As we head into the new year, now's the time to ensure your pet is healthy and up-to-date on all vaccines. Following are some tips to keep your pet healthy in 2025. From all of us at Bella SPCA, Happy New Year!
Checkups
Annual check-ups are an important part of caring for our pets. It's the time to update vaccinations and for dogs, perform a heartworm and fecal test. It also gives your veterinarian a chance to head off any potential health problems and address them early for a more favorable treatment outcome. One example where early intervention is important is oral hygiene, especially in small-breed dogs. Accumulation of tartar can cause gingival disease and can lead to heart problems if not addressed. Obesity is something that owners often don’t recognize and can lead to many health problems like osteoarthritis.
Vaccines
Puppies, which are the most at risk for contracting contagious disease, should start getting vaccines around 8 weeks of age. They need boosters for distemper, parvo, etc., every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks, when they can get a rabies vaccination. If the dame was well vaccinated, the puppies should get protective passive immunity, which wanes after about 8 weeks. Vaccinating before 8 weeks can lower the immune response. Clients sometimes mistakenly believe that adult dogs are immune and don’t need yearly boosters and are horrified to learn their adult dog has parvo. Consult your veterinarian for proper vaccination schedule.
Foods to Avoid
Many lists are available online of foods and plants toxic to pets. There’s even a chocolate toxicity meter (PetMD.com/dog/chocolate-toxicity, where an owner can input their pet’s info to determine whether they need to seek veterinary care. One that might surprise pet owners is xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in products, including peanut butter, that is toxic to dogs. It’s important to check labels. Store-bought treats, especially the jerky type, are often made in foreign countries that don’t have strict safety standards and are often recalled. Made in the USA doesn't mean the ingredients are from here.
Visit BellaSPCA.org for information on how to donate and ways to get involved. Bella SPCA Non-Profit Veterinary Hospital is located at 9101 S Western Ave., Suite 120, Oklahoma City, OK 73139; phone 405.286.2827. Visit them at bellaspca (FB & Insta) and @bellaspcavet (FB only)