Pet FAQ

For many families, a dog is not just a pet but a beloved member of the household. When that furry family member is constantly itching, scratching, and uncomfortable, it can be distressing for both the dog and the people who care for them. If you know someone dealing with this, offering sympathy and support can go a long way in helping them navigate the challenges of having an itchy dog.

Dogs scratch for various reasons—seasonal allergies, food sensitivities, flea infestations, skin infections, or chronic conditions like atopic dermatitis. While an occasional scratch is normal, persistent itching can lead to severe discomfort, hair loss, open sores, and secondary infections. For the families dealing with an itchy dog, daily life can become frustrating and exhausting. They may constantly be cleaning up dander, vacuuming hair, washing bedding, or applying medications to soothe their pup. Sleepless nights due to non-stop scratching and licking can make things even more stressful.

The Emotional Toll on Pet Owners is real. When a dog suffers, the family suffers too. Watching their furry companion struggle can lead to feelings of helplessness, frustration, and even guilt. Many pet owners go to great lengths to find relief for their dog—vet visits, special diets, allergy testing, and expensive medications—only to experience little success. The financial burden can also add stress, as ongoing treatments can be costly.

Well-meaning friends might offer advice like “Just change their food” or “Give them a bath,” but for many pet owners, the situation is far more complex. What works for one dog may not work for another, making the journey to relief a long and uncertain one.

As stated above, itching occurs for many reasons. We have listened and understand the frustration pet owners have when their fur baby itches. It affects the entire family. We are here to help you and your pet manage this debilitating problem. Even if you have have seen other veterinarians for this problem, sometimes a second or even a third opinion is in order. We have helped countless pets and families navigate the muddy waters of skin and ear disease.

Schedule a consultation today. Our veterinarians listen to you and take a thorough history, consider past failures in treatment so we don’t repeat costly test and treatments. Our doctors will formulate a plan for your pet. They explain the “why”, “what” and “when” to expect with our testing and treatments.

Our team will not just wave good-bye after your appointment. One of the biggest failures of a successful treatment is follow up calls and visits. We do not rest until you and your pet is resting again. A consistent them we hear besides the “thank you for helping us!” Is “ wow this more affordable than I expected!” We do our best to keep prices affordable while providing the highest quality experience possible.

Make an appointment today! We can usually see you and your pet the same day.

While they are highly effective, no heartworm preventative can guarantee 100% protection. Furthermore, a pet infected with heartworms will not show clinical signs for some time. It takes about 6 months for a dog to test positive for heartworm disease after they have been infected. The earlier that heartworm disease is detected in your pet, the sooner we can treat them and prevent their condition from getting worse. Left alone, heartworm disease will put more strain on your pet's heart and lungs over time, and can be fatal in a worst-case scenario. Testing your pet annually gives us the best chance to detect heartworm disease early and treat it before it becomes a significant problem.

Ideally, brushing their teeth once daily will produce the best results. If you can, start brushing your pet's teeth when they're very young to help them get used to the practice. The goal of brushing is to prevent the formation of plaque and bacteria in your pet's mouth. If brushing isn't possible, contact us directly to ask about other options we would recommend.

Rabies and distemper are essential vaccines for your pet's health and safety, since the rabies and distemper viruses have a high fatality rate. Give us a call to schedule an appointment and find out which other vaccines your pet will need for maximum protection.

We do not recommend the Lyme vaccine for dogs, as we do not see many ticks, especially deer ticks (the main vectors for Lyme disease) in the area.

Soap-free shampoo is as its name suggests. Instead of soap, which can cause dry, irritated skin in pets, we recommend pH balanced shampoos that contain ingredients such as oatmeal, baking soda, aloe, coconut, and essential oils.

You can find us at 7034 Johnson Street in Lafayette, just south of the Dollar General.

This depends on your pet's breed and overall health. Small dogs and cats and medium-sized dogs are typically spayed/neutered around 6 months of age. Large and extra-large breed dogs may need to wait until they are nearly 1 year of age or older, since their bodies take longer to develop. We want to make sure that we don't interfere with their growth by spaying/neutering them too early.

Xylitol is also known as "sugar alcohol." It can be found in many different foods and candies that we eat, along with chewing gum and sugar-free ice cream. Your pet's bloodstream absorbs xylitol much more quickly than yours, which can result in the rapid release of insulin into the body. This can cause a potentially life-threatening drop in your pet's blood sugar level.