Skinner Animal Clinic

Preventative Care

By monitoring your pet's health, regular wellness care is a preventative measure that can identify underlying conditions sooner. Early detection offers us more treatment options and a greater chance for treatment success. Depending on your pet’s age and health status, we recommend annual or semi-annual wellness visits.

Examinations

One of our highly-experienced veterinarians will perform a comprehensive nose-to-tail physical exam, checking all major bodily systems and physical conditions such as eyes, ears, dental health, weight, skin, coat, joints, abdominal region, pulmonary health, abnormalities, and much more. If any abnormalities are discovered, diagnostics will be recommended.

Vaccinations

At some point, your pet is bound to come in contact with an infectious condition based on factors such as lifestyle, health status, age, and risk of exposure. Vaccinations are a safeguard against life-threatening, yet preventable diseases and premature death. Prevention is much less costly, less stressful and less time consuming than treatment! 

Parasite Control

Parasites are a great concern for pets. Fleas and ticks, intestinal parasites, worms, and protozoa can inflict significant damage and even be fatal. Protect your pet with parasite prevention and control!

How do I prevent parasite infestation in my pet?

  • Routine testing
  • Preventative medication
  • Control parasites in and around your home
  • Know the signs/symptoms
  • Discuss treatment options

Fleas and ticks are external parasites that irritate the skin and cause skin allergies. Fleas make your pet vulnerable to tapeworms and Bartonella and ticks transmit Lyme disease. During daily grooming, visually examine your pet for fleas, as well as ticks after being in high-risk areas such as woods, camping sites, and humid climates. Monthly preventatives should be used to protect your pet from external parasites.

Intestinal parasites are highly prevalent in virtually all areas of the United States. Puppies and kittens are most at risk; however, dogs and cats are also commonly infected. Did you know intestinal parasites can be passed to humans? We recommend annual or semi-annual fecal testing to protect your two-legged and four-legged family members. Once-a-month preventatives can cut this parasites off at the pass.

Heartworms populate in the bloodstream, lungs, and heart and impair blood circulation, which ultimately damages the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. Damage commonly occurs prior to outward symptoms. Advanced symptoms are characterized by trouble breathing, coughing, lethargy, weight loss, and fainting. Mosquitos carry and transmit heartworms, making mosquito infested areas extremely high-risk. Annual testing and monthly preventatives, especially for dogs, are imperative.

Microchipping

While collars and ID tags are always encouraged, they are not fool proof. These forms of identification commonly fall off, get lost, or removed.  To ensure the safety of your pet, we recommend using collars and tags and microchips!

Microchip implantation is quick, low cost and permanently implanted between your pet's shoulder blades. With a unique identifying microchip number that is connected to your *contact information, if you and your pet are ever separated, you and your pet can be reunited!   

*Microchips must be activated and contact information, should it change, be updated with the microchip company.  A simple online update or phone call is all it takes!

Join the Skinner Animal Clinic Family Today!

Located on S Water St, just off of E Kahler Rd. Just under 5 minutes from Wilmington High School and Forked Creek Preserve - Forsythe Woods.

Phone: 815-476-9500

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