• Boarding
• Bathing
• General Surgery
• Dentistry
• Preventive Healthcare
• Physical Exam
• Vaccine titers or vaccinations
• Spaying and Neutering
• Controlling Internal and External Parasites
• Micro-chipping
• How Do I tell if my dog or cat is overweight?
• 10 tips to avoid Pet Behavior Problems
• Getting a New Puppy?

We provide safe, clean, air-conditioned kennels for your dogs and cats while you are away from home. Best of all, your pets are under veterinary supervision during their stay with us. Most cats enjoy boarding in our cat suites, which can be seen from our reception room. They provide the cats with cubbyholes to curl up in, sunshine to bask in, and room to move around! Most dog owners opt to board their dogs in our indoor runs, which measure 3 feet by 6 feet. The dogs enjoy going out for walks twice a day, or more if requested. Unless you provide a special diet that you would like us to feed your pet, we will feed the house diet. Dogs will be fed Purina EN, which is a low fat, easily digested diet. Cats will be fed a Purina Pro-Plan diet that is specifically designed for indoor cats. We offer extra walks and playtime upon request, multiple pet discounts, extended stay discounts, and complimentary baths for pets that stay eleven (11) or more nights.

A “tech check” is included in the price of boarding. Each pet, upon arrival, will have his or her coat, weight, teeth, and overall condition assessed by our registered veterinary technicians. Your pet will also be given a complimentary Capstar, which is a fast-acting flea control that helps us maintain our flea-free environment. The technician that performs the “tech check” may recommend a dental cleaning or physical exam while your pet boards with us. We can take care of all of your pet’s routine medical needs while you are on vacation!
All pets must be current on vaccinations and/or titer testing. Cats must be current on FVRCP or titer. Dogs must be current on DA2P-Parvo, Bordetella, and Rabies or titer. If your pet is due for vaccines or titers, and he or she has not been examined by one of our doctors within the previous 12 months, there will be an additional office call/exam charge. Please call us if you have any questions about your pet’s vaccination status.
Boarding is by reservation only. We tend to book quickly during the holidays and summer. Please call or email us for a reservation as soon as you know that you would like your pet to stay with us. We look forward to seeing you and your pet soon!
Click here to download our Boarding Agreement Form.  ( need link to PDF)
includes oral medications, diabetic insulin injection and subcutaneous fluid therapy for chronic renal disease.

We offer bathing of cats and dogs. Baths include a nail trim, anal gland expression, and ear cleaning. We do NOT provide professional hair cuts, shave downs, etc. All pets who board with us for eleven (11) or more nights will receive a complimentary bath

Click here to download our Bathing Request form  (need to insert link to  bathing pdf)

Surgery can be a stressful experience for pet owners.   All of our surgical patients receive a complete physical examination prior to anesthetic induction, pre-surgical medications to reduce stress, and IV fluids during their surgical procedures.  Diagnostic tools such as blood work, radiographs and electrocardiograms may be a part of your pet’s work up to help determine if they are a good surgical candidate. Our veterinarians offer you a high degree of expertise by attending post-graduate surgical training seminars and have logged thousands of surgical hours. We use the same anesthetic gases and fluid therapy that human patients are used in human hospitals. Our state of the art surgical and monitoring equipment allow us to provide a safe environment for your pet.

Would you let years go by between visits to the dentist? Probably not! Your pet’s dental health is just as important to his or her overall health as your dental health is to your general health. To help veterinarians and their teams provide excellent dental care for dogs and cats and educate pet owners about the importance of proper dental care throughout their pets’ lives, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has developed the AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. Click here for some of the major highlights of these guidelines.

Regular, professional dental cleanings are important when maintaining your pet’s dental health. The American Veterinary Dental Society recommends a full dental cleaning every six months for your pet. We use modern and safe ultrasonic tools to thoroughly clean each tooth, above and below the gum line. Our dental technicians are registered veterinary technicians that have received advanced training in oral examinations, dental charting, cleaning, extractions, dental x-rays and polishing of the teeth. This is followed by a treatment of fluoride, which helps to strengthen enamel and an application of OraVet, a waxy gel that adheres to the smooth tooth surface and helps prevent plaque build-up. Our dental patients receive a physical exam prior to anesthetic induction, pre-surgical medications to eliminate any possible stress, and IV fluids during the dental procedure. Dental radiographs are available and are used to confirm the need to extract teeth.
After care-  As your dentist would tell you, only brush the teeth you want to keep!  We have the latest in dog and cat toothbrushes, tooth paste, OraVet Gel and aftercare snacks and treats that reduce tartar and plaque build up. See here for more.

We strive to provide the highest quality medicine and care for your pets. We feel strongly that every pet should be examined at least once a year. Pets age much faster than humans, making an annual exam critical in the discovery of ailments and diseases. Our recommendations are always designed specifically for your pet.

A complete physical examination if the basis for obtaining diagnositic insight in to the animal’s well being.  This examination may include blood work and urinalysis, x-rays, EKG, lameness examination, oral examination, neurologic examination, ophthalmic examination and ultrasound

At Dana Niguel we feel strongly that pets should not be over vaccinated.  We rely on titers ( a simple blood test) to determine if the pet’s immunity needs boosting with additional vaccines.  Only the Rabies vaccine for dogs is a mandatory 3 year vaccine after the initial vaccinations at 4 months and one year.

We also use non-adjuvanted rabies and feline leukemia vaccines for our feline patients which reduces the risk of a sarcoma (cancerous tumor).  In fact our feline leukemia vaccination is need-less!

Dana Niguel is very proud to offering a new alternative to the traditional spay surgery.  We have been trained in laparoscopic spays, a minimally invasive way to spay female dogs and cats.  With the laparoscope, small incisions are made to introduce the instruments through tiny port holes.  This procedure results in quicker healing times and ultimately less painful recoveries.

Spaying or neutering your pet is an important decision for pet owners. As animal lovers who value our pets, it is important to understand the impact of this decision. It happens everywhere even in Dana Point!

In every community, in every state, there are homeless animals. In the U.S. as a whole, there are an estimated 6-8 million homeless animals entering animal shelters every year. About half of these animals are adopted, and tragically, the other half are euthanized. These are healthy, sweet pets who would have made great companions. The number of homeless animals varies by state—in some states there are as many as 300,000 homeless animals euthanized in animal shelters every year. These are not the offspring of homeless “street” animals—these are the puppies and kittens of cherished family pets and even purebreds. Yes, your pet’s offsping could be shelter animals Many people believe that their pet’s puppies or kittens would never become homeless shelter animals. But the reality is that every time the dog finds his way under the fence to visit the neighbor’s female dog, or the indoor/outdoor cat comes back home pregnant again, the result is a litter of dogs or cats. Even if they are placed into homes, it is still possible for them to end up in shelters once they become “hard to handle,” or for them to reproduce further and for the next generation of puppies or kittens to wind up homeless. Spay/neuter is the only permanent, 100-percent effective method of birth control for dogs and cats.

At Dana Niguel, our parasite control guidelines reflect the 2008 General Guidelines from the CAPC Council (Companion Animal Parasite Council)

•    We prescribe control programs to local parasite prevalence and individual pet lifestyle factors.
•    At DNVH we will adapt prevention recommendations to address emerging parasite threats.
•    We recommend physical examinations at least every six to twelve months
•    We recommend annual heartworm testing in dogs; and testing cats prior to placing on preventative and thereafter as indicated by history and physical findings.
•    We strongly recommend conducting fecal examinations two or four times during the first year of life and one to two times per year in adults, depending on your pet’s health and lifestyle factors.
Every Pet, All Year Long
•    Pet owners should administer year-round broad-spectrum parasite control with efficacy against heartworm, intestinal parasites with zoonotic potential, fleas, and ticks.
•    We will administer dewormers to puppies and kittens starting at two weeks of age repeating every two weeks until regular broad spectrum parasite control begins.
•    We recommend maintaining pregnant and nursing dams on broad-spectrum control products.
Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy pets, Healthy People
•    Feed pets cooked or prepared food (not raw diets unless using pasteurized meals and using strict sanitary protocols) and provide fresh, potable water.
•    Cover sandboxes when not in use and protect garden areas from fecal contamination.
•    Pick up feces immediately whenever walking a dog in a public area; remove feces from the backyard environment at least weekly, preferably daily.
•    Keep dogs and cats under control; do not allow roaming.
•    Report raccoon latrines, raccoon feces can harbor very dangerous zoonotic parasites
•    Practice good personal hygiene when handling animal waste, particularly important for children and other individuals at increased risk.  Children can be a risk to contract horrible zoonotic diseases.
•    Deworm puppies and kittens starting at two weeks, repeating every two weeks until two months of age, and then monthly until the pet is six months old.
•    Conduct fecal examinations two to four times a year in adult pets, depending on patient health and lifestyle factors, and treat with appropriate parasiticides.
For additional information, refer to the CDC at www.cdc.gov/healthypets.
Links : http://www.capcvet.org/recommendations/guidelines.html and http://www.capcvet.org/recommendations/guidelines.html#

Did you know that one of three pets gets lost in a lifetime?  According the American Humane Association on 15% of dogs and 2% of cats ever find their way back home.

Dog and cat microchipping is a simple procedure. We injects a microchip about the size of a grain of rice (12mm), beneath the surface of your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades. The process is similar to a routine shot, takes only a few seconds, and your pet will not react any more than he would to a vaccination. No anesthetic is required.
How Pet ID Chips Work

http://public.homeagain.com/index.html
http://public.homeagain.com/how-pet-microchipping-works.html

The HomeAgain microchip is permanent pet ID. The microchip itself has no internal energy source, so it will last the life of your pet. It is read by passing a microchip scanner over the pet’s shoulder blades. The scanner emits a low radio frequency that provides the power necessary to transmit the microchip’s unique cat or dog ID code and positively identify the pet.   A pet can loose their collar and or id tag, but they can not loose their microchip!

We weigh every pet during every visit to the hospital. It is important to track because weight loss can signal the start of many diseases, and weight gain, or obesity, is just as unhealthy for pets as it is for us. We carry a variety of prescription diets that can be used for weight control, urinary and kidney problems, joint support and food allergies.

You may have noticed we are pretty passionate about slimming down your dog and cat.  Why?
Because being overweight means your pet is more likely to be at a greater risk for developing or exacerbating:

•    Osteoarthritis
•    Cardiac disease
•    Respiratory conditions
•    Heat or exercise intolerance
•    Dermatological problems affecting skin, hair and coat
•    Compromised immune function
•    Increased surgical and anesthetic risks
•    Cruciate/intervertebral disk rupture

There’s now a tool to help dog owners determine if their pets are overweight or obese – or heading in that direction. Spend a few minutes taking the BARC (Body Assessment Rating for Canines) survey to determine if it’s time to speak to your veterinarian about tackling weight loss measures.

What are some causes of Obesity?
•    Feeding Habits: Much of the rise in canine obesity can be blamed on feeding habits – namely giving your dog access to a bowl of dog food 24/7. (It’s known as “free choice” in some professional circles.) Overfeeding at select meal times can be just as bad. High-calorie treats and table snacks only add to the problem.
•    Lack of Exercise: The formula for eating vs. exercise is pretty straightforward: When your furry friend takes in more calories than he or she expends, they’re going to put on weight. Many dogs simply aren’t getting enough exercise to compensate for how much they eat.
•    Neutering: Being neutered lowers the metabolic rate in dogs, which can lead to extra weight gain if feeding is not adjusted. Even so, the health benefits of spaying or neutering, as well as eliminating behavior disorders related to the mating instinct and unwanted litters, far outweigh the risk of a slower metabolism and potential weight gain. A balanced diet and exercise can help keep your neutered dog from gaining weight.
•    Slow Metabolism: Just like you, your dog’s metabolism slows with age. Most dogs start to show that middle-age spread by age 5 or 6. (Any dog overweight at 2 years of age is a sign of real trouble ahead.)
•    Breed: Genetics play a role, too. Certain breeds are simply more prone to weight gain, notably beagles, cocker spaniels, collies, shelties, basset hounds, dachshunds and Labrador/golden retrievers.
•    Hormonal Disorders: A wide array of hormonal disorders and other ailments also lead to or complicate canine obesity. They range from hypothyroidism to Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism).

For more information you can read on this blog how obesity contribute so arthritis g http://www.arthritisindogsblog.com/do-you-feed-your-dog-human-food/#more-353
Behavioral Counseling
If you need help with basic training, or have a specific behavioral issue that you need to address, we can help point you in the right direction. We have pets and have also experienced many a behavioral problem.  This has lead us to seek out the best resources we  can share with you, as well as referrals to full-time, professional behavior specialists.

10 tips to avoid Pet Behavior Problems

1.    Set rules immediately and be consistent.
2.    Avoid situations that promote inappropriate behavior.
3.    Observe the pet and provide what it needs to be entertained and healthy.
4.    Supervise the new pet diligently through undivided individual attention and training. Restrict the pet’s access to a limited area of the house until training is complete.
5.    Set them up to succeed! Encourage good behavior with praise and attention.
6.    Correct bad behaviors by providing positive alternatives. (A toy for a slipper, scratching post for the sofa.)
7.    Never physically punish or force your pet to comply to your commands. This may lead to fear biting     or aggression.
8.    Don’t play rough or encourage aggression or play biting.
9.    Expose pets to lots of people, animals, and environments where you want them to live.
10.    See your veterinarian if serious or unresolved behavior problems exist.