We strive to accommodate our feline patients and their devoted owners as much as our doggy contingent. With this in mind, we recently decided to go through the process to become certified as a Cat-Friendly Practice through the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). Our main motivation in becoming certified was not just for the certificate but to take the opportunity to evaluate how well we are meeting the needs of our feline patients. According to the 2011 Bayer Healthcare, LLC, Brakke Consulting, Care Usage Study, cats are two times less likely to visit the veterinarian routinely than dogs! Many of those visits were primarily for sick or injured cats, rather than routine wellness checks. This concerns us because there are many acute and chronic illnesses and diseases which can affect cats, and cats tend to be masters at hiding such illness until it has progressed to a more serious state. For instance, many cats develop significant periodontal disease over the course of their lives, yet you might never notice a change in behavior at home. At Franklin Ranch, we emphasize preventative care as a way to ensure long and healthy lives for your treasured pets. Such care includes wellness exams and vaccines, but also dental care, parasite prevention, dietary counseling, and diagnostics such as bloodwork and digital imaging. We will be launching our “Cats’ Night Out” in April in order to introduce you and your feline companions to our feline-friendly practices at Franklin Ranch and provide some education about topics which we consider important for cat health.
For more information please visit www.catvets.com