Riverdale Integrative Veterinary Care

Riverdale Integrative Veterinary Care Combining conventional medicine with holistic medicine to help your pets

Earlier this week, we were discussing heartworm prevention tips while hinting at the risks of taking certain medications...
04/18/2025

Earlier this week, we were discussing heartworm prevention tips while hinting at the risks of taking certain medications. Today, we will be elaborating on those risks.

Heartworm prevention is the best option when dealing with heartworms. However, not all medications are made the same, and every pet has their own sensitivity to medicine.

According to the FDA, heartworm preventative medications are classified as pesticides because of their focus on removing pests (mosquitoes). Many animals that are sensitive to pesticides can experience side effects of vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, convulsions, and trembling.

In some cases, pets have been reported going to the emergency room after being injected with heartworm preventatives or having the topical medication applied to their skin. Several extreme cases have reported pets dying from being given a medicated heartworm preventative.

This is why we are RIVC offer our clients multiple options for heartworm prevention. We have seen pets experience heartworm side effects before and are here to help pet parents understand that there are other options available.
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Our Doctors say it all the time, that it is easier to prevent a disease than curing one.There are multiple options for h...
04/16/2025

Our Doctors say it all the time, that it is easier to prevent a disease than curing one.

There are multiple options for heartworm prevention that vary from modern-day medications to alternative treatments. We at RIVC want to everyone as many options as possible to ensure their pets stay healthy and safe.

Several prevention options are monthly oral or topical medications, annual heartworm vaccinations, annual blood tests to detect early stages of heartworm activity, anti-insect repellants, and mosquito-proofing your home and yards.

Be mindful that some pets experience adverse side effects from medications. It is a situation that happens on a case-by-case basis. The FDA approves these medications while claiming that natural heartworm preventions are less potent or advisable.

If you have any questions regarding which prevention method is safest for your pet, schedule an exam with us so we can have provide you with all the information you need to make a reasonably informed decision.
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Heartworms are nasty parasites that wiggle their way into the heart and lungs of a cat, dog, ferret, and other small ani...
04/14/2025

Heartworms are nasty parasites that wiggle their way into the heart and lungs of a cat, dog, ferret, and other small animals that mosquitos feast on.

The scariest part about heartworms is how signs of infection may not show until the worms have already matured and spread inside the body.

Pet parents should monitor their pets for these symptoms and schedule an appointment with a veterinarian quickly when multiple symptoms appear.

Prolonged infection may result in severe lung and heart damage, and possibly death.
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The heartworm lifecycle follows a simple pattern. First, a mosquito carrying a heartworm egg lands on a host (typically ...
04/11/2025

The heartworm lifecycle follows a simple pattern.

First, a mosquito carrying a heartworm egg lands on a host (typically a pet).

Second, the mosquito injects her needle into the host, and while feeding on blood, injects the heartworm egg into the bloodstream.

Third, the egg hatches within the new host and slowly grows. The worm feeds on blood vessels in the body, traveling toward the heart and lungs to grow and reproduce.

Finally, the heartworms continue feeding, growing, and releasing more eggs. When a mosquito comes to feed on the host, it draws in the heartworm eggs and flies off to inject it into another carrier.
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Warning for anyone with a sensitive stomach as this post depicts organs and parasitesApril is Heartworm Prevention month...
04/09/2025

Warning for anyone with a sensitive stomach as this post depicts organs and parasites

April is Heartworm Prevention month, and there is a lot of discussion in the veterinary community about how to handle it. Before we dig into the bigger debates, let's give a general overview of what are heartworms.

Heartworms are internal parasites that feed on blood vessels in the body, slithering their way into the heart and lungs to feed, grow, and reproduce. Heartworms can reach 4-12 inches long, live between 5-7 years, and can be fatal if not treated quickly. Heartworms are transmitted by carrier mosquitos that inject an egg into the host through their bite.

We will be discussing more information on heartworm all this month, so stay tuned to learn more.
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Today is World Health Day and National Pet Insurance DayPet insurance can help you save money because veterinary medicin...
04/07/2025

Today is World Health Day and National Pet Insurance Day

Pet insurance can help you save money because veterinary medicine can be just as expensive as human medicine. There are multiple options that pet companies and hospitals can offerbetween pet insurance, payment plans, CareCredit, or wellness plans to help manage expensive vet bills.

Pet insurance can help you save money because veterinary medicine can be just as expensive as human medicine. There are multiple options that pet companies and hospitals can offer, between pet insurance, payment plans, CareCredit, or wellness plans to help manage expensive vet bills.

Pet insurance and wellness plans hide a lot of fine print, so make sure to speak with someone before signing up.

For more information, schedule an exam with us to discuss which option you believe fits your financial situation for your pet.
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Knowing how to get your essential minerals is key to optimal nutrition to support your body. Most essential minerals can...
04/04/2025

Knowing how to get your essential minerals is key to optimal nutrition to support your body. Most essential minerals can be found in multiple places, and certain foods are rich in vitamins and minerals that can easily be added to any healthy diet.

As always, be mindful of any food allergies your pet may experience when eating foods. Food allergies are hard to predict and are different for each pet, so if your pet is showing signs of a certain protein like chicken or beef affecting them, consider switching to a different protein source.

While sharing seedless fruits are a great treat for pets, they also contain a lot of sugar and should be used either sparingly or mixed with water to reduce the sodium levels.
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Poison prevention month maybe over, but as a parting gift; please keep these important contacts in your pet care kits in...
04/02/2025

Poison prevention month maybe over, but as a parting gift; please keep these important contacts in your pet care kits in the event your pet ingests something they shouldn't have.
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Poison Prevention month is over, but as a final reminder, please keep these emergency contacts somewhere safe if ever yo...
04/02/2025

Poison Prevention month is over, but as a final reminder, please keep these emergency contacts somewhere safe if ever your pet injests something they shouldn't.
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What may seem like normal cleaning agents to us could be a toxic substance to our pets. Many household chemicals have wa...
03/31/2025

What may seem like normal cleaning agents to us could be a toxic substance to our pets. Many household chemicals have warnings on the label regarding ingesting or irritation on the skin or eyes because these chemicals should not directly interact with skin.

Practice safe housekeeping by ensuring all these chemicals are stored away and out of reach when not in use, and keep pets in a safe environment when cleaning to prevent accidental ingestion or exposure to direct skin.
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When a pet is poisoned or shows signs of poison sickness, it can be a scary and alarming time for everyone. The first th...
03/28/2025

When a pet is poisoned or shows signs of poison sickness, it can be a scary and alarming time for everyone.

The first thing pet owners should do in any emergency like this is to stay calm. It may sound difficult to do because fearing for your pet's safety is key, but staying calm and assessing the situation will be the best way to get your pet help.

Following the Do's list can help the veterinary staff understand the situation and provide accurate medical care for your pet.

While it may seem helpful to induce vomiting or try to treat with home remedies but this can be extremely dangerous for your pet as the toxic substance could damage the esophagus coming back up, or the home remedies may mix with the toxic substance to cause worse medical conditions.
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Pet parents need to know the different poisons that can affect their pets. By understanding the type of poison their pet...
03/26/2025

Pet parents need to know the different poisons that can affect their pets. By understanding the type of poison their pet ingested, Doctors and poison prevention support staff can provide accurate treatment.

Food poisons are foods that are toxic to pets when eaten. Common food poisons include chocolate, garlic cloves, chives, and fruit seeds.

Alcohol poisoning is the consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol. Pets are sensitivity to the yeast in alcoholic beverages like beer, which can cause bloating and more severe health effects.

Medication intoxication is when pets ingest human medications or suffer from the negative side effects of too many medications.

Plant poisoning is when pets ingest toxic plants.

Household product poisons are common products that are used indoors to clean the house. Many of these products have warning labels regarding ingestion or burns.

Whenever a pet shows symptoms of poisoning, it is critical to pinpoint what the toxic substance was and inform the Doctor so they can understand the situation and provide critical care.
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Address

82 Newark Pompton Turnpike
Riverdale, NJ
07457

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm

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