Ferry Farm Animal Clinic
Pet Care Tips and News
Spring Flea, Tick, and Heartworm Prevention
These pests can cause major health problems for your pets. Fleas can cause minor itching to fur loss and skin infections, not to mention for every flea you see, there are 50 more in the environment. Mosquito bites can cause deadly heartworms (that can grow to a foot long and live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels in dogs and other infected animals), which is why it is so important to have your pets tested every year and give preventative treatments year-round. Tick bites can cause Lyme disease, rocky mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis (a bacterial infection with fever and flu-like symptoms) in humans and pets alike. The heartworm test now also tests for Lyme disease (over 10% of dogs in our area have tested positive); for pets living in high-risk areas for ticks, a preventative Lyme disease vaccine is now available. Please talk to us to make sure you have the best flea, tick, and heartworm medications to protect your pets; because Virginia is a temperate climate, it is important to continue prevention treatments year-round!
Interstate and International Travel with your Pet
If you are traveling or moving with your pets, or will be in the future, please be aware that the regulations and requirements have changed, and unfortunately continue to change. This also applies to shipping or transporting animals (even in personal vehicles) into a different state or country for sale or adoption. The requirements for travel are much more restrictive than they have been in the past. If you are planning to travel with your pet and will need a pet health certificate, please take a few minutes to review the important information attached about traveling with your pet. Contact us prior to scheduling an appointment for a pet health certificate so we can get the details of your destination, pet carrier, timing, pet records and vaccinations required, and any other pertinent information before your appointment.
Acupuncture/Acupressure
Ferry Farm Animal Clinic is proud to introduce Dr. Lindsy Brockman, who in addition to general veterinary care specializes in dermatology, neurology, and traditional Japanese acupuncture to aid in the control of chronic pain.
FDA Warning: don’t give your dogs bone treats!
The vets and staff at Ferry Farm Animal Clinic have always cautioned our patients about the risks of giving their dogs these and other unsafe treats. After numerous reports of pet illnesses or deaths from dogs eating bone treats, the FDA is taking action to warn pet owners about the dangers. Read the full FDA Consumer Warning here: “No Bones (or Bone Treats) About It: Reasons Not to Give Your Dog Bones”
Over The Counter (OTC) Pain Medicine and Our Pets
Not all pain relievers are created equal. While it is true that buffered aspirin can be used as an OTC pain reliever in dogs and in specific feline heart patients, the doses must be carefully regulated – please consult with us regarding safe doses. Other common OTC pain relievers like ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil), Naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) should NEVER be given to dogs or cats as they can cause kidney failure, serious gastrointestinal bleeding, liver toxicity, and are potentially lethal (especially for cats). We do have prescription pain medications that are specifically formulated and generally safe for your pets for pain management and conditions that require it.
Ultrasound and Therapeutic Class IV Laser Equipment
We at Ferry Farm Animal Clinic take pride in our state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment equipment. Our digital ultrasound machine provides much more detailed images for a more accurate diagnosis and treatment, and laser therapy helps speed healing of acute injuries and helps in the treatment and management of long-term problems like osteoarthritis. Read more on the services page.
Links & Resources
There are so many resources on pet ownership available – we can’t list all of them here! If you are thinking of adopting an animal, we encourage you to talk to us first about what is involved with its care and the joys, costs, and challenges of pet ownership (especially puppies!). Also please contact us if you need a specific referral or additional resources not listed.
Please note: the links and resources provided below are for your convenience – Ferry Farm Animal Hospital neither endorses, nor is responsible for content, privacy policies, or other information provided on these websites. Clicking on the links will open a new browser window – please set your browser to allow popups for this purpose. To return to the FFAC website, simply click on the “x” to close the new browser window or click on the tab.
Emergency, Surgical, and Specialty Care:
Virginia Veterinary Centers (Hospital): 24-hour emergency, critical care, specialty, and referral veterinary hospital specializing in surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, oncology, ophthalmology, and physical rehabilitation in Fredericksburg, Richmond, and Midlothian
Dogwood Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center: Multi-discipline referral hospital specializing in emergency/critical care, cardiology, dermatology, Internal medicine, neurology, oncology, radiocat, surgery in Richmond
Regional Veterinary Referral Center: Multi-discipline referral hospital in Springfield specializing in Internal medicine, surgery, neurology, cardiology, oncology, radiocat, dermatology, emergency/critical Care in Springfield
Veterinary Referral Center of Northern Virginia: Internal medicine, surgery, behavior medicine practice, and emergency referral service in Manassas
CVCA Veterinary Cardiology Associates: Cardiology specialty group in Richmond, Springfield, Leesburg, and Vienna, Virginia, and locations in Maryland
Radiocat Centers for the Treatment of Feline Hyperthyroidism: Radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroid cats in Springfield
Vet Vision: Ophthalmology specialist in Fairfax
Eye Care For Animals: Ophthalmology specialty group in Leesburg
Bush Veterinary Neurology Service: Neurology specialists in Leesburg, Springfield, Richmond, and Vienna
Veterinary Dermatology of Richmond: Dermatology specialists
Blue Pearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospitals: Emergency and specialty care in Richmond, Vienna, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach
The Life Centre: Multi-discipline referral hospital specializing in neurology, dentistry, Internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, ophthalmology, emergency/critical care in Leesburg/Loudon County
VCA South Paws Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Center: Multi-discipline referral hospital specializing in neurology, oncology, internal medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, radiology, emergency/critical care, acupuncture/holistic medicine in Fairfax
Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine: Referral information for the veterinary teaching hospital at Virginia Tech
General Pet Care Information & Other Resources:
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Animal poison control & resource center for any animal poison-related emergency
Veterinary Partner: General Pet Care Information from Veterinary Information Network
Virginia Tech College of Veterinary Medicine: Animal Owner Resources: Links and information for pet owners
Cornell Feline Health Center: General feline health information from Cornell University Feline Health Center
Care Credit: Provides special financing/payment options for veterinary care
Pet Adoption/Lost Pets/Shelters/Pet & Breed Information:
SPCA of Fredericksburg: No-kill shelter, pet adoption, foster, donate, volunteer, rescue groups, and pet ownership/new pet care resources in Fredericksburg
SPCA of Stafford: No-kill shelter, pet adoption, donate, volunteer, lost and found animal reports, pet resources in Stafford
American Kennel Club Dog Breed Selector: asks a series of questions about your lifestyle (where you live, if you have kids, other dogs, what your noise tolerance is, etc.) to help you select a compatible dog
Vet Street Pet Selection Assistant Tool: What breed of dog or cat is right for you? Let’s you rate what’s important to you in a dog or cat breed based on your lifestyle needs (size, shedding, socialization, etc.)
