Tips for Traveling with your Pets - From Jack Hannah • Make sure your pet is wearing an ID collar and has been microchipped for a safe return. • Have a special travel kit with all your pet’s essentials: food, water, bags for waste, prescribed medications, vac-cination records, leash and a favorite toy. • Make sure your pet has enough room to lie down, stand and turn around comfortably as they travel. A dog seat belt or crate are safe options. • If staying over night, reserve a pet-friendly campground or hotel that has a designated area for exercise. • Never leave your pet in a parked car where they could get overheated.From all of us at Suburban, have a safe summer of travel.

Web: www.SuburbanAnimalClinic.comE-mail: Info@SuburbanAnimalClinic.comOffice Hours: Mon.–Fri., 7am-6pm and Sat., 7am–1pmPhone: (614) 276–5479

Spring/Summer 2013

Michael Seimer, D.V.M. Missy Shardy, D.V.M. Beth Stafford, D.V.M.

Your Pet’s Health• Now is the time to start

Flea & Tick Control

• Stand Up for your Pet

• New Canine 4 DX Test

News For You• Deals and Discounts

• Tips for Traveling with Pets

• What’s News at Suburban

• SuburbanAnimalClinic.com

Feline Corner• Common Diseases of Cats - Part 1

Now is the time to startFlea and Tick Control

Don’t Wait! Ticks and fleas are blood-drinking parasites that can also transmit serious diseases to both pets and people. Tick season is now through late summer. The general tick population is on the rise due to the increasing number of deer and wildlife in our area that carry ticks. Ticks can transmit diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis. Fleas will start to show up in early summer and reach their peak in the fall. Fleas can carry tapeworms and Bartonella, the bacteria that causes “cat scratch fever” in humans. Fleas can cause severe skin reactions when they bite you or your pet. Prevent your pet from suffering from these parasites by using a professional flea and tick product with safe ingredients that work when used as directed. Call Suburban Animal Clinic to answer any questions you have or to advise you which products would be best for your pet (614-276-5479). We have special savings on many of these products this time of year.

Check out our updated website. It’s loaded with new information, a virtual tour, information about our services, clinic forms and pet photos. You can also link to our Online Store and re-quest an appointment via Pet Portals. Check out our Facebook page and new Blog with clinic up-dates. Send your friends to our website to see why Suburban Animal Clinic is “Where Caring People Care For Pets.”

SuburbanAnimalClinic.com

What’s News at Suburban 1. We welcome new staff member Jewel Evans. Jewel is a registered veterinary technician, with a degree from Morehead State University. She and her husband A.J., recently relocated to Columbus from Dayton. Her pet family includes 2 cats and a dog. She enjoys pet dental cleanings and client ed-ucation. Jewel says, “I love Suburban’s teamwork, kindness and love of animals, plus the attention to detail for patient care.” 2. It’s not voodoo, it works! Suburban offers non-traditional treatments and medications to improve your pets well being. We provide Laser Therapy (for musculoskeletal diseases, wound care, pain control and other problems), Acupuncture therapy, massage therapy and nutritional supplements. Sup-plements include: pet probiotics for gastrointestinal health, Synovi G4 chews and Cosequin for joint health, Senelife for cognitive support (older dogs), along with dietary and vitamin products. Ask us if any of these alternative therapies can benefit your pet.

Common Diseases of CatsPart 1

Cats get many of the same diseases that peo-ple do. Because early detection and intervention are vital to maintaining a high quality of life, you should recognize the clinical signs of common dis-eases of older cats. This newsletter discusses 3 im-portant problems Periodontal disease - Infection of the teeth and gums affects over 40% of all older cats. Poor oral health can decrease your cat’s life expectan-cy by two to four years. Additionally, loose teeth, swollen, infected gums, and cervical neck lesions (cat cavities) are painful. Professional dental care at Suburban includes cleaning, polishing, extraction of diseased teeth and periodontal care. Obesity - more than 40% of all cats are overweight or obese. That may be 3 pounds or more of extra weight. Increased weight may in-crease the chances of de-veloping diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and more. We will calculate your cat’s optimal weight and design a weight-loss program to suit your cats lifestyle. Kidney disease - This condition is one of the leading causes of death in cats. If detected early through blood and urine tests, we can often extend life expectancy and maintain a high quality of life through special diets, medication and fluid therapy. More common diseases of cats will follow in the fall newsletter.

Hill’s Metabolic Diet We now carry Hill’s new Prescription Meta-bolic Diet. This new diet helps pets lose weight then maintain a healthy weight. In fact 88% of pets lost weight in two months during home feeding trails. It is clinically proven to avoid weight regain follow-ing a weight loss program. There is a dog and cat formulation (sorry no people formula). This new food is available in dry, canned and treats to fit the way you feed you pet. Ask a staff member if Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic Advanced Weight So-lution is right for your pet.

New 4DX Test checksfor Canine Vectorborne Diseases Each year when yourdog comes in to SuburbanAnimal Clinic for it’s annual exam and vaccines, we perform a 4DX blood test that checks for 4 common diseases carried by ticks and mosquitoes. This screening test checks for canine Heart-worm disease carried by mosquitoes as well as Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichiosis - all transmitted by tick bites. All of these diseases are in our area and any dog is at risk. You will re-ceive a pamphlet at the time of testing to help you understand these diseases and their life cycle. Re-member no prevention is 100% effective and rec-ommendations are to test your dog every year. What can you do? If there is any chance of tick exposure use a flea and tick prevention. For information on how to remove a tick, visit dog-sandticks.com. There is a vaccine to prevent Lyme disease in dogs, ask us for information. Heartworm prevention should be given monthly all year long, not only to help protect against heartworm disease but also common in-testinal parasites. For money saving specials on products to protect your pet look elsewhere in this newsletter.

Stand Up for your PetTake stock of your life style - it might

be putting your pet at risk The same bad habits that affect people can affect pets, too. Knowing this can be a real motiva-tor to make over your lifestyle. Let’s look at 3 un-healthy human habits that harm your dog or cat.

Secondhand Smoke. While lung cancer in pets is uncommon, breathing smoke can cause your pet to develop allergies and chronic respiratory disease. A pet that has heart and lung problems will sure-ly suffer more. Pets have been known to develop mouth cancer from licking smoke particles from their haircoat. You can wipe your pets fur with a damp towel or better yet...quit smoking.

Snack Attacks. Overeating causes humans to pack on the pounds - and sharing goodies with your pets puts them on the path to obesity too. Some foods, such as chocolate and raisins, are toxic to pets. Limit snacking and feed your pets their normal diet when you eat.

Living on the Couch. Is your idea of exercise a walk to the mailbox? If so, chances are your dog is sedentary as well. Regular exercise helps keep your dog’s weight in check, builds muscle mass, and improves lung capacity. Active breeds need 30 - 45 minutes of activity per day. Laser lights, balls and cat nip toys can be used to keep your cat moving.

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Deals and Discountson Heartworm, Flea and Tick Control Products

Purchased at Suburban Purchase a 6 pack of Bayer K-9 Advantage, Advantix or Advantage Multi (dog or cat) at Suburban Animal Clinic and receive 2 free doses. This provides a $22 - $45 savings. Buy a new Serresto Tick and Flea collar (lasts for 8 months!) - receive a $20 rebate from Bayer. For more information on this product go to Sere-stopet.com If your dog takes Heartgard Plus as a heart-worm/parasite prevention, purchase a 12 pack and we will send in a $12 rebate coupon for you. Trifexis heartworm, flea and parasite control of-fers a $10 rebate on a 6 pack and $25 rebate when a 12 month supply is purchased from us.