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Shana Bohac is a local veterinarian who writes a column about animal issues.

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Here are some common questions we get in the veterinary clinic and answers to those questions.

“My dog never goes outside so why does my dog need heartworm prevention?” Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are not confined to the outdoors. They can sneak into your house from time to time. Your pet likely goes outside to potty or for exercise and that leaves a window for infection open. It only takes one bite.

“Why do I need to give my dog heartworm prevention during the winter since there are no mosquitoes?” Unfortunately, in South Texas it is very warm all year and we can see mosquitoes year round. As everyone who lives here can attest, we don’t have a true winter.

“Why does my dog need heartworm prevention every month?” Heartworm prevention is just that, prevention. It only kills immature heartworms. If we do not give the preventative every single month on a regular basis we allow a gap, which can allow heartworms to then mature into adults. These preventatives cannot kill the adult heartworms and serious damage to your dog’s heart and even death can occur. If you don’t like a monthly option, there are heartworm prevention injections that last for 6 months or a year.

“I feed my dog two cups of food a day, why is he still fat?” Every pet food is formulated differently. Some foods have more fillers than others. It is best to feed your pet the exact amount of food recommended for your dog’s weight that is located on that specific dog food bag. That may be 1 cup of one food and 2 cups of another food. If you want your pet to lose weight you will need to begin feeding him the amount the bag says is needed for your dog’s ideal weight. If Fido is 60 pounds and should really be 45, then you will need to feed him what the bag says a 45 pound dog should receive. Make sure that your pet is getting enough exercise. If this still does not help, then you may want to have your dog checked for thyroid problems.

“Why is my flea prevention not working when I give it every month?” Flea prevention is also not 100% effective. If there is a very high overload of fleas in the environment, the flea preventative can get overwhelmed. Treating your house and the yard is a very important part of flea control.

“Why do I need to spend the money on annual exams?” Annual exams are a great way for your veterinarian to pick up on medical issues or concerns that you cannot see with the naked eye.

For example, heart murmurs, changes in lung sounds, lumps/bumps, lymph node enlargement, and abdominal tumors are things that your veterinarian checks for during a wellness exam.

Dr. Shana Bohac is a veterinarian and the owner of Navarro Small Animal Clinic.

Rest in Heaven my son. I love you

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