Welcome Dr. John Leonards
We're excited to introduce you to a new face on our team. Dr. John Leonards is a native of Roberts Cove, Louisiana and attended Notre Dame High School. After high school, Dr. John attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. He then went on to attend Louisiana State University where he received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. His medical interests include dermatology and internal medicine. Dr. John is currently an active member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association, and Acadiana Area Veterinary Association.

He is married to Dr. Lara Henderson Leonards, and together they have two sons, John William and David. Their pets include a maltipoo named “Lucy” and a cat named “Ginger”. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Dental Health Month
Just like people, pets often have problems with gum disease and plaque and tartar build-up on their teeth. In fact, by three years of age a majority of dogs and cats will have mild-to-moderate dental disease that would benefit from a comprehensive oral examination and treatment. Periodontal disease can also lead to more serious health complications if left untreated, some of which extend far beyond your pet’s teeth. For many reasons, it is very important to include dental care as part of your pet’s overall preventive health care program. Call us to schedule your pet's dental cleaning today! 337-984-7611
Our January Employee of the Month was Drew of our nursing team. She's such a valuable part of our team and always eager to help in any capacity. From helping with IT issues to making sure our patients are cared for and feel loved, she is a wonderful representation of the core values we hold dear. Thank you for ALL you do for us, Drew!!!
Love your pet???

Don't forget their
flea & heartworm prevention!

We've Upgraded Our App!
Our newly upgraded app has all of the same great features that you have enjoyed with an improved user interface. We also have some fun, new features for you to enjoy such as:

  • Touch login
  • Ability to connect with another user's account
  • Personalize your home screen
  • Quickly place food and medication refill requests with scan feature
  • View and like LVCC community photos
  • Leaderboard for pet selfies
  • More ways to earn Loyalty Stamps!

*Please check for the update in your Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Why Anesthesia Is Important For Dental Cleanings

General anesthesia is an important part of veterinary dentistry. For several very good reasons, the  American Veterinary Dental College  recommends that pets undergo general anesthesia for dental cleanings as well as for more involved procedures. These reasons include:

  • Safety of both the patient and hygienist
  • Reduced pain and stress for the patient
  • Ability to perform a complete oral examination
  • Ability to perform a professional cleaning of all tooth surfaces, including areas below the gum line
  • Ability to polish and smooth out any microabrasions caused by the scaling process 
  • Ability to perform radiographs (aka x-rays) of the teeth to detect damage and infection
  • Prevention of aspiration (inhalation) by protecting the pet’s airway (wind-pipe) with an endotracheal tube

Anesthesia-free dentistry is when dental scaling is performed on animals that are awake. However, it's important for you, as your pet’s advocate, to be aware that such practices can compromise the health and safety of your pet. Here are a few of the many reasons why anesthesia-free dentistry is not recommended:

  • When your pet is alert and awake, dental procedures often increase stress and cause pain.
  • If your pet moves during the cleaning procedure, there is potential for the sharp scaling tools to injure your pet’s mouth.
  • Because your pet is awake, the operator is unable to perform a thorough examination of the mouth, including the important evaluation of the ligaments and bone below the gum line. This means that significant disease often goes undetected and untreated.
  • When your pet is conscious, it's not possible to thoroughly clean all surfaces of the teeth, including the surfaces below the gum line where most problems exist.
  • When your pet is not anesthetized using an endotracheal tube, there is risk of tartar, water, cleaning material and debris going into your pet’s lungs.

L afayette Veterinary Care Center
337-984-7611
info@LafayetteVets.com