Dog & Cat
Wellness Care

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. At Timberline Animal Hospital, prevention is our passion! Pets age much faster than their human friends and need regular veterinary visits to stay healthy for life. Regular veterinary visits are important for early detection and treatment of common preventable diseases so that you and your pet have a long and rewarding relationship together.

We offer the following preventive health care services for pets. These services are based on the recommendations of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) & American Veterinary Medical Associations (AVMA) Preventive Healthcare Guidelines.

All pets should receive a comprehensive nose to tail examination once a year. The information collected helps us establish a health profile of your pet and aids our medical team in the early detection of any serious medical problems. Senior pets and pets with chronic health issues should receive an examination every six months. We offer customized medical plans, screenings, preventives and non-core vaccinations based on the individual pet’s needs and lifestyle.

A comprehensive physical examination includes:

  • Medical history
  • Evaluation of life style and life stage
  • Behavior
  • Diet and Nutrition
  • Nose to tail physical examination
  • Dental assessment
  • Pain assessment
  • Body and muscle condition

Preventive Healthcare Recommendations for Dogs:

Annual Preventive Care

  • Comprehensive Annual Physical Examination
  • Vaccinations Due
  • Heartworm Test (annually after 6 months of age)
  • Bloodwork (CBC, Chemistry, Electrolytes)
  • Heartworm Prevention (Year-Round)
  • Flea & Tick Prevention (May1-Oct 1)
  • Dental Cleaning as Needed

Every 6 Months

  • Physical Exam for Dogs Over 8 Years Old
  • Fecal Float/Intestinal Parasite Screening
  • De-Wormer for Hookworms and Roundworms

One Time

  • Microchip
  • Spay or Neuter Surgery

Preventive Healthcare Recommendations for Cats:

Annual Preventive Care

  • Comprehensive Annual Physical Examination
  • Vaccinations Due
  • FeLV/FIV Test (annually for outdoor cats)
  • Bloodwork (CBC, Chemistry, Electrolytes)
  • Flea & Tick Prevention (for outdoor cats May1-Oct 1)
  • Dental Cleaning as Needed

Every 6 Months

  • Physical Exam for Cats Over 12 Years Old
  • Fecal Float/Intestinal Parasite Screening
  • De-Wormer for Hookworms and Roundworms
  • De-Wormer for Tapeworms for outdoor cats

One Time

  • Microchip
  • Spay or Neuter Surgery

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are an essential part of your pet’s overall preventive healthcare plan. At Timberline Animal Hospital, each patient is unique and we will work closely with you to develop a vaccination protocol that fits your pet’s lifestyle. We offer technician vaccine appointments for current clients who have had a comprehensive examination with one of our veterinarians within the last year. Technician vaccine appointments allow you to bring your pet in for vaccines without the cost of an exam fee.

We recommend the following vaccine schedule:

Recommended Dog Vaccines:

  • Distemper/Parvo Virus Combination (DA2PP) (Given at 9, 12, & 15 weeks, boosted at 1 year, then boosted every 3 years)
  • Bordetella - Kennel Cough (Given at 9 weeks, boosted every six month)
  • Leptospirosis (Given at 12, 15 weeks, boosted annually)
  • Rabies (Given at 16 weeks, boosted at 1 year, then boosted every 3 years)

Recommended Cat Vaccines:

  • Rabies (Given at 16 weeks, boosted at 1 year, then boosted every 3 years)
  • Feline Upper Respiratory Combination (FVRCP) (Given at 9, 12, 15 weeks, boosted at 1 year, then boosted every 3 years)
  • Feline Leukemia Virus (FELV) (Given at 12, 15 weeks, boosted annually if indicated by your cat’s lifestyle)

Heartworm testing for dogs

We have a full in-hospital diagnostic laboratory and all dogs should receive annual heartworm testing. Heartworm disease is simple to prevent but treatment can be very costly and fatal to your dog. Early detection and prevention is the key to treatment.

Internal parasite testing

We recommend testing for internal parasites every six months because let’s face it, pets eat things! We also strongly recommend that all new pets into your home be tested and treated for internal parasites as one of the first medical decisions you make for them.

Internal parasite testing is often overlooked by many pet owners yet is one disease that your pet can share with you and your family. Internal parasites such as roundworms and hookworms can be transmitted to humans. The eggs of roundworms are extremely resistant to environmental conditions and can remain infective in the soil for months to years. We recommend heartworm, hookworm, and roundworm prevention year-round to insure that you and your pet are protected from exposure to parasites. Make sure your pet is regularly tested for roundworms and hookworms. For more information on parasites and your family’s health visit the CDC website or visit the Companion Animal Parasite Council.

Broad-spectrum parasite control

We carry and recommend year-round heartworm prevention and broad-spectrum parasite control targeting heartworms, intestinal parasites and fleas and ticks. We recommend flea and tick prevention during the Summer months from May 1-October 1.

Microchip

Microchipping is a simple, effective way to help your pet get back to your family if they become lost. A microchip is the size of a grain of rice and is encoded with it’s own unique identification number. It is implanted underneath the skin between the shoulder blades of your pet and the information is registered in a national database. Animal shelters and veterinary hospitals have scanners that can detect and read your pet’s microchip number.

Spay & Neuter Surgery

Spaying or neutering your pet is the single best thing you can do to control pet over-population. At Timberline Animal Hospital, we believe in the importance of spaying or neutering your pet while respecting your decision regarding your pet’s reproductive health. Spay or Neuter Surgery is a very important decision for every pet owner and we are here to provide you with information and consultation so that you can make the best decision for you and your pet.

Benefits of Spay:

  • #1 benefit is population control
  • Eliminates ovarian and uterine cancer
  • Reduces the desire to fight, thereby reduces the spread of disease
  • When done before first heat cycle, reduces the risk of breast cancer
  • Eliminates the risk of pyometra (infection of uterus)
  • Reduces the tendency to roam to mate

Benefits of Neuter:

  • #1 benefit is population control
  • Eliminates the risk of testicular cancer
  • Reduced risk of prostate cancer
  • Reduces the tendency to roam to mate
  • Reduces the desire to fight, thereby reduces the spread of disease

Customized medical plans

All pets are unique. Our Veterinarians will create a customized plan for your pet based on their needs and lifestyle and present you with options for your pet. Your four-legged friend may need additional health screenings or diagnostic tests based on their examination, you may have behavioral or dietary concerns for your pet, or they may need additional non-core vaccines based on their lifestyle. We will consult with you and create a personalized plan for your pet and make sure that you have all the information you need to make the right decision for your pet and your family.

Annual Health Care Packages

We offer several annual health care packages billed monthly for pets. Our monthly payments help you keep your pet healthcare costs down while still providing your pet with the very best preventive care possible. Please visit our Health Care Packages page for more information about our Preventive Health Care Packages.