Mason Animal Hospital Blog

Little Tike

Tike's Mom — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 08:28:26 EST

Hi! My name is Tike and I'm a Maltese. If you live in the Mason Heights neighborhood you may recognize me as the neighborhood patrolman. I maintain order from behind the comfort of my front door. My favorite hobbies are road trips (I never get to drive) and eating treats. I have a few bad habits but I won't go into them here.

My first association with Mason Animal Hospital was when I was only a few weeks old. I became quite ill with a terrible cough. At 1.2 pounds I couldn't afford to lose any weight yet I stopped eating. Dr. Wolf prescribed a human medication in a last ditch effort to save my life. It worked as you can see. Throughout my years I've turned to my friends at M.A.H. to treat me whenever I was sick and to keep me well all of the times in between. I love Drs. Harrison, Wolf, and McBride and all of the gals and guys who work with them. They're my heroes!

tags: Pet of the Month

Serendipity

Bev and Roger Wilhelm — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:59:07 EST

Calleigh came to us last September the Monday morning after the Precious Secrets Sheltie Rescue annual picnic, and how it happened was very mysterious. We had worked the registration table at the picnic since we didn’t have any dogs to care for; we had lost both of our shelties to illness in the previous few months. As each sheltie alumnus came through the gate, we realized how much we missed having a fluffy, sweet sheltie in our lives. We decided it was time to find one. We talked with Pam, the shelter owner and she said she had heard of a young sheltie that needed to be placed and she would follow up on it later. But, the very next morning, early, our phone rang and it was our neighbor who said there was a seven month old sheltie she knew of who was being sent to the SPCA that very day, because her family lost their home and couldn’t keep her any longer. Of course we had to take her. We were sorry about the other sheltie Pam had heard of, but this one needed us more. Of course, in the end it turned out that Calleigh was the very same sheltie Pam had heard of also, so it was definitely meant to be that she became part of our family. First stop for Calleigh was a visit to Dr. Wolf, and he found her to be healthy and ready for adoption.

We usually adopt older shelties, rescue dogs; one was even 12 years old when we took her into our family. It’s been a long time since we adopted such a young dog. Calleigh has been challenging at times because she is so high energy, but she is very intelligent and obedient. She loves to play with other dogs and especially to be chased at the dog park. If you have a dog who loves to run, play, and chase other dogs, please contact us for a play date with Calleigh! We are happy that Miss Calleigh won the Pet of the Month for July for the Mason Animal Hospital. We love the staff, and all of our pets get amazing care at MAH. We appreciate everything they do to keep our all of our pets happy and healthy!

Roger & Bevan Wilhelm

tags: Pet of the Month

It's Tick Season

Mon, 23 May 2011 14:36:45 EST

As summer begins, we are greeted by one of our least favorite parasites: the tick.

Of the 13 species found in Ohio, the American dog tick is the most prevelant. Other common species include the groundhog tick and brown dog tick.

These tiny arachnids are both a pest and a health hazard. They feed on the blood of animals, usually mammals. While the bit itself is irriating, more concerning is the bacterium and viruses found in their saliva. Ticks carry a number of diseases that can be harmful to pets and people including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Ticks are found in tall grasses, wooded areas and meadows, and are particulary abundant near water. In the spring, as the temperature gets warmer, they come out of their dormant winter state and begin to look for a meal. After feeding, an adult female tick will lay thousands of eggs!

This has been a particularly wet Spring season and, since there are more open sources of water, there are likely to be more ticks.

Here at Mason Animal Hospital, we offer a few different choices for preventing these nasty critters from making a meal of your pet.

Vectra 3-D is a topical treatment that is applied to the skin for dogs and puppies. It kills and repels several external parasites including ticks, fleas, lice, mosquitos, and biting flies. This product must be applied once a month to keep your pet safe.

If you prefer an oral flea prevention such as Trifexis, we now offer the Preventic Collar. While flea collars are not particularly effective, this collar does a great job of killing and preventing ticks on your pet. Preventic works for 90 days when used as directed.

For our feline patients, we offer Frontline Plus. This monthly topical treatment kills both ticks and fleas.

Give us a call if your pet needs protection at (513) 398 3070.

tags: Parasite Prevention

Introducing Trifexis!

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:20:28 EST

Trifexis is a monthly chewable tablet for the prevention of heartworm disease, intestinal parasites, and fleas. It is safe for dogs and puppies eight weeks and older and over five pounds. Recomended by the Companion Animal Parasite Council, this simple and effective product provides three types of protection in a yummy treat.

Trifexis kills fleas before they can lay eggs, within 30 minutes, preventing them from infesting your home. When given as prescribed, it continues killing fleas for 30 days.

This easy to give tablet also prevents heartworm disease. Heartworm disease is a parasitic infection transmitted by mosquitoes.

In addition, Trifexis kills and prevents intestinal parasites; roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. Intestinal parasites are a threat to pets and humans alike.

Call us for more information on this great product or visit www.trifexis.com.

Could It Be Allergies?

Dr. Jennifer Steck — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:41:34 EST

Is your pet itching, scratching, licking, or does he have recurring ear infections? These problems can cause horrible discomfort and pain for your pet. They can also be an ongoing expense for you if the underlying cause is not diagnosed and treated.

One of the top causes of these symptoms is an allergy. Allergies are broken down into two categories: seasonal atopy and food allergy.

Once an allergy is diagnosed and the type of allergy is determined, appropriate treatment can be initiated.

A discussion with your veterinarian and an examination of your pet will determine if the skin and/or ear problems are related to an allergy or some other cause. Then appropriate diagnosis and treatment can occur.

tags: Allergies, Itching, Skin, Ears