A topic that comes up quite often is the cost of veterinarian care especially when it’s a serious medical condition. Many of us cannot pay for unplanned veterinary care from our discretionary income  and sometimes have to face that difficult decision of whether or not to put our pets to sleep.

We at American Vet Hospital believe economic euthanasia is not an acceptable medical solution for our patients and that’s why we recommend using alternative solutions such as pet insurance and CareCredit.

We know that pet owners respond to symptoms much faster when their pet is insured, providing us with a better opportunity to diagnose and treat an illness earlier. We also know that insured pets receive more comprehensive care since the insurance is paying the majority of the cost.

For example, if you had at the most $1000 for veterinary care but had pet insurance with an 80 percent plan, you can now afford nearly $5000 with a $100 deductible and still only pay the $1000 out of packet.

The other option is to use CareCredit. CareCredit is a personal line of credit for healthcare treatments. It works like a credit card but it has two advantages. It can only be used for healthcare services and you can get no Interest financing every time you use it. It just takes 5 minutes to complete an application and will allow you to break down your payment into 3 monthly installments. You can either apply at our hospital, where we’ll call in your application over the phone for immediate approval, or apply yourself online at:  www.CareCredit.com.

Please do not hesitate to contact us about all of our wellness packages. We offer the most affordable health care programs for your pets in the Simi Valley area and can make your pet care dollars go further than thought possible.

Call today for all the money saving information at 805-581-9111.

Have questions?  Feel free to  leave a comment.

Has your cat or dog been sprayed by a skunk? Many have heard that a bath in tomato juice will help your pet get rid of the skunk smell but tomato juice just doesn’t work. Skunk spray is actually an oily substance, and the best way to get rid of the smell is to use something on your pet that will remove the oil. There are many specialized skunk odor removers, but Dawn dish detergent works great and most people already have some at home. If your pet has been sprayed, try to start cleaning your pet as soon as possible to avoid letting the skunky smell ‘sink in.’

Step One: Brush out Skunky Fur with Slicker Brush

Before you begin, brush the animal’s hair out with a slicker brush if your pet has medium to long fur. This will help comb out some of the skunk spray oil. Make sure to clean the brush thoroughly with Dawn detergent after the brushing because you will need it again at the end of the cleaning process.

Step Two: Wash Pet and Rinse 2-3 Times

The majority of the skunk spray is generally on your dog or cat’s face, including their eyes. Make sure to carefully wash their face and body with Dawn detergent and water. To help prevent water from getting into your pets eyes, ears or nose when rinsing the face, tilt the dog or cat’s head downwards and lightly cover its nose and ears as you rinse. For a small head or a pet that is hard to work with, you may want to use a sponge to wash your pet’s face and head.  There are also some people who will use a mixture of 16 oz Hydrogen Peroxide, a box of baking soda, and a few tablespoons of Dawn detergent for the first washing.

It’s advised that your wash your pet again with Dawn after rinsing them thoroughly with cool water. Some people will even wash their pet a third time with a special or fragrant shampoo, but it’s not really necessary.

Step Three: Towel Pet Off and Let Air Dry if Possible

Towel your pet off well. Your pet will probably dry itself on its own but you may want to use a hair dryer if your pet has long fur. If at all possible, try to find another to dry your pet’s fur because the washing process will already dry out their skin, and the heat from a hair dryer can dry out the skin even further.

Step Four: Brush out Fully Dried Fur with Slicker Brush

When your pet is fully dry, brush their fur thoroughly again with the cleaned slicker brush from before. Wash and dry any animal bedding or areas that have been touched by skunk essence before letting your pet near them again.

Your pet will still have traces of skunk smell, especially around the face and even in their eyes which can’t be directly cleaned. This smell will gradually disappear over time but you will be past the worst of it.

Watch your pet closely for the next couple of days. Some pets can have bad reactions to being sprayed by a skunk. If your pet seems tired or you think something is not right, call your local Simi Valley veterinarian right away for advice.

Founded in 1988, American Veterinary Hospital is a full-service, small animal veterinary hospital which provides comprehensive medical, surgical and dental care for your pet. American Veterinary Hospital commonly sees pets from Simi Valley, Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley including the communities of Northridge, Chatsworth, Thousand Oaks and Morepark. If you are interested in making an appointment at our veterinary hospital, contact us at 805-581-9111 today or request an appointment below!

There are many factors to consider when choosing whether or not to declaw your beloved cat or kitten. Many cat owners and veterinarians have strong opinions about declawing, but it is up to you to learn the facts about the procedure and make the right decision for your circumstances. Dr Luis Cruz from American Vet Hospital in Simi Valley has put together the following information about cat declawing to help you make the right choice for your cat. Dr. Cruz has been your Simi Valley vet since 2006 and has years of experience treating cats in Simi Valley. Dr Cruz has a special interest in small animal and exotic pet internal medicine and surgery as well as emergency medicine and critical care. At his Simi Valley Animal Hospital, Dr Cruz offers laser surgery as a less painful alternative to traditional cat declaw surgery.

Declawing Your Cat Is a Controversial Topic

Among cat lovers, there are few topics that are more controversial than cat declaw surgery. Some veterinarians will actually refuse to perform any declawing procedures while others feel the trauma is minimal and see declawing as a way to prevent your pet from being exiled outdoors or worse due to uncontrollable clawing. Many veterinarians do not see declawing as a problem and will actually declaw a cat’s front paws while the cat is being spayed or neutered at the owner’s request.  Before you make a decision one way or the other, it’s important to understand the facts about the procedure as well as some information about why cats start scratching in the first place.

Why Do Your Cats Claw Your Furniture?

It is completely normal for cats to want to claw and scratch at objects and kittens will spontaneously start scratching soon after they are born. Scratching is a way for the cat to exercise the toe muscles as well as “sharpen” their claws. What most people do not realize is that when a cat is sharpening their claws, they are actually removing the whole outer layer of claw to expose a new healthy claw underneath.  A cat will also leave claw marks as a visual way to show others that this territory belongs to him.  When a cat spends time outdoors, they tend to claw trees and other types of woods. When kept indoors, a cat can choose to scratch almost any surface to scratch. Without anything else to scratch in your household, a cat will often turn to your furniture or other household items to fulfill their natural instinct to scratch.

Is Declawing Right For My Cat?

Declawing your cat is major surgery and should not be taken lightly, though many owners find it beneficial to declaw their cats. When a cat is declawed, the entire last joint of the toe is amputated to prevent claws from growing back.  Traditional declaw procedures can be painful and risky but any surgery can now be done with laser. Therefore, at American Veterinary Hospital, we offer laser declaw procedures which minimize healing time in the vast majority of patients.  There are many advantages to using laser surgery for your cat declaw, including little or no bleeding (during or after surgery), less post-operative pain, and in many instances, no bandages.

Despite what opponents may say, several studies have shown that declawed cats are not more likely to bite or develop litter box problems than cats which have not been declawed. However, cats which are declawed must be kept indoors because they will be less able to defend themselves without their front claws.

If you do choose to declaw your cat, it is best to have the procedure done during the cats first year of life. When a cat is young, they are less likely to have complications and will recover quickly from being declawed.

If you think that declawing might be right for your cat, or if you have any questions about the procedure, please contact American Veterinary Hospital today at 805-581-9111 or Contact Us today!

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