www.redmond-reporter.com[12] June 24, 2011

DR. CRAIG MILLER

Loyal Companion Animal Care

How to keep our loyal com-panions healthy? What are the basic preventative health tips and some common mistakes?

Here are some answers to commonly asked questions.

Is an annual exam really needed?

Dogs age approximately seven years for every one

calendar year. Large dogs age faster (more like 10 years in one calendar year) and small dogs and cats age slower (approximately 5 years). That means an annual exam is equivalent to us going to the doctor every 5-10 years. An-nual exams are probably the most important aspect of preventative care as a thorough physical exam can detect problems that may not be noticed by the owner. Animals, especially cats, hide illness instinctively. Pets 10 and older, especially if they have a chronic illness, should be examined biannually.

What are common health problems for pets?

One of the leading health problems our pets face is obesity.

Similar to us, obesity can lead to joint problems, urinary disease, breath-ing complications, and diabetes. Recent veterinary studies have shown that fat actually sends out cellular signals that cause inflam-mation, and chronic in-flammation can result in a number of health problems.

Pets kept at their ideal weight range have been shown to live longer than their overweight siblings. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are critical. While there are many “light” foods on the market, there is little regulation of what constitutes a “light” pet food, and nutritional research has found that the calorie content of non-prescription diet foods vary widely. In addition, the type of food fed may matter.

For example, cats are strict carnivores and must be fed a meat diet. Dry diets are high in carbohydrates, which cats do not digest very well. Thus, dry cat food tends to contribute to weight gain and increases blood sugar levels.

Another common prob-lem is dental disease.

Think of everything we do to keep our teeth and gums health: brushing, mouth-washes, flossing, biannual cleanings and exams.

What do our pets do? Chew on a dental treat? Dental treats can be helpful, but they are not enough.

Training your pet to ac-cept daily teeth brushing is the most effective aspect of at home oral pet care.

Train your pet in three steps: First with just rub-bing the teeth (outside surfaces) with just your finger (skip this step in cats!), then reward. After your dog becomes used to this, brush with a tooth brush (and reward). Finally, use a pet tooth paste with a tooth brush. Because of the difficulty (some pets just won’t let us brush their teeth) with home oral care, having your veterinarian clean your pets teeth and do a thorough tooth and gum assessment is vital.

Keeping your pets mouth healthy will not only pre-vent tooth loss and make your pet feel better, but also prevent serious complica-tions of oral disease, such as liver or kidney infections.

Pets are our loyal com-panions and bring so much joy to our lives. Taking proactive control in the pre-ventative care of your pet will ensure your pet live a happy and healthy long life!Dr. Craig Miller owns Loyal Companion Animal Care in Redmond. For more information about pet disease and health tip articles by Dr. Miller, go to http:// loyalcompanionanimalcare.com/edu.aspx .

501788

14504 NE 20th Street, Suite 100 • Bellevue 425-644-7002 | www.valuepetclinic.com

No appointment necessary! (Walk-In)

F R E E

or 25% OFF our already LOW COST SPAYS & NEUTERS

No limit on Spays & Neuters. O� er limited to one O� ce Exam for � rst-time clients only. Not to be combined with any other o� er. Only with this ad until 6/30/2011.

Of� ce Examfor New Clients

LOW COST!

17980 NE Union Hill Rd., Redmond, WA 98052www.vcaredmond.com 425.885.1476

Expert Care. With a passion.

✦ Dentistry & Surgery ✦ Boarding and Grooming

✦ Evening and Weekend Hours

Complete Wellness Care

447362

501665

Animal EmergencyHospital of Redmond

Open 24-hours a day365 days a year

425-250-7090

One

Cou

pon

per

Cust

omer

.Ex

pire

s 7/

31/1

1

One

Cou

pon

per

Cust

omer

.Ex

pire

s 7/

31/1

1

Up to $90 OffDental Cleaning

• $40 Off Dental Cleaning for Cats & Dogs Only

• $50 additional mail-in rebate with purchase of prescription Purina Dental Health Diet

FREEInitial Exam

• New Customer Only• Not valid for Travel Certificates• Used for initial physical exam

for Cats & Dogs Only

455231

425-821-9100 scampersdogs.com

12532 NE 124th StreetKirkland, WA 98034

• over 9000 sq. ft. of supervised indoor and outdoor play space

• convenient Totem Lake location

• joint-friendly rubber flooring indoors

• canine pack management trained

• pet first aid trained

• as many tummy rubs as your pooch can handle!!

4931

04

Serving the Greater Seattle area since 1980

425-488-0923206-367-8071

• Seminars • Behavior Modification • Private Consultations and Training

• Doggy Daycare

OBEDIENCE and AGILITY CLASSES

447378

447346

ProfessionalPet Sitter & Dog Walker

Online updates will be provided after each visit with your pet.

Because they like to stay, even when you’re away.

(425) 638-3825

Licensed Bonded Insured

www.whiskersathome.com

455230

...WONDERFUL WORLD OF PETSredmond-reporter.com Regular checkups key to your pet’s health