Monday, March 24, 2014

Heartworm Prevention Made Easy


Heartworm Prevention Made Easy

Trouble remembering to give that monthly Heartworm Preventative?  Do you still have heartworm pills or topical product left from last year?
Even missing one monthly dose for your companion can result in a heartworm infection!

Capitol Illini Veterinary Hospital now offers 6 months of Heartworm protection in one simple injection.  Ask one of our staff members or veterinarians about a Proheart 6 injection to protect  your dog.

What is Heartworm disease and how is my dog be exposed?  Heartworm Disease is a serious, potentially fatal disease transmitted to dogs by infected mosquitos. The larvae transmitted by the mosquito develops into an adult worm in the heart of the dog within 6 months. Dogs in areas with high levels of mosquitoes are especially at risk. No matter the time of year or whether your dog is indoor or outdoor; heartworm disease is a risk year round. That is why year round continuous heartworm preventative is so critical.

Symptoms of heartworm infection may go unnoticed during the first 6 months after transmission, and are only detectable by a blood test after 6 months. As the adult worms develop in the heart, your pet may begin to show clinical signs such as a chronic cough, lack of stamina during exercise, breathing difficulty or just plain not feeling well.

We at Capitol Illini Veterinary Services know you want to take the best care of your companion. Prevention of disease is preferable to treatment for a variety of reasons. Mainly to prevent damage to the heart and respiratory system which can be permanent and possibly fatal. Secondly; expenses, as prevention usually costs about 1/10 of the cost of treatment which takes 5 months and requires exercise restriction during the entire treatment period.

Our busy lives seem to pass by quickly and a month passes even faster. It seems as if it is always time to give that monthly medication again. What if you only had to rely on Capitol Illini Veterinary Services to remind you twice a year for heartworm Prevention?

What is ProHeart 6?  It is an injection that protects your dog from heartworm infection for a full 6 months.  This product, from Zoetis, uses Moxidectin in a slow release formulation that is proven effective in dogs of various breeds and sizes over 6 months of age.  It also treats hookworms, a common intestinal parasite at the time of injection.




So why not leave Heartworm prevention for your dog in the hands of the Veterinarians and trained staff members at Capitol Illini Veterinary Services. We will be happy to discuss heartworm prevention with you and see what will work best for you and your companion. Give us a call or email us at mypet@capitolillinivet.com with any questions or to set up an appointment for your dog's first injection of ProHeart6.


Capitol Illini Veterinary Services where “Healthy Pets Make Happy People” 
Author:     Clyde D Dunphy DVM  

Friday, March 7, 2014

Happy Birthday Tomorrow to Dr. Marcum

Happy Birthday wishes to Dr. Marcum, who celebrates his special day tomorrow! We hope you have a terrific birthday!

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Capitol Illini Veterinary Services is a Certified Feline Friendly Practice

Capitol Illini Veterinary Services is a Certified Feline Friendly Practice 

I've been a "dog and cat" veterinarian for 25 years, and the positive change I've seen in our cat patients' attitudes when coming to our clinic is absolutely astounding due to us becoming a certified cat friendly veterinary hospital.

















Did you know even though there are thousands more cats owned than dogs, twice LESS cats get annual physical check ups and preventative care than dogs? 

We wanted to alleviate these important issues by educating our staff members and our clients about normal cat behaviors and ways to decrease stress before, during, and after your cats' veterinary visit by following the American Association of Feline Practitioners Guidelines for a Feline Friendly Practice. 



Start at home by choosing a cat carrier that opens from the top and side. Leave it out at home all of the time so it is not a "change". Place soft materials (towel, blanket, or fleece bedding) and a few treats in it to make the carrier non-threatening to your cat. COVER the carrier with a large bath towel to make your cat feel more safe and secure during travel and in our waiting room. Place your carrier on a chair or up high while waiting.












We practice with minimal restraint for cats, as they are happier and feel more in control (which makes your cats feel safe) this way! Scruffing of cats at the nape of the neck is highly discouraged as it tends to make the cats more anxious. 



Individualized patient care and involvement of the client in their cat's health care plan are important at Capitol Illini Veterinary Services.
















By knowing natural cat behaviors and feline body language, we modify our surroundings in the hospital and feline exam room, and practice feline friendly nursing care specifically to reduce stress and fear for your cats. We know this way your cats heal faster.


Many more cat friendly techniques are used at Capitol Illini Veterinary Services. 

Please feel free to read about certified Feline Friendly Practices at www.catvets.com (American Association of Feline Practitioners website).

Author: Dr. Martha Armour

Monday, February 3, 2014

February is National Pet Dental Health Month

February is National Pet Dental Health Month! Not only can poor oral hygiene lead to tooth decay, but if not treated, it can lead to more serious problems for your pets. Schedule an appointment today to have your pet’s teeth cleaned this February and receive FREE dental products from Capitol Illini Veterinary Services. 

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

My Dog Lost 10 Pounds. Your Dog Can, Too!

By Dr. Byron McCall DVM

Misty, my 12 year old Australian Shepherd was having a little trouble getting up after lying down. My family and I had noticed this slowly progressing over time, but she never cried out or acted painful.. I knew that she was a little overweight like me and knew she should get some of the weight off. This fact is a little worse since I give "the overweight talk" to pet owners, everyday at Capitol Illini Veterinary Clinic in Chatham and Springfield, Illinois. I see dogs and cats everyday that are overweight and discuss reducing the amount fed, and increasing exercise in an effort to facilitate weight loss. But as all pet owners know, it is difficult to not give in to the sad eyes or begging when I was eating something, thus we were not getting the weight off.


In January 2013, I was at the North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) and sat through a presentation by Hill's Pet Food about a Metabolic Diet they came out with. Approximately 88% of the dogs they tried it on had successful weight loss in real life households. I had seen many claims from various products that could aid in weight loss, but like many products, the weight would rebound once the medicine or the diet was stopped. I decided to try this diet on my dog first and see if she could lose weight, even with the occasional treat or cleaning up of any dropped morsels off the kitchen floor. I took the first bag home not long after returning home and instructed my son to fee Misty the recommended amount, which can be calculated by a member of our veterinary team using an application for the iPad.

Within 6 months, Misty had lost 10 pounds and was at what I considered a good weight. It was amazing during this time how much better she got up from lying down, how she would bounce around the house to get her fanny scratched, and greet us when she got home. She is now being fed a little more food at a maintenance amount and her weight is holding steady. If your dog is overweight, stop in and talk to any of our veterinarians at either Capitol Illini Veterinary location in Chatham or Springfield about helping your dog or cat lose weight. I can only hope that your pet has as dramatic response as Misty had.


Thursday, December 19, 2013

Welcome Dr. James Cook

Capitol Illini Veterinary Services is pleased to welcome Dr. James Cook DVM DACVS PhD to our practice as a surgical consultant. 


After receiving his B.S. degree from Florida State University and competing for 5 years as a professional water skier, Jimi Cook completed his DVM in 1994, PhD in 1998, board certification in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1999, and was selected as a charter diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2010.  In 1999, he founded the Comparative Orthopaedic Laboratory at the University of Missouri, which is an interdepartmental, interdisciplinary team of over 30 veterinarians, physicians, engineers, staff and students dedicated to the One Health-One Medicine concept for improving the lives of people and animals.  Dr. Cook has over 130 peer-reviewed publications, over $20 million in research funding, received numerous awards including America’s Best Veterinarian (2007), holds 13 US Patents and has seen 3 biomedical devices through FDA approval to human clinical trials.  He is currently Director of The Comparative Orthopaedic Laboratory and the William and Kathryn Allen Distinguished Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery at the School of Medicine at the University of Missouri. He is also co-founder of Be The Change Volunteers ­a NGO dedicated to building schools in third world countries whose teams have built 23 educational facilities in 14 countries, providing educational opportunities to more than 4,000 students.