Senior Pets have special needs, just as senior people do.  Older pets face many of the same medical challenges that older humans experience: Arthritis, Diabetes, Heart disease, Liver and Kidney Failure, and Cancer,  to name a few.  Modern medicine and nutrition give us the means to treat these conditions in our pets, just as in people!  Through regular twice-yearly exams, monitoring lab work, strategic nutritional management, and advanced medications, our pets are living happier, longer than ever!
   We, at Cimarron Animal Hospital, realize that every one wants to do the best for their pets.  We also realize that, with all the diagnostics and medications that we have to offer now, the expense of “doing the best” can be daunting.   So, we are excited to offer our new Senior Wellness Plan- our way helping to make all of those Senior Years expenses a little more affordable.  The Senior Wellness Discount Plan is our way of saying “thanks” to our clients for their years of investing in their old friends.

   Every mature pet can benefit from special nutrition.  Some need prescription diets. These can be expensive-less so with the Senior Plan.

   Most mature pets can benefit from additional nutritional supplements as our knowledge of nutrition and neutraceuticals has scientifically demonstrated benefits.  Covered under the Senior Plan.

   Many mature pets take prescription medication for arthritis or have chronic conditions that need period blood work or other laboratory monitoring twice a year or more.  This can really add up-but not so much with the Senior Wellness Plan.

   Some older pets need radiographs to diagnose or monitor joint disease or heart disease.  Just once a year, that can be a pain expense-15% less if you’ve invested in your pet’s Senior Wellness Plan.

   Most  Senior Pets have some degree of dental disease.  And, just like in humans, dental infection leads to premature exhaustion of the liver and kidneys as they constantly strain oral bacteria out of the bloodstream.  Oral bacteria also love to settle out on heart valves, contributing to heart failure.  Pets with good hygiene live years longer than those with chronic dental disease.  As this is one of the year’s biggest expenses (especially if periodontal antibiotics or extractions are needed), we offer 15% off those more expensive treatments for our Senior Wellness Plan Members!

Senior Dogs are prone to Heart disease, Liver disease, Hypothyroidism, Diabetes, Kidney Failure, and Arthritis, so
Our Canine Senior Plan includes :

• 1 Comprehensive Wellness Exam
  1 Senior Wellness Blood and Urine Screen
  1 Fecal analysis for intestinal parasites
  1 Heartworm Test
  1 6- Month Wellness Exam
  1 Dental Ultrasonic Cleaning and Polishing

Senior Cats are prone to Diabetes, Hyperthyroidism, Kidney Failure, Hypertension (which leads to kidney failure and heart disease), and Arthritis.  Cats are also notorious for hiding their illnesses unitl they are beyond help, so
Our Feline Senior Plan includes:

• 1 Comprehensive Exam
  1 Senior Wellness Blood and Urine Screen
  1 Blood Pressure Check
  1 6- Month Wellness Exam
  1 Early Renal Disease Urine test
  1 Dental Ultrasonic Cleaning and Polishing

When you invest in your pet’s full Annual Senior Wellness Recommendations, both you and your pet benefit:
                                SAVE:

•   15% on Lab work and Radiographs
    15% on Advanced Dental work like Periodontal treatment and Extractions
    10% on Prescriptions and Nutritional SupplementsCon

Contact Us Today for details and prices on our Senior Wellness Plan for your favorite dog or cat!

For the longest, healthiest, happiest life for your beloved pet, pick a diet that is:

• High Quality, Premium brand name                                                                        
• Life Stage/ Age Appropriate
• Breed/ Size appropriate

HIGH QUALITY,  Premium brand foods really are a lot different than grocery store brands and department store generics.  In general, they use higher quality ingrediednts (usually human grade); they have few, if any artificial preservatives; there are fewer artificial colors; there is more science behind the formulations, resulting in more balbanced nutrition, and they are more accountable to you, the consumer, than sotre brand companies. 

Our Favorite Premium brand of food at Cimarron Animal Hospital isRoyal Canintm– for dogs and cats.  Royal Canintmuses only human grade ingredients, no artificial preservatives.  The company has never had a food recall!  They are the fast growing pet food company in the world today– for good reason.  Veterinarians stand behind them because their food is based on the latest nutritional awareness.  Their Cat foods address the special needs of cats:  lower calorie, lower carbs, higher protein (to fend off diabetes- an epidemic in middle aged overweight housecats), increased undigestible fiber (to minimize fur balls), larger kibble size (to encourage chewing and stave off dental disease).  Royal Canin’stm Dog foods address the special orthopedic needs of rapidly growing puppies, larger kibbles and tartar protection in small breed formulations (to encourage chewing in these particularly dental disease- prone pets).

LIFE STAGE/ AGE appropriate food is key to ensuring a pet gets the nutrition needed for his stage of growth. 

Puppy/ Kitten foods:are formulated to accommodate the rapid growth that occurs in the first 6 months of a dog or cat’s life.  Puppies and kittens need higher calories and specially balanced minerals. By the time puppies and kittens are about 1 yr old (especially after spaying/ neutering), all those calories are unnecessary. 

Adult / Maintenance Fromulas:  An adult pet, no longer growing, needs an adult maintenance food with fewer calories and a less intense mineral load. 

     Middle aged cats have special concerns with regard to diet as they are prone to Diabetes mellitus as they gain weight. Diabetes classically strikes obese, middle aged males (orange tabby cats are 30% more likey to develop Diabetes than any other breed!)  A lower calorie, a lower carbohydrate, higher protein diet that more closely approximates the nutritional profile of wild cats than over- the-counter, heavy-grain foods can prevent Diabetes!  Knowing this, Royal Canintm has a fantastic line of Veterinary Cat foods to fit the bill. (“Kitty Atkins”, we call it!)  They have even taken into consideration that neutered and spayed cats (and dogs, by the way…) have a 25- 30% lower metabolism within 48 hours of neutering. This means that they need 25-30% fewer calories.  We can’t recommend these cat diets enough!

Senior/ Mature Formulas:  As cats and dogs head into their Senior years, around 7-9 years of age, depending on the breed of pet, their bodies have special care needs.  Cats are prone to kidney disease, which is very responsive to diet.  A good quality Mature Cat food can go along way toward protecting senior cats from kidney disease.  We’ve even seen early kidney disease go into remission, just by switching patients to Mature cat food– no additional treatment!  Senior Dogs are prone to arthritis and obesity.  They benefit from diets lower in calories and higher in omega 3 fatty acids.  

BREED/ SIZE APPROPRIATE foods are becoming more and more available and are worth the extra money in the premium brands.

   Large Breed Puppy Foodsare formulated to slow bone growth, allowing the muscles to keep up, providing more support for the large bones that are forming.  This protects Large, rapidly growing breed puppies from hip dysplasia, panosteitis and other developmental bone diseases.  The limited calories in these formulations also helps protect against “over-nutrition”-  the roly-poly puppy- as scientific studies have shown that overweight puppies are more prone to developmental bone disease than their lean counterparts.  Another little known (or discussed) secret is that the formula gurus at Royal Canintm are sensitive to the fact that Big Dogs make Big… Piles in the yard….  So, Royal Canintm Large Breed dog foods are highly digestible, leaving less waste for you to clean up!

   Large Breed Adult foods continue to control calories to protect against obesity and the arthritis that occurs secondary to Metabolic Syndrome in dogs.  Both Large Breed Puppy and Adult formulations are also fortified with inflammation- fighting omega 3 fatty acids!

   Breed specific Royal Canin pet store linesfor dogs and cats protect them against the common medical disorders seen in those breeds.  For example, Yorkie formula has tartar protection since this breed is especially prone to disastrous dental disease by age 3 yr.  It is also lower in calories because the Royal Canin people recognize that Yorkies are prone to obesity.  The Persian cat formula has extra tartar and hairball protection.  See the Royal Canin website for more formulas and their specifics.

QUALITY, LIFE STAGE, BREED SENSITIVE.  These are the keys to optimizing your pet’s nutrition and minimizing your vet bills over the course of your pet’s long life!

Cimarron Animal Hospital Carries all Royal Canin Prescription Diets and the following Veterinary Wellness Early Care Formulas because we believe these diets are a notch above the pet store lines (enough to make them worth every extra penny!)   These are the diets that we feed our pets because we think they are the best!

                                  Feline Young Male (superior nutrition for both males and females)

                                    Feline Mature

                                                                             Canine Large Breed Puppy

To help Celebrate National “Take Your Cat to the Vet Week”, mention this Offer to receive:

$25 off all cat exams from August 16th to 20th

Cat’s seem to always get the short shift in veterinary care.  75% of dogs go to the vet an average of 1.7 times a year!  25% of cats get to the vet once a year.  The other 75% see a vet an average of once every 3 years!  Many cats never go to the vet for even Wellness care. 

Many cats stay strictly indoors, reducing their risk of injury and infectious diseases, it’s true.  But, cats still age and develop other health issues such as dental disease and arthritis.  And, how many of us cat owners actually look in our cat’s mouths? (Most of us are happy to stay as far away from those teeth as possible!)   Furthermore,  cats are Masters of Disguise– disguising signs of illness.  Because cats are widely preyed upon in the wild, they are very careful not to show signs of weakness until they are so sick they can’t cover it up anymore.  This means that, by the time most owners notice a problem with their cat– and it may be subtle: more reclusive behavior, eating slower, gradual weight loss, decreased jumping up on favorite perches–  the kitty is already very sick or debilitated. 

Your veterinarian can identify signs of trouble early.  A Comprehensive Physical Exam can find dental disease (that is probably causing your cat pain when it eats and grooms), heart murmurs (a sign of heart disease), decreased flexibility in the joints and spine (sign of arthritis).  A blood and urine sample once a year for a Wellness Screen is the key to allowing your veterinarian to “see” inside your Supreme Faker, identifying problems with internal organs or diseases like Diabetes. 

Early detection of disease allows you and your veterinarian to work together to preserve your cat’s quality of life and slow down degenerative processes so you can have feline companion longer.  The science of nutrition and nutritional supplements has advanced to the point that a simple change in diet or addition of supplements to the food can go a long way toward helping with many diseases! (Did you know that Diabetes in cats can often be cured with diet alone if it’s caught early enough?!?)  Medications for cats have advanced to the point that kidney failure, diabetes, heart disease, even arthritis can now be treated for years, allowing that much more good quality life.

Annual to Semi-annual Veterinary check ups with Wellness Screening lab work really pay off in extending your kitty’s lifespan and quality of life along the way. 

Cats who come in August 16th- 20th also get

 a chance to enter into a drawing for

Next year’s annual Wellness Screening FREE!! *

 with purchase of Wellness Screen at this visit

Call us today schedule your cat’s appointment next week

886-1125 

Itching often means Allergies!

Omega 3 Fatty Acids are all the rage, now.  Nutritionists, Dermatologists and Internal Medicine Specialists, Gerontologists are all recommending Omega 3 Fatty Acids to treat everything from skin conditions to heart disease, arthritis and senility.  Omega 3 Fatty Acids are just as helpful for our pets! 

 We Americans, people and pets, don’t get a lot of Omega 3’s in our diets, owing to the lack of fatty sea food in most of our diets.  Our diets are over-loaded in pro-inflammatory Omega 6 Fatty Acids.  The body’s cells will use whatever Fatty Acids are present to build new tissue and repair damaged tissues.  If Omega 6’s are predominantly available, they will be used, putting all tissues in a state of relative inflammation.  If, however, we eat a higher proportion of Omega 3 Fatty Acids, those will be used to repair and rebuild our tissues.  These Omega 3 – rich tissues will be less prone to inflammation.  This process of replacing pro-inflammatory cells with anti-inflammatory cells takes time as the body naturally turns over old cells, so Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplementation is a life-long investment in better health (for people and pets!).

 Pets with osteoarthritis, skin allergies, hypothyroidism, pancreatitis and other fat metabolism problems, liver and kidney disease all benefit from high doses of The Omega 3 Fatty Acid fraction “EPA” (Eicosapentaenoic Acid). Twenty milligrams per pound (20 mg/ lb) of body weight is a rough dosage for EPA to achieve an anti-inflammatory dose.  This dosing can be achieved by giving your pet Fish Oil capsules.   ** Read the label on the product your choose:  All Fish Oil supplements have different amounts of EPA and DHA and Omega 6 Fatty Acids!  Avoid fish oil supplements made with mercury containing mackerel and tuna oil.  Veterinarians often carry safe, convenient pump-on-the-food forms of High Potency Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplements just for pets.  

 “DHA” (Docosahexaenoic Acid) is the best Omega 3 Fatty Acid fraction for pets with senility and heart disease (just like people).   The same product that provides an anti-inflammatory dose of EPA

PUmp-on, High potency Omega 3's for pets

will also have a good dose of DHA for the heart and brain cells.  And, what senile older dog couldn’t also use some help with arthritic joints or organ dysfunction?

 Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplementation is fast becoming known in the human and veterinary medicine fields as the best, most efficient, all-around Awesome nutritional supplement that we can use.

 Help your pet live a more comfortable, longer, happier life with Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplementation. 

 This is a very common question asked by pet owners– if not aloud, certainly in their own minds.  Many people, when presented with an estimate from their veterinarian, are certain that their vet is trying to “rip them off”.  It is not uncommon to get estimates anywhere from $250- $400 for an uncomplicated “Dental” for a middle-aged, healthy dog or cat from a good quality veterinary clinic.  Caution to you and your pet if you get a Dental procedure estimate for less than that– your pet will probably get exactly what you pay for– not much.

So, what DO you pay for?

The Cleaning:

First there is the Dental Cleaning, the actual processes of ultrasonic scaling and polishing the teeth just like a human dentist does.  This is the best, fastest way to clean a pet’s teeth.  Hand scaling would take too long and is usually not very effective for the degree of dental disease that most pets have by the time they present for treatment — anywhere from stage 1 gingivitis to severe periodontal disease with tooth loss. (see  http://www.cimarronah.com/dental-care/ for more on dental disease) The cost for the actual Cleaning is about the same for cats and small dogs as we humans pay our dentist.  The cost for large dogs tends to be a little more because they have 42 teeth (compared to humans’ 32 and cats’ 30) to clean.

Anesthesia:

Unfortunately, our pets don’t just sit on the table and let us spray water with a high pitched machine into their mouths, so they have to be anesthetized to do the Cleaning.  This is where it starts to get pricey.  Anesthetizing a pet involves, at the most basicclinics, administering a couple of preanesthetic sedative injections, an anesthetic induction injection, placing an endotracheal tube and administering general anesthesia for 30- 45 minutes (longer if there are other procedures done).  At  higher quality veterinary facilities, the patient will also receive an IV catheter to allow administration of intravenous fluids to keep internal organs safe from the depressive effects of the anesthesia. Furthermore, there will be an anesthesia technician dedicated to doing nothing but monitoring the pet during anesthesia and recovery, while someone else does the dental procedure. (Many lower cost vet clinics do not have an anesthesia tech.  The person doing the procedure also monitors the patient’s anesthesia.)  Higher quality clinics will also monitor the patient’s vitals with various safety equipment: EKG, Blood Pressure monitor, Pulse Oximeter, Core thermometer, Respiratory monitor, etc. (Minimal, if any, anesthetic monitoring equipment is used in lower cost clinics– trusting solely to the attentiveness of the human who is concentrating on cleaning the teeth.)    There is also nursing care such as keeping the patient warm (just like humans who undergo general anesthesia, pets’ body temperatures fall under anesthesia), monitoring during recovery, and often some bathing or clean up when elimination “accidents” happen.

Pre-Anesthetic Exam and Bloodwork:

 But, before we even get to anesthetizing the patient…  We need to ensure the pet’s health as best as possible throughout the anesthetic procedure.  So,  every pet, even those that are apparently healthy on the outside, should have a Pre-Anesthetic Exam and  Blood Screen. Here’s another $65- $150, depending on the age of the pet and any preexisting health conditions.  

Other Procedures due to Disease Present:

Consider that 80% of pets over  3 years of age have some degree of dental disease, much of which may not be apparent in the awake, licking, panting, moving patient.  Most dental disease can not be determined until the animal is under anesthesia and the veterinarian or dental technician can probe under the gums, take dental radiographs, or remove enough hard, calcified tartar to actually SEE the teeth.  We are often “going in blind” with regard to what is going to need to be done to treat the dental disease.  This is where the cost of a “Dental Cleaning” can really vary and escalate, without a good way to predict.  Pets may need subgingival curettage, root planing, periodontal antibiotic infusion or tooth extractions, which can range from simple to surgical, in order to relieve pain and persistent infection. And, since we’ve already gone to the trouble and expense of anesthetizing the pet, it’s better to just do the needed treatments while we are there, rather than going through it all again in a month or two.

In Summary, then

the cost of the Dental Cleaning in every pet’s Dental Treatment plan DOES cost about the same as yours.  It’s all the other stuff that has to go along with it that adds to the bottom line.  And, unlike human dentistry, where we have to schedule additional appointments for our root scaling or  extractions, often with different doctors (ultimately costing us hundreds to Thousands of dollars), animals need to have it all done at once because of the need for anesthesia. 

When veterinary bills and the human dental bills to treat the same degree of dental disease are compared, the cumulative human bills will be much higher. Dogs’ and Cats’ Dental treatments ultimately cost a lot LESS for the same amount of work, given the same degree of dental disease. Even the worst veterinary dental cases of periodontal disease usually can be managed for under $1000.

“OK.  But I get to pay my dentist over the course of time, as I have portions of the treatment done.  I just can’t pay $500 – $1000 to my Vet all at once!”

Medical Expense Savings Accounts available at Cimarron

We recognize that Pet Dental Treatments are financially challenging.  So, Cimarron Animal Hospital offers Medical Expense Savings Accounts to help you save toward your pet’s needs– whether it’s dental treatment or other medical needs or just to have an emergency cushion.  Our Client Service Representatives can set you up with a plan that you can manage, given your life circumstances.  Together, we can help you do the best you can for your pet.

Fat is a self-perpetuating, disease-causing entity!

Research now indicates that fat cells not only store fat, but also secrete hormones and other substances directly responsible for many of the diseases that we see in overweight pets (and humans).

Fat actively secretes inflammatory mediators that CAUSE arthritis in dogs and inflammatory bladder disease in cats. Obese cats are also more prone to painful dental disease and feline asthma.

Fat cells secrete hormones that cause insulin resistance and increased blood glucose production in the liver. These conditions lead to Diabetes Mellitus. Cats are especially sensitive to obesity–induced Diabetes!
Furthermore, fat cells release hormones that block the brain’s satiety center, preventing the sensation of “fullness” during a meal. So, an overweight pet feels hungry all the time, eats more, puts on more fat, which secretes more hormones blocking satiety. It’s a vicious cycle leading to getting fatter, having more inflammation in the body, which makes pets move less, so they get heavier, develop more insulin resistance, are more likely to develop diabetes, etc.

Obese pets have more disease earlier in life, resulting in higher veterinary expenses for a longer period of time. The only way to break the cycle is to help your pet lose weight. It’s not always easy, but we, at Cimarron Animal Hospital, are here to help you with suggestions, diet food, and even medication if needed.

WEIGHT LOSS TIPS:

Exercise for 10 minutes twice daily– Walk your dog around the neighborhood. Play hide and seek with your cat.

PLAYING WITH YOUR CAT

http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement101/a/play_with_cat.htmdcf
http://cats.about.com/cs/playforcats/l/blpeekaprize.htm

WALKING YOUR CAT

http://www.hdw-inc.com/walkingjackets.htm

Feed a Prescription Calorie Restricted Food.– these foods are formulated to maximize weight loss while preserving lean body weight and protecting against diabetes— over the counter foods are not.

Stop feeding human foods and store–bought treats and rawhides. Even a few treats of uncertain caloric content add to a pet’s daily calorie intake in no time! Your vet can suggest low calorie treats with a known amount of calories that can be used responsibly for training and rewards without adding to the daily calorie intake.

WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATION FOR DOGS

Slentrol is a new medication available for dogs (sorry cats, this one is not for you!) to help them lose weight. It works by preventing fat absorption out of the GI tract and by stimulating the brain’s satiety center, reducing hunger. Weight loss with this medication has to be carefully supervised by your veterinary health care team. The doses of medication are changed based on your pet’s monthly weight loss success. This medication is very helpful for weight loss, but like most human weight loss meds, a careful weight maintenance program has to be followed to prevent rebound weight gain. Ask for more information about Slentrol if your pup is overweight!
http://www.slentrol.com/display.aspx?sec=000

Call us at 886-1125 if your pet is overweight and you are ready to help him lead a healthier, less expensive, more active, happier lifestyle!