You’ve heard the superstition that cats have nine lives, and that dogs age seven years for every human year. The truth is that some cats only behave like they have spare lives, and how a dog ages depends on many factors including breed, gender, size and environment.
We take your pet’s personal history, routine and personality into account when providing wellness exams and preventative care, to keep your dog or cat healthy and happy at every stage of their lives.
Routine Care
Exams
We provide comprehensive routine wellness physical examinations as well as exams for sick or injured pets. Exams are essential, not only to the care of your ill pet, but also to maintain good health in healthy pets.
Prior to your appointment, we recommend that you jot down any concerns or questions that you may have so that they are addressed at the time of the appointment.
During your visit, a “tip of the nose” to “tip of the tail” exam is performed and recorded in your pet’s medical record. If we identify any abnormalities, we will recommend the best course of treatment and/or monitoring for each condition.
At the end of the appointment, we will give you a copy of your pet’s “report card” to take home with you, so that you can keep your own record of both the examination and our recommendations.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are important to the care and health of your cat or dog. Our goal is to ensure that your pet is protected, not to over-vaccinate. Recommendations for vaccinations are made based on the lifestyle of you and your pet.
Preventative Care – Heartworm Prevention, Flea and Tick Prevention and Parasite Control Heartworm disease is extremely dangerous and preventable! We carry Heartgard® for your dog to keep them protected from heartworm disease. All dogs, even those who spend most of their time indoors, should be given Heartgard year-round! If a mosquito can get in your house, your dog can get heartworms. Cats are also at risk for heartworms. We recommend and carry Revolution® for cats.
Flea and tick prevention – Prevention is the key! We carry Frontline Plus ®for fleas and ticks for your dog and cat. We may also recommend Revolution for your cat based on their lifestyle because it also treats and controls intestinal parasites and ear mites.
There are many products on the market and a multitude of places to purchase the products; however, our recommendation is always to purchase the products through us! We can guarantee their efficacy and the company will stand behind the medications.
Parasite Control – Even if your pet is not showing signs of intestinal parasites, a fecal examination is recommended yearly. Many intestinal parasites can be transmitted to people. Both Heartgard and Revolution have de-wormers built in for monthly protection, but they do not cover all intestinal parasites. We make our recommendation s on parasite control based on the advice of the Center for Disease Control.
For more information on parasites and your pets, visit the Companion Animal Parasite Council.
Specialized Care
Diagnostics –
In-House Laboratory – If your pet is having surgery here that day, or just feeling under the weather, we can perform blood work right here in the hospital to get answers quickly.
Radiographs – Whether your pet is vomiting, coughing or limping, we can take x-rays on our digital x-ray equipment and evaluate them right here at the clinic.
Cytology – Does your pet have a new lump? Dr. Katie can get a sample for quick evaluation under a microscope to aid in her diagnosis. Not all lumps can be identified in this manner, but we can make recommendations based on our findings.
Senior Pet Programs – Every senior pet is unique. They may only exhibit the normal changes associated with age, or may suffer from arthritis, thyroid disease, high blood pressure, obesity, or heart disease. We make recommendations for examinations, blood work and radiographs based on your pet’s history, breed and lifestyle.
Pain Management – Pain is a common condition in our older patients. There are many options to help, including medications, supplements and a variety of therapies.
Your pet’s Teeth – Dental care is important! We perform dental cleaning, extractions and routine care. We will share tips for preventative dental care, and demonstrate different ways to prevent plaque and tartar accumulation to keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy. We also carry a variety of products to help keep your pet’s teeth healthy and their breath smelling fresh.
Your pet’s Surgery – Whether your pet is in need of a routine spay or neuter, or has eaten something they shouldn’t have, we have the facilities to perform surgery right here at MSAC. Blood work is always performed prior to anesthesia to ensure that your pet is healthy enough for anesthesia! We have the most up-to-date monitoring equipment to ensure the safety of your pet while under anesthesia. Discharge instructions are sent home with you that clearly spell out our recommendations for a speedy recovery.
Other surgeries performed at MSAC include dental cleanings, lump removals and bladder surgeries. Even though Dr. Katie does not perform orthopedic surgeries herself, she works with an excellent surgeon that will come to MSAC to perform orthopedic procedures.
Your pet’s hospital stay – Having a sick pet can be extremely stressful. If your pet is not healthy enough to take home, we can hospitalize them here for intensive care. Hospitalization may include intravenous fluid therapy, injectable medications, oxygen therapy, etc. We will update you frequently on your pet’s condition, and encourage you to call and check on them at any time.
Pet emergencies –Please call us immediately if your pet is ill or has been injured! During business hours, we can handle most emergencies at MSAC; however, if necessary we will refer critical patients to The Life Center in Leesburg or The Hope Center in Vienna
