Veterinary Wellness Services
As pet owners and people who have dedicated our lives to the care of animals, we truly understand how important animal companions are to each and every one of our clients. Your pet is a special, unique and important member of your family. This is why Abilene Veterinary Specialists strives to be at the forefront of veterinary care by providing state-of-the-art medical services and protocols within a fully-equipped, safe, and welcoming facility.
Prevention is Key in Pet Wellness Care
The basis of our promise to you and the foundation of your pet's health are in the thorough practice of preventative care. We recommend yearly, nose-to-tail wellness checkups, proper dental care (here and at home), the application of appropriate vaccinations, and microchip identification. We also feel that our senior care program for dogs and cats is perhaps one of the most important services we provide our pets. Seniors are far more susceptible to a range of diseases than younger pets, but fortunately many of these diseases, if caught early can be cured or managed. This is why regular twice yearly examinations and screenings are a critical piece of the care we provide.
We also strongly believe that client education and communication are vital aspects of good veterinary care. Our promise to you and the work of caring for your pet does not begin and end at our doors. It is continuous and requires empowering you with the information you need to provide the best and most compassionate care for your beloved pet.
Unfortunately, despite even the most aggressive preventative treatment, our pets may yet experience a periodic illness or injury. The skill and extensive education of the doctors at Abilene Veterinary Clinic means we can effectively manage challenging medical and surgical cases. The result is that your pet receives care from people he or she has come to know, and there are fewer referrals to expensive specialists for you.
In all, we strive to provide the highest level of service to you and care to your pet in a warm, safe and inviting atmosphere. Please take a look at the services we offer and why we believe they are important for the care of your pet. Then feel free to give us a call at (325) 692-4433 to make an appointment.
Your Pet's Wellness Exam
A regular physical examination is just as important for your pet as it is for you. Because your pets cannot tell you how they really feel, we recommend a complete nose-to-tail physical examination at least once a year, though more frequent exams are encouraged.
A routine examination provides you and your veterinarian with the opportunity to develop a picture of your pet's overall health as well as to spot potential medical issues before they become serious health concerns. It's also an opportunity for you to ask your veterinarian important questions about your pet's health, habits and daily care. We also use this time to inform you about home healthcare for your pet and offer important advice and new information on the care of your particular type and breed of animal.
During your pet's wellness checkup, Abilene Veterinary Clinic doctors will:
Listen to your pet's heart – Early signs of cardiac disease such as heart murmurs and abnormal heart beat patterns known as arrhythmias can be heard through a stethoscope. Discovering these initial indicators of trouble ahead can lead to identifying and treating the underlying condition before it becomes a more serious health threat.
Listen to your pet's lungs – Health issues such as infections, obstructive diseases and other problems can be detected by listening to your pet's lungs through a stethoscope. The doctor can also assess the overall pulmonary health of your pet.
Check your pet's teeth and oral cavity – Examining your pet's teeth and mouth is an important part of preventing dental disease, which is one of the most common health concerns in pets. Very young animals, such as kittens and puppies, also need to be checked to ensure they are developing an appropriate bite and that they are losing their baby teeth at the right time. We also take the time to discuss proper home dental care with you.
Evaluate your pet's vision – All diseases follow relatively predictable processes and if found early can be more easily treated. Ocular conditions, which can also be prevented through regular care and screenings, are no exception.
Look into your pet's ears – As with dental disease, ear disease is relatively common in many types of pets. Issues such as low-grade allergies, swimming or bathing, reactions to certain foods, mites and other parasites can all cause and contribute to otitis or ear disease. Though you may feel this is an area that can be well-handled at home, the fact is that many ear diseases are difficult to detect and require medical treatment.
Palpate the lymph nodes, abdomen and skin – By feeling the skin, we are looking for unusual lumps or swellings as well as evaluating for skin discolorations, lesions or patterns of hair loss or thinning. These can indicate the presence of more systemic problems, especially metabolic diseases, which most commonly occur in middle-aged animals.
Palpate joints and muscles – By examining the joints, legs and other areas of the body, we are able to evaluate for swollen joints, decreased muscle tone and variations in muscle size between the limbs. We also observe your pet's gait for developmental issues. In puppies, we look for early indications of hip or elbow problems. For older pets, we look for signs of arthritis, which can be well-treated if found early.
Lab work – A complete physical should include a heartworm test as well as a full blood workup. Not only can a full chemistry panel and complete blood count identify the presence of underlying disease processes, but these tests help create a baseline should your pet become ill between routine examinations. Additionally, blood work is highly recommended and often times necessary if your veterinarian recommends a dental cleaning or any other surgical procedure that requires anesthesia.
Parasite Testing – Checking your pet for intestinal parasites is an important component of any preventative care plan. Not only is this a healthy choice for your pet, but for your family as well. For example, parasites such as hookworms are considered zoonotic, which means they can affect humans as well.
Vaccinations for Your Pet
Vaccinations are the cornerstone of your pet's preventive health care plan. Advances in veterinary immunology have made diseases that once were fatal to pets easily prevented. Today, many immunizations and preventive treatments are available that did not exist just a few years ago.
Abilene Veterinary Associates' vaccination protocol is tailored to that of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Before giving your pet any vaccination we will also take into account the lifestyle of your pet, past history as well as the diseases your pet is most likely to come into contact with.
Our veterinarians truly believe that our carefully balanced approach is the best means to prevent infectious disease and the possibility of your pet having an adverse reaction to a vaccine.
Veterinary Oncology: Cancer Treatment for Pets
A diagnosis of cancer can be frightening. However, most pets respond extremely well to cancer treatments. Abilene Veterinary Clinic offers chemotherapy for both cats and dogs. Pets do not experience the same side effects from chemotherapy that humans do, and most pets go on to lead long and healthy lives long after their cancer is gone.
Microchipping: Safe & Reliable Lost Pet ID
Does your pet have a microchip? Each year, millions of pets go missing and many don't make it back home. Microchipping your pet is a safe, simple and effective way to prevent this tragedy. About the size of a grain of rice, identification microchips are encoded with your pet's vital information and implanted beneath your pet's skin, usually between the shoulder blades.
Veterinary hospitals and animal shelters across the country and around the world are equipped with special scanners capable of reading these microchips. The information in the chip is used to reunite you with your pet.
Abilene Veterinary Clinic uses the HomeAgain microchip system. HomeAgain provides a number of very useful services to pet owners such as their National Pet Recovery Database, Lost Pet Specialists, Rapid Lost Pet Alerts, Travel Assistance for Found Pets, and Lost Pet Medical Insurance. For our clients who like to travel with their pets, HomeAgain also uses technology that can be read throughout the world.
Care for Your Senior Pet
Dogs and cats in their senior years may have slowed down a bit, but they are still very loving and satisfying companions to have. They also require a bit more veterinary care in order to keep them happy and healthy as well as to detect the early signs of treatable diseases.
We still recommend regular wellness and dental exams, but also recommend a geriatric exam tailored to your pet's age and condition. Our senior wellness exams include the standard vaccines your dog or cat needs, as well as diagnostic tests designed to help catch any problems associated with aging before they become difficult and expensive to treat.
We will also perform routine tests such as otoscopic (ear) and ophthalmic exams, basic neurologic and cardiovascular evaluations, weight assessment, blood work, urinalysis, fecal exams for intestinal parasites, and more.
Our Veterinary Pharmacy
In numerous acute or chronic conditions, medication is required to cure or alleviate symptoms. At Abilene Veterinary Clinic we believe that timely and convenient access to these medications is an important aspect of caring for your pet. For this reason, we maintain a comprehensive pharmacy.
Not only does our pharmacy mean you don't have to wait for important medicines for your pet, but there is a direct line of communication between the examination room and the pharmacy window. Each medication becomes part of your pet's medical record, which reduces the chance for errors and enhances our ability to monitor its use and the outcome for your pet.
Refills are easy too. Simply give us a call or visit our online pharmacy and we can either mail them to you or have them ready at your next visit.