Health Maintenance

Health maintenance is the application of preventative medicine to keep our patients well. Regular physical examination is of the utmost importance – often problems are detected that, if untreated, would progress to serious illness.  A complete physical examination is done routinely and involves assessment of all body systems.  The doctor uses visual observation, a stethoscope (to listen to the heart, lungs, and GI sounds), an otoscope (to look in ear canals), an opthalmascope (to look in the eyes), and palpation of lymph nodes, joints, and abdominal organs.

Routine laboratory testing such as fecal flotations and heartworm tests diagnose internal parasites.  Vaccinations, a hallmark of preventative medicine, are used carefully and selectively to prevent serious contagious diseases.  We follow the vaccination guidelines put out by the major veterinary teaching hospitals in America.  The vaccine types recommended and the frequency of vaccination vary depending on the lifestyle of the pet being vaccinated, i.e. indoor vs outdoor pets, travel plans, kennel/boarding plans, and underlying disease conditions such as immune-mediated diseases or pre-existing infections such as FIV infection. Because these factors may change over time, we recommend the vaccination plan for each individual pet be decided upon by the owner and the veterinarian at routine annual examinations.

Laboratory testing is critically important to the management of ill and injured patients, as well as routine, geriatric, and pre-anesthetic evaluations.  Because prompt results are extremely beneficial, sophisticated equipment is maintained on the premises.  Complete blood counts, chemistry profiles, electrolytes, urinalyses, canine occult heartworm tests, canine lyme tests, and feline leukemia and feline immune deficiency virus tests are all run routinely.  In addition, cytology of ear swabs, feces, skin scrapings, urine stone analysis, and fine needle aspirates of growths can all be processed and evaluated immediately.  More specialized testing such as histopathology or biopsy of abnormal tissue and body fluid culture are run at IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.

Radiographs have always been an important diagnostic tool. These images represent comparative densities and shapes of internal structures, which help our veterinarians evaluate bones, internal cavities and organs.
We are now using state of the art digital radiology which produces no medical wastes.

 

Ultrasound - another form of non-invasive imaging - is available at CVH. This technology uses sound waves to examine internal organs and their motility, including fetuses during pregnancy.  This service is available by prior scheduling with an experienced veterinary cardiologist/internal specialist, Mark Stamoulis, DVM, DACVIM (CARD).

Diagnosis and treatment of disease is an important aspect of veterinary medicine. Our doctors treat a broad range of medical problems, including those of the skin (dermatology), eyes (ophthalmology), ears, heart (cardiology), respiratory system, GI (gastroentology), neurology, tumors (oncology)...in other words, most of the body.

When a problem requires specialty care, our doctors will advise you about referral services and help with scheduling and transfer of records.

Surgical procedures are performed daily using safe and patient-specific anesthesia. CVH has a well-equipped, separate operating room where aseptic technique is carefully utilized. Surgeons prepare with disinfectant scrubbing, and wear protective caps, masks and gowns.Instruments are sterilized in an autoclave and used for single procedures.

Anesthetic choices are made by the doctor, based on the species, breed, age and physical condition of each patient. Both injectable and gas anesthesia, usually in combination, are used. Surgical procedures vary from ovariohysterectomy (spay) and castration (neuter), feline declaws, to tumor excision, cystotomy (bladder surgery), gastrotomy (stomach surgery), splenectomy (removal of spleen), and many more procedures.

A physical examination will be performed prior to the procedure.  We do recommend that a basic laboratory evaluation be done prior to the administration of the anesthetics. This blood test looks at several different body systems to detect things that could adversely influence the anesthesia or surgical procedure itself.  It does not test for every possible problem, but it is a good general screen.  This helps us maximize your pet's safety during and after the procedure.

State of the art equipment enables us to complete these tests within minutes at the Capeway Veterinary Hospital, and we are happy to make this technology available to your pet.

We have the capability of monitoring our surgical patients with a pulse oximeter and blood pressure machine (this machine monitors the heart rate, the level of oxygen in the blood, and body temperature).  Our surgical patients also receive post-operative pain medication that will help her/him recovery more comfortably and more quickly.

Dentistry has become one of the most common anesthetic procedures performed. It is enormously important to the health of our patients - dental infections are painful, and associated bacterial infection may spread to internal organs such as the heart and kidneys. Dental prophylaxis and extractions are performed under general anesthesia.

A routine dental cleaning includes scaling with an ultrasonic device,  application of a revealing stain to identify residual tartar - which is subsequently removed, polishing to leave a smooth non-adherent surface, and a fluoride treatment. 

We are what we eat - this applies to our pets, too! Many advances have been made in companion animal nutrition. Balanced diets using excellent quality ingredients are vital to good health and can help prevent medical problems. Species, breed, age, activity and medical conditions determine individual nutritional needs. Prescription diets can be used as an adjunct to medical treatment, from the more obvious weight management issues to control of kidney or heart disease.

Veterinary patients feel pain and discomfort under much the same circumstances as people. Arthritis, injury, disease and surgery can all require pain management. Recognizing and treating pain is a hallmark of good patient care.

This incredible technology by Homeagain offers a safe and reliable permanent identification for all companion animals. Even with the best care, pets may be lost. Microchips have helped reunite thousands of pets with their families. This routine procedure is performed quickly, and may be done in an office appointment or when anesthetic procedures are performed.

A comprehensive pharmacy is maintained on the premises for client convenience, with a complete inventory of canine and feline heartworm preventatives, flea and tick control products, and prescription medications. Medication is kept in a dry and temperature controlled environment. Expiration dates are checked carefully and routinely, and never exceeded during the course the product is to be used. Only high quality medicinals from reputable manufacturers and distributors are stocked. All prescription refill requests are reviewed at no additional fee by a doctor to ensure safe administration.

Successful patient care requires team work. The doctors, client care specialists, technicians, and pet owners all play important roles. The doctors want to thoroughly address the needs of their clients and patients. If your pet received in-hospital care, you will meet with a trained technician upon his or her discharge to discuss findings and recommendations. After initial assessment, follow-up communication is needed. Laboratory results are reported promptly, and inquiries are made concerning the patient's response to treatment or post-operative condition. Clients are encouraged to call with any questions or concerns, and are responded to as soon as possible.

We board cats and dogs as a service to our clients on a reservation basis.  Each animal is housed in a separate compartment.  You may wish to bring along your pet’s favorite toy or blanket to make his or her bed more familiar.

Each dog is taken to a large covered outside run to exercise three times a day for appropriate time periods.  All animals are fed a high quality, well balanced diet.  Doctors are alerted and available to treat any abnormalities 7 days a week. We suggest you phone prior to boarding to make certain that adequate space is available.  This is especially important prior to the holidays when demand often exceeds the capacity of our facilities.  We require dogs to be current on rabies, dhpp, and kennel cough vaccinations.  Cats must be current on their rabies and drc vaccines. 

A bath can be scheduled Monday through Friday, and can also be done before discharge from boarding. This service includes cleansing with a high quality shampoo, drying and brushing. Your pet will leave revitalized!

Technician appointments such as nail trims, blood draws, ear cleanings, medication administration,

doctor ordered injections, etc. can be scheduled outside our regular appointment blocks.