National Pet Dental Awareness Month

Did you know that periodontal disease is the number one dental problem in dogs and cats?  Eighty percent of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by the age of three.  Periodontal disease can cause serious problems that can affect your pet's health.  As your pet eats, the food remains in the crevices of the teeth and under the gumline.  Every day plaque and tartar form naturally on the teeth, as it does in humans.  Without regular brushing or periodic dental cleaning, tartar buildup can cause gum disease, cavities, and tooth loss.  If gone untreated, bacteria from the tartar can spread through the bloodstream to the heart, liver, kidneys, and nervous system.  The signs to look for:  bad breath; brown/yellow colored teeth; swollen, red, or bleeding gums; loose teeth or loss of teeth; and any unusual growth in the mouth.  

                                       
                    
Ask us about home dental care and professional dental cleaning for your pets or schedule your pets for a dental examination today.

For more information:  www.petdental.com,  www.AVMA.org, www.AAHA.org, or www.healthypet.com.

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Important Message About Canine Influenza

Canine Influenza is a highly contagious viral disease which can be spread through contact with other dogs or through exposure to an environment which has been contaminated by the presence of infected canines.  All dogs exposed to the virus will be infected and will be potentially able to infect other canines.  80% of these dogs will actually develop symptoms of the flu which include coughing, sneezing, ocular and nasal discharge, and fever; 20% will show no signs but will still spread the virus.  Tragically, 5 out of every 100 dogs exposed to the virus will die of the disease.

Since the recent outbreaks of Canine Influenza in Fairfax, VA and in northern North Carolina, the healthcare team of Pembroke Veterinary Clinic is highly recommending the Canine Influenza vaccine for all of our canine patients.  The vaccine will be given in a series of two injections to be administered two weeks apart.  The vaccine will be boostered annually thereafter.

The vaccination will be required for all canine patients admitted into the hospital for boarding, grooming, surgery, or hospitalization.

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Care Credit
We are pleased to announce that we are now able to offer Care Credit as a payment option.  Care Credit is the country's leading health care credit card.  And in some cases, you may even be eligible for a no interest line of credit.  For more information, call the office at 757-464-0169 or visit www.carecredit.com.

Pembroke Veterinary Clinic is an AAHA accredited full service veterinary hospital committed to preventive healthcare. Each veterinarian and team member is deeply committed to the health and well-being of your pet. We love animals as much as you do! Our patients include dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats, iguanas, lizards, turtles, and tortoises.

Our veterinary team believes in placing strong emphasis on client education, and we offer a wide variety of services to ensure that your pet always receives the medical care that you both deserve. Our services include vaccinations, semi-annual wellness examinations, radiology, in-house laboratory services, surgical services, orthopedics, and dental care services. We also offer bathing and boarding services. Pembroke Veterinary Clinic is located just off Independence Blvd in the Haygood/Pembroke area of Virginia Beach.

Please call our office or e-mail us if you would like more information on any of our services. We are proud of our hospital and would love to send you a hospital folder!