Canine Wellness

We look forward to seeing your canine companion every year for a wellness exam. During a routine wellness exam, the veterinarian checks over your entire pet to look for areas of concern. This exam includes listening to the lungs, heart rate and rhythm, checking skin and ears and a brief dental exam. If areas of concern are identified, additional testing will be recommended so appropriate treatment can be started. Please come prepared to discuss any concerns, including behavior issues, that you may have.

Vaccination is an important part of disease prevention. Adult dogs will need vaccine boosters a year after completing the puppy series.

Soft Tissue Surgery

We offer basic soft tissue surgery, including:

  • Spay and neuter for both cats and dogs
  • Removal of skin and soft tissue masses
  • Limb amputation (in case of trauma or cancer)
  • Enucleation (removal of a diseased eye)
  • Correction of entropion (condition where the eyelids roll in causing eyelashes to rub on the eye)
  • Laceration repair / dog fight wounds
  • Removal of porcupine quills

Puppies / Kittens

Puppies and kittens have special health needs to make sure they get the best possible chance at a long and healthy life.

Planning a litter? please contact us before breeding to ensure your female is healthy and up to date on all recommended vaccinations and treatments prior to becoming pregnant.

Accidental breeding? Need some advice on what to expect and how to care for the newborns?

Litter already arrived? We offer neonatal health exams, dewclaw removal (first 24 hrs of life), initial vaccination, microchipping and deworming services.

Puppy vaccination schedule

  • 6-8 weeks- Distemper, Parvo, Corona combo (DAPC or DHAPPC),
  • 10-12 weeks – DAPC Booster, start Leptospirosis and Lyme, bordetella for puppy classes, check fecal sample,
  • 14-16 weeks – DAPC Booster, Leptospirosis and Lyme booster, Rabies (1 yr),

Kitten vaccination schedule

  • 6-8 weeks- Feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia combo (FVRCP),
  • 10-12 weeks – FVRCP Booster, initial feline leukemia (FeLeuk)
  • 14-16 weeks – FVRCP/FeLeuk booster, Rabies (1 yr),

End of Life

Making the decision to say goodbye to your pet is one of the most difficult things you will probably ever have to do. We are here to assist you through this process.

Is it time? If you are not sure, then it is probably not time yet. Most animals will give clear signals that they are nearing the end – they will have more “bad days” than “good days”. They may stop eating for several days, refuse to get up, have a difficult time sleeping or getting comfortable. In short, their quality of life is no longer there. When your pet no longer enjoys or is no longer able to do the things they used to love doing, then it is probably time. If you are unsure, or want some options for palliative care while you make peace with the end, we are available for consultations.

When it is time, we provide in clinic and at home euthanasia services for all animals. Cremation (group and individual) services are also available.

Feline Wellness

We are dedicated to giving our feline patients the highest quality veterinary care available and are committed to providing a comfortable experience for them. Many cats do better with in-home visits rather than in-clinic visits. We employ methods to reduce the stress caused by veterinary procedures. Cats are very good at hiding illness until it is advanced, so it is especially important to have your feline friends seen every year to help detect any health issues before they become life threatening.

Dentistry

We understand you are very busy, and brushing your pet’s teeth probably isn’t high on your bucket list, especially if you have a cat – but just imagine what your teeth would be like if you didn’t brush them for a year….or two years…or three years?

That’s where we come in. We are excited to be able to offer small animal dentistry services during the cold winter months. Dental health is an important part of keeping your companion animal healthy. Plaque buildup on teeth causes gingivitis and bacteria invade. Those bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause issues with internal organs (heart, liver, kidneys) – so prevention is key.

In order to do a complete evaluation and thorough cleaning, general anesthesia is required. We also offer digital dental radiographs to help us make more informed decisions about the health of your pets teeth and guide decisions on the need for extractions or follow up monitoring. It is recommended that all animals have a full mouth cleaning annually.

http://avdc.org/AFD/five-stages-of-pet-periodontal-disease/

Diagnostics and Testing

We are equipped with in house blood analyzers and rapid diagnostic tests. Some of the tests we routinely run include:

Complete Blood Count (CBC) – this test measures the cells that make up the blood – red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the cells; white blood cell, which help fight infection; and platelets which help blood to clot. Changes in these values give us clues to what might be ailing your pet, or indicate they are in good health.

Chemistry – this blood test allows us to get a good picture of the overall health of your pet. We measure electrolytes, liver and kidney enzymes.

Heartworm testing – pets older than 6 months must be tested prior to starting heartworm prevention, and should be tested yearly after that.

Lyme diseases – lyme disease is commonly seen in our area of practice, even with vaccination and tick prevention, annual screening is recommended

Urinalysis – helpful if your pet is having accidents in the house, drinking more water or asking to go out more than normal. This test looks for evidence of a urinary tract infection, bladder cancer and crystals.