GENERAL MEDICINE
To ensure a proper diagnosis, we often need to examine your pet. At the Juan de Fuca Veterinary Clinic, we are fully equipped to provide you and your pet with the greatest possible care through a variety of services.
INJURY AND ILLNESS
Sometimes our pets suffer from illness and/or injury. To ensure a proper diagnosis, we often need to examine your pet. Medical assessments begin with doing a thorough check over your pet to determine if any system in the body suffers from any abnormalities. Often, we will perform blood and/or urine tests to check the function of your pet’s systems. Further diagnostics may be required for a full diagnosis. Our hospital is fully equipped with an array of diagnostic services to assist our veterinarians in developing a diagnosis.
If you’re concerned that something may be wrong with your pet, please call us to schedule an examination. Depending on the symptoms, we may ask you to bring your pet in right away.
If your pet is requiring emergency care, please be advised that we are not a 24-hour emergency hospital and may need to refer you to WAVES Veterinary Specialty Emergency Hospital or the Central Victoria Veterinary Hospital.
DERMATOLOGY
Skin problems can be a major source of discomfort for pets and a source of frustration for owners. Common contributing factors may include hormonal influences, environmental and/or dietary allergens, infections and parasites. If you notice your cat or dog scratching excessively, develops bare patches, scabs, scaling, redness, inflammation, lumps or bumps, please contact us to schedule an appointment.
CARDIOLOGY
Although heart problems are found more often in older pets, these conditions can affect pets at any age. Heart disease is usually a life-threatening condition, but early diagnosis and appropriate therapy can extend your pet’s life. If caught soon enough, some forms of heart disease can be cured. Contact us if your pet starts breathing rapidly or coughing, loses his or her appetite, tires easily, seems weak, or has troubles exercising.
TONOMETRY
Your pet’s vision is important to us. It is crucial that we detect and treat issues such as glaucoma and other problems as quickly as possible. We have the resources available to pet your pet’s eyes for excess pressure easily and safely. Call us right away if you notice any of the following symptoms with your pet’s eyes:
Dilated (enlarged) pupils
Clouding of the cornea
Red or bloodshot eyes
One eye protruding or appearing larger than the other
Squinting
Tearing
ENDOCRINOLOGY
Identifying endocrine (hormonal) problems as early as possible is important in dogs and cats. These serious, potentially life-threatening conditions are much more manageable when caught early, allowing us to begin proper treatment. Common disorders found in cats and dogs include Diabetes Mellitus, Hypothyroidism, Hyperthyroidism, and Addison’s disease.
If your pet begins panting excessively, develops any skin issues, or shows any changes in behavior, energy levels, appetite, weight, water consumption, or urination, please contact us to schedule an examination.
PAIN MANAGEMENT & LASER THERAPY
Effective pain management is an essential part of companion animal medicine. It reduces disease, morbidity, facilitates recovery, and enhances the quality of life of our patients. Our pets feel pain just like us but demonstrate that in different ways that may go unnoticed unless it is known what to look for. We will help you recognize the signs of pain so that you can help us modify your pet’s treatments as needed. We aim to provide you and your pet with quality and compassionate care and ensure that patient comfort is our priority. We utilize a variety of safe pain control treatments that encompass short term pain and chronic pain. If you feel as though your pet is in pain, please call our clinic right away.
Laser therapy is a safe, noninvasive and pain free treatment alternative to help pain management. It is a drug-free treatment that is less stressful and often soothing for pets. Laser therapy can be used in conjunction with other treatment programs to enhance results and reduce your pet’s discomfort.
The laser therapy treatment program is unique to each pet. The number of treatments and frequency will be determined by your veterinarian based on your pet’s specific needs. Ask us today about laser therapy!
CHEMOTHERAPY
When a cancer diagnosis is reached, our doctors will discuss several treatment options with you. They may recommend one treatment or a combination of treatments depending on the location and type of cancer, as well as the advancement of the disease. To help control or eradicate the cancer in your pet, doctors may recommend surgery, chemotherapy or refer your pet to a cancer specialist (oncologist). Please call our clinic if you have any further questions about the cancer treatment options we offer.