Paw’s Veterinary Clinic in San Ignacio, Cayo, is a full service clinic which offers the highest quality, affordable care and surgeries with a personal touch.
The experienced and compassionate Doctor and Staff at Paw’s Veterinary Clinic are dedicated to providing you and your animal with the finest in veterinary health care!
We make House Calls!
1 Joseph Andrews Drive
Corner of 2nd Street by Sacred Heart College
San Ignacio, Cayo, Belize
(501) 621-5377 or 601-3275
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https://www.facebook.com/PawsVetClinicbz
Our SErvices
Paw’s Veterinary Clinic provides low cost spay and neuter services for companion and farm animals. Our aim is to reduce the number of unwanted, abused and neglected pets and lowering the risk of certain diseases.
Our services include wellness care, vaccinations, surgical procedures, dentistry, radiology, lab testing, boarding, and a partial pharmacy and pet shop.
Our Veterinarian and Staff are loving and caring. You can feel confident that we treat your animals as if they were our own.
Benefits of Spaying/Neutering your pet
- Spaying prevents accidental pregnancies and reduces number of unwanted cats/kittens/dogs/puppies
- Spaying before the first heat can nearly remove the risk of mammary, ovarian and uterine tumors in female dogs.
- Neutering reduces the risk of testicular cancer, and decreases incidence of prostate disease
- No heat cycles, therefore males will not be attracted
- Reduces or eliminates risk of spraying and marking
- Less desire to roam
- Helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives
Paw’s Veterinary Clinic offers all spay (Female) and neuter (Male) services. We perform both Side Spays and Conventional Spays
Side Spay
A side or “flank” spay is a surgery that is performed by making the incision in the side body wall instead of the belly midline. When the side incision is closed, the three separate muscle layers are each individually sutured, so there is less tension on any layer. Because wounds are not under the weight of abdominal contents, there is less tension on the incision. Finally, an incision on the lateral body wall may be less likely to become contaminated by the touching the ground.
Side Spay versus Midline Spay
Side Spay—Advantages:
- Less suturing required due to ‘self-closing’ nature of wound (muscle splitting rather than cutting).
- Reduced healing time due to increased blood flow of sutured tissue (muscle).
- Less wound tension from weight of abdominal contents.
- Easier to check the wounds post-operatively.
- Animals can usually be released earlier than following midline approach.
Side Spay—Disadvantages:
- More traumatic approach in pregnancy or obese patient, as a larger incision is required.
- It may be difficult to expose the opposite ovary.
Midline Spay—Advantages:
- Better exposure.
- In the event of haemorrhage the incision can easily be extended to locate, clamp and ligate bleeding vessels.
- In operations requiring a longer incision, such as advanced pregnancy or pyometra, a midline approach may be less traumatic than via flank.
Midline Spay—Disadvantages:
- Surgical wound is harder to check post-operatively.
- Risk of catastrophic wound breakdown and herniation following release of patient.
- Dogs must be kept hospitalised for longer periods, as the healing rate is slower.
What Are Canine (Dog) and Feline (Cat) Core Vaccines?
- Core vaccines are considered vital to all dogs and cats based on risk of exposure, severity of disease or transmissibility to humans.
- Canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis and rabies are considered core vaccines.
- Feline Herpesvirus 1, Feline Calicivirus, Feline Panleukopenia Virus and Feline Rabies Vaccines are considered core vaccines.
- Non-core vaccines are given depending on the dog’s exposure risk. These include vaccines against Bordetella bronchiseptica, Borrelia burgdorferi and Leptospira bacteria.
- Non-core vaccines for cats are Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Bordetella bronchiseptica Vaccine.
Vaccination Schedule for Dogs: Core and Non-core Vaccines
Dog Vaccine Initial Puppy Vaccination (at or under 16 weeks) Initial Adult Dog Vaccination (over 16 weeks) Booster Recommendation Comments Rabies 1-year Can be administered in one dose, as early as 3 months of age. States regulate the age at which it is first administered.Single dose
Annual boosters are required.Core dog vaccine. Rabies is 100% fatal to dogs, with no treatment available. Prevention is key.
Rabies 3-year
Can be administered as one dose, as early as 3 months of age. States regulate the age at which it is first administered.Single dose
A second vaccination is recommended after 1 year, then boosters every 3 years.Core dog vaccine.
Distemper At least 3 doses, given between 6 and 16 weeks of age2 doses, given 3-4 weeks apart
Puppies need a booster 1 year after completing their initial series, then all dogs need a booster every 3 years or more often.Core dog vaccine. Caused by an airborne virus, distemper is a severe disease that, among other problems, may cause permanent brain damage.
Parvovirus At least 3 doses, given between 6 and 16 weeks of age 2 doses, 3-4 weeks apart Puppies need a booster 1 year after completing the initial series, then all dogs need a booster every 3 years or more often. Core dog vaccine. Canine “parvo” is contagious, and can cause severe vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Parvo is usually fatal if untreated. Adenovirus (canine hepatitis) At least 3 doses, between 6 and 16 weeks of age 2 doses, 3-4 weeks apart Puppies need a booster 1 year after completing the initial series, then all dogs need a booster every 3 years or more often. Core dog vaccine. Spread via coughs and sneezes, canine hepatitis can lead to severe liver damage, and death. Parainfluenza Administered at 6-8 weeks of age, then every 3-4 weeks until 12-14 weeks old 1 dose A booster may be necessary after 1 year, depending on manufacturer recommendations; revaccination every 3 years is considered protective. Non-core dog vaccine. Parainfluenza infection results in cough, fever. It may be associated with Bordetella infection. Bordetella bronchiseptica (kennel cough ) Depends on the vaccine type; 2 doses are usually needed for protection. 1 dose of the intranasal or oral product, or 2 doses of the injected product Annual or 6-month boosters may be recommended for dogs in high-risk environments. Non-core dog vaccine. Not usually a serious condition, although it can be dangerous in young puppies. It is usually seen after activities like boarding or showing. Lyme disease 1 dose, administered as early as 9 weeks, with a second dose 2-4 weeks later 2 doses, 2-4 weeks apart May be needed annually, prior to the start of tick season Non-core dog vaccine. Generally recommended only for dogs with a high risk for exposure to Lyme disease-carrying ticks. Leptospirosis First dose at 12 weeks; second dose 4 weeks later 2 doses, 2-4 weeks apart At least once yearly for dogs in high-risk areas Non-core dog vaccine. Vaccination is generally restricted to established risk areas. Exposure to rodents and standing water can lead to a leptospirosis infection. Canine influenza First dose as early as 6-8 weeks; second dose 2-4 weeks later 2 doses, 2-4 weeks apart Yearly Non-core dog vaccine.
Similar to bordetella.
Vaccination Schedule for Cats: Core and Non-core Vaccines
Cat Vaccine | Initial Kitten Vaccination (at or under 16 weeks) | Initial Adult Cat Vaccination (over 16 weeks) | Booster Recommendation | Comments |
Rabies | Single dose as early as 8 weeks of age, depending on the product. Revaccinate 1 year later. | 2 doses, 12 months apart | Required annually or every 3 years, depending on vaccine used. State regulations may determine the frequency and type of booster required. | Core cat vaccine. Rabies is 100% fatal to cats, with no treatment available. Prevention is key. |
Feline Distemper (Panleukopenia) | As early as 6 weeks, then every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age. | 2 doses, 3-4 weeks apart | 1 dose is given a year after the last dose of the initial series, then every 3 years. | Core cat vaccine. Feline distemper is a severe contagious disease that most commonly strikes kittens and can cause death. |
Feline Herpesvirus | As early as 6 weeks, then every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age | 2 doses, 3-4 weeks apart | 1 dose is given a year after the last dose of the initial series, then every 3 years. | Core cat vaccine. Feline herpesvirus causes feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR), a very contagious upper respiratory condition. |
Calicivirus | As early as 6 weeks, then every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age | 2 doses, 3-4 weeks apart | 1 dose is given a year after the last dose of the initial series, then every 3 years. | Core cat vaccine. A very contagious upper respiratory condition that can cause joint pain, oral ulcerations, fever, and anorexia. |
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) | As early as 8 weeks, then 3-4 weeks later | 2 doses, 3-4 weeks apart | 1 dose is given a year after the last dose of the initial series, then annually | Non-core cat vaccine. Should test FeLV negative first. Transmitted via cat-to-cat contact. Can cause cancer, immunosuppressant |
Bordetella | At 8 weeks, then 2-4 weeks later | 2 doses, 2-4 weeks apart | Annually | Non-core cat vaccine. A contagious upper respiratory condition. |