Complete Wellness Care for Your Pet's Entire Life
We at Caring Hands Animal Hospital prioritize preventative care and wellness appointments for every pet. Whether they are puppies or kittens, adults, or seniors, preventative strategies help pets enjoy extended, healthier lives by preventing diseases and identifying health issues in their initial phases.
Customized Medical Treatment
We customize preventative care for each pet, taking into account their age, environment, and lifestyle. Caring Hands Animal Hospital veterinarians generally advise the following components for a comprehensive, lifelong care plan.
It is recommended that puppies and kittens visit the veterinarian around 8, 12, and 16 weeks old for comprehensive physical exams, fecal and parasite checks, deworming treatments, vaccinations, and to start flea, tick, and heartworm preventative care. For more information on puppy and kitten care, click here.
Veterinarians advise that you should spay or neuter your dogs or kittens when they are about 6 months of age. This will prevent pregnancy, overpopulation and the risk of uterine or testicular cancer.
Adult pets between 1 and 6 years should be taken for wellness visits at least once a year for a thorough physical examination including fecal tests, vaccine boosters, along with ongoing heartworm, flea and tick preventatives.
Your pet's dental health will be addressed during each physical exam, and a dental cleaning might be suggested if tartar or gingivitis is detected. Click here for more information.
For senior pets, aged seven and above, we recommend biannual veterinary visits. These visits involve physical exams, fecal tests, vaccine boosters, ongoing parasite prevention, and comprehensive lab work (blood and urine) to track health and detect age-related conditions early. To learn more about our Senior Care, click here.
Preventatives
Caring Hands Animal Hospital's veterinarians and team advocate for consistent, year-round protection against fleas, ticks, and heartworms for all pets, regardless of whether they live indoors or outdoors. For comprehensive information on parasites, please consult the Companion Animal Parasite Council website. Given that fleas and ticks are prevalent year-round in our region and can be inadvertently brought indoors on clothing and shoes, regular administration of veterinarian-approved topical or oral medications like Nexgard, Simparica, or Bravecto is essential for preventing infestations and associated diseases.
Heartworms, transmitted by mosquitoes, pose a significant threat to dogs and cats, causing respiratory symptoms and fatal complications. Monthly treatments, such as liquid topicals or flavored chewable medications, are simple and effective for heartworm prevention. Depending on your pet's individual needs, Caring Hands may recommend Interceptor, Heartgard, Revolution, or other preventatives for lifelong protection. We recommend the American Heartworm Society for further information on heartworms. All mentioned preventatives are available through our competitively priced online pharmacy.
Microchipping
At Caring Hands Animal Hospital, we understand that your pet is an important part of your family, and their safety is our priority. One of the best ways to ensure your pet's safety is through microchipping. This small, rice-sized chip is implanted under your pet's skin during a quick and painless procedure. The microchip contains a unique ID number that can be scanned by shelters, rescue groups, and veterinary offices to help reunite you with your pet if they ever get lost. Unlike collars or tags, the microchip cannot be lost or removed, making it a reliable form of identification for your pet.
Why Microchipping is Essential for Your Pet's Safety:
- Permanent Identification: Microchips provide a lifelong solution for identifying your pet, even if they wander far from home.
- Quick and Painless: The procedure is simple, quick, and minimally invasive, ensuring your pet feels little discomfort.
- Peace of Mind: Knowing your pet has a microchip gives you confidence, especially in case they go missing.
- Helps Reunite Lost Pets: Many pets are found in shelters without tags or collars. A microchip helps ensure they are returned to you.
Vaccinations
Our veterinarian is the ideal source for personalized vaccination recommendations based on your pet's lifestyle. Caring Hands Animal Hospital provides the following vaccinations.
1. Rabies
Rabies, a deadly viral disease common in local wildlife and other mammals, can be transmitted from animals to humans.
It spreads through the saliva of infected animals, typically via bite.
Virginia and Maryland state laws mandate rabies vaccinations for all dogs and cats.
Symptoms:
- Fever
- Seizures
- Change in behavior (over excitability, shyness, aggression)
- Excessive Salivation
- Paralysis
- Inability to swallow
Cats and dogs are given a rabies vaccination annually for the first dose, and then dogs require booster vaccinations every three years.
2. Distemper (DHPP and FVRCP)
Distemper is a highly contagious viral disease that currently has no cure. It affects various animals, including dogs, cats, ferrets, and certain wildlife, and is transmitted through both direct and indirect contact.
Symptoms:
- Weight loss
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nasal discharge
Our vaccines provide combined protection against common viral diseases specific to each species. Dogs receive protection from intestinal viruses like Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus, while cats are protected from upper respiratory viruses such as Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia.
These combination vaccines are commonly known as DHPP for dogs and FVRCP for cats.
Distemper vaccinations are given in a series to young animals, then annually to young adults, and every three years to mature and senior pets.
3. Leptospirosis
A bacterial disease, Leptospirosis, is transmitted through the urine of infected wildlife and commonly spreads via contaminated water, including puddles, retention ponds, and slow-flowing creeks. Your veterinarian will evaluate your pet's lifestyle to determine their risk of exposure to Leptospirosis and advise on appropriate vaccination.
This disease, generally referred to as 'Lepto,' can cause kidney and liver failure, and it is a zoonosis, which means it can be passed from animals to humans.
Symptoms:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Decreased appetite
- Increased thirst
- Vomiting
- Unusual amounts of urine (larger or smaller)
- Muscle and joint pain
- Bleeding or brusing
To protect dogs from Lepto, a series of two vaccinations is given, followed by yearly boosters for adult and senior pets.
4. Lyme Vaccine
Lyme disease, a common infectious disease transmitted by ticks to both humans and dogs, is highly prevalent in Northern Virginia. Depending on your and your pet's lifestyle, vaccination may be recommended.
Ticks acquire the bacterial disease from wildlife and transmit it to pets during feeding. For transmission to occur, the tick must be attached for at least 48 hours. However, these ticks are often very small and difficult to detect, emphasizing the importance of both tick prevention and vaccination for your pet.
In contrast to humans, dogs rarely develop the 'bulls-eye' rash associated with tick bites. The absence of this physical marker, coupled with the potential for dogs to remain asymptomatic, either initially or indefinitely, does not imply the absence of Lyme disease.
While antibiotics can be used to treat dogs diagnosed with Lyme disease and reduce the bacterial presence, complete eradication of the bacteria is often difficult. Consequently, even if antibiotics alleviate symptoms, a persistent, low-grade infection may remain.
Symptoms:
- Some dogs can show no symptoms at all (asymptomatic)
- Pain
- Limping
- Lameness
- Inappetence
- Fever
- In severe cases, kidney and heart disease can develop
The Lyme vaccine involves an initial series of two shots for puppies, with yearly boosters for adult and senior dogs after that.
5. Bordetella
Bordetella, commonly called 'Kennel Cough,' is a highly infectious upper respiratory disease in dogs. It spreads easily through direct contact or airborne transmission.
Vaccination is recommended for all dogs that have social interactions with other dogs, such as in neighborhood settings, boarding and daycare facilities, dog parks, and grooming salons.
Puppies, young dogs without vaccinations, and dogs with weakened immune systems are at risk for developing severe symptoms.
Symptoms:
- A dry, hacking cough
- “Honking” cough
- Nasal discharge
- Decrease in appetite
- Lethargy
- Fever
The Bordetella vaccine can be administered through injection or intranasally, and is given every six to twelve months. It's advisable to confirm the specific requirements of any facility where your pet will be staying or visiting.
6. Canine Influenza
Canine Influenza, a virus that emerged in 2012, resulted from the mutation of an existing strain. Due to its novelty, dogs exposed to this new strain were highly susceptible to infection.
A vaccine was subsequently developed to provide protection for dogs. Notably, this particular strain was found to be non-contagious to humans.
Symptoms:
- Discharge from the nose or eyes
- Coughing (can be productive or non-productive)
- Labored breathing or increased rate
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Decrease in appetite
Before taking your pet to boarding, grooming, or daycare, we suggest checking their policies regarding the Canine Influenza vaccine. You can also consult your veterinarian to assess whether this vaccine is appropriate for your pet's lifestyle.
Dogs receive the Canine Influenza vaccine as an initial two-shot series, and then annually as adults and seniors.
7. Feline Leukemia
Feline Leukemia, or FeLV, is a viral disease that spreads between cats via saliva, feces, and through mother's milk. Kittens that nurse, cats living outdoors or in feral populations, and those in multi-cat households are at increased risk of contracting this infection.
Currently, there is no cure for Feline Leukemia. A blood test can be performed in our hospital to identify infected cats.
Symptoms:
- Some cats can show no symptoms at all
- Respiratory symptoms (coughing, sneezing, discharge from nose or eyes)
- Decrease in appetence
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Loss of weight
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Kittens receive the leukemia vaccine in two doses, followed by yearly boosters for adult and senior cats.