Posts in Category: Brownswitch Pet Hospital News

At Brownswitch Pet Hospital, we see firsthand the special connection between pets and their owners—a bond that demands exceptional care when facing Louisiana’s often harsh storm seasons. In this blog post, we’re offering strategies to keep your beloved animals safe when nature is at its most unpredictable.

Pets and people alike celebrate and promote National Nutrition Month. Every March, we can collectively pivot towards fresh fruits, deliciously satisfying veggies, and fortifying whole grains. This is also a great time to embrace more exercise and, let’s face it, fewer treats. This March, we can make a meaningful impact on pet health and vitality that lasts all year (and beyond).

When people outside of Louisiana think of our climate, they may think only of weather extremes during Hurricane season. While we do receive our fair share of heat, rain, and wind, our little corner of the world is rarely seen as having “winter weather.” That doesn’t stop people and their pets from hunkering down at home until, say, March or April. It doesn’t have to be like that at all. In fact, with our list of winter pet activities in Louisiana, you and your pet can get out and about to some incredible local destinations.

Puppies and kittens are cute, and no one at Brownswitch Pet Hospital is going to argue that point with you. Why then, do we counsel most pet owners to spay and neuter their adorable animals? Spay and neuter is a major part of responsible pet ownership and there are several compelling reasons to do so for your pet. 

Everyday you do things that support your pet’s health and happiness. From selecting the best dog food to picking out the perfect squeaky toy, your activity in your pet’s life matters.

Brownswitch Pet Hospital feels strongly that your involvement in pet preventive care is huge as well. Regular pet wellness exams are essential for long and healthy lives for our four-legged family, and we would like to share why.

Walking down the pet food aisle or watching commercials aimed at pet owners can make it really difficult to figure out how to feed your furry friend. Everyone seems to have a different opinion when it comes to the best pet diets, but how do you find your way through the noise and choose the best nutritional options for your pets? Brownswitch Pet Hospital has some helpful tips:

If your pet’s days are punctuated by bouts of sneezing or scratching, he might be suffering from allergies. At Brownswitch Pet Hospital, we take allergies and dermatology seriously, and we will do all we can to pinpoint the culprit that’s pestering your pet and alleviate that nasty itch! 

At Brownswitch Pet Hospital, we like to include microchipping as part of one of your first wellness visits with us to ensure you and your pet can stay happily together. Many of our patients have asked “why should I microchip my pet,” and we wanted to give you some more information about the benefits of this procedure for you and your furry friends. 

Heartworms are a deadly parasite that are spread by mosquitoes. If there are mosquitoes living in your area (welcome to the south), then your pet is at risk of acquiring heartworms.

Dogs are the normal host for heartworms, though some cats and ferrets can also be infected.

Heartworms are spaghetti size worms that live in the heart of animals infected with heartworms. These worms eventually cause heart and lung damage that leads to death. The worms will produce small babies (called microfilaria), that circulate throughout the dogs bloodstream. When a mosquito bites a dog with heartworms, it will suck up blood along with the baby heartworms. When the mosquito bites a second dog, the baby heartworms are transmitted into the second dog. These eventually end up in the heart where they start their damage. These worms will then start producing babies, and the process continues.

The treatment for heartworms is a 10-12 week process that consists of arsenic injections. This treatment can be both toxic and expensive.

What heartworm preventative does is that it destroys the baby heartworms before they can make it to the heart. We will start puppies on heartworm preventative at 7 weeks old and keep them on it for life. It is given year round in the south because we can have mosquitoes flying around at Christmas time.

There are many options for heartworm preventative, ranging from monthly oral to topical treatments. Dogs over 6 months old can also be given a multi-month injection.

Puppy socialization is the act of exposing the puppy to many of the experiences and stress-producing situations that will occur in a dog’s life.  Lack of puppy socialization can lead to aggression, fear biting, and other behavior issues.  The best time for puppy socialization is between 7 to 16 weeks of age. 

Puppy socialization should include exposure to new sights, smells, sounds, and surfaces. This includes learning to be handled for grooming and bathing and getting them used to have their feet handled so they are not afraid of nail trims.  Having them exposed to new people and other fully vaccinated dogs in a controlled situation is also very important.  Alone time will also help prevent separation anxiety as they mature. 

Since we don’t want to put the puppies at risk until their vaccinations are completed, we can do certain things to minimize exposure to disease while still socializing the puppy.  This would include 1) strollers or backpacks to keep the puppy off the ground but still able to see the neighborhood 2) Having the children dress up in hats, costumes, or sunglasses to expose the puppy to different clothing 3) Taking the puppy to the shopping center while they sit in the car with the owner to see different people and sights.