testing; and 2) to confirm and remind you about existing appointments.     We think is a great step forward as it will be much more convenient for our clients as well as our staff.   These electronic reminders will start to replace the postcard system we have used for years as well reduce the number of phone calls made by our staff.

If we do not have an email address or cell phone associated with your account, you will likely be contacted by a staff member for that information.   If you continue to receive postcards from us, it means we do not have email or cellphone information on your account and you should contact us with that information.   If you do not wish to receive emails or text reminders, please let us know and we can mark your computer file appropriately.

Note that we will still be calling all of our anesthesia/surgery/procedure cases the night before to re-confirm and to remind you to fast your pet as required.

Please feel free to call with any questions, or better yet, to update your file with an email address and phone number!

 

 

It’s that time of year again where the cold weather and precipitation can make it difficult for our staff and clients to make it into our office.    While most of our staff is able to make it into work on most days, there are times where the amount of snow and ice on the roads dictates that the safest course of action is to stay home.   Don’t worry, if your pet is boarding or hospitalized, someone will be in the office to make sure that they are taken care of (even if Dr. Palmer has to drive his tractor into work!).

However, if you have an appointment or are planning on coming to our office on a day where the road conditions are questionable, you should first call our office to be sure we are open.   And please be sure to leave a message if a live person is unable to answer to the phone.

Have a safe and fun New Year!!!

 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our clients and patients!

Both Christmas and New Year’s Day are on a Sunday this year, so it will affect our schedule a little differently.   Our holiday hours will be:

Sat, Dec 24th 8AM-12N (Normal Hours)

Mon, Dec 26th 8AM-5PM (Limited Hours)

Sat, Dec 31st   8AM-12N (Normal Hours)

Mon, Jan 2nd  8AM-8PM (Normal Hours)

If there are any questions about our schedule, please call the office.

 

 

 

 

A quick announcement that we are having phone issues today.   The nasty storm that blew through our area this afternoon did something to our phone system and right now we are limited to one phone line in and out.   So if you can and can’t get through, please keep trying.   You can also try to email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible:   info@palmeranimalhospital.net

Here are some photos from 25 years ago:

The winter weather today has given us a chance to catch our breath and remind everyone that February is Pet Dental Health Month.   It is a good time to assess the health of your pets teeth.   Does you pet have tartar or bad breath?   Is there inflammation or recession of the gums?   Do any of your pet’s teeth appear loose?   Is your pet having any trouble eating?   Are there any swellings in or around your pet’s mouth?

Approximately 75% of dogs and cats need to have their teeth cleaned by 4 years of age.   This is especially true of small dogs.   During the month of February we are running specials on all dental work, so now you have an extra good reason to have your pet’s teeth checked out and dental done if necessary.   Please call our office for more details.

It’s hard to believe, but Feb 18th, 2016 will mark 25 years in business for Palmer Animal Hospital.   We started in a rental space in downtown Myersville (the old High’s store) and moved in 2003 to our current location on Baltimore National Pike.   Over the years we have blessed with over 7,000 clients and 22,000 patients—those are numbers that are hard to even imagine, and we are grateful for every one of them.   We have seen puppies and kittens grown up to be adults dogs and cats, cared for them over the years, and helped them at the end of their lives.   When we first started, it was just Dr. Palmer and his wife, Susan, that kept things running.  Now we have multiple doctors and a staff of fifteen.   Thank you to our many wonderful clients and their pets.   It is because of you that we can work at the greatest job in the world each and every day.  It has been a pleasure to serve you for all these years, and we are not done yet.

Please check out the recheck article on us that ran in the Frederick News-Post.   Here is the link:

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/places/local/frederick_county/animal-lovers-came-together-to-build-a-vet-practice-that/article_c8096235-5dc8-56d5-9b54-6cad470881ba.html