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Medical Questions:
Q: What are the differences between each flea & heartworm product? There are so many.
A: There are a lot of products available for pet owners to choose. Our trained staff will be happy to recommend a product that fits your pets lifestyle. We strongly recommend that pet owners stay away from products purchased at grocery stores and large chain type stores. The reason is because of safety concerns for your pet. We have seen many of these products cause reactions, some of which have been fatal.
Flagler Animal Hospital recommends the following products:
We have other products available that might be more appropriate for your pet. Ask our staff what is right for you.
Q: I missed a few months of heartworm prevention for my dog, and today's heartworm test was negative, why does he have to come back in 6 months for another heartworm test?
A: We performed a heartworm test today to make sure he does not have adult worms present. We recommend another test in 6 months to make sure he was not infected with heartworm disease recently. Here's the reason why: The test that we run detects a protein from an adult heartworm. It takes up to 6 months for heartworm larvae to develop into an adult worm inside your dog. We re-test to make sure this is not the case. If he does become positive we will be able to treat the disease before it causes damage to your dogs heart and lungs.
Q: Why are my pet's allergies so bad after moving to Florida?
A: Allergies in dogs have many similarities to allergies in people. Dogs can become allergic to different particles in the air, particles that they absorb through their skin, as well as some food ingredients and flea saliva. These can be mold spores, dust, dust mites, dander, grass/tree/plant pollens, and flea saliva. Every area of the country has a specific allergen picture. Your dog may not have had an allergy to the allergy picture at their previous home but reacts strongly to the allergy picture in Florida. Florida also stays green year round thanks to the warm weather. This makes the presence of plant, mold and flea allergens year-round. This means that your pet is being exposed to allergens year round as opposed to only once a year in a more seasonal region. The way an animal shows their allergies can vary from pet to pet. Some get rashes and "hot spots" while others get runny eyes or ear infections. How your pet responds to allergies is largely determined upon their genetics as well as what they are allergic to and how they are exposed to it. Noting what time of year your animal is showing symptoms as well as when the problem started and how long it has been present is very useful information to tell your veterinarian and can help us to determine what may be causing the problem.
Other Questions:
Q: What forms of credit cards do you accept?
A: We accept Master Card, Visa and Discover. At this time we do not take American Express.
Q: Do you offer payment plans?
A: Payment is expected when services are performed. If your pet has an emergency we will work with you financially so that your pet may get treatment.
Q: Why aren't you open 24 hours?
A: Being open on a 24 hour basis is a very expensive and exhausting effort. Our staff and doctors work very hard during the week and need time to rest and be with their families. There are 3 fully equipped and staffed emergency clinics in the area that are available for your pet when we are closed.
Q: What are the differences between each flea & heartworm product? There are so many.
A: There are a lot of products available for pet owners to choose. Our trained staff will be happy to recommend a product that fits your pets lifestyle. We strongly recommend that pet owners stay away from products purchased at grocery stores and large chain type stores. The reason is because of safety concerns for your pet. We have seen many of these products cause reactions, some of which have been fatal.
Flagler Animal Hospital recommends the following products:
Advantage (Imidacloprid)
Protects dogs & cats from fleas for up to 4 weeks, even after bathing, swimming, or exposure to sun or rain. Occasionally, retreatment may be necessary in less than a month, particularly in animals that are bathed or that swim frequently. Kills 98-100% of existing adult fleas on the pet within 12 hours. Kills fleas on contact, they don’t have to bite. Advantage chemically bonds to the skin cells as crystals and does not go into the blood stream.
Advantage multi (imidacloprid + moxidectin) is a topical product that protects against heartworms, intestinal parasites, fleas, and ear mites in cats. This product is available for both dogs and cats and is applied to the skin at the back of the neck once a month.
Frontline (Fipronil):
Protects dogs & cats from fleas and ticks for a minimum of 30 days. Kills 100% of fleas & ticks within 24 to 48 hours. Frontline is oil soluble and spreads over the entire body accumulating in the sebaceous or oil glands. This acts as a reservoir that continues to be slowly released onto skin and hair, giving long term protection even after bathing, swimming or being exposed to rain. Ticks will be killed, but does not cause them to detach. If animal has dry skin, Frontline spray works best.
Heartgard Plus Chewables for dogs (Ivermectin/pyrantel)
Indicated for use in dogs to prevent canine heartworm disease by eliminating the tissue stage of heartworm larvae for a month after infestation and for the treatment and control of hookworms and roundworms. This is a once a month beef flavored treat that dogs love to eat.
Protects dogs & cats from fleas for up to 4 weeks, even after bathing, swimming, or exposure to sun or rain. Occasionally, retreatment may be necessary in less than a month, particularly in animals that are bathed or that swim frequently. Kills 98-100% of existing adult fleas on the pet within 12 hours. Kills fleas on contact, they don’t have to bite. Advantage chemically bonds to the skin cells as crystals and does not go into the blood stream.
Advantage multi (imidacloprid + moxidectin) is a topical product that protects against heartworms, intestinal parasites, fleas, and ear mites in cats. This product is available for both dogs and cats and is applied to the skin at the back of the neck once a month.
Frontline (Fipronil):
Protects dogs & cats from fleas and ticks for a minimum of 30 days. Kills 100% of fleas & ticks within 24 to 48 hours. Frontline is oil soluble and spreads over the entire body accumulating in the sebaceous or oil glands. This acts as a reservoir that continues to be slowly released onto skin and hair, giving long term protection even after bathing, swimming or being exposed to rain. Ticks will be killed, but does not cause them to detach. If animal has dry skin, Frontline spray works best.
Heartgard Plus Chewables for dogs (Ivermectin/pyrantel)
Indicated for use in dogs to prevent canine heartworm disease by eliminating the tissue stage of heartworm larvae for a month after infestation and for the treatment and control of hookworms and roundworms. This is a once a month beef flavored treat that dogs love to eat.
We have other products available that might be more appropriate for your pet. Ask our staff what is right for you.
Q: I missed a few months of heartworm prevention for my dog, and today's heartworm test was negative, why does he have to come back in 6 months for another heartworm test?
A: We performed a heartworm test today to make sure he does not have adult worms present. We recommend another test in 6 months to make sure he was not infected with heartworm disease recently. Here's the reason why: The test that we run detects a protein from an adult heartworm. It takes up to 6 months for heartworm larvae to develop into an adult worm inside your dog. We re-test to make sure this is not the case. If he does become positive we will be able to treat the disease before it causes damage to your dogs heart and lungs.
Q: Why are my pet's allergies so bad after moving to Florida?
A: Allergies in dogs have many similarities to allergies in people. Dogs can become allergic to different particles in the air, particles that they absorb through their skin, as well as some food ingredients and flea saliva. These can be mold spores, dust, dust mites, dander, grass/tree/plant pollens, and flea saliva. Every area of the country has a specific allergen picture. Your dog may not have had an allergy to the allergy picture at their previous home but reacts strongly to the allergy picture in Florida. Florida also stays green year round thanks to the warm weather. This makes the presence of plant, mold and flea allergens year-round. This means that your pet is being exposed to allergens year round as opposed to only once a year in a more seasonal region. The way an animal shows their allergies can vary from pet to pet. Some get rashes and "hot spots" while others get runny eyes or ear infections. How your pet responds to allergies is largely determined upon their genetics as well as what they are allergic to and how they are exposed to it. Noting what time of year your animal is showing symptoms as well as when the problem started and how long it has been present is very useful information to tell your veterinarian and can help us to determine what may be causing the problem.
Other Questions:
Q: What forms of credit cards do you accept?
A: We accept Master Card, Visa and Discover. At this time we do not take American Express.
Q: Do you offer payment plans?
A: Payment is expected when services are performed. If your pet has an emergency we will work with you financially so that your pet may get treatment.
Q: Why aren't you open 24 hours?
A: Being open on a 24 hour basis is a very expensive and exhausting effort. Our staff and doctors work very hard during the week and need time to rest and be with their families. There are 3 fully equipped and staffed emergency clinics in the area that are available for your pet when we are closed.
