Healthy Pets Veterinary Care

🎉🐾 Happy 7th Birthday, Beau! 🐾🎉

Today we celebrated Beau turning the BIG 7 in the sweetest way possible — with a birthday hat, lots of love, and a special pup cup treat! 💙🎂

From puppy kisses to birthday wishes, Beau made sure to enjoy every bite of his celebration snack while soaking up all the attention from the team. We hope your day is filled with tail wags, belly rubs, and extra treats, handsome boy! 🥳🐶

Help us wish Beau a very Happy Birthday in the comments below! 🎈🎁

🦎💚 Hero of the Day Alert 💚🦎

Our Practice Manager, Sydney, isn’t just an incredible leader here at Healthy Pets Veterinary Care — she’s out there saving lives even outside the clinic walls. 🩺✨

This iguana was found trapped and tangled in a soccer net, exhausted and fighting for its life. Without hesitation, Sydney stepped in to carefully free and rescue him. After getting him safely untangled, she made sure he was stable, warm, and able to recover before being released. 💪🌴

Wildlife emergencies can happen anywhere, and acts of compassion like this remind us that caring for animals goes far beyond the exam room. We’re so proud to have someone with such a huge heart on our team. 💙

Great job, Sydney! 👏🐾

🔬👂 What are we looking at under the microscope?

Here, Giana is reading an ear cytology — a quick diagnostic test we perform by taking a sample from your pet’s ear and examining it under the microscope.

This patient’s results?
🦠 LOTS of bacterial rods.

“Rods” are a type of bacteria that appear long and rod-shaped under the microscope. In ear infections, rods can sometimes indicate a more severe infection that may require specific medications and closer treatment monitoring.

On ear cytology, we commonly look for:
🔵 Cocci – round-shaped bacteria
🟣 Yeast – budding organisms that often look like little footprints or peanuts under the microscope
🦠 Rods – elongated bacteria that can cause painful, stubborn infections

When bacteria and yeast overgrow in the ears, pets can become VERY uncomfortable. Symptoms may include:
👂 Head shaking
👂 Scratching at the ears
👂 Redness/inflammation
👂 Odor or discharge
👂 Pain or sensitivity when touched

Ear infections rarely clear up on their own, and identifying exactly what’s growing helps us choose the best treatment for your pet. 🩺✨

If your pet is shaking their head or scratching their ears, it may be time for an ear check!

🦟🐾 TRUE OR FALSE? 🐾🦟

“ My dog is an indoor pet, so they don’t need flea, tick, or heartworm prevention. ”

❌ FALSE!

Even indoor pets are at risk for parasites. Mosquitoes carrying heartworm disease can easily make their way inside your home, and fleas/ticks can hitch a ride indoors on people, other pets, or even clothing.

In these photos, we’re performing a quick yearly heartworm test — a simple blood draw that helps us make sure your pup stays healthy and protected. ❤️

The best protection is:
✔️ Yearly heartworm testing
✔️ Monthly heartworm prevention
✔️ Consistent flea & tick prevention year-round

As summer approaches and mosquito activity increases here in South Florida, prevention is more important than ever! ☀️🦟

Heartworm disease can be serious — but the good news is it’s preventable. Let’s keep your pets safe, healthy, and parasite-free all season long! 🐶✨