Professional Veterinary Dental Treatments are a lot different from the  ”teeth cleaning” or ”dental scaling” provided by groomers, kennels and other lay animal care givers without the benefit of general anesthesia.

Of course, The professional dental cleaning done by veterinarians is done under anesthesia so that the surfaces of the teeth under the gums, where painful periodontal disease starts, can be thoroughly cleaned then polished . Since pets are anesthetized for the deep cleaning process, your vet takes advantage by doing everything possible to restore oral health.  Your veterinarian can further evaluate underlying bone structure with radiographs, instill periodontal antibiotics around infected, but salvageable, teeth and perform extractions or oral surgery if needed.  It’s like you going to your dental hygienist, dentist, oral surgeon, and periodontist all at once– without voluntary cooperation! (Think how much that would cost if you did it all on one day!)

The best that can be done in an awake pet is a superficial scaling, removing the large chunks of calcified plaque (“claculus”).  The best behaved pets will tolerate a little more involved cleaning before tiring of the process. There is certainly  a benefit to this process, whether done by your groomer or veterinary assistant.  Removing the larger accumulations of calculus provides less area for bacteria to collect and certainly reduces the amount of smelly bacteria in a pet’s mouth.  This procedure may even extend the time between when professional veterinary dental treatments are needed.

But don’t get lulled into a false sense of security, just because you don’t see a lot of staining and plaque on the teeth.  If the gums are red or have lost their fine “knife edge” margin because of swelling, a professional cleaning should still be done.  Often, pet owners are amazed to discover that their pet has loose teeth (from periodontal disease) when there is no visible plaque on the teeth and gums actually look relatively healthy!  Certainly, any indication of loose teeth with or without gum disease warrants a thorough evaluation and treatment via a professional veteirnary dental treatment!

• Have your family vet evaluate your pet’s teeth every 6 month (with the rest of his comprehensive physical).
• Brush your pet’s teeth daily.   How to Brush Your Dog’s Teeth   How To Brush Your Cat’s Teeth
• Ask your vet whether she will perform a superficial scaling if a professional treatment is not yet necessary.
• Have a professional cleaning done upon recommendation by your veterinarian.  For some pets, that may be only every few years, other pets may need professional help once a year.  Your vet will you give you the best advice to balance all the pros and cons of a professional treatment.

Start ‘em young!

But, we at Cimarron Animal Hospital are not just Veterinarians, Technicians and Assistants.  In today’s world of fragmented health care, we are your Whole Family Health Care Team.   When we care for your pets, we also care for you and your family.  We realize that, while some families are able to revolve around their pets, most families are strung out in all different directions.  Kids have elaborate school and activity schedules.  Pet Parents have complicated work or vacation schedules.  Some pet parents are completely new to pet ownership.  Some are old hands interested in new medical care techniques.  Some pet parents are elderly, with physical and memory challenges, but they need their pets more than anyone.  No matter how quiet or chaotic our lives, we  all rely on the solid constancy and unconditional love of our pets, every day.
  All of a family’s lifestyle facets and challenges have to be considered when caring for a pet– whether it’s basic care or more intensive medical management.  Sometimes, our staff members also act as family counselors, life coaches, hospice care consultants, bereavement counselors, shoulders to cry on or home delivery helpers– whatever it takes to help you and your family take care of the pets that are the glue in our lives.
  Every human who walks through our doors has issues and concerns about his pet, her family, their jobs.  It all filters down to us.  It’s all important to us if it affects your pet.  Every human we see is as much a part of our family as every one of their pets.  That’s why Pets, AND their People are Our Passion at Cimarron.
  Whatever you need, no matter how small, how silly-seeming, how complicated or challenging, just ask!   We are here for you, your pets, your whole family.

Discounts, Free Exams and nail trims, Optimal Health Care all in easy Monthly Payment installments! 

We are bonded more with our pets than ever before.  In today’s high stress world, many of us prefer a relaxing moment on the computer with a cup of tea at hand and a warm cat in our lap than the swirling hubbub of a party full of people. We want our furry companions to be healthy forever, but this high tech world has raised the cost of veteirnary care, along with everything else.

We, at Cimarron Animal Hospital, are dedicated to providing optimal wellness care to pets who are people, too.  So, we’ve been working to create a way for clients to be able to afford the kind of care that they want for their pet companions….  Wellness packages that cover optimal wellness care paid for in more comfortable monthly payments!

We have packages for young adults, middle-aged adults  and senior dogs and cats.  Cat packages are further broken up into inside only or outdoor lifestyles.  Each package is custom designed for the lifestage and species of pet.  Owners pay 25% down on the package and the rest in 11 monthly payments via credit card.

Our Pet Friends Forever (PFF) Wellness Packages Include:

Optimal Wellness Care:   2 Wellness Visits, Necessary vaccinations (based on lifestyle risk assessment), Wellness blood and fecal screen (age appropriate), Professional Dental Treatment, Blood pressure monitoring, arthritis screen radiographs or cardiac screen radiographs if needed.

                                              3 FREE Visits during the year for Anything

                                             2 FREE Nail Trims

    Discounts                  Substantial Discount on Dental Cleanings

                                             3% Discount on any payments made in cash

                                            10% discount on everything else if the package is paid in full, up front!

Peace of Mind   With the 3 Free Visits, you don’t have to hesitate and second guess yourself about whether it’ll be worth the money to come in– it’s FREE– just come in!  After all, a real, live vet, actually touching your pet,  who knows your pet personally is going to be able to give you better information about your pet, in your home, with your lifestyle, than Dr. Google!  And, if they are both free, why not do the best?

Special Care can be rolled in:  Pets with medical conditions requiring additional monitoring, chronic medications and special treatments can have that additional care rolled into the package as well, spreading ALL those costs out over monthly payments instead of bigger lumps at a time during the year!

Better than Big Box Vet’s Wellness Packages:  If your pet passes away or you decide to go elsewhere, you only have to cover the charges of the services rendered up to that time.  You do not have to continue paying all year (unless you still owe for services and want to continue monthly payments as opposed to a lump sum payment) if your pet dies or you move- as you would with the Big Box Vets.  We won’t trap you into paying for anything that we haven’t provided!  Furthermore, we have the flexibility to customize packages for our Arizona pets and pets with special needs.  Pets are individuals and should not all be treated the same!

For details on pricing, please call our office at  520 886-1125

Pets that stay at home or only go on leash walks without a lot of contact with other animals may only need some vaccines every 3 years, according to new recommendations made by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

The veterinarian who knows your pet, your family and  lifestyle is the best person to make recommendations regarding the vaccines that are best for your pets.  If you take your pets to a discount vaccination clinic, you will not get advice about which vaccines are uniquely suited for your pet since all animals are treated the same at most vaccination clinics.  They will not recommend 3 year vaccines for pets (that would cut into their profits).  They will not recommend specialized vaccines based on your pets lifestyle (like rattlesnake vaccine for hunting dogs or periodontal vaccine for dogs prone to dental disease) because they do not take the time to perform a Life Risk Assessment or a complete physical exam.  They may even insist that your pet have non-core vaccines that he/ she doesn’t need because that’s what corporate says they have to do. 

The best place for vaccinations for your pet is still with your family veterinarian.  Sure, you may have to pay $ 40- $50 for an exam with the vaccines, but you may not have to pay for vaccines that your pet doesn’t need.  Meanwhile, for your investment,  your pet will be getting the physical exam, individualized health recommendations, and better health care that are the Really Important things!

 WHAT IS IT?

Valley Fever (VF) is a very serious and potentially fatal disease of animals who live in Desert Southwest- Arizona, Southern California, Southern New Mexico and Southeastern Texas. We see it quite frequently in Tucson.

Valley Fever is caused by a fungus, called Coccidioides immitis, that lives in the soil as spores. Animals become exposed to the fungus by inhaling the spores from the soil either directly (snarfing around in the dirt) or indirectly (dust storms and construction). Nearly every animal that lives in the Desert Southwest for any length of time becomes exposed. Fortunately, most animals’ immune systems fight the fungus and never develop signs of the disease. If an animal’s immune system is not as strong as it should be, or the animal is exposed to a lot of Coccidioides spores, (like hunting dogs, dogs who dig, and animals living near new constructions sites), he/she may develop signs of VF. 

SIGNS:

 “Just Ain’t Doin’ Right” is one of the most common signs of valley fever. This is probably due to the waxing and waning fevers and the fugus’ tremendous draw on the body’s immune system defenses.

 Pulmonary (early) Form: Classic signs of VF in dogs include a harsh, dry cough, decreased appetite, and fever. As the disease progresses, the cough may resolve and signs of dissemination (spread around the body) may develop

 Disseminated Form: Coccidioides can spred to almost all organs causing related signs of disease:

 DIAGNOSIS:

  Because the signs of Valley Fever can mimic those of nearly any disease, a blood test must be performed to accurately diagnose the disease. Depending on a patient’s clinical signs, radiographs or other tests may also be recommended. The Valley Fever Center for Excellence at the University of Arizona  is currently promoting several novel methods of diagnosis that may prove helpful in the future as well!

  TREATMENT:

Most patients CAN be cured with long term therapy and committment to veterinary monitoring.

   Treatment involves giving medication daily. Fluconazole is the most widely used medication currently, however, due to suspected resistance of Coccidioides, newer medciations are available and some are in the process of clinical trials!  The length of time that an animal must be treated is variable (usually a minimum of 1 year), depending on the severity of disease and the pet’s individual response to treatment. The response to treatment is determined by monitoring blood tests and/ or radiographs every few months.

Depending on a patient’s signs, surgery may be needed to improve a patient’s response to therapy.  For instance, sexually intact pets should be spayed or neutered as the fungus loves to “hide out” in reproductive tissue.

 It is critical to continue medication until your veterinarian saysthat it is safe to stop medication.

Stopping medication prematurely will only result in relapse of signs later and may induce a chronic, incurable infection

 Your veterinarian will use the data from blood tests, radiographs and physical exams, as well as  information provided by rapidly changing, late-breaking research to help determine when it is safe to discontinue medication.

 ** Even after a patient is “cured”, according to his clinical signs and bloodwork, relapses or re-infection may occur. It may, therefore, be recommended that a pet’s blood be rechecked at intervals for several years after recovery.

  Early detection can save a pet’s life.

 If your pet has any signs that might suggest Valley Fever and he has been living in or passed through the United States Desert Southwest,  please do not hesitate to have him examined and tested by your veterinarian!

 Learn More from the University of Arizona Valley Fever Center for Excellence

Our BASIC CARE PACKAGE provides services comparable to Discount Clinics, but with SOME EXTRA BENEFITS:

• Your pet is at a full service hospital.  In case anything goes wrong during surgery, we can deal with it!
• You will have full support of our staff, available by phone day or night, should you have questions or concerns after surgery!  Even our after hours calls are taken by veteirnary emergency trained staff! (Not just an answering machine– or go to the emergency room as at discount clinics)
• Pets will receive 3-4 Pain injections (not just one)  during their stay and have the option to take home pain medications after surgery.  (Would you want an ovariohysterectomy
  

  Local Discount clinic surgery

  or castration without pain control at home?!?) 
•  Surgeries are performed in a sterile surgical suite- our Doctor is fully dressed in sterile surgical attire- discount or not! 
• Patients will be attended by a dedicated Certified Veterinary Technician from anesthetic induction to recovery.

For Pet Parents wanting optimal anesthetic safety for their pets, we still  offer the ULTIMATE PATIENT CARE PACKAGE which includes all of the above PLUS:

• Pre-Anesthetic Bloodwork- ensures there is no hidden infection or organ compromise that will affect anesthetic/ surgical safety, and allows the
  

  Surgery at Cimarron

  Doctor to make individual adjustments in your pet’s drug plan.
• Intravenous catheter and fluids- provide immediate venous access for emergency in case they are needed. The fluids help to maintain healthy organ function throughout and after surgery. They also help organs metabolize sedatives and anesthetic medications faster, returning your pet to “normal” behaviors sooner.
• Advanced Electronic Anesthetic Monitoring- Using EKG, Pulse oximeter, Blood pressure monitor, Respiratory monitor and Core Termperature we can customize a patient’s anesthesic level based on subtle
  changes, minimizing the amount of anesthetic needed. These monitors also allow us to detect problems before they become anesthetic crises.
•  Proactive Pain Medication- Pets receive both a pain/ sedative injection and an anti-inflammatory injection before surgery, a pain injection during surgery, and another if they need it after surgery. They also receive pain medication to go home. We also offer a post op Cold Laser therapy treatment to minimize swelling and desensitize nerves in the area of surgery. 

 We believe that pets deserve the safest surgical options.  They should not just survive surgery, but survive it Well– with a minimum of physiologic stress and pain. 

But, we also understand that many of our clients have financial constraints. 

** We would rather pets were neutered and spayed, rather than not, just because of monetary issues.  Also, we would rather have our patients’ surgeries done in a sterile surgical suite, with skilled anesthesia nurses in constant attendance, proactive pain management, and after care support should they need it! 

Contact Us today for an $Estimate!

• 6 Mo Wellness Exams-  $10 off      Since pets age faster than people, it is generally recognized that they should, ideally, have a physical examination every 6 months.  These more frequent visits give your vet a chance to identify changes early, so you can make changes or take action to correct a problem before it becomes a health- threatening crisis.  We know that more frequent visits can get expensive, so we give our frequent visitors a little break.
•  Sick Exams $10 off   if we have seen your pet in the last 6 months    If your pet comes in for regular 6 mo Wellness Exams, even his sick exams are $10 off!
• Pre-Surgical Exams FREE   if we have examined your pet within the last month We perform a physical exam before every anesthetic procedure—no matter what.  But, we don’t charge you again if your pet has been seen within the last 1 month
• Adult booster vaccination exams $10 off   if we have seen your pet within the last 6 months!    We perform an examination with every vaccination that we administer (see our reasoning).  But, we give you a  discount if we have to give a  booster to your adult pet within 4 weeks of his initial vaccination!
•  PFF Annual Wellness Plan:   Optimal Wellness Protection for the year: get 3 exams (~ $150.00 value!)  within the year FREE, 2 Free Nail Trims, Discounts on Dental Cleaning, and more!   Our Pet Friends Forever Annual Wellness Plan let’s you pay ahead or in monthly installments over the course of the year for your pet’s anticipated Wellness needs.  If you choose to enroll your pet in the PFF Annual Wellness Plan, you can bring him in up to 3 times in the year for FREE!
• Website Review Us for $5.00 off any Exam up to 2 reviews/ month!   Our client’s feedback helps us grow and allows us to provide better medicine.  Bring in a printout of your positive website review to receive your credit– up to $10.00 every month!   Thanks for the time you take to tell your friends about us!  Go to yelp.com , our Facebook page , google.com maps

We appreciate our clients for coming to us!  We appreciate that our clients want to do the best for their pets!  Let us give you something back for your commitment to your pet’s wellness!

Over 70% of “Well Vaccination Visits” turn up some kind of disease condition.  Not all of these conditions preclude vaccinations, but some certainly do.  If a pet has a fever, for instance, vaccines could be rendered inactive– no benefit to the patient and a waste of money. And, vaccinating a pet whose immune system is already burdened fighting another disease could compromise that pet’s ability to heal.

It’s also the law.  A veterinarian must have a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship in order to administer medication, including vaccines. We believe that means a full physical examination of the patient and health consultation with the owner.

Vaccinations are potent immune stimulants that can cause serious side effects such as immune mediated disease and anaphylactic shock.  Your veterinarian can treat your pet better, faster, already knowing your pet’s health status.  Pets vaccinated at  Discount Clinics receive no support from the Clinic if they develop a problem after the vaccine is given. These pets in post-vaccine distress have to go to an emergency clinic for treatment, be evaluated by a new veterianrian, then be treated at Emergency clinic prices! 

 At Cimarron Animal Hospital, we provide not only a Complete Physical Exam, but also a Nutritional consultation, a Behavior consultation and a  Risk Assessment to determine what vaccines and other preventive products or services would be beneficial to your pet, given his specific lifestye.  Not every pet needs every vaccine every year! Your veterianrian can advise you on what’s the best for your pet, latest medical  advances and the diseases prevalent in your area.  Discount clinics and Big Box Veterinary clinics are notorious for giving every patient the same thing– that’s what’s in the package– whether they need it or not.  (Giardia vaccines are not improtant to most pets living in the desert southwest as Giardia is not very prevalent here.  Cats living in most family households do not need Bordetella vaccinations.  Many cats don’t need vaccines every year. Getting unnecessary vaccinations overwhelms the immune system and can be very dangerous!)  Our veterinary staff devises an Individualized Medical Care Plan to maximize you pet’s Wellness. 

 Your pet is unique to us, not “just an animal” like any other!

Your pet’s Wellnessis really what vaccination exams are about, after all.  Everyone realizes that we give vaccines to keep our pets healthy.  But vaccines are only a small part of what keeps pets healthy.  For example, Periodontal disease which is painful, leads to tooth loss, and frequently causes liver, heart and renal disease, occurs in 80% of pets over age 3.  Yet, many pet owners don’t recognize that good dental care and professional cleanings will extend their pets’ lives and quality of life!  Your veterinarian’s Physical Eam findings and advice are at least as important, if not more improtant, than vaccinations when it comes to your pet’s well-being and longevity.

Cimarron Animal Hospital is a full service Veterinay facility comitted to providing optimal medical and wellness care to its patients.  We believe that it is medically irresponsible to administer vaccinations or medications without knowing that our patients are healthy first.

January-  Laser Treatments 15% off.    Whether you buy individually or buy a Laser Package, they are all 15% off in January.  Buy a package to cover your pet’s needs for the year and get 15% off each treatment!

February- Dental Ultrasonic Cleaning and Polishing 15% off.  If you’ve been putting  this #1 Health-promoting procedure off, this is the time to take advantage, during National Pet Dental Health Month!  Get free samples of Dental Home care products, too!  Tips on Brushing your pet’s Teeth 

March- Rattlesnake Vaccination Time-  Get your high risk dogs vaccinated against Rattlesnake venom Before the snaked become active!  It could be any time now!

April- Microchips implanted 15% off. Get your pets Microchipped before traveling.  Microchipped pets have an 85% better chance of reuniting with their families than pets without chips!  Every well-loved pet should have a microchip!  A fast, easy out-patient procedure!

May-  Travel sickness in dogs can be prevented with Cerenia! Stop by for your dog’s dose before heading off on summer vacations and expereince travel happiness with your pet!

June-Heartworm Tests 15% off!  Heartworm Testing is the first step toward protecting  your pet against Heartworms (and several GI parasites, too) while traveling or just living here in Tucson. There has been a dramatic increase in cases of Heartworm diagnosed in local Tucson dogs in the last year!    A simple chewy treat monthly prevents this potentially fatal, devastating, expensive disease!

July-  15% off all Flea and Tick preventives.  It’s Flea nd TIck Season with the coming of the summer rains!  Protect your pet against these parasites and the diseases they carry such as Tick Fever (Ehrlichia), Babesia  and Feline Infectious Anemia.  Stock up for the year!

August-  Dental Ultrasonic Cleaning and Polishing 15% off!-- In case you missed February’s special, take advantage this month! Cimarron provides excellent Dental care to our patients- read more

September- Senior Wellness Screening 15% off!   Pets over the age of 8 years are considered “Senior” and should have a blood and urine screen done yearly to identify early signs of disease.  Find issues before they become expensive crises! 

October- Tick Fever Testing 15% off.  If your dog had ticks this summer, swing him in for a fast, in -house Tick Fever Screening.  Early treatment will prevent expensive, life-threatening illness down the road!

November- Adult Wellness Screening 15% off for pets 4-8 years old.  This short blood panel ensures that your pet is as healthy on the inside as on the outside.  Recommended once yearly for middle-aged pets 4-8 years old.

December- Toys/ Chewies/ Toothbrushes/ Treats all 10% off in December!  Let us be part of your pet’s Christmas stocking! Stock up for the rest of the year, too!

Follow our Facebook page for other Promotions/ Specials that come up during the year.  Join Discussions about pet health and Ask Dr. Bohnke you pet’s most earnest questions!

Most of us recognize the signs of arthritis in dogs:  Difficulty standing, pulling forward to stand, difficulty sitting down, less activity.  Other subtle signs can appear, too:  weight shifting off the affected limb or limbs (like weight shifting forward to relieve hip/ knee pain), decreased energy, decreased appetite.  Your veterinarian’s keen eye and thorough orthopedic exam can often determine the location of arthritis pain.  Radiographs of the suspected joints can determine the severity of disease, especially when the clinical exam findings don’t exactly match the dog’s symptoms. (It is VERY common for pet owners and even veterinarians to assume dogs have hip arthritis when the problem is really in the knees or spine!– X-rays are the only way to know for sure!)

There are lots of treatment options available for dogs with osteoarthrtis pain, depending on the severity of disease and the dog’s tolerance for pain.  Many dogs show signs of severe degenerative joint disease, but seem relatively comfortable.  Other dogs show lameness before radiographic signs of disease are present.

Conservative measures start at home.  *Gentle Exercise to muscles limber, without over burdening the joints.  *Heat to help stiffness and *Cool packs to help swelling/ heat in a joint.  *Massage and manipulating the joint while the pet is resting help to improve circulation, range of motion and healing while reducing stiffness and pain.  *Swimming is a great form of exercise for arthritic patients.

Physical Therapy such as underwater treadmill, exercise sessions on balls and stairs are newer modalities being used to help dogs with arthritis pain. These methods are helpful in maintaining strength and agility in a controlled, non-jarring fashion.  Also new on the Physical Therapy front are Cold (or “Low Level”) Laser Light Therapy which reduces the pain associated with swelling and inflammation while improving circulation and decreasing nerve sensitivity! 

Nutritional Supplements (sometimes called Neutraceuticals) are very helpful.  Since they provide a means of helping to keep the joints as healthy as possible with relatively few side effects, they are very popular.  (See more on Neutraceuticals- what’s really worthy.)  High potency Omega 3 FAtty Acids, especially the “EPA” (eicosapentanoic acid) fraction have been determined to be anti-inflammatory at a dose of about 20 mg/ lb.  These fatty acids will replace inflammatory fatty acids used as cell wall building blocks over time, creating happier cells throughout the body, so they are good for almost everythign that may ail an aging pet.  Glucosamine and Chondroitin have been used for a long time to help humans and pets with joint disease.  Pick your product wisely as most over-the-counter products are poorly absorbed by the body– mostly getting eliminated and never helping.  Veterinarians prefer products made by the Nutramax company for the attention to manufacturing that they use in their Gluc/ Chond products. (Learn more here).  You can feel confident that the money you spend on these products is helping as much as possible and not just going “down the drain”– or in the backyard!  The recommended dose for joint effect is also around 20 mg/ lb– a lot more than is labeled on most products– read your labels!  Numerous other anti-nflammatory herbs and spices ( yucca, turmeric, etc) and neutraceuticals are available — with less science behind them, but they may help some patients , and probably won’t hurt.

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIds) are commonly prescribed by veterinarians to help alleviate the inflammation that causes a lot of the pain in osteoarthritis.  The NSAIDs available by prescription, from vets, are more potent and safer for dogs than human over-the-counter products.  Pet store over-the-counter products claiming to have aspirin or other NSAIDs in them are usually ineffective.  There are several presciption NSAIDs available for dogs now.  Your veterinarian can make suggestions based on your pet’s medical history, stage of disease, and convenience of dosing.

Pain killers are reserved for those patients whose arthritis has progressed to the point that simply relieving inflammation no longer relieves the pain.  There are now a number of pain medications being used in dogs to augment the pain relieving effects of NSAIDs.  Your veterinarian can recommend this type of medication based on your pet’s pain level and the location of the osteoarthritis (as different medications work better at different locations).

Stem Cell Therapy is a very new (this year!), promising therapy for some patients.  When pluripotent fat cells, harvested from the patient, are injected into affected joints, they are supposed to turn into the types of cells that are needed, resolving some signs of arthritis.  This technology is still in its infancy and is still controversial, but it’s showing terrific promise!  Watch for more information on this technology as it evolves!

From a hot pack to physical therapy, neutraceuticals to narcotics, dogs have never had more options for arthritis pain management.  Gone are the days when veterinarians so commonly had to euthanized pets for arthritis so severe that they couldn’t walk any more.  Recent breakthroughs in osteoarthritis treatment modalities in the last 5 years help us keep our dog-friends more comfortable and active than ever before! 

Bring your “slowing down” dog to your veterinarian for an Arthritis Consult to help him live the most comfortable, fullest life possible!