Preventive Medicine

Wellness exams are crucial to maintain your pet's overall health. Remember, your pet ages much faster than you do so annual exams are very important. Blood and urine tests help us to "see" what's going on inside your pet's body and can give us an early clue to some diseases. By staying on top of issues like weight management, dental health, and aging, we may be able to extend your pet's life.

Herbal Medicine & Supplements

We use a variety of herbs and supplements to maintain pet health, as well as for specific conditions. Some examples include: probiotics for kidney disease; Slippery Elm bark for vomiting and diarrhea; glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for arthritis; herbs for cancer, seizures or digestive problems; antioxidant vitamins, minerals and supplements for overall health and immune support; fish oil for inflammatory conditions and immune support; Bach flower remedies for stress or anxiety; and melatonin for noise phobia.

Diagnostic and Laboratory

An in-house laboratory is invaluable for getting quick answers to medical questions. Analyzing urine, blood or other samples allows us to accurately diagnose and treat many conditions within hours. We also have the services of a national laboratory, which gives us results from most tests the next day. Laboratory capability is critical to the all-around health of your pet. Normal results are important, as they give us a benchmark against which to measure changes later on. Regular testing allows us to detect diseases at early stages when we have a better chance to treat them. We recommend annual blood and urine tests for all dogs and cats over the age of seven.

Surgery

We do a variety of soft tissue surgeries including spays, neuters, lump removals, and dental extractions. We refer orthopedic (bone) surgery to specialists in town who have the necessary equipment. We use anesthetic gas for our procedures, which allows pets to rapidly recover once the gas is turned off. We also use reversible sedatives, which allow us to control when the pet awakens. Our choice of sedatives is based on the overall health of your pet. We monitor their heart and breathing rates throughout anesthesia and stay with them until they are awake.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic medicine relies on manipulation, or "adjustments," to the spinal column and extremities (legs). When the bones are out of line, distortions (subluxations) can cause interference with the spinal canal, nerves, blood supply and muscles. These distortions can cause pain and disease. By correcting these subluxations, proper function is re-established.

Dentistry

Dentistry’s importance wasn’t fully understood until recently, but we now know that a healthy mouth creates a healthy pet. Dental tartar, gingivitis, infections and disease can cause a variety of health problems. Bacteria in the mouth can get into the bloodstream easily and travel to the heart, kidneys and other organs, causing damage. Chronic low-grade infections tax your pet's immune system. Dental problems can also cause pain. Your pet's mouth, teeth and gums should be examined at every check up. An annual cleaning is recommended, as well as brushing your pet's teeth at home or using specific dental products between cleanings. We have a keen interest in dentistry, and so have invested time and resources to educate our staff and acquire the necessary equipment. We were one of the first private veterinary hospitals in the area to have a dental x-ray machine. We don’t take x-rays routinely because dogs and cats don't tend to get cavities, but they do let us see under the gum and fully evaluate the health of a tooth when we suspect a problem.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture uses fine needles to stimulate points on the body for beneficial effects. Almost any condition can benefit from acupuncture, though its use for painful conditions is most familiar to people. Multiple treatments are required for most conditions and are usually done on a weekly basis. Pets tolerate the treatment well—hardest part is keeping them still so the needles don’t come out!

Kennel Area

Our kennels are located inside the animal hospital, and are attended by hospital staff – we do not use separate kennel staff. We have 6 medium kennels (28” deep and 22” wide) for cats and small dogs, as well as 4 large kennels (28” deep and 34” wide) for medium dogs or two cats. We also have 4 runs; three are 7’ deep by 32” wide and one is 7’ deep by 46” wide. Two dogs can easily fit in the largest run. Dogs are walked outside on a leash 3 times daily Monday through Saturday and twice daily on Sundays. We feed boarded pets Purina EN, a prescription diet designed to minimize digestive upsets, or we will gladly feed your pet whatever you bring. You may bring treats and toys for your pet, as well. All dogs get blankets or rugs to sleep on, and senior dogs get thicker spreads; cats get beds. Drop off or pick up your pet anytime during our regular business hours (including Saturdays 9AM–noon). We also offer a Sunday pickup at 9AM. If you pick up your pet before noon Monday through Saturday, you are not charged boarding for that day.

*PLEASE NOTE: For their protection, all pets must be up-to-date on vaccinations, including kennel cough, and must have a stool sample examined within the previous 6 months. We will be happy to provide these services if necessary.