Is Cheaper Always Better?

Do you ever wonder why there is a difference in pricing of spays and neuters depending where you go? Why is it that a spay/neuter clinic can charge less than your veterinarian? We did a little investigating and found a few differences.
When you take your baby to your veterinarian to be spayed or neutered, they are given a physical exam. We feel this exam could help diagnosis issues that could complicate surgery for your beloved pet. We check them from nose to tail. This is the equivalent to you having an exam before surgery. We also require a heartworm test and a fecal flotation to check for intestinal worms prior to surgery as parasites can really make it hard on your pet during surgery. Most of the time in a spay/neuter clinic, there is not much time devoted to a physical exam.
Your veterinarian will normally place an iv catheter in your babies' arm to ensure that if there is a problem, there is a quick way to get to the vein. Many spay/neuter clinics do not do this as a standard. We do.
The type of anesthesia used is also very important. Isofluorane is one of the safer anesthesia's but it's more expensive. We use it here, but many clinics use something different.
Pain medication is expensive and many clinics give a very small amount, or none at all. We give presurgery and post surgery pain medication, we do not like pain and feel as though your pet's doesn't either.

So when you are thinking of going cheaper, make sure that you check to see what you are or are not getting. Sometimes a bargain is not worth the paper its written on.

So what's the yearly all about?

The yearly exam that we perform on your baby is more than you would think. We consider this yearly exam an important necessity that allows us to catch any issues that your pet may be experiencing and to ensure your baby is healthy and happy. We start off with checking their weight. This allows us to make sure that they are not experiencing a major weight change. Next, we take the temperature of your baby. The temperature tells us if your baby is healthy enough for any vaccines they may be getting. For our canine friends, we take a blood sample to check for heartworms. A fecal sample is also vital. This tells us if your baby has any intestinal parasites. On our older patients, we perform a check on their eye pressure, blood pressure, and their heart rate. Also for our older kids, we take a blood sample to check their glucose, kidney, and liver values. Our cutting edge lab equipment, allows us to inform you of all findings within 24 hours. How many doctor offices do you know that can say the same? This check allows us to check for any unknown issues that may be present. We encourage pet owners to share any concerns with your baby’s health. Please do not hesitate to ever ask questions. We care about your baby’s health as much as we care about our own. 

After our veterinary assistant’s have visited with you and your pet, we start any tests, prepare any vaccines, and we discuss with the veterinarian our preliminary findings. A veterinary assistant and the veterinarian, then enter the room. The veterinarian will then perform an exam which includes: eyes, ears, mouth, chest, abdomen, and coat/skin. Any vaccine needed will then be given. The veterinarian then discusses the results of the exam with you. The heartworm and fecal test results will be shared with you also at this time. Before leaving the exam room, be sure to ask any questions that you may have for our veterinarian.

Please remember to pick up your pet’s heartworm preventive and flea and tick medication. This is a vital part of your pet’s overall health. We want to keep them happy and healthy as much as you do.

(336) 591-8250

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Rabies Awareness Month

March is Rabies Awareness Month, so for that cause we want to let you know some things about rabies and how it can affect your pet and also you. Rabies is a viral infection and is very deadly. Rabies is spread from infected saliva entering the body from a bite or cut. The main carriers of rabies are: bats, raccoons, foxes and skunks. Carriers of this disease could spread the virus to your pet and yourself. Luckily your pet can be safe with proper vaccinations which start at 4 months of age. The 4 month old puppy receives a vaccination that will last them one year. After the year they will receive another vaccine this time for 3 years and then every 3 years there after they should receive another booster. North Carolina law requires all dogs, cat and ferrets over 4 months of age to be vaccinated against rabies. The rabies vaccine can only be administered by licensed veterinarians or a certified rabies vaccinator.

So don’t go near any animal that you are unsure of their vaccination of rabies, and don’t let your pet around them either. Stray dog and cats are at an increase risk of contracting and carrying rabies. The majority of the staff here, at The Animal Hospital of Walnut Cove, has been vaccinated against rabies because we deal with unvaccinated animals, which may be in quarantine from exposure or from biting someone.