Pet Medical Services

A complete medical examination is done if your pet is being vaccinated or if there is a health concern. The procedure includes taking a pulse and respiratory rate, listening to the heart and lungs, checking for pulse strength, checking eyes/ears/mouth/teeth for any abnormalities, palpating lymph nodes, checking range of motion in all limbs, and feeling for lumps/bumps. Depending on what you brought your pet in for, the veterinarian will focus on certain areas.

If your pet is having problems, we will ask you several questions. Because pets can’t tell us where it hurts, what they’ve been eating or where they’ve been, we need to get as much information from you as possible. Getting a good history from pet owners is extremely helpful in trying to discover the cause and therefore treat the problem. If your pet has got into something that maybe you shouldn't have, we need to know about it to take the right course of action.

We will use the examination findings in conjunction with your pet's history to try to determine the root of the problem. If we are unable to determine the cause, more diagnostic procedures will need to be performed.

It's simple to protect your pet from parasites like fleas and ticks, and we're here to assist! What is the significance of this to us? Fleas and ticks are not only an irritant to your pet, but they can also carry disease and harm your pet's health. Contact us to ensure that your pet is safe from these dangerous parasites!

Keep up to date on what you're protecting your pet from.

Fleas are tiny, leaping insects that feed on animal blood. They can transmit hazardous infections and frequently cause allergic dermatitis "severe itching" in pets.

Ticks are external parasites that feed on animal body fluids. They can transmit infections from one animal to the next and are the primary source of disease transmission for Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis/anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have oral disease by the age of 3. It is the most frequently diagnosed health problem in pets. Common signs of oral disease include tartar buildup, red and swollen gums, bad breath, changes in eating or chewing habits, pawing at the face or generalized depression.

A veterinarian should evaluate your pet’s dental health at least once a year. We recommend this because bacteria and food debris accumulates around a pet’s teeth and, if left unchecked, will lead to deterioration of the soft tissue and bone surrounding the teeth. This decay results in irreversible periodontal disease and even tooth loss.

There are other reasons why you should pay close attention to your pet’s dental health. Dental disease can affect other organs in the body: bacteria in the mouth can get into the blood stream and may cause serious kidney infections, liver disease, lung disease, and heart valve disease. Oral disease can also indicate that another disease process is occurring elsewhere in a pet’s body. A thorough physical exam combined with appropriate laboratory work can determine if this is the case.

We can recommend and demonstrate preventative measures you can begin at home. Our wellness program emphasizes and explains how you can avoid costly dental procedures with your pet in the future.

If your pet has dental disease that can’t be corrected with methods used at home we will often recommend a complete dental scaling, polishing plus possible extractions at the clinic. This procedure is done under general anesthetic and uses the same tools that your dentist does when you get your teeth cleaned. Prior to these procedures we like to have your pet take antibiotics for 5 days to prevent bacteria getting into the blood and invading other organs.

Heart disease is not uncommon in pets. They can be born with heart defects or can develop heart disease as they get older.

It is important to recognize the early signs of heart disease such as coughing, exercise intolerance, fainting or discolored (bluish) gums and membranes. Many heart problems can be diagnosed by finding murmurs when listening to the heart. We can use an ECG (electrocardiogram) and x-rays to determine a more exact location in the heart and to assess the severity of the disease. In difficult cases we can refer the pet to a cardiologist. Tools such as Doppler ultrasonography can be used at large centres to examine the heart more fully.

Although heart disease can not be cured, there are many medications that control the symptoms of the disease to make the dog/cat feel better and prolong their life.

Skin diseases can be one of the most difficult problems to deal with. There are a number of things that can cause problems and sometimes finding the root of the problem can be difficult. In our environment, fleas/mites and allergies are the most common causes. In the case of fleas, the parasite can often be seen on the animal. There are several treatment/control options if this is the problem and the best one will depend on the environment and the pet.

A number of diagnostic tests may need to be performed before the cause of the skin disease is found. Such tests include skin and hair cultures, skin scrapings for mites or cytology, biopsies, and blood tests. With any skin problem, good nutrition and grooming often help prevent the disease or may reduce the symptoms.

Dogs and cats can be affected by a number of hormonal diseases. Diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism are the most common forms. Signs such as weight loss or gain, increased drinking or urination, increased or decreased appetite and skin or hair changes are all cause to have your pet examined. Diagnosis of a hormonal condition usually involves taking blood and sending to the lab for analysis.

Radiology (x-rays) is routinely used to provide valuable information about a pet’s bones, gastrointestinal tract (stomach, intestines, colon), respiratory tract (lungs), heart, and genitourinary system (bladder, prostate). It can be used alone or in conjunction with other diagnostic tools to provide a list of possible causes for a pet’s condition, identify the exact cause of a problem or rule out possible problems. We have a digital x-ray system that allows us to manipulate the radiographs, making it easier to interpret.