FAQ's

We recommend quality name brand food that has the AAFCO seal stating that the food has undergone feeding trials. Examples include Hill’s Science Diet, Royal Canin, iVet food, or any other premium food sold at local pet stores. Currently, The FDA is investigating a potential dietary link between canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and dogs eating certain grain-free pet foods. Until more information is known, we recommend against grain-free diets. Dogs are omnivores like people, and as omnivores they can and should eat grain. The best food for your dog is the food that your dog does well on, which is different for each dog. It may take many months of trial and error to find out which type of food is best for your pet.

It is not advisable to feed human food due to the imbalance of nutrients and the fact that it is not formulated to meet the needs of animals. Human food may also cause gastrointestinal upset or obesity. Additionally, a number of human foods can be extremely toxic to pets, causing severe illness and even death. Visit the ASPA Animal Poison Control site to learn about foods to avoid feeding to your pet.

Obesity in pets can lead to disorders such as diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, and arthritis. We recommend keeping your pet lean and healthy to prolong his or her life!

It is not normal for a cat to vomit frequently. Cats may vomit hairballs; however, if they are vomiting fluid or food, it may be indicative of an underlying disease. Many of these diseases can be successfully diagnosed with diagnostic tests such as blood work, ultrasound, or radiographs. We recommend a scheduled appointment to determine the cause of the vomiting.

Your pet should be examined to determine and treat the underlying cause of diarrhea. Monitor your pet closely and contact us immediately if your pet has any of the following changes: diarrhea for more than 24 hours, vomiting, lethargy, decreased appetite, or blood in the stool. Please bring a fecal sample to your scheduled appointment to test for intestinal parasites, such as giardia, hookworms, roundworms, etc.

Allowing your cat to venture outside is a decision between you and your cat. However, do be aware that outdoor cats are more prone to injuries from trauma and catfights, and they have increased risk of exposure to infectious diseases such as Feline Leukemia (FeLV) or Feline AIDS (FIV). All outdoor cats need to be vaccinated against FeLV and tested annually for FeLVand FIV.

Excessive panting could be normal. It could also be an indication of pain, an endocrine disorder, a breathing disorder, or many other diseases. We recommend an exam as soon as possible to determine the cause of the panting and treat your pet as needed. Radiographs of the chest or blood work may be recommended and can be discussed further with your Veterinarian.

The most likely causes for scratching are ear infections and/or allergies. There are many different treatments depending on the underlying cause and severity of the issue. We recommend an examination to allow the Veterinarian to assess the ears and determine an ideal treatment plan for your pet.

Your pet may have allergies or some other skin disorder, such as mites, bacterial infection, etc. A Veterinarian would need to examine your pet to determine the cause of the scratching and the proper treatment plan The first step in diagnosing a skin disorder would be to perform a skin scrape/cytology to look for mites or other infections. Call us to schedule an appointment at your convenience.

Inappropriate urination can be an indication of a medical or behavioral problem. The first step is to bring your cat into the hospital for a complete physical examination, urinalysis, and/or an ultrasound of the urinary tract. If it is a medical problem, we can provide appropriate treatments. If it is a behavioral problem, we can provide many suggestions to try and correct the problem.

Heartworm disease is a life-threatening disease that is spread by mosquito bites. Dogs need to stay on year-round heartworm prevention for two reasons:
1) mosquitoes are in the environment when the ambient temperature is above 57 degrees. In the Dallas area, we have the potential for mosquitoes in the environment all year round. Mosquitoes have also been found to house inside of people’s homes even in the cold of winter!
2) heartworm medication prevents the occurrence of intestinal worms. These worms have a zoonotic potential (risk to humans). Two of these worms can penetrate human skin and cause severe disease.  Unfortunately, kids seem to be more prone to exposure due to their tendencies to run around barefoot. These worms can migrate to the eyes and brain, resulting in serious illness. We do not want to run the risk of human exposure, especially if there are kids in the household.

We require an annual heartworm test for various reasons:
1) to confirm that your dog has not been previously exposed to an infected mosquito and been infected with heartworms.
2) if your dog is on year-round prevention, we still perform the test every year to ensure that the drug is working properly.
3) yearly heartworm testing is the recommendation of the American Heartworm Society.
4) if your dog gets heartworms, and you can prove that you have purchased year-round heartworm prevention, the manufacturer will pay for the heartworm treatment (they will not if a heartworm test was not done).
5) we are legally required to run a heartworm test yearly or risk losing our veterinary prescription license.

The most important part of any wellness plan for your pet is the annual physical examination. On average, dogs and cats age 7 years for every one human year. The annual exam allows us to examine all body systems, evaluate dental health, and determine the proper weight for your pet. We can not overemphasize the need for annual wellness examinations in order to prevent or catch diseases early.

We do not recommend internet pharmacies because they are not regulated by the government. Many of these pharmacies are purchasing illegal drugs from overseas. Many of these prescriptions do not have the correct drug inside or have a different drug inside - there is no way to tell - because they are not regulated or tested. We also have no way of knowing if the drugs are stored properly. Many pharmacies are also prescribing medications without proper prescriptions from veterinarians. Some of these pharmacies may be able to charge less for similar prescriptions at a veterinary hospital; however, part of the benefit of a prescription includes client education and drug adjustments when needed. Internet pharmacies are not capable or legally able to provide this type of service.

You may purchase medication directly from Premier Vet Care Animal Clinic here