Our Health Care Professionals combine experience and continuing education with a genuine concern for animals to ensure your pet receives the very best care we can provide. We offer a wide range of veterinary services to help you ensure that your pet has a long and healthy life.
Weight Management
If you consider your pet to be overweight, our veterinary staff can help with a tailored weight loss and diet management plan. We can help you to achieve your pet’s weight loss goals and help them live a long and healthy life.
Parasite Control
Pets fall victim to, and are often born with, internal parasites. While some may be seen in the stool, others will require a fecal or blood sample analysis to be detected.
Symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, distended abdomen, lethargy, weight loss, poor appearance, however, some pets may show no symptoms.
The internal parasites found in pets are potential health hazards to humans with children and elderly being the most susceptible.
Our veterinary staff can provide you with an effective parasite control program, to help protect your pet and your family.
Fleas and Ticks
Fleas will cause distress for you and your pet. Your pets catch fleas from other animals or premises.
Adult fleas are very mobile and live both on and off of your pets. The flea eggs and adolescent forms fall off into your environment (think floor, carpets, beds etc.) For every flea you see on your pet, there are hundreds of additional flea eggs and larvae in your home.
Ticks are out in the environment. Not very mobile, laying in wait on low shrubs or grass until some warm body brushes by and they get on.
Other than being physically irritating, both tick and fleas inject saliva with feeding, which can cause further health concerns; skin conditions, blood loss, tapeworms, Lyme disease etc.
Prevention is the only solution. Our veterinary staff’s guidance will help you determine which action, product and schedule for your specific situation.
Diagnostics
Our experienced and accredited Animal Health Technicians provide a wide range of on- site diagnostics in our well-equipped laboratory, and also the proper sample preparation for those tests performed at outside referral laboratories.
During your pet’s wellness visit, or if the veterinarian thinks that there may be something wrong, your veterinarian may recommend obtaining a sample to run lab tests. The lab test results will help determine your pet’s overall health status, confirm the presence of illness, keep track of an ongoing disease, or monitor the response to a treatment.
If your pet is scheduled for surgery, your veterinarian may recommend pre-surgical screening tests in order to determine if your pet is at risk while under general anesthesia.
Radiographs and Ultrasound
Radiographs (x-rays) are regularly used to quickly diagnose fractures, foreign bodies, bladder stones, heart disease and tumors. Annapolis Animal Hospital offers the most up- to-date digital radiographic technology, producing cleaner images and exposing your pet to less radiation.
After your pet’s radiographs are taken, you and your veterinarian will view the digital images (similar to a digital camera process) to determine a course of action. In this digital form, radiographs may be e-mailed to Veterinary Specialists for second opinions.
Ultrasound, or Diagnostic Sonography, is a non-invasive imaging technique allowing visualization of most parts of the body for abnormalities or injury. With up-to-date equipment and additional veterinary training, Annapolis Animal Hospital offers advanced technology. As an added service, we are able to invite in, or refer to specialists who perform advanced diagnostics for our patients.
Surgery
From routine surgical procedures, such as spays, neuters and lump removals to emergency surgeries or orthopedics, our veterinarians are excellent surgeons. Our experienced veterinary team performs surgery in an up-to-date surgery suite with the utmost attention to sterility, the safest anesthesia, and constant patient monitoring. We will ensure our patients are comfortable with minimal stress, from pre-surgical consultation to a smooth recovery.
You will be called with an update after your pet has recovered from anesthesia. We are ourselves pet owners and fully appreciate how stressful it is to leave your pet with us for any procedure. Therefore, we welcome calls at any time to request an update.
Spaying
Spaying your pet has many benefits. The procedure, which prevents female animals from becoming pregnant and reproducing, can help your dog or cat live a longer, healthier life. Spaying will not change your pet’s personality.
By spaying your female pet, you’re protecting her against potentially deadly diseases, including bacterial infections, reproductive tract diseases, and several types of cancer. You also won’t have to worry about her going into heat. This means avoiding the mess that often accompanies the heat cycle in female dogs and the pacing and crying that happens with female cats. In addition, spaying your pet will help control the dog and cat overpopulation problem, keeping more animals out of shelters.
Spaying, which involves removing the ovaries and uterus, is a surgical procedure and does need to be performed with the pet under anesthesia. We follow strict protocols and continually monitor your pet’s vital signs to help ensure her safety. Please see the descriptions under Anesthesia and Patient Monitoring for more information on what we do to keep your pet safe.
To set up an appointment to have your pet spayed or to learn more about this procedure, call or visit our clinic. If you are struggling with the decision of whether to spay your pet, please call us so we can discuss your concerns.
Neutering
Neutering your pet has many benefits. The procedure, which prevents male animals from reproducing, can help your dog or cat live a longer, healthier life. Neutering will not change your pet’s personality.
By neutering your pet, you’re reducing or eliminating his risk for prostate and testicular cancer, as well as sexually transmitted diseases. Neutering will also reduce or eliminate undesirable and embarrassing behaviour, including roaming, fighting, humping, and spraying. In addition, neutering your pet will help control the dog and cat overpopulation problem, keeping more animals out of shelters.
Neutering, which involves removing the testicles, is a surgical procedure and does need to be performed with the pet under anesthesia. We follow strict protocols and continually monitor your pet’s vital signs to help ensure his safety. Please see the descriptions under Anesthesia and Patient Monitoring for more information on what we do to keep your pet safe.
To set up an appointment to have your pet neutered or to learn more about this procedure, please call or visit our clinic. If you are struggling with the decision of whether to neuter your pet, please call us so we can discuss your concerns.
Dentistry
As part of your pet’s annual health exam, our veterinarians will assess your pet’s oral condition and provide you with the necessary information and education material that will help you maintain or improve your pet’s oral health.
Despite our best efforts, pets will develop dental issues. By three years of age, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats develop some sort of dental disease, making it the most common pet ailment. Symptoms may include bad breath, difficulty eating, weight loss and signs of pain only in severe cases. Dental disease can lead to other health issues by spreading through the blood stream. Such should be a more serious consideration in older pets.
The most effective way to protect your pet from dental disease is an annual physical exam. A thorough professional cleaning, scaling, polishing may be recommended; and in worse case scenarios, tooth extraction or surgery.
Important information to consider before your pet’s surgery or dental procedure
- Please do not feed any food after 8pm and no water after midnight on the night before the scheduled surgery.
- Our office opens at 8:00am; we try to have surgical admittance appointments first thing in the morning.
- Unless otherwise directed, your pet can receive their regular medications, unless they are to be given with food.
- Please take you dog for a walk prior to dropping off for surgery, to help ensure they are “empty” before surgery. There is a lawn and lots of “points of interest” strategically placed on the way to our front entrance.
- The order in which surgeries are performed is decided after all surgical patients are received.
- We may require an exam and pre-anesthetic blood work if your pet has not been recently seen by a veterinarian.
- Any questions or concerns, please let us know before or when dropping your pet off. Upon arrival, our receptionist will ensure that all of your contact information is up to date, then one of our registered Animal Health Technicians will meet with you to address any concerns you might have. At this time you might consider optional procedures, such as microchipping.
Anesthesia and Patient Monitoring
The utmost preparation and anticipation of any complication is made before anesthesia. Our pre-surgical veterinary team will administer a premedication to minimize pain, stress or anxiety and ensure a patient’s smooth induction and reduce post operative nausea. General anesthesia is initially administered by an intravenous catheter (IV). The catheter access is maintained with IV fluids until after the surgery to help maintain blood pressure, to support internal organ function, inhibit dehydration, and for administration of additional emergency medication, if so required. An endotracheal tube will be placed, and your pet’s anesthesia will be maintained with a gas anesthetic and pure oxygen.
During surgery, a registered Animal Health Technician constantly monitors and adjusts the patient’s level of anesthesia and monitors the patient’s vital signs. During surgery the patient is electronically hooked up to view and record heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure. The Animal Health Technician will stay with their patent, in our surgery recovery area, until fully recovered.
Abdominal surgeries or complicated procedures are required to stay overnight to ensure the patient’s comfort and lack of activity.
Dog Anal Gland Expression
Most dog owners do not know about anal glands, until it’s too late. They are situated on either side of the rectum and help lubricate and scent bowel movements. Ideally, they are partially emptied with each bowel movement. However, they can be emptied when your pet is scared or stressed. They are the same glands a skunk uses for defense.
If your pet is not expressing their anal glands normally, there will be discomfort, licking or bum scooting. If this happens, call to make an appointment to have them expressed. If left unaddressed, they will remain very painful, may become infected or rupture, requiring further treatment and possible surgery.
Euthanasia
There is no right time to say goodbye to your pet, every situation is different. If your pet’s quality of life is declining, or is suffering from a condition that cannot be addressed, we invite you to have a conversation with any of our healthcare team.
Pet euthanasia is by way of an intravenous injection that initially heavily sedates. Once unconscious, it gently stops the heart and lung function while ensuring there is no awareness or pain. Our goal is to minimize the anxiety of this visit. Your personal choice, to be present, or not, will be respected.
Consider your pet’s aftercare. You can take your deceased pet home for burial or entrust your pet with us for burial or cremation. The option to retrieve your pet’s ashes is also available upon your request.
Skin Care
Skin problems are common is pets, whether they originate from parasites, allergies, infections or accidents. Taking the time for a full history and thorough physical exam is the most important step in finding the underlying cause of the problem.
Skin conditions, if left untreated, are challenging. Some are curable and others are managed throughout your pet’s life.
Our veterinarians take a more proactive approach in order to obtain a definitive diagnosis and treatment plan to provide relief before the condition becomes chronic.
Initially sampling of the skin lesions and ear swab cytology can help diagnose and direct a treatment plan. Scheduled rechecks of progress may be necessary as many skin problems require close management for correction and cure.
Microchipping
Having your pet microchipped is the best way to ensure a lost pet’s return.
Microchips are smaller than a piece of rice, and are inserted under the skin with a needle. After placement, they do not cause any discomfort and just stay in place to be read, if needed. These microchips are registered for permanent identification in all of North America, as well as abroad.
Microchip placement can be done during a visit when your pet is awake, but ideally when your pet is under anesthetic for a scheduled surgery. Therefore, this procedure is offered as part of our routine spay and neuter protocol.