April 2022 Newsletter
General Housekeeping
COVID-19 Protocol
As COVID cases drop in the DMV area, we have updated our policy to allow all owners back in the building and we are no longer requiring masks. Check out our CAC Covid-19 Policy page for more details or any updates!
Pet's Photo on ezyVet
Please take a moment to upload your pet’s photo to the ezyVet portal so we have your favorite picture in your pet’s medical records. You can also navigate to the "MAKE AN APPOINTMENT / PET PORTAL" button on the homepage of the Clarendon Animal Care website.
Monthly Reminder
If you are no longer a CAC client, please contact us so we can deactivate your account and send records to your new hospital. You can also log into our Patient Portal to confirm and update information.
Prescription Policy
In accordance with Virginia state law, Clarendon Animal Care is prohibited from allowing the return/refund of any prescription medication once it has left our facility. Additionally, all controlled substances are non-refundable once they have been prescribed.
If you have old or unused medications, please visit the Arlington VA Government website for disposal location.
Spring has sprung and so have allergies!
As we enter the warmer months, you may notice your pet sniffling, sneezing, and even licking more! Unfortunately, allergies are very common in Virginia for both humans and pets - where those who have recently moved into the area are even having allergies for the first time.
If you notice that your pet is having excessive itching or red irritation to their skin, has a runny nose or goopy eyes then it’s definitely possible they are experiencing some seasonal allergies. Check out our Spring allergies are here blog post for more info on spring allergies - if your pet is suffering from allergies, we do recommend seeing your vet to develop a plan for treatment and care!
Heartworm Awareness
Many of us know heartworms are “bad” and transmitted by mosquito bites - but most aren’t fully aware of the damage they can do to not only your pet’s heart but their lungs, liver, kidneys, and central nervous system - these can even lead to death.
The best way to protect your pet is to keep them on a year-round heartworm preventative and to complete annual heartworm tests to ensure an infection has not occurred - as preventatives are the best safety measure but not 100% effective.
To learn more about the risks of heartworm infections, treatment, and why we recommend preventatives please check out our heartworm disease blog post and always feel free to reach out to your vet team with questions or concerns regarding possible exposure, infection, or preventative medications!
**As of April 1 we will no longer be carrying Proheart-6 (injectable heartworm preventative given every six months) at our offices. For pets utilizing Proheart due to significant food allergies, alternative options are Revolution, Advantage Multi (both topical), or unflavored Heartgard tabs.
As another alternative, many of our canine patients have now switched over to Simparica Trio, which is an all-in-one heartworm, flea, and tick preventative that we have found to be quite palatable even for finicky patients.
These are available through our hospital online pharmacy, or online pet pharmacies such as 1800PetMeds or Chewy.com.
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions!**
April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month!
Not only is April National Heartworm Awareness Month - it’s also Pet First Aid Awareness Month and with two subjects this important we wanted to touch on both of them! It is almost inevitable that at some point your pet will require some type of first aid or medical treatment - while we always recommend checking in with your Dr. before giving any medications, there are some OTC products that are often beneficial to have on hand for short term at-home treatments!
Check out our pet first aid blog post for info on at-home assessments, safe OTC medications, medications you should not be giving without DVM supervision, and other resources!
Fear Free Tip of the Month
April showers bring May flowers but they also bring mud! As we enter the spring season, you may find that your pet is in need of a bath - despite what they think! Bath time can be stressful for pets either at home or in grooming settings but there are ways to alleviate this stress and also help prevent it.
In addition to the use of PVP’s (check out last month’s FFT), you can also use environmental factors to lessen your pet’s anxiety in the bath; this can include non-slip mats, calming pheromones, warm water temperatures, soft water streams, treats or even their favorite toy!
Check out the Fear Free Happy Homes website for an article with tips and tricks on Taking the Blues out of Doggie Bath Time!