The Woodbridge Veterinary Group offers a full line of general medical and surgical services :
- Yearly Comprehensive Physical Exams
- Preventative Care and Vaccinations
- Puppy and Kitten Care Programs
- Geriatric Care Programs
- Digital Radiography
- Ultrasound
- In-House Laboratory
- General Surgery
- Medicated Baths
- Behavioral and Training Assistance
- Emergency Medicine
- Pain Management
- Boarding
- Diabetic/Medical Boarding
- Micro Chip Identification
- External Parasite Control
- Internal Parasite Control
- Obesity Management Programs
- Telemedicine with Boarded Consultants
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Dental Care
- Euthanasia
Yearly Comprehensive Physical Exams
The best care you can give your pet includes regular veterinary examinations. A complete physical exam by your veterinarian may find potentially serious conditions before they even affect your pet. A typical examination evaluates your pet’s teeth, ears, eyes, heart and lungs, abdominal organs, and lymph nodes. These examinations are needed more frequently for puppies and kittens as well as for senior pets. For older pets, periodic laboratory testing is an invaluable part of health monitoring. Diabetes, early kidney problems, low grade infections, and many cancers can often be found through laboratory testing.
Also, we welcome pet owners who would like a second opinion of their pet’s diagnosis or condition to visit our hospital, and we will gladly address any concerns about the pet’s treatment and care.
We have a close working relationship with specialists from a variety of veterinary disciplines, including, but not limited to oncology, neurology, dermatology, ophthalmology, physical therapy, behavioral and internal medicine.
In most cases, after a consultation with one of these specialists, your pet may be sent back to us for any continued care they may need.
Puppy and Kitten Care Programs
Adding a new pet to your home—whether it’s a puppy, kitten or adult animal you’ve adopted—is an exciting time filled with new discoveries. It’s also a time of new or added responsibility, such as how to best care for your newest family member’s health. We will outline and explain the necessary procedures and vaccines your pet will need to be protected from serious diseases and illnesses. We’re also here to help you navigate through the many issues you face with pet ownership, such as crate or litter box training, feeding and nutrition, obedience training, behavioral problems, introducing a new pet to another pet, and more. Our clients know to rely on us as partners in their pets’ health and well-being, and we welcome the opportunity to help you create the happy, healthy life you want for your pet.
Geriatric Care Programs
Each phase of your pet’s life is a special time, including your pet’s senior years. While your pet’s health needs change with age, with modern veterinary medicine you can help maintain your companion’s health and vitality throughout his or her lifetime. Care for your mature pet includes more frequent check-ups so we can detect the early signs of a variety of illnesses before they become more serious health problems.
Generally speaking, we advise that pets older than 10 years of age be examined once every 6 months, and those older than 13 years once every 3 months. Common geriatric problems we screen for include kidney failure, bladder infections, heart problems, arthritis, dental infections and thyroid issues. Our doctors will advise you on symptoms and behaviors to look for that could indicate the existence of these health issues. Together, we can make your pet’s senior years healthy, comfortable, rewarding and long!
Dermatology
Skin problems care one of the most common reasons that owners seek veterinary care for their pets. There are many different causes of skin disease, from external parasites to allergies to hormonal imbalances. Fleas, mites, food and pollen allergies, genetic disorders, thyroid and adrenal gland problems are just some of the underlying causes of skin disease in dogs and cats.
Common signs of skin disease are itching/scratching/licking, flaking or crusting skin, redness, change in skin or coat color, odor, hair loss, greasy coat, and ear problems. If your pet is experiencing any of these symptoms, please schedule an appointment for a full dermatological evaluation by one of our doctors. With proper treatment we can help your pet feel more comfortable.
Diagnostic tools and laboratory tests occasionally must be performed to help determine the underlying cause of a skin disease. If necessary, our doctors can recommend microscopic examinations, fungal cultures, biopsies, allergy or other blood tests for a rapid diagnosis and proper treatment.
Some skin problems are easily resolved and others can be very frustrating to manage. We are here to work with you and your pet to ensure its best care and comfort. Our groomer can even apply special dips and medicated shampoos under the doctors’ supervision if you’d rather not bother doing it yourself.
Our hospital pharmacy carries many types of shampoos, conditioners, cleansers, supplements and medications to maintain your pet’s healthy coat.
Digital Radiography
Digital x-rays allow us to immediately see the results of any images we take, enabling the procedure to be completed more quickly and in a less stressful manner than traditional x-ray methods.
There are numerous advantages of digital x-rays over traditional film x-rays. Not only can we obtain images more quickly, image quality can be adjusted after taking pictures, often eliminating the need for additional x-rays and repeated exposure for your pet. For those times when another x-ray is needed, images can be repeated very quickly, minimizing the time your pet spends being x-rayed, and thereby reducing stress. For example, taking an x-ray with traditional film can take 20 minutes or more, but the same x-ray taken digitally can be done in less than 5 minutes. The result is a significant decrease in stress for a sick pet.
Ultrasound
Advanced diagnostic imaging such as ultrasonography is routinely used. Our in-house equipment affords us the advantage of being able to instantly perform this procedure. Ultrasound often complements x-rays for precise diagnostic imaging. It allows us to see the internal structure of organs, including the presence of cysts, infections and stones. When needed, ultrasound can also be used to painlessly biopsy internal organs. A biopsy instrument can be safely passed into the area while being observed with ultrasound.
In-House Laboratory
Pets often need laboratory testing when they are sick to make a diagnosis and determine the correct treatment for their problem. We have a vast array of in-house diagnostic testing equipment that enables us to rapidly evaluate your pet’s health. This includes testing for infections, diabetes, kidney problems, and many other illnesses.
General Surgery
Surgery may sound like a daunting event for your pet, but in the hands of an experienced veterinarian, it can be the lifesaving procedure it is intended to be. While general surgery is used in cases of emergencies such as traumatic injuries or life-threatening tumors, it also includes preventative medicine such as spaying and neutering. Additionally, surgery is an invaluable tool in making a diagnosis when other non-invasive methods do not provide sufficient information for a proper diagnosis.
Surgical monitoring is essential for safe surgery. Prior to receiving general anesthesia, we perform pre-anesthetic blood testing on our patients. During surgery, our patients are maintained on equipment that monitors their electrocardiogram, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, body temperature, blood pressure and respiration.
Medicated Baths
The skin is the largest, and one of the most remarkable organs of the body. Through different layers of cells, hair, and glands that work together, the skin protects the body in a variety of ways. It functions as a protective barrier from injury and disease, guards against exposure to the elements, helps to regulate body temperature and prevents dehydration. With all the skin has to do and all that it is exposed to, it is not uncommon for damage to occur to the skin or any of these supporting structures in dogs and cats. This can result in common clinical signs such as redness, loss of hair, scaling, crusting, and itchiness.
For example, fleas, ticks, and other parasites can damage the skin’s protective quality as they feed on a blood meal. Allergies, thyroid disease and other systemic illnesses can also do the same. In these cases medicated baths are commonly used with other medications since they contain specific ingredients to fight infection and inflammation. These baths help restore the skin to its normal flora or balance, allowing it to better heal. Since medicated baths are often used in conjunction with other medications, they should only be administered after discussing your pet’s treatment plan with your veterinarian.
Behavioral and Training Assistance
Behavioral issues such as inappropriate chewing, house soiling and aggression can sometimes originate from undiagnosed health issues. That’s why it’s always a good idea to bring your pet in for a complete physical examination to rule out any medical causes for behavioral problems. In cases where no physical cause is found, we can provide training assistance, referrals to behavioral professionals, and/or drug therapies when appropriate.
Telemedicine with Boarded Consultants
Ultrasound and x-ray images are interpreted by our experienced veterinarians, and when necessary, can be shared with specialists such as radiologists, oncologists, neurosurgeons or cardiologists through the use of Telemedicine. Digital x-rays, ultrasound images and ECGs are transmitted over the internet to these specialists, allowing their diagnostic help to be available.
Dental Care
Regular dental cleanings are an important part of your pet’s health care. Painful gum disease is a very common, but often overlooked, problem for pets. Tartar can build on teeth causing bacteria to spread into the bloodstream and settle into internal organs, specifically the heart and kidneys. Heart murmurs are often due to dental bacteria that has gone into the bloodstream and infected the heart. Kidney failure in middle-aged pets is also frequently due to infected gums and teeth. Additionally, dental infections are often quite painful to pets.
Proper dental care can be easily achieved with routine dental cleanings and sound dietary management. Cleanings and polishings are done using state-of-the-art dental equipment. Prior to your pet’s dental cleaning, a physical exam and pre-anesthetic blood work is preformed to ensure your pet’s well-being and alert the doctor to the presence of any pre-existing conditions such as dehydration, diabetes, and heart, kidney, or liver disease which could complicate the procedure.