|
|
Our Services
We are a state-of-the-art full service veterinary facility. We offer routine physical exams, traditional spays and neuters, as well as digital radiography and laser therapy. We also offer in house-lab testing, reference lab testing, and much more.
Our Physical Exams
We have comprehensive consultative physical exams. Our technicians take a thorough history of your pet. They also go over your current care, exercise, feeding, medications, and preventive medications. We want to know if you plan on boarding your pet, traveling with them, showing your pet, or any other plans you might have such as breeding. Knowing their history and their future is helpful in planning for their preventive care and helping them live a full life. We do like to see your pet two times are year and you can read about more about why here http://www.companionvhc.com/blog/why-do-we-really-want-to-see-your-pets-twice-a-year.
Vaccines
For more than 40 years pets have been getting vaccinated. It is so easy to forget that fatal illnesses are rarely seen thanks to vaccinations. It is critical to us to provide not only our pet with the best vaccine plan but your family and even your community. We realize people travel with their pets now more than ever. We know dog parks are gaining in popularity, as well as doggie day care, cat enrichment centers, etc. We will discuss with you the best vaccination protocol for your pet.
We know there are concerns about over-vaccinating and that is why we use our 3 year protocol vaccines whenever possible and in general we want to reduce risks.
Age, breed, gender, lifestyle are all factors that we take in to consideration when coming up with your pets’ vaccines protocol.
New Puppy or Kitten
Congratulations! A new furry family member is always exciting. The very first new puppy or kitten visit can take a bit longer than other examinations. We want to make sure we answer all your questions about your new family member. Please feel free to make a list of questions such as how much to feed, how often to provide fresh water, do they like water fountains, where should I go for training, etc. We encourage questions and we hope to get them all answered for you. Please also bring a fresh stool sample to the visit.
Microchipping
We are passionate about permanent identification. We know that rabies tags are great, town dog licenses can help return dogs to their homes, and other forms of ID are helpful too but they can get lost. We promote permanent identification with microchipping. At CVHC we use Home Again. We feel it is the best microchip currently on the market for you and your pet. It offers not only 24 hours a day lost pet help but also animal poison control too. Please learn more about Home Again in the link here http://public.homeagain.com/.
Anesthesia and Surgery
It is important that you know that not all hospital, clinics, and the like treat anesthesia and surgery the same. It can vary from facility to facility and it is important to know what is being done where. Here at Companion Veterinary Health Center we have a thoughtful and comprehensive protocol.
We start by admitting your pet for surgery and reviewing your expectations for the procedure. Next our doctor performs a physical exam prior to surgery to make sure they are fit for surgery and there were no changes since we last saw them. If all is well, a technician then administers a pre-anesthetic injection to help calm your pet, prevent pain, and reduce the amount of inhaled (gas) anesthetic used. Next once the pre-anesthetic is in effect the technician will place an IV catheter in a front leg so we can give more medication if needed, administer fluids during and after surgery, or administer emergency medication if needed.
Your pet then will have an endotracheal tube placed and this is how we provide the oxygen and the gas anesthesia during surgery. We then prep the surgical site by doing several “scrubbings” and then a solution to keep the area sterile. We also connect them to the gas anesthesia and oxygen, IV fluids, and a multi-parameter monitor. We use a heated surgical table as well as a thermal warm air blanket to maintain body temperature, which is critical during surgery.
A technician is in the surgery suite to assist the doctor who is dressed in a sterile gown and glove, a mask, and a bonnet or hat. The technicians job it to record the readings on the monitor, monitor anesthesia, and assist the doctor by getting instruments, suture, or injectable medications.
Once your pet’s surgery is completed we turn off the gas anesthesia and they just breathe oxygen for a while. It is at this point in time when we would administer additional pain medication when required. We also will apply the therapeutic laser at this point. It promotes healing and can reduce inflammation. This is included in all of our surgeries. Then they go into recovery while being observed by a technician and with a thermal warm air blanket to help ease them back in to a state of consciousness.
After they are fully recovered we then call you or text you with an update, set up a time for discharge, and remove their IV catheter.
In addition to spay and neuters we also do mass removals, certain bladder surgeries, eye surgery and more.
Pain Management
It is important to remember that our pets have ancestors in the wild. Way back in the day it was important not to show pain. So our pets have become masters at hiding pain often until it becomes just too unbearable. Cats in particular and truly amazing at this skill. So we treat pain management here very thoughtfully. We know there are different kinds of pain such as post-op pain form a surgery, osteoarthritis pain, injury pain, and dental pain just to name a few.
For post-op (after surgery) we use our advanced pain-free protocol. This is where we use layers of injectable pain medication to help reduce the pain. Some is given at the pre-anesthesia time, some is given right after surgery along with the laser treatment, and then in some case some is sent home from you to administer in an oral format. Our pain-free protocol will rival any human pain-free protocol. We are very proud of this protocol and feel that is truly the very best for your pet. When a pet is not in pain it can relax and the body can heal itself not just mask its’s symptoms.
Osteoarthritis is very different then post-op pain management. This is usually a long term pain management that needs your guidance and input. Often time’s dogs in particular will get excited when coming to the vet so they might not limp when they are here at the clinic. We know at home there could be a totally different story. So we will rely on your keen observation skills to help us know how your pet is doing on medication once it is home. We also offer laser therapy for treatment of OA.
Dental Surgery and Post-Op Care
So many advances have been made in veterinary care in the last two decades. We now can not only clean your pet’s teeth while they are sedated and under anesthesia but here at Companion Veterinary Health Center we take full mouth digital x-rays of your pets teeth. In the past people were afraid of dental surgery not realizing that the mouth is the gateway to good health. Bacteria that are found in an infected mouth can make their way to the heart, lungs, and kidneys. A painful mouth can contribute to your pet’s overall health and morale. It is so important that we do dental surgeries (cleanings) and dental radiographs, we can only see 40% of the tooth above the gum line and that means 60% is below the gum line and we can’t see that without an x-ray.
At Companion Veterinary Health Center we do promote early dental care start with them as puppies and kittens. We want you to take home a dental product that is right for you and your pet and get them started early. Options we offer are brushing, a food supplement, and dental diets. We know that not one way is perfect for everyone. So talk to use about what is right for you and your pet.
Dental surgery also referred to a dental cleaning again is not the same at all veterinary facilities. Here we do the same basic set up for surgery (see surgery link page). Once the pet is pre-medicated and has and IV catheter in, we put in an endotracheal tube to administer the gas anesthesia and oxygen. We then connect them to a multi-parameter monitor and IV fluids. Next our technicians take full mouth digital dental radiographs. The doctor then performs a full oral cavity examination. They look at the teeth and measure the pockets, they look at the gum, the tongue, under the tongue, even the inside of the cheeks. Then the radiographs are evaluated by the doctor to look for 50% bone loss to see which teeth may need to be extracted, this is why we need a phone number that you can be reach at during the surgery. Oftentimes we can’t see everything in the initial exam when the pet is awake. We learn so much more once they are under anesthesia. The use advanced pain management here as well. We use never blocks for the extractions and in some cases long acting pain control too. The technician then uses and ultrasonic scaler to clean the teeth. We then will apply an antibiotic if needed, and then the teeth are polished.
When extractions occur we send home specific instructions (insert link here). We also want to see them 2 weeks post-op to check on the healing and then another 4 weeks post-op, this visit is to see home the home care regime is working or do we need to change it.
Laser Therapy
We have a therapeutic laser that we use post-operatively as well as to treat many ailments. It can be used for arthritis, joint problems, and soft tissue injuries, just to name a few.
After a comprehensive examination the doctor will prescribe treatment for laser therapy and we can perform it right here in our office.
It is not invasive and usually a bit relaxing for the pet. Here is a list of a few more ailments that it can help with
If you are interested in laser therapy call us today 860-779-6070.
Emergencies
We always want you to call us first during our hour’s operation Tuesday – Friday 10 am to 6 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. After Hours please call Bolton Veterinary Hospital http://www.boltonvet.com/ or Ocean State Vet Specialist http://www.osvs.net/ . Animal Poison Control’s number is (888)426-4435 http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/ there may be a $65.00 charge for this call but it should be free if you have an active Home Again enrollment.
We are a state-of-the-art full service veterinary facility. We offer routine physical exams, traditional spays and neuters, as well as digital radiography and laser therapy. We also offer in house-lab testing, reference lab testing, and much more.
Our Physical Exams
We have comprehensive consultative physical exams. Our technicians take a thorough history of your pet. They also go over your current care, exercise, feeding, medications, and preventive medications. We want to know if you plan on boarding your pet, traveling with them, showing your pet, or any other plans you might have such as breeding. Knowing their history and their future is helpful in planning for their preventive care and helping them live a full life. We do like to see your pet two times are year and you can read about more about why here http://www.companionvhc.com/blog/why-do-we-really-want-to-see-your-pets-twice-a-year.
Vaccines
For more than 40 years pets have been getting vaccinated. It is so easy to forget that fatal illnesses are rarely seen thanks to vaccinations. It is critical to us to provide not only our pet with the best vaccine plan but your family and even your community. We realize people travel with their pets now more than ever. We know dog parks are gaining in popularity, as well as doggie day care, cat enrichment centers, etc. We will discuss with you the best vaccination protocol for your pet.
We know there are concerns about over-vaccinating and that is why we use our 3 year protocol vaccines whenever possible and in general we want to reduce risks.
Age, breed, gender, lifestyle are all factors that we take in to consideration when coming up with your pets’ vaccines protocol.
New Puppy or Kitten
Congratulations! A new furry family member is always exciting. The very first new puppy or kitten visit can take a bit longer than other examinations. We want to make sure we answer all your questions about your new family member. Please feel free to make a list of questions such as how much to feed, how often to provide fresh water, do they like water fountains, where should I go for training, etc. We encourage questions and we hope to get them all answered for you. Please also bring a fresh stool sample to the visit.
Microchipping
We are passionate about permanent identification. We know that rabies tags are great, town dog licenses can help return dogs to their homes, and other forms of ID are helpful too but they can get lost. We promote permanent identification with microchipping. At CVHC we use Home Again. We feel it is the best microchip currently on the market for you and your pet. It offers not only 24 hours a day lost pet help but also animal poison control too. Please learn more about Home Again in the link here http://public.homeagain.com/.
Anesthesia and Surgery
It is important that you know that not all hospital, clinics, and the like treat anesthesia and surgery the same. It can vary from facility to facility and it is important to know what is being done where. Here at Companion Veterinary Health Center we have a thoughtful and comprehensive protocol.
We start by admitting your pet for surgery and reviewing your expectations for the procedure. Next our doctor performs a physical exam prior to surgery to make sure they are fit for surgery and there were no changes since we last saw them. If all is well, a technician then administers a pre-anesthetic injection to help calm your pet, prevent pain, and reduce the amount of inhaled (gas) anesthetic used. Next once the pre-anesthetic is in effect the technician will place an IV catheter in a front leg so we can give more medication if needed, administer fluids during and after surgery, or administer emergency medication if needed.
Your pet then will have an endotracheal tube placed and this is how we provide the oxygen and the gas anesthesia during surgery. We then prep the surgical site by doing several “scrubbings” and then a solution to keep the area sterile. We also connect them to the gas anesthesia and oxygen, IV fluids, and a multi-parameter monitor. We use a heated surgical table as well as a thermal warm air blanket to maintain body temperature, which is critical during surgery.
A technician is in the surgery suite to assist the doctor who is dressed in a sterile gown and glove, a mask, and a bonnet or hat. The technicians job it to record the readings on the monitor, monitor anesthesia, and assist the doctor by getting instruments, suture, or injectable medications.
Once your pet’s surgery is completed we turn off the gas anesthesia and they just breathe oxygen for a while. It is at this point in time when we would administer additional pain medication when required. We also will apply the therapeutic laser at this point. It promotes healing and can reduce inflammation. This is included in all of our surgeries. Then they go into recovery while being observed by a technician and with a thermal warm air blanket to help ease them back in to a state of consciousness.
After they are fully recovered we then call you or text you with an update, set up a time for discharge, and remove their IV catheter.
In addition to spay and neuters we also do mass removals, certain bladder surgeries, eye surgery and more.
Pain Management
It is important to remember that our pets have ancestors in the wild. Way back in the day it was important not to show pain. So our pets have become masters at hiding pain often until it becomes just too unbearable. Cats in particular and truly amazing at this skill. So we treat pain management here very thoughtfully. We know there are different kinds of pain such as post-op pain form a surgery, osteoarthritis pain, injury pain, and dental pain just to name a few.
For post-op (after surgery) we use our advanced pain-free protocol. This is where we use layers of injectable pain medication to help reduce the pain. Some is given at the pre-anesthesia time, some is given right after surgery along with the laser treatment, and then in some case some is sent home from you to administer in an oral format. Our pain-free protocol will rival any human pain-free protocol. We are very proud of this protocol and feel that is truly the very best for your pet. When a pet is not in pain it can relax and the body can heal itself not just mask its’s symptoms.
Osteoarthritis is very different then post-op pain management. This is usually a long term pain management that needs your guidance and input. Often time’s dogs in particular will get excited when coming to the vet so they might not limp when they are here at the clinic. We know at home there could be a totally different story. So we will rely on your keen observation skills to help us know how your pet is doing on medication once it is home. We also offer laser therapy for treatment of OA.
Dental Surgery and Post-Op Care
So many advances have been made in veterinary care in the last two decades. We now can not only clean your pet’s teeth while they are sedated and under anesthesia but here at Companion Veterinary Health Center we take full mouth digital x-rays of your pets teeth. In the past people were afraid of dental surgery not realizing that the mouth is the gateway to good health. Bacteria that are found in an infected mouth can make their way to the heart, lungs, and kidneys. A painful mouth can contribute to your pet’s overall health and morale. It is so important that we do dental surgeries (cleanings) and dental radiographs, we can only see 40% of the tooth above the gum line and that means 60% is below the gum line and we can’t see that without an x-ray.
At Companion Veterinary Health Center we do promote early dental care start with them as puppies and kittens. We want you to take home a dental product that is right for you and your pet and get them started early. Options we offer are brushing, a food supplement, and dental diets. We know that not one way is perfect for everyone. So talk to use about what is right for you and your pet.
Dental surgery also referred to a dental cleaning again is not the same at all veterinary facilities. Here we do the same basic set up for surgery (see surgery link page). Once the pet is pre-medicated and has and IV catheter in, we put in an endotracheal tube to administer the gas anesthesia and oxygen. We then connect them to a multi-parameter monitor and IV fluids. Next our technicians take full mouth digital dental radiographs. The doctor then performs a full oral cavity examination. They look at the teeth and measure the pockets, they look at the gum, the tongue, under the tongue, even the inside of the cheeks. Then the radiographs are evaluated by the doctor to look for 50% bone loss to see which teeth may need to be extracted, this is why we need a phone number that you can be reach at during the surgery. Oftentimes we can’t see everything in the initial exam when the pet is awake. We learn so much more once they are under anesthesia. The use advanced pain management here as well. We use never blocks for the extractions and in some cases long acting pain control too. The technician then uses and ultrasonic scaler to clean the teeth. We then will apply an antibiotic if needed, and then the teeth are polished.
When extractions occur we send home specific instructions (insert link here). We also want to see them 2 weeks post-op to check on the healing and then another 4 weeks post-op, this visit is to see home the home care regime is working or do we need to change it.
Laser Therapy
We have a therapeutic laser that we use post-operatively as well as to treat many ailments. It can be used for arthritis, joint problems, and soft tissue injuries, just to name a few.
After a comprehensive examination the doctor will prescribe treatment for laser therapy and we can perform it right here in our office.
It is not invasive and usually a bit relaxing for the pet. Here is a list of a few more ailments that it can help with
- Relieves Pain
- Reduces Pain
- Accelerates healing through tissue repair
- Improves Circulation
- Reduces Scar formation
- Stimulates Acupuncture Points
If you are interested in laser therapy call us today 860-779-6070.
Emergencies
We always want you to call us first during our hour’s operation Tuesday – Friday 10 am to 6 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. After Hours please call Bolton Veterinary Hospital http://www.boltonvet.com/ or Ocean State Vet Specialist http://www.osvs.net/ . Animal Poison Control’s number is (888)426-4435 http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/ there may be a $65.00 charge for this call but it should be free if you have an active Home Again enrollment.
