5/31/2012 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
If dogs are man's best friend, then pets should deserve the best care their owner can offer.
Whether something is wrong with a pet or if it's simply time for a basic checkup, as long as owners are military ID cardholders, they can have their small animals taken care of at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Veterinary Clinic.
Richard Avery, 902nd Force Support Squadron Veterinary Clinic doctor of veterinary medicine, said his average day mostly consists of answering sick calls, performing examinations, giving diagnoses', doing lab work, recommending treatments and doing basic tests. If he finds something unusual, he usually advises them to see a local vet.
"I always loved working with animals," he said.
Avery started out working for a vet when he was 14 years old, doing kennel work, holding pets, cleaning and sterilizing equipment, he said.
"I like having the ability to diagnose and work with clients, but the main thing is taking care of the animals," he said.
It is important for people to know what to look out for in their environment when they own a pet, especially if they live in Texas.
The main thing seen at the clinic are skin problems, he said, but the clinic also does a lot of routine checkups and diagnosing in older pets to pick up hidden diseases, tumors and cancer.
"Young dogs (and cats) should come in about once a year until they're about 10 years of age," Avery said. "After that, they should come in one to two times a year for a general exam and to have blood work done."
The main allergy symptoms seen at the clinic include itching, losing hair and inflamed skin.
"It's just like people who have allergies," Avery said. "Dogs show their allergies by itching, people usually sneeze and cough. We treat it as we see it, there is no real prevention."
When people have a pet or are thinking about getting one, it is integral they know what makes that certain breed unique.
"Certain breeds have certain diseases that are common to them," he said, "so we have to work with that."
For example, cocker spaniels and poodles can sometimes have bad ears and eyes, and King Charles spaniels can have heart problems. Each breed has its own niche, so it's important to know what that is.
Along with other dangers, a big thing to be careful about in Texas are heart worms, he said. Heart worm prevention is easy and can save a pet's life; it only takes giving the pet a pill once a month.
Another thing people should be careful about is the summer heat, Avery said. When people take their dog out for a walk, the pavement is so hot it can burn their dogs' feet. Just like a parent would handle a child, pet owners need to be careful with their animals.