Category Archives for "Vet Approved"

0 What Should A Pet Owner Do Before Neutering Or Spaying?

What should pet owners do before neutering or spaying their pets?

Responsible pet owners often decide to have their pets spayed or neutered.

Why have your pets desexed? Here’s why

So they call up their veterinarian and set a schedule for their cat or dog to get spayed or neutered. Spaying is for female pets while neutering is for male pets – just in case you still get confused with the terms.

Why Neuter or Spay?

One of the  purposes of this procedure is to prevent unwanted puppies.  Another reason is to prevent  disease conditions like testicular tumors and prostate enlargement  (in Males); pyometra and mammary tumors (for Females).  Desexed pets typically live longer than usual.

After setting everything up, you get yourself and your pet ready for the day.

But wait? What  preparations prior to  surgery should you do for your pet?

Here are the essential tips you need to know before and after your pet gets neutered or spayed:

Before Neutering or Spaying Operation:

Fasting

Like humans, pets need to go on a 12-hour fast before the appointed time. 

What should my dog fast from – just food?

Yes your dog should fast from food but also from water if possible. 

If your dog accidentally ate some food on the day of surgery,  discuss it with the staff. But if your dog ate a full meal on the  operation day,  the best option may be to re-schedule the procedure.. 

You have to understand that full meals can pose a serious concern during surgery. Under anesthesia your pet may throw up  which can lead to breathing problems.

Comfort Care

This means that you have to make your pet as comfortable as possible 12 hours before their appointment, so  they would not think of taking any food or water. Set up their sleeping area to be as cozy as possible and hide the water and food bowl. 

Cuddle up if it makes you and your pet feel better prepared for the operation.

Bathing and Grooming

You can bathe your dog prior to surgery. Have a grooming appointment if you need to, especially if your pet’s fur is long and matted or caked with mud. Remember, your pet will have no bath for at least a few days after operation.

After Neutering or Spaying Operation:

Medications

Pain medicines may be prescribed to your pet after the operation. Do not give any human pain medicines to your dog as this can cause serious problems to your pet. Ask your vet on what you should do after the surgery and what is the safest and most effective medication your dog can take.

Food and Water Monitoring

Food intake should be limited during the  first day post surgery. You have to give food and water gradually to your pet because of the side effects of anesthesia. 

When your dog arrives in your home, let it rest for a few hours. After that, you can offer a little water. An hour after that, you can offer some food. 

If your dog is able to keep  food and water down, you can feed it normally the following day. If your dog vomits, call your veterinarian.

Care of Surgical Site

Surgical sites should be given proper care and monitoring after operation. As a pet owner, you should check for bleeding, swelling, discharges or any other problems in the area. If you observe anything out of the ordinary, please contact your veterinarian. 

Make sure that your pet will not lick or chew the surgical site. Cones can help in preventing your dog from doing any of these.

The incision usually takes 10-14 days to heal fully and is the same time that stitches are removed.

Bathing and Grooming

Your dog will not be allowed to have a bath 10-14 days post operation. Do not let them swim or bathe until the  stitches have been removed. Get clearance from your vet to ensure that it is safe for your dog to do so.

If you have concerns or questions, you can always discuss this with your dog’s veterinarian. Do not assume anything as this can lead to misconceptions and wrong actions. Be open with your vet to understand more about neutering and spaying.

Learn more on Neutering and Spaying here:
Quick Facts Of Neutering and Spaying 

If you are a responsible pet parent you will choose to go to an expert veterinarian.

Contact us at (02) 8896-6386 / 8896-2860 / 0908-896-7113 to set an appointment for your pet’s neutering or spaying.  

Do take note that Makati Dog and Cat Hospital serves you and your pet from 8AM to 3PM, Mondays to Saturdays.

Be social! Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Share your cute pet photos on our social media accounts and get featured!

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

0 How To Make Sure Your Pet Dog Is Protected From Heartworm Infection For One Year

Heartworm infection is a dangerous disease of dogs.

Besides damaging the heart, other organs such as the liver and kidneys may be affected.

It may lead to coughing, weakness and even death!

It is best to prevent from getting your fur baby infected in the first place!

While Heartworm infection can be treated; it is a long, expensive and possibly fatal process.

Remember the saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?”

It is so true in this case!

Prevention used to be so difficult.

Before, it was keeping your pets from getting bitten by mosquitoes; the insect that transmits this fatal worm infection from one dog to another.

This was done by using repellents and mosquito nets,  which were very difficult to do.

Later, it was a once a day tablet.

Imagine having to remember to give it daily.

Sometimes your pet dog wouldn’t swallow it.

It then became a once a month medicine which could be injected, swallowed or be given as a spot on.

Problem was, fur-parents would sometimes forget giving it monthly.

What if I tell you there is now a Heartworm preventive which can be given once a year?

All it takes is one visit to your vet.

That’s it!

This Heartworm preventive is called Pro-Heart!

It has been found to be 100% effective in protecting your furbaby from heartworm infection for a year.

Have peace of mind that your furbaby is protected from heartworm with a once a year preventive in Pro-Heat!

Contact us at: 09088967113 to schedule your pet’s Pro-heart Injection.

0 Not All Pet Tags Are Made The Same

Not All Pet Tags Are Made The Same

Not all pet tags are made the same.  Some are pretty,  some are just okay.  Rarely do you find those that are worth collecting.

MyFamily has produced pet tags since 2010 in Italy.  It is found in almost all continents and is now available in the Philippines at ETC Drugstore.

Each MyFamily pet tag is meticulously manufactured using high quality materials with a beautiful finish.  Each one is pleasing to look at.

From a wide array of designs, for sure several of these you will find delightful.

In addition, you can have your pet’s name and your contact details engraved on each Pet Tag in two minutes – yes, just 2 Minutes!

Contact us at  0977-804-4455 or PM us at ETC Drugstore FB to order your collectible pet tags.

0 A Gift For The Pet Lover Who Has It All

A Gift For The Pet Lover Who Has It All

Do you have a hard time looking for a gift for your fur parent friend who has it all?

Get them a MyFamily pet tag!

MyFamily is a company that started in Italy and is now available in the Philippines! They have been producing high quality pet tags since 2010. Each MyFamily pet tag is meticulously created and it will be appreciated for sure.

Give this as a present for your friend’s fur baby.  It will definitely be remembered as a cherished gift!

Each tag is beautifully produced with high quality materials with a brilliant finish. You can choose from a wide array of designs that will certainly please the recipient of your gift.

Have the pet’s name and contact details engraved on the pet tag for easy identification in case the fur baby gets lost.

Contact us at  0977-804-4455 or PM us at ETC Drugstore FB to order your gift.

0 A Stylish Personalized Pet Tag….In 2 Minutes!

Love for pets has no boundaries! 

MyFamily has been producing pet tags since 2010 in the city of Valenza, Italy 

They have a vision of transforming pet ID tags into products that can evoke emotions. These are small pieces of art that are pleasing to your eyes. It is their goal to help you identify your pet dog or cat in a stylish way. 

We make each MyFamily pet tag with care. We design your pet tags to make you and your pet happy. Pet parents express delight with its high quality of materials and beautiful finish.

With a growing array of designs, you can be sure that you can pick one that will please you. Your pet will be the envy of other fur parents. 

From simple to pretty, to designs that are beautiful and specific to your pet’s breed!  You can be sure that there is one that will fit your furbaby perfectly!

Over 20 million pet owners are happy to choose My Family products. They come from the US, Europe, Australia and Asia. 

Now in the Philippines, at ETC Drugstore, you can get your very own MyFamily Pet Tags. 

Visit us and choose from the hundreds of designs available! 

You can have your pet’s name, contact number, and e-mail engraved.  Our specially designed machine can do this for you in under two minutes!

If you can’t visit us in person, you can call us at 0977-804-4455. You can choose a design and we can have it engraved and sent to you by courier.

P.S. If you don’t have a pet yourself or you already have a MyFamily Pet Tag, you can get one for your friend. They will appreciate your gift!

P.S.S. Even if you have one already, you’ll want to add more to your collection of stylish personalized pet tags. 

Call us at  0977-804-4455 or PM us at ETC Drugstore FB to check for available designs.

0 Pet Deworming: Do You Know You Can Get Worms From Your Pet?

Protect Yourself From Your Pet Dog’s Worms with Pet Deworming

Your Pet Dog May Have Worms

Not to cause any panic but right at this moment, there’s a big chance that your pet may have worms.  

Of course, the presence of worms depends on the environment, presence of other pets, presence of mosquitos, presence of fleas and what you feed your furbaby.

There are four worms that stand out and could affect your dog namely: dog roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms and heartworms.  

All of these worms can also infect people and that includes you as a pet owner.

The roundworms and hookworms are transmitted through swallowing.  Hookworms can also be transmitted by ground contact.  The tapeworm is transmitted through fleas.  Heartworms are transmitted by mosquito bites.

The roundworm, hookworm and tapeworm are typically found in the intestine.  The heartworm – as the name suggests – is found in the heart/lungs. 

Pet Adoption by Dra. Rhodora Carlos

Signs Your Pet is Already Infected

There are several signs that may show your pet is infected with worms.  Some of these symptoms are coughing, weakness, exercise intolerance, vomiting and diarrhea.  Sometimes, the worms can be seen in the stool.

Have Your Pet Tested

Tests are available to detect the presence of these common dog worms.  As a responsible pet owner, you should ask your family veterinarian about this.

Your vet will recommend that your dog will undergo such tests regularly.  Test result will determine if your dog is worm-free or not. And if there are worms present, the test will help him figure out what is the best solution for your pet’s health.

There are specific meds required for the treatment for each type of worm.  Knowing what worm is infecting your pet will help in identifying the right meds for your pet.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure . . . 

Another thing to ask your family veterinarian is if there are preventatives available for each worm.  Medicine that will work on the large roundworm and the hookworm may not work on the tapeworm.  There is also a specific preventative medicine for heartworms.

Why Go To A Licensed Veterinarian

Prevention is much better than treating the presence of worms.  This is especially true for heartworms.  Once your dog has this kind of worm, the treatment has some risks and can be expensive. The treatment can even drag to several months.  In the worst cases, it cannot be treated at all.

When your pet is infected with a lot of hookworms, this can be detrimental to your pet’s health.  Your pet will become very sick and may even lead to death.

The roundworm and tapeworm may not be as bad as the two mentioned earlier, but can also cause your pet to get very ill.

Pet Deworming and Prevention

Get your pets, especially your dogs, to avail of pet deworming services. 

It’s best to go to your veterinarian so your pet can be dewormed if he has any intestinal worms.  He can also prescribe preventives if there are worms detected.

With heartworms, he will recommend a special preventive program for this.  Hopefully your dog doesn’t have any.

You can call us at these numbers during hospital hours to book your pet’s deworming appointment:  (02) 8896-6386 / 8896-2860 / 0908-896-7113. 

Makati Dog and Cat Hospital serves you and your pet from 8AM to 3PM, Mondays to Saturdays.

Connect with us on our Facebook and Instagram.

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

0 Top 3 Pet New Year Safety Tips Every Pet Owner Should Know By Now

Top 3 Pet New Year Safety Tips Every Pet Owner Should Know By Now – have a joyous but safe New Year celebration!

New Year’s Eve can be full of excitement for the humans but when it comes to your pets, fireworks can be stressful. Pets are more sensitive to noise and do not like loud sounds. Best to prepare not just for your New Year’s Eve celebration but for your pets’ welfare as well. Here are the Top 3 Pet New Year Safety Tips for pet owners out there:

Pet New Year Safety Tips: Give Your Pets Enough Exercise During the Day 

Prepare your pets for the New Year’s celebration by letting them have a lot of exercise during the day.  Exercise will make them tired and less anxious later in the night when the fireworks start. They could be sleeping and too tired to care.

So make the pet exercise part of your day to get your pet less energetic later in the evening. You can go around your house or if you have an area in your place to exercise your pet you can do that as well. 

Pet New Year Safety Tips: Prepare a Safe and Cozy Place for Your Pets

A safe practice during the New Year’s celebration is to keep your pet in a safe and secure area. This can be a bedroom or your family room where you can keep watch of your pet. Set a cozy place where your pet can sleep or take a rest. Put food and water nearby as well. Don’t forget to give the pet’s favorite toy. You can play soothing music to drown out the fireworks noise.

The pets should be kept indoors during this time to avoid the incidence of them running away. If you have to let your dogs out for bathroom breaks, keep them in a leash that is secure and tight enough not to let them escape. For cats, do not let them out at all.

Pet New Year Safety Tips: Comfort Your Pet as Needed

More often than not the best way to keep your pet comfortable during the New Year celebration is to give them love and affection more than the usual. You can give them extra pet treats – not human food and especially not alcohol.  You can allow them to sleep in your bed if you practice that. Or simply letting them stay by your side during the excitement will be good enough. A massage and extra hugs will not hurt either. Besides, you will also benefit from comforting your pets.

Here is a summary of the Pet New Year Safety Tips you can easily share with your fellow pet mommies and daddies:

Keep these safety tips to make sure you have a happy and accident free Holiday celebration.

Are You Travelling During The Holidays?

Travelling during the Holidays? You can leave your pets with us. We offer Pet Boarding services. If you want to learn more about Pet Boarding and reserve your slot, you can call us at these numbers during hospital hours:  (02) 8896-6386 / 8896-2860 / 0908-896-7113. Makati Dog and Cat Hospital serves you and your pet from 8AM to 3PM, Mondays to Saturdays.

You can also learn the Pet Christmas Safety Tips here.

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

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0 5 Top Pet Christmas Safety Tips Every Pet Owner Should Know

Pet Owners here are Important Pet Christmas Safety Tips to keep in mind this coming holidays. 

As we are all in the middle of this pandemic, most probably you will be staying with your pets at home during the Christmas season. Best to take note of what you should do and what to avoid.

Pet Christmas Safety Tips: Pet-Proof Your Christmas Tree

The main Christmas icon in your home is the Christmas tree. Make sure that you pet-proof it by anchoring your tree securely to the ceiling with a hook so your pets will not tip it over.

Pet-proofing your Christmas tree is not just securing the tree itself but the ornaments as well. Your Christmas tree decorations may look nice and elegant but to your pet’s eyes, these can be seen as treats or toys.

If possible, place your Christmas tree in an area that you can close off from your pets when you are not around. Or you can use a playpen or baby gate to bar off the pets from getting near the tree. And make sure that there are people around when the pets are near the Christmas tree.

Keep The Tinsel Out of Reach

One of the common Christmas decors in the pinoy culture is the tinsel. You know, those long glittery strips that come in different colors you put around the Christmas tree or outline your doors and windows. 

But this is a dangerous decor especially if you have a cat in the house. Cats – naturally curious – want to check out these sparkly things. A small nibble and swallow of these tinsels can obstruct their digestive tract leading to other complications.

If you really want to use tinsels, make sure they are out of reach to your cats. But if you can avoid putting them up on your tree and as trimmings, this is the best option.

Pet Christmas Safety Tips: Avoid Toxic Christmas Plants

For the pet owners who are also plantitas and platitos out there, see to it that the holiday plants are out of reach for your pets. Holly, Lilies and the Poinsettias are toxic to your cats and dogs. 

There are Asian holly varieties that contain toxic saponins that can cause serious gastrointestinal distress when eaten.

Lilies can cause fatal kidney failure especially to cats with just a few bites of this plant.

Poinsettias, a popular Christmas plant here in the Philippines can pose danger to your pets as well. Its milky white sap can cause diarrhea, vomiting and drooling. Though only large amounts of this sap can cause these, still this can pose a threat to your pet’s health. 

Secure Those Wires and Lights

Just like your Christmas tree and ornaments, keep those wires and lights out of your pet’s paw’s reach. Fasten the Christmas lights to the tree and keep the cords out of your pet’s mouth. Electrocution from electric wires can be fatal to your pets.

If you are fond of lighting candles in your home, be sure not to leave them unattended. You do not want your pet to cause fire because of candles getting knocked off from tables.

Pet Christmas Safety Tips: Keep Them Off Those Tempting Sweets

If you are a pet owner, you would know by now that sweets are a big no no for your pets especially chocolates.  Other food you should avoid giving your pets are grapes/raisins and onions and those that contain xylitol or other toxic foods. 

Aside from the food items that are not good for your pet, do not leave your alcoholic drinks where your pets can easily reach them. These drinks can cause respiratory failure to your pets.

Here is a summary of the Pet Christmas Safety Tips you can easily share with your fellow pet mommies and daddies:

Keep these safety tips to make sure you have a happy and accident free Christmas.

For New Year Safety Tips go here.

Travelling on Christmas? You can leave your pets with us. We offer Pet Boarding services. If you want to learn more about Pet Boarding and reserve your slot, you can call us at these numbers during hospital hours:  (02) 8896-6386 / 8896-2860 / 0908-896-7113. Makati Dog and Cat Hospital serves you and your pet from 8AM to 3PM, Mondays to Saturdays.

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

Follow us on our social media accounts here:
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Instagram

0 Tick and Flea Prevention: What You Should Know Before You Buy

Tick and Flea Prevention: What You Should Know Before You Buy

Imagine This: You were excited to go home and try a tick and flea prevention product you just bought. You can finally get rid of the parasites from your dog and from your home. And get that good night sleep you look forward to have.

And your dog seems to be excited too! So you both sat there while you read the instruction of the product box.

But your happy mood gets dampened when you realized that you bought the wrong product! Your dog weighs lighter than what the tick and flea preventive is intended for. Tsk.

You called the store and thankfully they can change the product to the right one. Still, you were annoyed at yourself for not knowing beforehand the right product for your pet.

So before you buy anything, you have to know the product first.

Here are the basic essentials you should know of tick and flea prevention products:

Tick and Flea Prevention: Know The Minimum Age Required

You cannot just buy a tick and flea preventive without checking for the minimum age required. There are products that allow puppies as early as 4 weeks while some products cannot be given until your dog is already 6 months old.

Tick and Flea Prevention: Know The Weight Of Your Dog

Another detail to know about your dog is their weight. More often than not, tick and flea preventives differentiate their products by dog weight. This is because a larger dog requires more of the ingredients than a small dog. You have to be careful in reading if it is in pounds or kilograms.

Tick and Flea Prevention: Know If Your Can Buy Over The Counter

Many tick and flea preventives can be bought over the counter but there are those that need a prescription. This is because others have higher form of treatment to ensure that the parasites are killed.

Tick and Flea Prevention: Know The Duration Of Effectiveness

One of the important details to know on tick and flea preventives is their length of effectiveness. There are those that only have a 24-hour duration that you have to give or apply to your dog everyday, while there are those that can last for a month or up to 8 months. Your choice may depend on your lifestyle and preference.

You can check out the different types of tick and flea preventive products here: Tick and Flea 101: Choosing The Right Tick and Flea Preventive For You And Your Pet

Tick and Flea Prevention: Know What The Product Targets

As the pet owner, you want to know what the product targets. Even if it says ticks and fleas, you have to figure out if it include flea eggs or larvae as some products only target adult fleas.

There are also tick and flea preventives that can prevent internal parasites such as heartworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms.

In a nutshell, there are a lot to consider when choosing the right tick and flea preventive for your dog. If you cannot decide or need a better insight on removing these parasites from your pet and home, best to consult your vet.

Flea infestation may mean you need immediate attention on addressing the fleas. And you may need a vet’s sound advice on that. This way you will be sure that you have the right tick and flea prevention product for your pet and your home.

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” – from a Happy Client

0 Tick and Flea 101: Choosing The Right Tick and Flea Preventive For You And Your Pet

Tick and Flea 101: Choosing The Right Tick and Flea Preventive For You And Your Pet

What’s that crawling on your wall? A tick! Tsk. And your mind is in overdrive to buy that tick and flea preventive you saw on your Facebook feed.

Sad to say in the Philippines, ticks and fleas are present all year round. Yes, more so during the summer months.

The good news though, there are tick and flea preventive products that are readily available for you to use on your dog. So much so that you might be confused which one to choose for your dog.

Here are the types of Tick and Flea Preventives in the market today:

Tick and Flea Preventive: Topical Medication

Topical Medication for fleas and ticks include powders, sprays, shampoos and spot-on treatments. The first three mentioned can last from a day to a week. Sprays can last longer as long as your dog does not get wet.

As you can see, the effectiveness is very short and is best used when coupled with other flea and tick preventive.

Spot-on treatments may be the best topical medication, one such medication is Frontline Spot On.

Spot-ons are applied on the base of your dog’s neck or in between the shoulder blades where they cannot reach with their tongue. The medication spread to the sweat glands of your dog which repels the ticks and fleas. Your dog can go swimming and the medication will still be effective for as long as 30 days.

Tick and Flea Preventive: Oral Medication

A popular solution to tick and flea prevention is the oral medication for dogs. This comes usually in chewable tablets that are palatable to your dogs for easy giving. Your dog might think it’s a treat but is actually a medication to kill off those parasites.

In today’s market there are various chewables you can choose from for your dog. Some focus on killing adult fleas, flea eggs and ticks in your dog as well as in your home. Others include preventing heartworm disease, treating roundworms, hookworms and whipworms.  

Most if not all of the oral medication that comes in chewable tablets lasts for 30 days. So you have to give this to your dog monthly. Simparica, a new product in the market can last up to 35 days.

Tick and Flea Preventive: Collars

Another type of tick and flea preventive is the collar. Yes, you read that right: a dog flea collar. These dog collars have active ingredients that kill off fleas, flea larva and ticks. A known dog and cat flea collar is Seresto.

With Seresto, you just simply place the collar on your dog’s neck and you have a tick and flea free pet and home for the next 8 months. Take note though, effectiveness may shorten if your dog loves to take a swim.

So there you have the top 3 tick and flea preventive products that you can choose from. If you are still confused, you can discuss the best one for your dog with your vet.

Enjoy peace of mind,

Dr. Sixto Carlos, DVM, MS
Makati Dog and Cat Hospital
Serving Pet Parents near Mandaluyong, Makati, and BGC

“The St. Luke’s of Pet Hospitals” – from a Happy Client