How to Choose a Great Veterinarian For Your Pet

When looking for a veterinarian for your pet it is always good to plan ahead. This is because looking for one when you are in real need can be a daunting task and you may end up choosing the wrong veterinarian. You must also keep in mind that the vet is your pet's best friend and hence the need to take your time when choosing one. You must also appreciate that you not only looking for a medical expert, but a person who will meet your needs and those of your pet. Here are some important factors to consider when choosing a veterinarian for your pet:

1. Reputation

First and foremost, start by asking people with a similar approach to pet care as you have. Your recommendations should be from your neighbors, an animal shelter worker, friends, groomer, dog trainer, and/or a pet sitter.  You may also browse local yellow pages, local review sites (like Yelp! or Google+)

2. Credentials

When going to a new vet hospital for the time, it is ok to ask for certification. Your pet may require specialized attention and this ensures that the veterinarian you are looking for has the necessary expertise needed to attend to your pet. It also gives you peace of mind knowing your four-legged friend is in good hands.

3. Facilities

Once you have identified a particular veterinarian, you need to schedule a visit to meet the staff and tour the facility to learn more about the hospital's philosophy and policies. You should also have your questions ready ahead of your scheduled visit. Here are some of the questions you should ask, and some of the things that you need to look for in a veterinarian facility: Do they charge reasonable fees for their services? Do they offer any kind of discounts? Do they have 24 hour emergency number? Seek to establish the friendliness of the staff and the doctors so you can expect better treatment for you and your pet. If your pet is insured or if you are planning to insure your pet, make sure the facility will accept your insurance.

4. Logistics

Some of the concerns with finding a vet have nothing to do with the veterinarian or the facility themselves, but are practical issues.  Is the location closer to your home or office? Do they have pet drop off and pick up without any extra charges?  How easy or difficult is to get appointments? Do they send you reminders when your pet is due a visit? Another thing to consider is if they are open on weekends or available via phone to help in case of emergencies.

5. Services

If your pet requires specific care beyond the usual checkups, you should inquire about the specific services your vet hospital offers. Do they offer ultra-sound, x-ray facilities, endoscopy and other diagnostic services, or are these services offered by specialists elsewhere? How does the facility monitor overnight patients: Do they have an employee who provides constant overnight care to your pet? If they don't have round-the-clock care, they should have arrangements to transfer your pet to another facility. If your pet needs surgery, find out what types of modern gas anesthetics are in use in that facility. The modern standard when performing surgical procedures on pets is to sedate them with gas anesthesia.

By paying attention to these factors, you can ensure that you find the right vet for your pet.

Heartgard Plus Chewables for Dogs

To a dog owner, our furry friends are more than just pets, they are members of the family. Dogs give so much love to their owners, and in return it is our responsibility to ensure they stay happy and healthy. Food, exercise, and treats are only part of this responsibility; we also have to keep them free from disease. Some of the most prevalent diseases affecting dogs are heart worms and parasites.

Heart worm is spread by fleas and can be passed from one dog to another. This, unfortunately, makes heart worm disease common;  and also a potentially fatal disease. The good news is that it is easily preventable. Dog owners can take preventative measures giving their dogs heartworm medication to protect their beloved pets.

Heartgard and Heargard Plus

One such product that helps prevent heart worm and other parasite infestations such as roundworm and hookworm is Heartgard. Heartgard is the #1 heart worm medication prescribed by veterinarians. It comes in several different forms, each product is tailored to fit your dogs size, age, and breed. Heartgard is a once a month tablet that also comes in chewable form. It is much easier to give your dog a pill once a month then to deal with the emotional and financial cost of treating heart worm disease. It's also easy to get your dog to take Heartgard because it is made with real beef, most dogs just think it's a treat! Heartgard is so safe for dogs that it has been approved for use with puppies as young as six weeks and even pregnant and nursing dogs.

Difference between Heartgard and Heartgard Plus

There are two version of Heartgard available: Heartgard and Heartgard Plus. Both are oral heartworm preventive medication taken on a monthly basis and with the biggest difference between them being that the Heartgard Plus can also eliminate certain intestinal worms. The Heartgard contains Ivermectin that is for preventing heartworm disease and the Heartgard Plus also contains Pyrantel that helps treat and control ascarids and hookworms.

Based on the weight of the dog, Heartgard and Heartgard Plus are available in following options:

• Upto 25 lb (Heartgard Plus Blue Pack)
• 26-50 lbs (Heartgard Plus Green Pack)
• 51-100 lbs (Heartgard Plus Brown Pack)

Your dog is a precious member of your family and it is very important to make sure he stays happy and healthy and lives a long and full life. Heartgard products are an important part of keeping your pet healthy. Ensure that you and your dog will have many years of fun and adventure together by treating him with Heartgard once a month based on your doctor’s recommendation.

Vetmedin Chewable Tablets for Dogs

Vetmedin (Boehringer Ingelheim) is a safe and effective prescription treatment for canine congestive heart failure. It helps the heart to pump blood efficiently and that is important when your dog is suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy or atrioventicular valvular insufficiency. These chewable tablets are easy to administer, beef-flavored, and is tolerated well by most dogs. It helps relieves the symptoms of congestive heart diseases and can prolong the life of your pet.

How does it work?

As an inodiolator, Vetmedin or its generic option Pimobendan, opens up the blood vessels that take blood away from the heart as well as the ones that return blood back to the heart. This relieves stress on the heart and allows for easier expansion and contraction of the muscle. It also increases the strength of the heartbeat, allowing for more blood flow with less cardiac effort.

Recommended Dosage*

• The recommended total daily dose is .23 mg/lb of canine body weight
• Available by prescription only with 1.25mg and 5mg options

How it is administered?

• Vetamin is administered orally twice daily
• Doses should be spaced 12 hours apart
• Should be taken approximately one hour before food
• The tablets can be administered whole or split in half to adhere to your veterinarian’s instructions
• Recommended only for dogs older than 6 months

Possible Side Effects:

Vetmedin is safe for most dogs, however adverse side effects are possible. When you dog experience one or more of the following allergic reactions, discontinue use and seek immediate emergency veterinary care.

• Swelling of the tongue, throat, mouth, or face
• Hives
• Difficulty breathing
• Labored breathing
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Weakness, fainting, or lack of coordination

Vetmedin should not be administered to animals that are allergic, pregnant, or lactating. It should not be administered if the animal has other heart conditions such as aortic stenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital heart defects, and other heart conditions that would be exacerbated by higher cardiac output.

Medi-Vet offers two options for Vetmedin tablets: 1.25mg and 5mg. Both are available as a pack of 50 chewable tablets. We sell this prescription medication only to licensed veterinarians and pharmacies. As a dog owner, you can ask your vet or pharmacy to fulfill your prescription with us.

*Disclaimer: Please consult with your Veterinarian for your dog’s needs

How to Save Money on Pet Care

Your furry friend deserves the best in care. Buying and raising a pet is a major commitment but it doesn’t have to break the bank. There are many ways to cut costs without skimping on pet care. Here are seven ways to save money on pet care that you could do easily:

1. Buy in Bulk

Whether its pet food or flea and tick medicine, buying pet supplies in bulk saves you money in the long run. Ask your veterinarian if you can buy the largest dosage of routine heartworm pills and topical flea/tick ointments. Buying pet food in bulk is also a smart move when trying to cut costs. Just make sure that your food is staying fresh.

Tip: If you find that buying in bulk simply yields too much food, try splitting with a friend or fellow pet owner in the neighborhood.

2. Take Preventative Care Measures

One of the primary things to do to save money is to keep up with vet visits. By scheduling 6 month or yearly check-ups for your pet, it is easier to stay ahead of an illness or injury. Animals are not really good at telling when they are sick, so it is important for you as a pet owner to watch for the signs.

Tip: If you have more than one pet that attends the same vet, schedule your appointments for both in the same time slot to save time and money.

3. Make Your Own Treats and Toys

Instead of buying store brand treats, use kibble or certain human foods as rewards for good behavior. Some pet treats can get costly and in most cases are devoured pretty quickly. The same goes for toys! A lot of toys are made of everyday objects you might have in your home. Old sheets and fabrics can be made into tug-of-war rags and sticks from the backyard are perfect for fetch.

Tip: Try baking pet treats at home to save money. If you prefer buying toys, only buy a few and wash and rotate them every few weeks.

4. Utilize The Internet When Deciding On Pet Care Services

Pet care services range from grooming, dog walking and pet sitting to dog training and daycare. DIY grooming is the easiest way to cut back on spending. Cutting toe nails, bathing and trimming up your pets fur isn’t too hard as long as they cooperate. Dog walking and sitting services can be crucial if you work long hours or far from home. Do research online and look for deals and reviews for a cheaper place.

Tip: Partner with your neighbor or friend who also has a pet to take care of yours while you are away. It will be mutually beneficial and saves a lot of money.

5. Shop Around For Pet Medicines

Before buying your medicines from your vet, shop around and compare prices online. A lot of time, you can find discount pet pharmacies that are able to fill your prescription at a cheaper price.

Tip: During your next visit to the vet, have them send the prescription to your favorite online discount pet supply store to get the meds delivered to your door.

6. Consider Buying Pet Insurance

Pet insurance is not as expensive as we think it would be. As your pet gets older, having pet insurance is helpful in case of sickness or injury or just to pay for frequent hospital visits. It works just as human health insurance does in that the insurance company pays part of your pet’s health care while you pay the rest.

Tip: Look at your pet medical bills over the past few years and see if getting insurance makes sense. Also consider the age of your pet and find out the common health issues for the breed as they grow older.

7. Buy Durable Pet Supplies

When shopping for leashes, collars, cages, beds or other pet essentials, buy based on durability. The more durable the product is, the longer it will be around and the less times you will need to replace it. Therefore, spending less.

Tip: Plan and anticipate your pets needs so you can shop when the store has sales. Sign up for newsletters to get coupon by emails to help you save money.


Be proactive about your pet care as saving on the little things is what saves you in the long run. And sometimes the best options are just a click away!

4 Best Products for Dog Weight Loss

Finding a healthy weight-loss solution for an overweight dog can be challenging, especially with so many products on the market. You want your dog to get the best possible nutrition so that he or she can be active and enjoy life while maintaining a healthy weight. Combining a few different weight-loss products with an increase in exercise is probably the best approach to giving your dog strength, energy, and a happy life.

Purina Veterinary Diet Food

Providing your dog with an appetizing, nutritious food that will support weight-loss is crucial. Purina Veterinary Diets OM Overweight Management Canine Formula makes an excellent dog food for weight loss and weight management. This formula is designed with a balance of nutrients, low fat, high protein:calorie ratio and isoflavones to allow your dog to lose weight while maintaining excellent overall health. It is available both as dry or wet food.

Vetri-Lean Weight Loss Chewable Tablets

A helpful product for dog weight-loss is a supplement called Vetri-Lean Chewable tablets for Dogs. This supplement, made by Vetri-Science Laboratories, is designed to prevent starch absorption. It is a safe, healthy, chewable tablet that reduces your dog's absorption of calories from carbohydrates so he or she can lose the extra weight. The supplement even has a tasty, dog-friendly chicken flavor.

Butler NutriSentials Lean Treats

Another great product is Butler NutriSentials Lean Treats for Dog that allows your to reward your dog for their good behavior without having to worry about straying away from your dog’ diet plan. Check out our detailed review on this product here.

BUSTER DogMaze Food Bowl

The BUSTER DogMaze is a innovative food dish that challenges your dog to eat more slowly. Dogs that eat slowly have a healthier digestive process, allowing them to absorb nutrients properly and get the most out of their food without overeating. Combining functionality and design, this food dish is a unique maze that makes mealtimes fun and healthy for your dog.

Exercise & Play Fun Games

Finally, helping your dog to get more exercise is the best beneficial weight-loss tool. All dogs need exercise, some breeds need more than others. This is more important if your dog is overweight. You dogs can have happier and healthier with regular walks. Other great physical activities to try with your dog include hiking, swimming, playing fetch with a ball or other fun dog toy, or even just running around in the yard or park. If you get excited about doing something physical, your dog will too. Helping your dog lose weight can be a fun way to bond, and you'll feel good knowing that you're giving your dog a happy, healthy life. Visit our website Medi-Vet to check more excellent products for getting your dog healthy and fit.

6 Easy Tricks to Teach Your Dog

You have a dog that knows all of its obedience commands. Your dog can sit, lay down or come to your when you say so. You are happy with these basic commands but would like to teach them more advanced tricks. But you fear that it is going to take a lot of time and might be complicated that you would like. Lucky for you, you can easily teach your four-legged friend these 6 tricks.

1. Go to bed

This is a super easy trick to teach your dog and is very helpful when your dog gets hyper. We recommend having a standard location for the bed before you get started.

1. First, have your dog sit away from his/her bed
2. Then, place a treat on the bed and say “bed” to the dog
3. The dog will run to the treat on the bed
4. Immediately, make them lay down on the bed
5. Reward them, and give them another treat

2. Open the fridge

You know that there are days when you’re feeling too lazy to open the refrigerator? When you teach your dog how to do it, you’ll never have to set hands on the fridge door again! To learn this trick, your dog will already need to know how to tug on a rope; a trick that comes naturally for most dogs.

1. Tie a bandana or a rope to the refrigerator handle.
2. Walk your dog to the fridge and tell it to tug the bandana.
3. Praise and treat your dog as soon as it puts the bandana in its mouth.
4. Encourage your dog to tug the cloth until the door opens.
5. As soon as the door begins to open, tell your dog “fridge” and offer a treat.

3. Smile

Some dogs naturally grin with their teeth and others don’t. Whether your dog happily displays its teeth or not, you can easily teach it to smile on command. If your dog smiles naturally, put a word to the action and offer a treat. If your dog needs a bit of help, tickle its nose or do something else that makes it lift its lip. As soon as you see teeth, praise your dog, use your command word, and give your dog a treat.

4. Potty Bell

Not every dog owner is adept at reading their dog’s signals. If you are tired of trying to figure out if your dog has to go outside to the bathroom, it’s time to teach it how to ring a bell to alert you.

1. Hang a row of jingle bells on the doorknob on the door you use to take your dog outside. Make sure that the bell is at eye level.
2. Each time you take your dog outside, hit the bell gently.
3. Begin teaching your dog to hit the bell with its nose or paw.
4. Give your dog a treat when it touches the bell.

Pretty soon you will have a dog that alerts you to its need to go outside.

5. Crawl

Teaching your dog to crawl is fairly simple.

1. Place your dog in a down stay.
2. Put a treat in front of your dog’s paws
3. Slowly move it back towards you
4. As your dog reaches for the treat, praise it and give it the treat.
5. Slowly increase the distance that your dog has to move to get the treat. If your dog’s behind comes off of the ground, start again at step one.

6. Bring It

Your dog can help you with the laundry, can get you its leash, and can help you carry lightweight items through the house. Encourage your dog to pick up an item while you give a “take it” command. Let your dog follow you to another room with the item in its mouth while you give a “bring it” command. Put your hand out for the item while you give a “drop it” command. The more you practice this, the better your dog will become at helping you do the daily household chores.

Some of other popular tricks that you can teach your dog are high-five, shake, wave and kiss. It doesn’t matter if your dog is young or old. All you need is patience, yummy dog treats and of course, a dog. Teaching them tricks not only keeps their mind active but also allows you to show off with your smart pet to your family and friends.

Novartis Sentinel Flavor Tabs for Heartworm & Flea Prevention for Dogs Review

Providing the best possible care to family dog(s) is the common goal for you and your veterinarian. The main goal is to keep your dog healthy and active so they can enjoy many years of fun, love, and adventure. The prevention and treatment of heartworm disease is a very high priority when it comes to a dog’s health and that is why Novartis created Sentinel Flavor Tabs for Heartworm & Flea Prevention.

Sentinel Flavor Tabs are once-a-month tablets that can prevent and treat heartworm disease and flea populations in dogs and puppies. Indicated use suggests use in puppies that are four weeks of age or older, and two pounds of body weight or greater. Sentinel Flavor Tabs are orally administered and extremely palatable to dogs, which makes treating them that much easier. Dogs love the taste so much, they will think you are giving them a treat! Before giving Sentinel to you dog, please talk to your veterinarian.



Sentinel Flavor Tabs for Dogs indicated uses are:

• Prevention of heartworm disease caused by Dirofilaria Immitis
• Prevention and control of flea populations
• Control of adult hookworm Ancylostoma caninum
• Removal and control of adult roundworm Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonine
• Removal and control of whipworm Trichuris vulpis

Sentinel Flavor Tabs work to immediately break the flea life cycle by inhibiting egg development. To ensure adequate absorption, it is recommended that tabs are administered to dogs immediately after or in conjunction with a meal.  It is also recommended that the tablets be administered monthly, preferably on the same date each month, as a preventative health measure.

Novartis Sentinel Flavor Tabs are available in four tablet sizes with varying dosage formulated according to weight:

• 2 to 10 lbs… 2.3 mg
• 11 to 25 lbs… 5.75 mg
• 26 to 50 lbs… 11.5 mg
• 51 to 100 lbs… 23.0 mg

Each tablet size arrives in color-coded packages of either six or tablets each, which are packaged 10 par display carton.  You can purchase the full line of Novartis Sentinel Flavor Tabs at www.medi-vet.com and save money compared to other online stores. Medi-Vet offers name brand pet products to pet owners, veterinarians, and pharmacies at discount prices.  Be sure to check out Medi-Vet’s wide selection of dog supplies including supplements, toys, grooming tools and more.