Spring

Spring has sprung! We're sure your pets (and kids!) can't wait to start playing out in the fresh air again after such a cold winter. Even the most lazy of pets can be tempted to roam too far away from home while enjoying the warm weather. If your pet is micro chipped, make sure the registration is current. If your pet is not micro chipped, call us today to make an appointment or for more details. The micro chipping process is quick and safe, providing a method of permanent identification should you ever be separated from your pet. In addition, make sure your cat or dog has a sturdy collar and tags on at all times. Cats should wear break-away collars to prevent injury if they are caught on something. ID tags should include at least two contact phone numbers, as well as a name and address. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Make sure your furry friends are on a leash or enclosed in a safe yard or pen at all times.

Continue using year round monthly flea, tick and heartworm preventative for your dogs and cats. These buggers carry a variety of diseases, some fatal, including Lyme Disease, Ehrlichia, Tapeworms and Heartworms. Our pets can also contract parasites from drinking contaminated water. As the snow melts, be sure to offer your pets plenty of fresh water and discourage drinking from puddles. Some parasites and diseases that our pets carry can be passed on to people as well.

Keep your pets and family healthy by monthly preventatives and annual visits to our clinic. Call anytime during office hours for more information.

Easter

Certain Foods that seem delicious to us are actually very harmful to our pets. Be sure to keep the following foods out of reach from your pets; ham, coffee, raisins and grapes, onions, garlic, products sweetened with Xylitol (an artificial sweetener) and fatty foods.

Keep candy - especially chocolate - away from pets. Candy is not meant for pets and can cause internal distress. The ASPCA lists the following symptoms of chocolate poisoning: vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors and seizures. In severe cases, chocolate poisoning can be fatal. Don't let your pets life be at risk!

Many plants can be harmful to your pets as well. While you should always be on the look-out for possible health hazards, holidays can bring in new hazards which you may not be aware of. Make sure to keep any bouquets or other flowers well out of your pets reach, especially if you don't know what type of plants they are. A few seasonal plants to keep away from pets are: tulips, buttercups, clovers, daffodils, and the Easter Lily which can be fatal. For a more extensive list visit our website at www.elkneckvetclinic.com and click on the "Poisonous Plants" tab.

Fake grass and plastic toys can also be a source of harm for your pets. If ingested they can be choked on or cause intestinal blockage. Consider pets to be very small children - they don't know not to put things in their mouths, so it's up to you to make sure that they don't.

Elk Neck Vet Clinic provides a wide variety of services for our four legged friends and their owners. Our core service is keeping a pet healthy through regular exams, vaccinations against life threatening diseases, and the use of preventative medications to control parasites. We also treat ill or injured animals, and can do many basic diagnostic tests or procedures right in the clinic while you wait - including digital radiographs.

Surgery is performed by laser to reduce the amount of bleeding during the procedure, as well as decreasing post-surgical pain. Incisions made by laser also heal faster and require fewer stitches than those made with a traditional scalpel. Routine surgeries include spaying, neutering and hernia repair.

As you may have noticed, we have expanded our facilities - and to go with our beautiful new clinic, we have expanded our services to include boarding and bathing for dogs and cats. The Chesapeake Country Pet Lodge features Dog Suites in our spacious kennel and a separate room for Cat Condos.

For more information about what we offer, please see our complete listing of services below:

Client Education
Preventative Care
Medical Care
Surgeries
Dentistry
Pet (Dog/Cat) Boarding

Feeling guilty about going on vacation and leaving the pets behind? Why not send them on their own vacation at Chesapeake Country Pet Lodge? Any dog or cat would be happy to vacation at our camp!

We provide spacious suites for all our dog guests. The suites include heated floors for those chilly days, and individual drains to ensure dogs stay clean and dry. Our cat guests are treated to large multi-level condos. Our single condos can be opened up to accommodate several cats from the same family. Food, water, litter and bedding are kept in separate areas of the condos to keep cats clean and happy. Condos have clear plastic backing facing a large window so our cat guests can keep an eye on any outside happenings.

You are welcome to bring your own bedding for your pet or we can provide our freshly laundered blankets and beds daily. We feed Purina EN dry food for sensitive stomachs or you are welcome to bring your own food. We provide all food and water bowls for our guests. Pets are fed one to three times daily depending on your preference. We can administer any medication necessary for your pet as well.

All dogs are walked a minimum of three times per day around our 1½ acre property. Every dog enjoys the opportunity to explore our property, including the many trees and buildings and a large pond complete with a family of ducks. Some dogs may even enjoy peeking over the fence at the goats and chickens next door! And don't worry; our cat guests get their share of love and attention as well!

Most importantly the care of every pet in our facility is overseen by Dr. Lackey. Nothing is more reassuring then knowing that should any problem arise with your pet he or she will be promptly attended to by Dr. Lackey and her staff, and you will be notified immediately.