To better understand what age your animal is compared to in human years, see the charts below.

Fleas carry Infection & disease too!

Flea Allergy Dermatitis, Anemia, tapeworm infection, typhoid fever, & cat scratch fever are among the top diseases proven to have been caused by flea bites.

Houston is endemic to fleas:

This means that there is an overwhelming percentage of fleas found in our environment and complete eradication maybe impossible. Fleas can be limited & infestations controlled. To learn more visit our pet care section and click on fleas.

Heartworms are very prevalent in the Houston area and are spread through mosquitos.  Both dogs and cats are susceptible to Heartworm disease and it can now be transmitted to humans.  Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal condition.  At Parker Road Animal Hospital, we have seen a 30-40% increase of heartworm disease in cats over the past 5 years.  It is imperative that dogs be tested for heartworms and if test results are negative, they should begin taking a year round monthly preventative medication.  For cats, there is not a 100% reliable testing method. Cats routinely can test false negative. Most of the newer medications are chewable and palatable.   In cats, we recommend using a topical preventative. An added benefit of the heartworm preventative medications we use, is that they also eliminate hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms from your pet.

Microchipping is a very safe and painless way to identify your pet and you as the owner in the unfortunate case your pet is lost.  A tiny electronic computer chip approximately the size of a grain of rice is implanted under the skin at the base of the neck.  The implantation is comparable to a regular vaccine injection.  Your pet's number is added to a national database and most animal shelters and veterinary hospitals have scanners to read the number and locate your pet's home.

Not All Pet Food Is The Same!!

There is a reason why the pet food at the grocery store is cheaper:  the nutrition in the food is cheaper (less quality). Cheap pet food is like us eating at a fast food restaurant daily. Are you going to look good? Are you going to feel good? Is your doctor going to be happy with you? No, probably not; but the food was cheap. This is what happens to pets. They do not look good, they do not feel good, and the doctor is never happy.

Keeping Healthy Pets Healthy

There are five main reasons to approach nutrition early: gastro-intestinal health, joint health, skin health, bladder health, and preventing obesity. Studies have shown you can add 2 years to your pets life by feeding a good quality diet.

We want to make you aware of how important good food is to your pet's health. Cheaper food is proven to not digest well. When a food is poor in nutritional quality the pet's body will not absorb the nutrients needed from the food. It will essentially run right through them. This means more stool in the yard for you to pick up. When you have to feed more food are you really saving any money? Probably not. If you take the time to calculate the math, you will see that with a better food and feeding less will cost about the same.

Our clinic recommends Royal Canin Pet Foods because they have proven to be very palatable (pets like to eat it) & they have scientifically proven to have better nutrition and enhance overall health.

We strongly recommend the following vaccinations for your pet:

Vaccines that are given to dogs include

Rabies - The dog's first rabies vaccines are good for one year. After the 3rd consecutive rabies vaccine, the vaccines will be good for three years. The rabies vaccination is required by the city, county and state.

• Rabies is a fatal disease that can infect all warm-blooded animals, including dogs and humans.

DHPP - The DHPP vaccine is an abbreviation for Distemper Hepatitis Parainfluenza and Parvo virus. This vaccine is given in a series to a puppy to help build it's immune system. The puppy vaccinations are given every 3 weeks for six months. It is boosted annually, because parvovirus and distemper are very prevalent in our area of Houston, Texas.

• Canine Parvovirus is a potentially fatal disease of the gastrointestinal tract. This virus has mutated a number of times and the most recent strain has been more deadly, affecting the heart muscles and resisting treatment.
• Canine Distemper is a highly contagious and potentially fatal viral disease in dogs. Clinical signs include fever, runny nose, cough and vomiting, and may progress to seizures.
• Canine Hepatits is a virus that can damage the liver, kidneys, spleen and lungs in dogs. Clinical signs may include fever, diarrhea and respiratory distress.
• Canine Parainfluenza Virus causes chronic respiratory disease. The virus is spread through the cough of infected dogs.
  

Lepto - The Lepto vaccination protects against Leptospirosis, a bacteria that is very common in our area of Houston. Leptospirosis is contracted from contact with the urine of wild animals such as mice, rats, raccoons and possum. Your dog can contract this bacteria and pass it on to you! In both your pet and you it may cause liver and kidney damage. The vaccine is given and then a booster shot is given 3-4 weeks later. The vaccine is given once per year.

• Leptospirosis is caused by bacteria and can permanently damage your pet's liver, kidneys, and other major organs. Even humans can become seriously ill after contact with an infected dog's urine.
  

Bordatella - (often referred to as kennel cough) Bordatella is necessary for dogs who come in contact with other dogs. We highly recommend bordatella for dogs that attend doggie daycare, visit dog parks, stay at boarding facilities and those that are walked in areas with other dogs. The vaccine is given and then a booster shot is given 3-4 weeks later. The vaccine is then given once per year.

• Bordatella Bronchiseptica is a common bacteria which contributes to respiratory disease or "kennel/cough" in dogs. Infected dogs usually have a dry hacking cough and a runny nose and eyes.

 

Vaccines that are given to cats include:

Rabies - The rabies vaccine is given once a year for the first three years and then after that once every 3 years. The rabies vaccine is required by the city, county and state.

• Rabies is a very serious disease that can infect all warm blooded-animals including cats, dogs and humans if bitten by a rabid animal.
  

FVRCP - FVRCP is an abbreviation for Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis Calicivirus Panlekopenia. The FVRCP vaccine is given to a kitten to help build the immune system. The kitten vaccinations are given every 3-4 weeks for the first six months and then it is boosted annually.

• Feline Panleukopenia or Distemper is caused by a highly contagious virus. It is potentially fatal, especially in kittens. Clinical signs are high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR), or Feline Herpesvirus, causes chronic upper respiratory disease in cats. The symptoms are the same as humans get with a severe cold - coughing, sneezing, runny nose and eyes.
• Feline Calicivirus causes chronic upper respiratory disease.
  

Leukemia - The FeLV vaccine is given to cats is given to cats who are around other cats and to cats that go outdoors. Feline leukemia is highly contagious in our area of Houston and can be spread through blood, saliva, feces and matting. The vaccine is given and then boosted 3-4 weeks later. Additional vaccines are given yearly.

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is a commonly diagnosed cancer in cats. The virus suppresses the cat's immune system, leaving it susceptible to other infections, much like Leukemia in humans. Both indoor and outdoor cats should be vaccinated.