Resource Center

Diabetes

Diabetes is a common disease diagnosed in the veterinary world. If your pet has been diagnosed with this condition it means that his/her body is not producing an adequate amount of insulin to regulate blood sugar levels, and the best treatment for this is giving insulin injections. Diabetes is a life long illness that will typically include twice a day injections, regular glucose tests and doctor visits, and the possibility of a prescription diet to help with regulation. Below you will find step by step directions for how to give your pet insulin. Click the link below for a video instructional provided by IDEXX laboratories that will guide you step by step. The staff of Branson Veterinary Hospital is also trained to provide instructionals on this topic. Please feel free to call to schedule your complementary training session with a member of our staff today.

Administering Medication

Administering medication can be very difficult for pet parents. Your pet may have a chronic illness or he/she might just be recovering from surgery. Either way, pilling your pet can be a daunting task. Below are two videos that show a few different techniques that may be used to find success when pilling your furry friend.
If you find it is unsafe to give your pet a pilled medication, please contact our hospital for liquid alternatives. We also offer free dosing at our office. This means that our staff is willing to administer your pet’s medication in office as a run by and complimentary service if you are unable to do so at home.

Dental Health

Dental health is something that often goes overlooked in pet parents, but is one of the most important areas to focus on. Calculus build up in the mouth can lead to abscesses, tooth loss, gum and bone loss, and serious infection. Dental infections can make it uncomfortable to eat, cause excessive salivation, halitosis and can even travel in the blood stream causing more serious conditions in your pet’s internal organs. The best recommendation is to prevent build up by brushing your pet’s teeth at home. There are many avenues for doing this, but we recommend a simple procedure with a brushette or tooth brush and veterinary approved toothpaste. Below see a member of our veterinary team demonstrating how she brushes her pet’s teeth at home! Sometimes brushing isn’t enough and a thorough scaling is needed. This procedure very similarly resembles a cleaning at your regular dentists office! We have recently updated our dental equipment and now provide dental radiography which allows our doctors to get a more comprehensive look at your pet’s dental health during dental cleanings.

Internal and External Parasites

Heartworm disease

Branson Veterinary Hospital alone has seen a 300% increase in heartworm disease, every year. We are passionate about prevention because we have seen the devastating effects of this parasite. Click the link below to watch a short video on heartworm disease and how it is transmitted. Has your pet been seen by a doctor on our staff in the last 12 months? Call us today or visit our online pharmacy to get your pet on a very easy and cost effective heartworm prevention! If your pet has missed more than 2 months of heartworm prevention or has not had a test performed in over a year, it may be time to get him/her tested!

Fleas

Did you know that female fleas can lay up to 2,000 eggs in her lifetime? Or that fleas can live for up to 100 days without feeding on a host? Many people believe that preventatives aren’t needed in the winter time, but fleas can actually live in freezing conditions for several days, and often find a warm host to live on for warmth. Fleas can cause anemia, tapeworm infections, and itchy irritated skin. Click the link below to find out more information on the flea lifecycle.

Intestinal parasites

Intestinal parasites are a common condition in cats and dogs. Animals that are exposed to other pet’s feces are at a larger risk for infection. Due to the frequency of parasites in pets, we do include a fecal test in all of our vaccination packages. This allows us to be sure that your pet isn’t going long periods of time with an infection. If your pet does test positive for an intestinal parasite, we can prescribe the appropriate dewormer for him/her. Did you know that a monthly heartworm prevention typically offers a monthly dewormer as well? Call us today to discuss your pet’s parasite risk.

Ear Care

The anatomy of a dog and cat’s ears are a twisty, curvy design. Because of this, it’s easy for parasites, bacteria and yeast to hide and thrive in the the moist and dark regions. This also means that any debris in the canal must work its way up to avoid being trapped. Infections can result from trapped debris. Animals with allergies are particularly vulnerable because their allergies are manifested predominantly in the skin. Pets with floppy or hairy ears, like Cocker spaniels, shih tzus, basset hounds and poodles are also at a greater risk because they tend to trap more debris. Ear mites are fairly common and are typically found in cats, but can be transmitted to a dog as well. Infections are very common, so if you notice an odor from your pet’s ears, excessive itching, sores around the base of the ear, swelling, him/her shaking their head frequently, redness or that the ear has become painful your pet should be seen immediately. Ear infections are very uncomfortable and can lead to a condition called Aural Hematoma.

In the video below you will meet Thor. Thor experiences chronic ear infections, secondary to allergies. Because she knows that he is predisposed, our veterinary assistant Zoe, Thors owner, makes sure to clean our his ears regularly to prevent build up. Unfortunately, sometimes he does still get an occasional infection but keeping the canals clean lessens his risk substantially. Below, you will find an instructional video provided by Zoe and Thor.

Nail Trimming

Trimming your pet’s nails is an important part of caring for them. We want to ensure that this common interaction is pain free as possible. Below are videos on how to trim your cat and dog’s nails. It is important to start as young as possible to get your pet comfortable with nail trims. Most of them will resist in the beginning, but persistence will ensure safe handling of your pet in the future. We recommend handling young pet’s feet, looking in their ears, and mouths at least once a day during training. Begin by holding their paws for short amounts of times while playing, petting, or giving a treat. Slowly increase the amount of time you spend touching them, and always remember to reward them after. If you do not feel it is safe or feel uncomfortable performing these tasks at home we do offer nail trimming as a walk in service. Come by anytime during regular business hours, and get your pets nails trimmed for $10.40/pet. *We also apply, or can show you how to apply soft paws, a soft covering on your pet’s nails to provide a barrier to prevent scratching.

Nutrition

The American Animal Hospital Association recommends a nutritional assessment guideline; good nutrition enhances pets’ quality and quantity of life and is integral to optimal animal care. Our goal as your veterinary professionals is to provide the best preventative medicine in order to increase our patients quality of life and allow them to stay with us longer. The doctors at Branson Veterinary Hospital’s main recommendation is to always stick with your name brand, quality pet foods.

When changing foods, always remember to make the transition slowly, gradually increasing the amount of new food used and decreasing the amount of the previous brand over several days time. Sudden changes in food may cause stress on the GI tract, leading to vomiting or loose stools.

We carry most Hills Prescription Diets in our food pharmacy. These items must be prescribed or approved by a doctor prior to purchase. Hills prescription diets do have a 100% money back guarantee, and may be returned for full value, even if opened.

If your pet requires another brand of prescription foods, please visit our online pharmacy for a full line of all prescription diets. You can even get your items autoshipped from the online pharmacy, if desired! Check out our online pharmacy by clicking the tab at the top of the page.

If you are interested in making your own food at home, we recommend using a site called, BalanceIT.com, for full nutrition recommendations based on your pet’s needs*. Again, if you are considering a homemade diet, please consult with your veterinarian prior to making this change. Please bring them your diet plan and allow them to make note and review it against your pet’s chart.

*Branson Veterinary Hospital is not associated with BalanceIT.com. We are not responsible for any products recommended or sold on their site or recommended by them. All recommendations by them should be evaluated by your pet’s prescribing doctor.