Our Promise to You
As pet owners and dedicated pet caretakers, the staff at Whitesburg Animal Hospital understands the importance of our clients' companion animals. As a special member of your family, your pet deserves only the best in comprehensive care. At Whitesburg Animal Hospital, we provide specialized and unique medical care and treatments to suit the individual needs of your pet.
We are a compassionate team dedicated to treating your pet with dignity in a safe and controlled environment. We believe in preventative medical care for all our patients; and educate our clients on proper vaccines, nutrition, dental care and more to enhance the quality of life for our clients' companions.
We also understand that even with preventative care, our pets may become injured or develop illnesses. Our experienced doctors and technicians, along with our well-equipped facility, are prepared to handle even the most complex medical care required to help your pet recover from injury or illness and ensure that they remain healthy and happy.
Wellness Checkups
A regular physical examination is just as important for your pet as it is for you. We recommend a complete physical examination at least once a year, but because your pet cannot tell you if they are hurting or uncomfortable, more frequent checkups are encouraged.
At Whitesburg Animal Hospital we strive to provide the best preventative care through regular wellness checkups and thorough examinations. Routine examinations are necessary to spot potential health problems before they become serious health concerns. It is also a great opportunity to ask your veterinarian about your pet's health concerns and to keep up with the latest information regarding pet care.
During your pet's wellness checkup, we will:
Listen to your pet's heart – Arrhythmias, early signs of cardiac disease that include heart murmurs and abnormal heart beat patterns, can be heard through a stethoscope. Discovering these helps identify the underlying heart condition so that proper treatment may be given before it becomes a more serious health threat.
Listen to your pet's lungs – Abnormalities such as infections, viruses, obstructive diseases and other issues can be detected by listening to the lungs through a stethoscope. The doctor will also be able to assess the overall pulmonary health of your pet.
Check your pet's teeth and oral cavity – Examining your pet's teeth and mouth is important for preventing various forms of dental disease, a common health concern in pets. Young animals also need to be checked to ensure they are developing appropriate dental alignment and that they are losing their baby teeth. We will also take the time to discuss proper home dental care with our clients.
Evaluate your pet's vision – Ocular conditions can be prevented through regular care and screenings. We examine your pet with an ophthalmoscope during each visit to check for early changes in the retina, lens and iris. Glaucoma and Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (dry eye) are a couple of the eye problems that can have severe complications if left untreated.
Look into your pet's ears – As with dental disease, ear disease is relatively common in pets. Issues such as allergies, swimming or improper bathing, food allergies, mites, and other parasites can all contribute to different forms of ear disease. Many ear diseases are difficult to detect and require examination by a veterinarian.
Palpate the lymph nodes, abdomen and skin – We check your pet's skin for lumps, swelling, skin coloration, lesions, and patterns of hair loss or hair thinning. These may indicate the presence of a more systematic problem, such as metabolic disease, commonly occurring in middle-aged pets.
Palpate joints and muscles – Thorough examination of the joints, legs, and other areas of the body are necessary to evaluate swelling joints, decreased muscle mass, decreased muscle tone, and comparing variations in muscle size between limbs. We also observe your pet's movements for signs of developmental issues. In puppies, we look for early indications of hip or elbow problems. For older pets, we look for signs of mobility issues and pain. Arthritis being one of the major causes, which can be more effectively treated if found early.
Laboratory work – On an annual basis, Whitesburg Animal Hospital recommends a fecal flotation test for intestinal parasites, a heartworm check, and a chemistry profile with a complete blood count. These tests establish a baseline of systemic health and evaluate organ function and anemia as well as detect emergent disease processes. We recommend a comprehensive health screen for older pets or those whose health may already be compromised. These recommendations change with medication usage and complex disease situations.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are an important part of your pet's preventative healthcare plan. Due to continuing advances in veterinary immunology, we can now easily prevent diseases and viruses that were once common and deadly to companion animals. There are many vaccines available for your pet that provide multiple-year coverage. We work with the owners to evaluate what vaccines are necessary for your pet based on his or her lifestyle and history.
Microchipping: Reliable Identification for Your Pet
Each year, millions of pets go missing and many do not safely return home. Microchipping your pet is a safe and effective way to help your pet return home if he or she goes missing. Microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are encoded with your pet's identification information. They are placed beneath the skin, usually between the shoulder blades. Most veterinary hospitals and animal shelters are equipped with special scanners capable of reading these microchips and these chips help reunite lost pets with their owners.
Whitesburg Animal Hospital offers HomeAgain® microchips, a widely used microchipping product that will increase the likelihood of a safe recovery should your pet get lost. Home Again also offers a number of useful services to pet owners, including National Pet Recovery Database, Lost Pet Specialists, Rapid Lost Pet Alerts, Lost Pet Medical Insurance, and Travel Assistance for Found Pet.
Don't Forget Our Exotic Pals
Veterinary medicine for exotic and pocket pets, including birds, sugar gliders, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, and other small mammals, is growing along with the popularity of these animals as pets. With proper veterinary care and better client education in the health, nutrition, and environmental management of these pets, all exotics and pocket pets can live longer, healthier and happier lives.
Partnerships and Referrals
Despite our extensive training and the resources within our facility, there are times when your pet may require the care of a veterinary specialist outside our hospital.
Whitesburg Animal Hospital maintains cooperative working relationships with several veterinary specialists. To help confirm diagnosis and readings of our radiograph and ultrasound, we work with board certified radiologist Dr. Debra Beard, a former staff veterinarian at Auburn University Teaching Hospital. Because our images are captured digitally, we are easily able to email them and receive a swift report; often within one day.
We also work closely with Dr. Beth Gibbons of Animal Eye Care Center, Dr. James Milton of Veterinary Surgical Center, and the Auburn University Veterinary Teaching Hospital.