Wellness examinations include an evaluation of all of your pet’s major organ systems. We’ll use the wellness visit to ask you questions about your pet’s behavior, appetite, exercise habits, and regular activities at home. This is also an excellent time for us to discuss any routine diagnostic testing that may benefit your pet or to recommend any vaccinations that may be due. If your pet seems healthy, a wellness examination is a good opportunity to note any changes, such as weight gain or loss or other subtle changes that may not be evident at home. Sometimes, information obtained during a wellness examination can help detect early signs of illness and address health issues before they progress.

A wellness examination is also a good opportunity to ask questions or concerns about your pet. No question is too small or too silly, and it is our pleasure to address your concerns. We strive to help you understand your pet’s health considerations, and we encourage you to be involved in decisions regarding your pet’s health care.

Finally, wellness examinations help us establish a relationship with you and your pet. Through your pet’s physical examinations, other wellness procedures, and our consultations with you, we get to know your pet and learn about his or her lifestyle, personality, health risks, home environment, and other important information. We encourage you to use annual wellness examinations to take an active role in your pet’s health care.

Vaccinations are an important part of your pet’s healthcare. Generally shots & vaccines are administered during the annual check-up. It’s so important to protect your dog or cat from the most common diseases with vaccinations. We will work with you to create a vaccine protocol that best suits your pet’s needs, because some shots and/or vaccinations should be given annually.

Dogs and cats are hosts of several internal parasites most often referred to as worms or intestinal parasites. The most common parasites are roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms. Only two are commonly seen in the stool with the unaided eye: roundworms and tapeworms. Puppies and kittens are most commonly infected with hookworms, round worms and coccidian. These parasites are passed from mother to offspring while in utero and also through nursing.

Most worm infestations cause symptoms such as diarrhea, weight loss or poor growth, dry hair, general poor appearance, and vomiting. However, some infestations cause few or no symptoms. Parasite infestation is diagnosed through complete physical examination and examination of feces under a microscope. Parasite eggs can be seen in the sample, and appropriate treatment prescribed.

Puppies and kittens should be dewormed every 2 weeks from 2-12 weeks of age in intensive exposure situations. All pets should be dewormed at least twice a year. More frequent deworming is recommended in many cases (contact with young children, immunosuppressed individuals). We also recommend animals to take a monthly heartworm prevention starting at 6 months.

We will conduct a dental check-up during your pet’s visit. Your pet’s dental health is essential to his/her overall health. Sometimes there are things you can do at home to improve your pet’s dental health. However, if necessary we will schedule your companion for a dental cleaning.

All professional dental cleanings are performed under general anesthesia. Before administering any medication, we conduct a physical exam and blood test. This helps determine the optimal care based on the patient’s needs and/or potential issues.

Unless your pet is used for breeding, it is very important to spay/neuter when they are old enough to undergo the procedure. This is usually around 6 months of age for both males & females. Spaying/Neutering not only provides long-term health benefits for your pet, it especially decreases the amount of unwanted kitten and puppy litters. For every adopted and loved kitten or puppy, four end up unloved, unwanted or even abused or neglected.

Spaying
Female dogs and cats are spayed, called ovario-hysterectomy, which surgically removes all reproductive organs. This eliminates all heat cycles, including unwanted bleeding, nervousness, and desire to mate. Additionally, studies show that by spaying your female dog or cat before her first heat cycle, you greatly reduce her chances of developing mammary cancer later in life. Having your female dog or cat spayed will also protect her from uterine infections and difficult or dangerous pregnancies.

Neutering
Male dogs and cats are neutered, called orchiectomy, which surgically removes the testicles. If neutering is done at an early age, it eliminates reproductive behavior. Male dogs and cats benefit from the neutering process in other ways as well. They are less likely to develop prostatic disease and are no longer at risk for testicular cancer and infections.

Orthopedics is the field of medicine and surgery that treats injury and disease of the musculoskeletal system; that is the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons of the body. Our goal is to enhance the quality of life of pets and their owners through effective treatment of musculoskeletal injury and disease.

Examples of Orthopedic Health Issues:

• Bone fractures
• Elbow dysplasia
• Hip dysplasia
• Osteoarthritis

We offer routine general surgery procedures in-office to ensure the health of your dog and/or cat. We understand that surgery can be stressful, so we make sure to discuss your options and the process before scheduling any surgical procedure.

The basic surgical procedures we offer include:

• Spay/Neuter
• Mass and Lump Removals
• Wound Care
• Basic Orthopedic Procedures
• Dental Cleaning and Tooth Extractions
• Caesarian Section
• Puppy Tail and Dewclaw Removal
• Digital Radiography and Ultrasound