Preventive Health Care
Because our pets age so much faster than we do, ACRS encourages semi-annual examinations rather than once yearly vaccinations help us identify health problems sooner. This means earlier intervention for these illnesses, which translates into healthier living for our patients
At ACRS we tailor our vaccine programs for the needs of our individual patients. Vaccination recommendations are based on the pet’s lifestyle. In this way, dogs that are only out in their own backyard and/or indoor only cats receive different vaccines from dogs that are out competing in dog sports every weekend or indoor/outdoor cats. Vaccine recommendations are made on the basis of the AVMA Core/Non-Core vaccine protocol. We recommend 3-year vaccination for both rabies and distemper on all of our adult patients (Core vaccines). Vaccines like Leptospirosis, Canine Influenza, Feline Leukemia, Bordetella, and Lyme disease are given based solely on the individual patients activities (hunting, showing, competition, boarding, grooming).
Parasite control is another integral part of routine preventative health care here at ACRS. We recommend annual heartworm testing as well as fecal screens for intestinal parasites. The heartworm testing done here at ACRS is the IDEXX Snap 4DX test that screens for Heartworm, Lyme, Erhlichia and Anaplasma. These three tick borne diseases are very insidious in their onset and annual testing for these diseases allows for earlier treatment.
We perform state of the art centrifuge fecal flotation testing to identify intestinal parasites in our patients. In this method of testing the fecal sample is spun at high speed to allow the parasite eggs to float to the top of the tube for easier identification. This allows for fewer false negative test results.
We recommend year round preventative treatment for heartworm, intestinal parasites, fleas and ticks to keep both your pet and your family safe from these pesky parasites.