All puppies should receive a full physical exam by at least 6-8 weeks of age to check for congenital health problems, start vaccinations, and check for disease. Puppies will usually receive their first vaccinations at this initial visit depending upon the puppy’s lifestyle and risk of exposure. During this visit, we will recommend a fecal analysis to check for intestinal parasites. This will tell us which dewormer to use, and we will recommend starting your puppy on heartworm preventative and flea preventative. Heartworms are an epidemic in our area, are usually considered to be deadly, expensive to treat, and easily prevented with a once-a-month tablet or every 6th-month injection (ProHeart 6). Nutrition and flea control will be discussed during this first visit, as well as the appropriate time for the next visit.

All dogs over 4 months of age are required by state law to be vaccinated for Rabies twice within the 1st year, then once every 3 years thereafter if vaccinated with an approved 3 year vaccine. An annual physical exam is required to make sure your pet is healthy for vaccinations. We also recommend a yearly heartworm test and fecal analysis.

For dogs over 2 years of age, we offer an Annual Wellness Package which includes a complete blood count, blood chemistry, urinalysis, heartworm test, fecal analysis, full physical exam, and vaccinations. This package is recommended to determine if any abnormalities are present that were not apparent on the physical exam and provide a baseline for the future. If your pet does develop an illness later in life, we will have normal values for comparison. Because we feel that these tests are a vital part of your pet’s health, the Annual Wellness Package is available at a discounted price.

All foals should be examined 10-12 hours after birth to check for congenital abnormalities. Also, their serum IgG concentration must be checked to determine if they received a passive transfer of antibodies from the mare. Failure of passive transfer (FPT) is a factor related to many neonatal diseases in the foal. If present, FPT must be treated early to avoid future problems.

Foals are then given an enema, a tetanus antitoxin injection unless the mare is vaccinated. A chlorhexidine solution is dispensed and applied to the umbilical stump twice daily for 10 days. We routinely treat most foals with prophylactic antibiotics once daily for 3 days to prevent infection that can be acquired while nursing during the first 24 hours of life.

The placenta is also examined for tears or other abnormalities. Foals should be dewormed with anthelcide EQ at 8 and 12 weeks of age.

Foals should receive a complete physical exam, including a dental exam at 16 weeks(4 months) of age, and initial vaccinations given depending on their risk of exposure. The foal should be dewormed with ivermectin, and times for future vaccinations and deworming will be discussed, as well as the Preventicare Program.

Adult horses should receive a semi-annual(every 6 months) physical examination, including a dental exam followed by recommended vaccinations. See our detailed information on new deworming programs on the following page on our website.