Products we carry
Prescription and specialty diets
Prescription diets are designed to support pets with chronic health issues, allergies, or other medical conditions. These diets often contain specific nutrients, ingredients, or omit certain ingredients to address a particular health concern. Prescription diets are clinically tested.
Due to the specialized nature of these diets, they are only available with a prescription or recommendation from a veterinarian.
To obtain a prescription diet, you’ll need to book an exam. The veterinarian will determine what is appropriate for your pet and make recommendations. At Nakusp Vet Clinic we mostly provide Royal Canin and Hill’s Prescription diet. In terms of specialty food, we carry Acana, and some Rayne and Purina products as well. However, we can also order other brands as per your needs.
Nutraceuticals and supplements
We also carry a variety of treats, pre and probiotics, nutraceuticals and supplements. Doctor Amber is an advocate of probiotics as a lot of health challenges start in the gut. The clinic also recommends deworming your pet at least twice a year for that reason.
For healthy stools, Dr. Amber recommends adding fibers to your pet’s diet. Glandex powder or Fiber Boost +GI are great products.
Omega-3’s. They can help with dry coat/dandruff, support heart, liver, kidney, brain cognition, joints and minimize arthritis. Introduce gradually to slowly work up to full dosage over a couple of weeks. If added into diet too quickly it can cause loose stool. Certain dietary fats, typically from cold-water fish oils, have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties. While this finding has primarily been used to treat itchy skin, many arthritic dogs and cats have also benefited from it. While there are no toxic issues to be concerned with, these products require at least one month to build up to adequate amounts. Effects are not always dramatic but can be helpful long-term. We carry Canadian brand Pro-Concept and their Omega-3’s are available in soft gel capsules or liquid form.
For cats and dogs with behavioral issues, calming support supplements can help lower stress (Zylkene capsules, Solliquin and Thera-Bite Mellows, Calming Care probiotics). Pheromones can also be used to create a more harmonious household and to help with travel anxiety.
Pheromones
There are canine and feline specific pheromones used to activate calming hormones in the brain. Dog pheromone products are called Zenidog or Adaptil and are based on the scent of the mother’s mammary glands when they were nursing.
Felines have 3 pheromones: 1) Feliway classic – odour of scent glands to make strange spaces or objects more familiar, 2) Feliway friends – odour of mammary glands from nursing queen to make strange felines seem like litter mates, 3) Feliscratch – odour of claw scent glands to encourage scratching on desired objects.
Dental care products
We also carry and recommend Veterinary Oral Health Council products to maintain the dental health of your pet. Our favorite brand is C.E.T., and we always stock Veggies Dent Fresh, Enzymatic chew and Cat IntelliDent bites.
We also carry C.E.T toothbrush, finger brush, toothpaste, as well as Plaque Off powder and DentaChlor Chlorexidine Gluconate liquid.
Hill’s dental care t/d is also a product that should be part of every pet’s diet.
Ear cleaning products
Ear cleaning should be done every 2 weeks, or at least once a month. We carry Pro-Otic, Douxo Care and TrizEDTA.
Dampen old wash cloth or single solo cotton sock with ear cleaning solution and wipe out outer ear canal while your pet is eating a special, high value treat.
If tolerated, can then squeeze the contents of the ear cleaner into ear, being careful not to touch the ear with the cleaner tip. Allow your pet to shake out the excess while keeping your mouth closed!
Check out this video on how it is done: https://youtu.be/WrZxZQoyNOk
Medicamented and non-medicamented shampoos and conditioners
Medicamented shampoos are very safe and can be very effective at managing a variety of skin conditions. Shampoo therapy can be used to treat and prevent skin infections, remove crusts, dandruff, and other accumulated material, reduce the amount of hair and debris shed in the home, remove allergens from the skin of allergic dogs, reduce itching and inflammation, and physically soothe the skin and improve the health and barrier function of the skin to prevent entry of allergens and microbes.
Harnesses
To reduce incidence of hypothyroidism, laryngeal paralysis, arthritis in the neck, increased intracranial pressure, anxiety etc, we strongly recommend the use of head halters (Gentle Leader or Halti brand) or FRONT clip harnesses (Harmony Harness made here in BC). These tools are shown to prevent pulling when walking and long term damage to your canine companion. Using either tool prevents your pet from getting leverage to pull you off your feet.
