Verde Veterinary Hospital in Cottonwood, AZ 86326 is a full service companion animal hospital. It is our commitment to provide quality veterinary care throughout the life of your pet. Our services and facilities are designed to assist in routine preventive care for young, healthy pets, early detection and treatment of disease as your pet ages, and complete medical and surgical care as necessary during his or her lifetime. Dr. Jennifer Gummo-Wagner leads a team of five experienced veterinarians and skilled technicians who will welcome your pets into our care.
 

 We understand the special role your pet plays in your family and are dedicated to becoming your partner in your pet's health care. We treat your pet as we would our own. Our goal is to practice the highest quality veterinary medicine and pet surgery with compassion and an emphasis on client education. Our entire veterinary healthcare team is committed to providing personal attention to the unique concerns of each individual pet owner and the needs of each pet.
 

MAY AND JUNE ARE  FOR THE KITTIES -  
HEARTWORM PREVENTION AND VIRAL DISEASE AWARENESS MONTHS!

Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes. Although the mosquito is not our state bird (like Alaska and the midwestern states), we DO have mosquitos in the Verde Valley.  They are especially prevalent along waterways and golf courses.  The prevalence of heartworm disease in cats in this area is currently unknown.  That's one of the reasons IDEXX labs modified their feline viral tests to include heartworm antigens.  Cats that go outside and are at risk for viral diseases are also at risk for heartworm disease.  Now one ten-minute test using 3 drops of blood can look for all three diseases in your cat at a promotional price of $30.

We are also stressing the importance of heartworm prevention to our clients for its role as a monthly dewormer.  This is especially important for dogs that are free to roam a large property or dogs that hunt prey.  Roundworms and hookworms, which are controlled by Heartgard, are zoonotic - they can be transmitted to people.  Young children, the elderly, and immunosuppressed people are at highest risk for contracting these parasites.   We urge vigilant use of Heartgard or equivalent heartworm medication in these households.

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are two common diseases that our outdoor kitties risk encountering.  Transmitted by saliva (FeLV) and blood (FeLV and FIV), these diseases present the most risk to cats that roam a large territory and cats that tend to fight.  These diseases may also be transmitted from a mother cat to her kittens. 

FeLV and FIV may manifest themselves in many ways.  Sometimes a cat will harbor the virus for years, transmitting the virus to other cats, before it shows any signs of illness.  Other cats become very ill as kittens.  We cannot tell you how long it may take until your cat becomes ill.  However, if your cat has one of these viruses, you should take every little sniffle seriously - your cat may not be able to fight off minor infections like a cat with a normal immune system.

Following guidelines set by the AAFP (American Association of Feline Practitioners), we recommend that all newly obtained kittens and cats be tested for FeLV and FIV before integrating them into a home with other cats.  We also recommend yearly testing in all at-risk cats (cats that are not stictly indoors).  There is an effective vaccination against feline leukemia virus.  We recommend vaccinating any cat that ventures outside against this virus.


At this site, you will find information about our practice philosophy, our services, helpful forms to assist you and an extensive Pet Medical Library for you to search for additional pet health care information.

Thank you for taking the time to read about our veterinary practice and the services we offer. We welcome your comments and suggestions.  Please contact us at (928) 634-7538 for all your pet health care needs.