Anesthesia

 

Modern anesthetic monitors make surgery much safer than it used to be. At Blue Cross Pet Hospital, your pet will be examined thoroughly before any anesthetics are administered, to ensure that a fever or other illness won't cause a problem. The amount and type of anesthetic used will depend on the health of your pet. If you have any questions, our health care team is here to answer them for you!

Even seemingly healthy pets can have organ system problems that can only be detected through blood testing. Pre-anesthetic blood testing to make sure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthesia is an important step to reduce the risk of anesthesia complications. The results of your pet's blood testing will help us determine if extra precautions are needed for minor issues, or if the surgery should be postponed until the problem is corrected.

For geriatric or ill pets, additional blood tests, electrocardiograms, or x-rays may be required before surgery as well. Your veterinarian will discuss any issues that arise with you and explain the necessary procedures.

It's also important that your pet's stomach is empty when they undergo surgery to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia. You must withhold food for at least 8 to 10 hours before surgery, but your pet can have water until the morning of surgery.

Diagnostics

 

Our hospital is equipped to provide diagnostic and therapeutic services to care for your pets' complete healthcare needs.

• Radiology Services:  Our on-site, modern X-ray equipment provides high-quality radiographs to aid in the quick diagnosis of many disorders.

• Electrocardiography Services:  We provide ECG services on-site as well as consultations with cardiology specialists.

• Laboratory:  Our in-house laboratory facilities provide for serum chemistry, hematology, serology, urinalysis, and parasite testing. We also utilize commercial veterinary laboratories for specialized diagnostics and consultations.

Boarding/Grooming

 

When you have to be away, you can trust our friendly, professional team to take the best care of your pet when you can't.

At Blue Cross Pet Hospital, in addition to comprehensive veterinary care, we also offer complete boarding services for your beloved pet. We understand that each pet is a special member of your family. Our experienced and dedicated staff will do all they can to accommodate your pet's needs and ensure they are safe, happy, and well cared for during their stay. Our top priority is your pet’s comfort and well-being. We offer separate boarding facilities for cats and dogs to give our feline boarders the peace and quiet we know cats need.

If you would like us to perform any grooming services, please let us know when scheduling your boarding appointment so we can plan ahead.

Surgical Services

 

Blue Cross Pet Hospital offers surgical services for soft tissue procedures such as spay/neuter, mass/growth removal, abscess/wound debridement, hernia repair, some dental procedures, exploratory surgeries (such as foreign body blockage), and some orthopedic surgeries. 

To make sure your pet is healthy enough for surgery and anesthesia our doctors will perform a pre-surgical exam and we'll do pre-anesthetic blood tests and a preliminary EKG also. Prior to full sedation and intubation, your pet will receive medication to help them relax.

To further ensure your pet's safety, we use modern anesthetics comprehensive monitoring of EKG, blood gas, temperature, and pulse rate are monitored throughout the procedure. Certified technicians will continue to monitor your pet through the recovery process and make sure they are kept as comfortable as possible. 

Proper home care is an important part of the healing process. When your pet is discharged we'll go over all of the home care instructions with you and provide any medications necessary to alleviate discomfort. Written instructions will accompany all surgical releases.

Laboratory

 

At Blue Cross Pet Hospital we are able to quickly diagnose a variety of diseases including diabetes, kidney failure, pancreatitis, and parasite infection with the help of our in-house laboratory. Using only small amounts of blood drawn from your pet, we can have results on the same day. This is especially important if your pet is scheduled for surgery or if we suspect an illness that needs to be treated immediately. 

If your pet is having surgery, the pre-anesthetic blood work can help us identify underlying problems, so we can adjust our anesthetic protocols appropriately.

Dentistry

 

Regular Professional Cleaning

A healthy mouth and clean teeth can lead to a longer, healthier life for your pet. Taking care of your pets' teeth at home helps avoid serious dental disease, but cats and dogs need periodic professional cleaning just like you do. At Blue Cross Pet Hospital we take care to provide a safe, thorough, and professional cleaning similar to the one you get at your dentist’s office.

Dental Disease

Periodontal disease is a progressive infection of the gums surrounding the teeth. If left untreated it can lead to halitosis, oral infections, and bacterial infections that can enter the bloodstream and cause damage to many major organs. As part of your annual visit, our doctors will conduct an oral examination to ensure that your pet's teeth are healthy and disease-free. If a cleaning is needed, while your pet is under anesthesia, we will x-ray and evaluate each individual tooth to determine if any other dental work is needed.

Oral ATP (Assessment, Treatment, Planning)

• Digital Oral X-Rays
• Scaling & Polishing
  To remove plaque and calculus from your pet's teeth we use similar instruments to those your dentist uses. After cleaning, the enamel surfaces of your pet's teeth are polished to remove scratches in the enamel.
• Fluoride/Sealants
  We'll apply an anti-plaque treatment, such as a fluoride to help strengthen and desensitize your pet's teeth as well as help prevent plaque build-up.
• Home Dental Care
  Your pet relies on you to help maintain their dental health through regular teeth brushing which will help fight plaque build-up. 

Parasite Prevention

 

While fleas, ticks, and other parasites are most bothersome during certain seasons, at Blue Cross Pet Hospital we believe all pets should receive regular heartworm/flea/tick prevention all year long.  

These stealthy hitchhikers can slip into your home through a tiny tear in a window screen, on your pets, or even on you! Mosquitos only need a split second to dive in through an open door. Even if your pet does not go outdoors, you can bring flea eggs on your shoes and clothes. Each flea can produce 50 to 100 eggs daily! Monthly prevention for the pet, as well as environmental control such as spraying, is needed to successfully control fleas and ticks.

Fleas are the most common external parasite of companion animals. In addition to itching and other skin problems, fleas can transmit diseases to animals and people. The majority of the flea population (i.e. eggs, larvae, and pupae) are found off the pet and around the home.

 

A wide variety of parasite prevention products for the pet are available, such as monthly topical liquids and oral medicines, veterinary-approved collars, shampoos, sprays, and powders. We also recommend regular bathing and grooming as part of a continuous preventive protocol to maintain complete protection year-round.

 

Our knowledgeable staff can help you determine the proper plan of treatment for your pet and your home, as well as show you how to safely use each product. Keep in mind that canine-only products are not designed for felines and could cause serious health issues and even death. Age and weight are also factors to consider in determining which products are best for your pet.

Emergency

 

What Is an Emergency Veterinary Service?

There are many situations that require emergency intervention including but not limited to:

Physical trauma

Severe bleeding

Choking or difficulty breathing

Eye injury

Poisoning

Heat stroke

Severe vomiting/diarrhea

Loss of consciousness

Unable to walk/stand

Unable to urinate/defecate

Emergencies can occur at any time, day or night and recognizing when your pet is in need of emergency care isn't always easy. If you think your pet's life is in danger Please contact one the closest Emergency Facilities.