MEDICAL SERVICES

Skin disorders and allergies are often frustrating life long conditions. We are not here to promise you a “quick and easy” fix. We are here to listen and thoroughly assess your pet from their condition to their lifestyle and diet to their previous response to treatments. We are here to look for the underlying cause of your pet’s itchy skin/ recurrent ear infections/ flaking skin. We strive to not only relieve your pet’s current symptoms but to be your resource and support system for living with a pet with skin issues.

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We provide a detailed discussion and physical exam for all patients. There are times we may recommend and discuss further diagnostic testing such as skin scrapings, fungal or bacterial culture, allergy testing, hormonal testing and biopsies to diagnose an underlying cause and target our therapeutic plan.

Our approach to treating skin conditions is multi-modal. We will utilize a variety of treatments from shampoos, wipes, sprays and medication to target the different factors contributing to your pet’s discomfort.

Our goals are to:

Pinpoint the underlying cause of your pet’s condition

Create a customized treatment plan for your pet’s current symptoms

Create a long-term management plan to decrease the frequency and severity of flare-ups

Don't let your beloved companion suffer another itchy moment. Click here to learn more and take the first step towards helping your pet live a more comfortable life.

We are proud to offer an in-house laboratory, dental and full body X Rays and an ECG machine. Comprehensive in-house diagnostics allow us to receive your pet's results sooner, all at the same location.

Click here to learn about our IN HOUSE DIAGNOSTICS 

Sometimes the veterinarian will find abnormalities on a physical examination which require a closer look at what is beneath the skin. This is why we have both full body and dental X-ray machines within the clinic. 

X-rays are often associated with diagnosing broken bones, however, there is so much more we can learn about your pet's condition from radiology. 

Xrays help us assess the condition of your pet's:

• Digestive system, including the stomach, liver and intestines
• Heart and lungs 
• A variety of other abdominal organs, including the kidneys, bladder and the prostate
• The oral cavity, especially the teeth and surrounding structures. 
• Joints and bones 
• The spine. 

Radiographs can be captured quickly and painlessly, so you don't need to worry about stressing out your pet. In some cases, sedation or anaesthesia may be required, and our veterinarian will discuss this with you ahead of the procedure. Modern x-ray technology also produces far less radiation than older machines, so you can rest assured that the procedure is safe for your pet.

Once we have completed the x-ray, we'll get the images almost instantly so we can start examining your pet's results. In complex cases, we do also have the opportunity to send images to a radiologist for a specialist opinion. 

Whether we are diagnosing illness or ruling out possible causes of disease, x-rays are an extremely valuable diagnostic tool in the treatment process. 

We often hear about hormones playing havoc with the human body. Well, it's the same for our animal friends too. This is why endocrinology is so important. Endocrinology refers to the examination and treatment of disorders involving hormones. These hormones are produced and released into the bloodstream by the endocrine glands. 

These glands are found in many areas throughout the body, including:

• The skin
• The heart
• The liver and kidneys
• The digestive tract
• The brain
• The reproductive systems of male and female pets

These glands are pretty small, but they have a big, big effect on the mood, physical condition, metabolism, psychological health, and general well-being of your pet!

There are many different disorders associated with endocrine gland abnormalities. In order to understand more about the condition of your pet, we will carry out a full consultation and examination. We may also recommend further diagnostics like blood work and diagnostic imaging, which will give us more insight into the required treatment.

Some common endocrine disorders include:

• Hyperthyroidism, when levels of thyroid hormones are too high
• Hypothyroidism, when levels of thyroid hormones are too low
• Diabetes, usually when insulin hormone levels are too low
• Cushing's syndrome, when levels of the cortisol hormone are too high
• Addison's disease, when the adrenal glands are not producing adequate amounts of steroid hormones

Common symptoms of endocrine disorders to watch out for include:

• Changes to the pet's coat
• Changes to their appetite and thirst levels
• Weight loss or gain
• Increased lethargy

If you notice any of these symptoms, please contact us to schedule an appointment for your pet.

As pet owners we all want the same thing: to feed our pet a healthy, complete diet to promote a long and happy life. Our team is here to help their pet owners navigate the sea of pet nutrition information (and misinformation) to provide optimal nutrition for every pet. 

We will discuss not only your pet's nutrition requirements but also your concerns about pet nutrition. A large component of this is eudcation and learning about the intricacies of pet nutrition. We will discuss how to ensure your pet's diet is nutritionally complete and balanced, feeding for your pet's life stage and if necessary, seek advice from veterinary nutritionists to recommend diets for your pet's medical conditions.  

As your pet's primary health care provider, we are here to help you choose the right diet for your pet. If you have any questions about your pet's diet, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

"Obesity is the number one health threat pets face, and the most important pet health decision owners ​make each day is what ​and how much they feed."

- Association for ​Pet Obesity Prevention 

Our weight management program is designed to give you the tools to keep your pet looking and feeling their best. Our program includes the following steps:

• Education. Our team will teach you how to assess your pet’s body condition and determine which diet is best for your pet.
• Nutrition advice. Every pet’s nutritional needs are different. Our team will give you guidance throughout your pet’s weight loss journey until they reach their healthy weight goal.
• Monthly weight checks. Monthly weight checks help us continuously assess your pet’s progress. This allows us to provide guidance on food portions, helps us measure your pet’s success and prevents weight loss plateaus. 

Our team is passionate about preventative health care, by providing your pet with the right nutrition you can make sure your best friend stays your best friend for longer. Now that’s some incentive to start counting your pet’s kibble!

Learn more about WEIGHT MANAGEMENT here 

Heart health is vital to all of us — both humans and pets. If the heart and blood vessels are healthy, your pet has the best chance of leading the long, healthy, active life they were meant to enjoy.

While you may associate heart problems with older dogs and cats, these issues can affect animals of all ages. This is why cardiology plays such an important role in veterinary testing and treatment.

Our team can assess your pet's cardiac health by examining:

• Abnormal heart sounds (murmurs) which could be associated with
• Abnormal rhythm of the heartbeat (arrhythmia)
• Changes in your pet's behavior at home such as recent lethargy or coughing
• Your pet's blood work results
• The electrical function of the heart by an ECG
• The shape and size of the heart by x-rays 
• The stucture and blood flow of the heart by cardiac ultrasound

Identifying a problem early gives us the best chance of successful treatment or managing  the symptoms to give you more great years together. We have several different methods, from comprehensive physical examinations to X-rays and ultrasound testing to get to the bottom of the problem, and then to decide on the best course of action for your pet.

If your pet seems to have lost their appetite, is coughing, is getting out of breath easily, or is not as active as they used to be, this could be a sign of cardiac disease. Contact our team if you have any concerns about your pet's health. 

We are able to provide ultrasounds through a travelling imaging specialist. Ultrasonography is a pain-free, non-invasive way for us to take a look inside your pet. We utilize an ultrasound machine, which uses high-frequency sound waves to examine the inside of your pet and make a diagnosis, or to learn more about your pet's condition. 

These sound waves bounce back off different tissues and materials within the body. The reflected waves are then used to build a picture of what is going on inside. There is no radiation involved — only totally harmless sound waves. 

When using ultrasonography to see inside your pet we can examine the following:

• The health of tendons and ligaments
• The structure and blood flow of the heart
• The health of your pet's internal organs such as the stomach, intestines, liver and spleen. 
• Examine the bladder and reproductive tract. 
• The presence of foreign objects that may have been swallowed or otherwise ended up inside your pet

Your pet might be a bit curious about what's going on but it is pain free and a wonderful non invasive diagnostic tool.