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 We provide a full range of services, more than
can be described in a few sentences or bullet points. When you bring
your pet to us, we realize that you are putting your full trust in our
methods. Here is more detail for those who like to dig deeply.
WELLNESS/PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
Comprehensive
Medical Exam
Regular physical exams play an important
role in health maintenance, prevention, and early recognition of
potential larger problems. Since our pets cannot talk to us, they are
often unable to communicate an issue before it becomes a major concern
and possible threat to their well being. Also, our animal companions
have a shorter lifespan than we do, so their health can change
significantly, relatively quickly. For these reasons, we recommend
regular wellness exams; yearly for young, healthy pets; biannually for
our senior patients.
During a wellness exam, you can expect an
animal technician to determine your pet’s weight and
temperature, and collect specimens for any routine yearly testing. Dr
Johnson will then obtain a thorough history from you regarding your
pet’s habits and any important observations you have made
since your pet’s last visit. At the same time we will make a
general assessment of your pet’s body condition score (BCS),
body language, and demeanor before proceeding with a more detailed exam.
Next comes the “hands
on” portion of the exam. This is when we thoroughly check
your pet’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, as well as palpate
the lymph nodes. It’s not uncommon for us to detect
abnormalities that were not previously noticeable by pet owners. Next,
the chest will be auscultated for abnormal heart or lung sounds and we
will take note of any increase in the rate or effort of respiration.
The abdomen will be palpated to check for pain, masses, and proper size
and position of the organs. A rectal exam will be done (in most cases)
to evaluate the colon, rectum, anal glands, and perianal region.
Once we have thoroughly inspected our
animal’s “insides” we will move on to the
musculoskeletal system, where we will determine normality of gait and
palpate for any joint or back pain, swelling, or decreased range of
motion. Lastly, inspection of the skin and haircoat evaluates an
important aspect of your pet’s well being. Here we look for
signs of infection, inflammation, hair loss, ectoparasites, and any new
lumps or bumps.
As you can see, the physical exam is
unquestionably our greatest tool in determining your pet’s
overall health.
Puppy & Kitten Care
Packages
Welcoming a new “family
member” into your home is a fun and exciting time! Without a
doubt you will want your new baby to be thoroughly checked out and
fully protected during those first few vulnerable months. We recommend
keeping your new pet away from public places and unknown animals until
its vaccination series is complete.
We offer a complete well-pet program to
address the vaccination and preventative care needs of your puppy or
kitten, at a discounted package price. These packages are well-pet
programs. If your pet becomes ill or requires additional treatment
during the program there will be additional fees for additional
services rendered.
Puppy
Care Package includes:
•
3 examinations/consultations with the veterinarian
•
3 DAP vaccines to protect against distemper, hepatitis, and parvovirus
•
2 Leptospirosis vaccines if your pup is deemed at risk
•
Rabies vaccine and certificate
•
2 strategic oral dewormings to treat and prevent the spread of common
parasites
•
Fecal examination to screen for additional hazardous intestinal
parasites
•
First Frontline dose for flea prevention
•
First Heartguard dose for heartworm prevention
•
Home Again microchip implantation and registration
•
Puppy Care information kit
•
Secured online access to your puppy’s records
Kitten Care Package includes:
•
3 examinations/consultations with the veterinarian
•
2 feline distemper vaccines (FVRCP)
•
2 feline leukemia vaccines (FELV)
•
Rabies vaccine and certificate
•
1 FELV/FIV/HW test to screen for feline leukemia, FIV virus, and feline
heartworm disease
•
2 strategic dewormings to treat and prevent spread of common intestinal
parasites
•
Fecal examination to screen for additional hazardous intestinal
parasites
•
First Revolution dose for flea and heartworm prevention
•
Home Again microchip implantation and registration
•
Kitten Care information kit
•
Secured online access to your kitten’s records
Shelter Package
Most pets lucky enough to be newly adopted
from a shelter or rescue organization have already received some early
veterinary care. Our Shelter Package covers any remaining vaccine and
diagnostic needs to assure your new family member is fully protected.
Routine Yearly Testing
 As part of your pet’s annual
assessment, we recommend these two tests:
•
Heartworm 4Dx: a simple
blood test that screens your dog for heartworm disease as well as the
common tick-borne illnesses (Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, and
Anaplasmosis)
• Fecal
Examination: a small stool sample enables us to check
for intestinal parasites. These bugs not only affect your
pet’s health, but represent a potential hazard to you and
your family. Even pets with no visible symptoms at all can harbor
parasites which are shed invisibly into your home as microscopic
organisms.
Vaccinations
Although vaccinations provide our pets with
very important immunity against certain viruses and bacteria, there is
no one regimen that is correct for all pets. With this is mind, we
discuss your pet’s individual risk factors to come up with a
sensible, customized vaccine protocol. As new research information
becomes available, we will consider it carefully and it may result in
an adjustment of our recommendations over time, with your
pet’s best interest always the most important factor.
Microchip Implantation
& Detection
Washington Square Vet Clinic utilizes the
HomeAgain microchip which provides lifetime identification using a 134
kHz ISO compatible chip that is about the size of a grain of rice. In
addition to identification in case your pet becomes lost, yearly
registration of your pet’s microchip number gives you access
to:
•
Rapid Lost Pet Alerts: this professional service is available 24/7 to
send out alerts to veterinarians, shelters, and pet locator volunteers
within a 25 mile radius
•
ASPCA Poison Control: an emergency veterinary medical hotline to advise
you in case of accidental ingestion or exposure to toxins
•
Medical Insurance for Lost Pets: covers medical treatment costs for
injuries suffered while your pet is lost
•
Travel Assistance: up to $500 towards transportation costs to reunite
you with your pet
Heartworm/Flea/Tick Control
Although almost all animals in the Petaluma
area require year-round protection from these pervasive pests, there is
not a one-size-fits-all solution, so it’s important to
discuss this regularly with Dr Johnson. Our pets and their human
friends may have certain preferences based on tolerance, environment,
and other factors. We offer a variety of high quality products in an
effort to meet the individual needs of our patients effectively. If you
are unhappy with your current method of prevention, or just have
questions about what options are available, please ask one of our staff
members so we can help you find the product that is right for you and
your pet.
At WSVC, we are trained and equipped to
provide your pet with superior dental care.
Why do pets need dental cleaning
(prophylaxis)?
Dental disease affects 70-80% of our pet
population by age 3. Not only does this result in bad breath
(halitosis), if left untreated it leads to pain, infection, tooth loss,
and in the worst cases, systemic organ disease.
Why is general anesthesia necessary?
 In
performing a dental prophylaxis, we not only clean the visible portion
of the teeth, but we address the region under the gumline, the
important area most likely to lead to periodontal disease if not
treated properly. This subgingival cleaning and a thorough examination
of the entire oral cavity is just not possible without the use of
general anesthesia. Harmful bacteria are mobilized during the cleaning,
and the use of anesthesia provides a means to place a protective
endotracheal tube and to control pain. Finally, it is impossible to
adequately polish the teeth without anesthesia. Left unpolished, the
tooth surface is rough, increasing the adherence of plaque-causing
bacteria in the future. For all of these reasons, non-anesthetic
cleanings are not a viable option for the best dental care for your pet.
Non-anesthetic
cleanings are not a viable option for the best dental care for your pet.
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What is involved in a dental cleaning?
1 Supragingival
cleaning: the removal of gross calculus above the
gumline, accomplished with hand or mechanical scalers.
2 Subgingival
cleaning: one of the most vital steps for our animal
patients. The subgingival plaque is what leads to periodontal disease.
3 Polishing: removal of
plaque causes microscopic etching of the tooth surface, which increases
future build up of plaque and calculus. Polishing smoothes the enamel
surfaces, making it more difficult for bacteria to adhere.
4 Sulcal Levage: this
involves irrigation below the gumline to remove debris that loosens and
accumulates during the procedure
5 Fluoride treatment:
provides an extra barrier against plaque bonding, decreases tooth
sensitivity, and can retard the formation of feline oral resorptive
lesions.
6 Treatment planning:
the entire mouth is evaluated and a periodontal probe is used to
determine pocket formation. An individualized plan is developed to help
insure better oral health for the future.
7 Dental
charting: all findings and treatments are recorded for
future reference as comparison for progress or regression
Tell
me more about your use of anesthesia and analgesia
We understand your concerns regarding
your pet’s well being. In order to maximize the safety and
comfort of any procedure requiring general anesthesia, we provide the
following:
•
Pre-anesthetic exam and blood testing:
helps us to identify any inherent risk factors ahead of time, and
tailor your pet’s anesthetic protocol accordingly
• IV
catheterization: allows us to support your pet with IV
fluids and provide an immediate route for introducing emergency IV
medications in case the situation requires them
• Anesthetic
monitoring: your pet’s vital signs, oxygen
saturation, body temperature, and blood pressure are all continually
monitored, allowing us to address any potential problems in the
earliest stage to avoid compounding problems if not caught until a few
minutes later
• Analgesia:
we believe in an aggressive, proactive, and multimodal approach to pain
management. Medication will be administered before, during, and after
surgery if your pet is undergoing a painful procedure. We also utilize
local anesthetic agents, and send home oral analgesics, if warranted.
 At Washington Square
Veterinary Clinic we understand that one of the toughest things you do
is taking the leap of faith to drop off your pet for a surgical
procedure. We strive to give you as much information as possible to
alleviate some of your anxiety about potential risks. We also take
every step available to maximize the safety of the procedures we
perform.
•
General Surgery: Our
doctors are skill and experienced surgeons, capable of performing a
wide range of general surgery your pet might need. We have
state-of-the-art equipment in a dedicated surgical suite, and we
utilize the assistance of a surgical nurse to monitor your pet with
individual attention for the duration of the patient’s
preparation, surgery, and recover period.
•
Spay / Neuter Surgery: These
surgeries are routine procedures our doctors have performed thousands
of times. Still, they involve general anesthesia and in many cases
exploration of the abdominal cavity. At Washington Square Veterinary
Clinic we treat these surgeries with the same perisurgical care as any
other general surgery, including pre-operative bloodwork, IV
catheterization, close patient monitoring, and perioperative pain
control. This provides the safest and most comfortable experience for
your healthy, young pets.
•
Laser Surgery: We offer
CO2 laser surgery which provides reduced pain and inflammation as well
as increased accessibility in appropriate cases.
 • Surgical
Monitoring and Anesthetic Safety: All patients are
examined and screened just prior to their procedure to help identify
any additional risk factors. This allows us to choose an anesthetic
protocol tailored to your pet’s specific needs, thus
providing an extra margin of safety for a quick and full recovery. In
addition, an IV catheter is placed which is used for perioperative
fluid administration, and to facilitate quick access for any further IV
medications that might be required. All surgery cases are monitored by
a dedicated surgery nurse, using state-of-the-art equipment so we can
keep track of your pet’s blood pressure, heart rate,
respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, body temperature, and CO2 levels.
Your pet will be continually monitored, even after the procedure, until
fully awake and stable. Our surgical nurse will contact you after the
procedure to let you know as soon as possible that everything has gone
well.
Our on-site state-of-the-art x-ray equipment allows us
to obtain high quality digital radiographs in seconds, which facilitate the evaluation of
musculoskeletal, cardiac, pulmonary, gastrointestinal and many other
organ systems. Our x-rays are regularly reviewed by a board certified
veterinary radiologist.
Full In-House Laboratory
– Our well-equipped lab allows us to make timely decisions by
providing quick and accurate test results in the following areas:
 •
Preoperative and full diagnostic blood panels
•
Screening tests for common pet illnesses such as Feline Leukemia,
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline and Canine Heartworm Diseases,
Lyme Disease, and other tick-borne disease
•
Electrocardiograms for diagnostic and anesthetic monitoring purposes
•
Blood Pressure Analysis: diagnostic and monitoring
•
Tonometry
•
Glaucoma screening test
•
Urinalysis
•
Microscopic cytology
•
Fungal culture for ringworm
In addition to our in-house lab testing, we utilize a professional
veterinary laboratory service for more advanced diagnostic testing
Ultrasound and Endoscopy: Specialists
are available to perform ultrasound and endoscopy which aide in the
diagnosis and treatment of more complicated cases.
From time to time situations arise that are
best handled with a visit to your home. Dr Johnson will make every
effort to help out in these circumstances within the confines of the
daily schedule. In the event that we are unable to accommodate your
needs we will do our best to assist you in finding an alternative
solution.
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