Medical Services

What Is Medicine?

Medicine refers to the examination, diagnoses and treatment of a disease or illness through non-surgical means.

Diseases that we can treat medically include:

• Diabetes
• Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
• Cushing’s disease
• Addison’s disease
• IBD
• Renal disease

Veterinary medicine is rather unique compared to other medical professions since veterinarians are extensively trained to deal with illnesses that affect all of the tissues and organs in your pet’s body. We know about it from head to tail, inside and out!

Laboratory Services

Our in-house laboratory allows us to run immediate diagnostic results in the event your pet is sick or injured, as well as pre-surgical screening prior to anesthesia. We perform a number of in-house laboratory diagnostic tests including: fecal examination for parasites, complete analysis of urine, complete blood counts, electrolyte analyses and serum chemistry panels.

We also utilize services offered by external veterinary laboratories enabling us to run a vast number of diagnostic tests with rapid turn-around times for receiving results.

Xray or Radiology

Our on-site Xray equipment aids in the diagnosis of many disorders and are available digitally to you or a referring specialist at any time. These images help the veterinarian evaluate size and shape of organs such as the heart, kidneys, liver and bladder. In addition to detecting broken bones, Xray images are useful in diagnosing arthritis; detecting tumours or growths, bladder uroliths or stones, and foreign objects; and revealing other abnormalities not detectable by physical examination alone.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound allows us to diagnose many diseases without the need for more invasive, painful and dangerous procedures. In addition, ultrasound may give us the diagnosis much quicker.

Ultrasound allows us to visualize internal organs in a way that is often easier to visualize than on x-rays. Abnormalities such as masses, cysts or abscesses (infections) can be seen and measured as well as biopsied if necessary.

Ultrasound can provide critical diagnostic information and usually the pet is hardly aware that a procedure was even carried out.

Early Disease Detection

Early detection blood screening helps us keep healthy pets healthier for longer!

These blood tests allow us to identify organ insufficiencies and diseases early on. A simple change in diet, the addition of a supplement or the right medication can often be enough to slow down, stop or even reverse existing damage well before your pet is noticeably sick.

Both dogs and cats should be carefully monitored by their owners for symptoms including drinking more water, increase or decrease in weight, urinating more or less frequently, changes in appetite, mobility or behaviour. Your veterinarian should be consulted if you notice any of these.

For a list of common pet diseases your veterinarian is screening for, go to the common pet diseases chart.

Heartworm Testing

Heartworm is a parasite that is passed from animal to animal by mosquitoes. All it takes is one bite from an infected mosquito to pass on the parasite’s larva to your pet. Heartworm is much more prevalent in dogs than in cats.

It is important to test your dog on an annual basis even if he or she is on monthly year-round prevention. At our hospital, testing requires a small blood sample and includes screening for heartworm, as well as 3 tick-borne diseases (Lyme, Erlichia, and Anaplasma). This test is done in-hospital and results are available within 24 hours.

Do Pets Really Need Dental Care?

Yes! Pets, like people, need regular dental care. Studies have shown that greater than 85% of dogs and cats over 3 years of age have some form of dental and/or gum disease. Imagine not brushing your teeth or having them cleaned for 3 years! In addition, dental disease puts stress on your pet’s body and can lead to liver, kidney and heart disease.

How Is Dental and Gum Disease Prevented?

Dental and gum disease in cats and dogs can be prevented with routine dental cleanings, regular examinations, and a healthy diet. All of these can significantly improve your pet’s quality of life and extend their longevity.

Unfortunately, there are some factors that contribute to tartar build-up that are beyond our control. These factors are why some pets need more dental care than others. Factors beyond our control include:

• How much a pet chews its food
• How much saliva a pet produces
• The shape, size and placement of the teeth (genetic)
• The type of bacteria in the mouth

What can you do?

Routine cleaning of your pet’s teeth at home and, if necessary, dental prophylaxis provided by your veterinary care team. If you want to brush your cat or dog’s teeth at home, remember to make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Watch this video for great information on how to brush your pet’s teeth at home. Depending on the size of your dog, infant, childrens’ or adult brushes with soft bristles can be used. Human toothpastes, salt, and baking soda should not he used, since toothpastes’ foaming action is irritating and all of these substances can cause illness if swallowed. Consult your veterinarian for the toothpaste best suited to your pet.

Please avoid giving your dogs bone and cow hooves to chew on. These often cause tooth fractures requiring root canals or extractions. Nylar bones are preferable. They are available at your veterinary clinic, or at most pet supply stores.

If your pet has existing periodontal disease, the only way to clean the teeth is under general anesthetic. Thorough oral hygiene by your veterinarian takes anywhere from 35 minutes to over 2 hours depending on the severity of the mouth problem. Our preventive dental services include teeth cleaning, polishing, and extractions should they be necessary. We use the safest anesthesia available along with advanced monitoring, fluoride treatment, ultrasonic scaling and polishing.

Dental Radiography

Dental radiographs are performed on all our dental cleanings and will help us evaluate the health of tooth roots and identify a variety of problems that are not visible just by looking at your pet’s teeth, including: tumors involving the bones of the jaw, tooth impactions (teeth that are wedged in or can’t erupt normally), tooth fractures, tooth root abscesses, retained teeth and feline resorptive lesions (painful erosions on the tooth surface).

Dental radiographs are an important part of your pet’s dental care at our hospital because it will provide important information about the health of your pet’s teeth and gums.

Want more information about our Preventive Healthcare Plans that include dental cleanings, great deals and the option to pay with low monthly payments? Visit Preventive Healthcare Plans.