Services
Comprehensive Physical Examinations
Early detection of health problems can allow for prompt treatment. At least once a year, your pet should have a complete physical examination. We recommend seniors be seen twice a year. Remember, your pet's lifespan is shorter than ours and their health can change significantly over a 12-month period.
Dental Services
Clean teeth and a healthy mouth are important for keeping your pet in good health. Plaque, tartar and food can all build up on your pet's teeth, leading to periodontal disease and other health-related problems. If left untreated, periodontal disease can cause bacteria to be released into the bloodstream, leading to liver, heart and kidney disease. We offer full-service dental cleanings for your pet. In addition, our Doctors can provide dental x-rays and surgical dental extractions if needed. Following any dental procedure one of our team members will advise you on what type of dentals home care is recommended.
Diagnostic Laboratory Testing
Our extensive laboratory services provide information that is critical to the sick or injured pet. We have access to both an in-house and centralized reference laboratory for extensive diagnostic testing, allowing animals to receive appropriate treatment in a timely manner.
Surgical Care
Our hospital is well-equipped to perform all surgical procedures from spays and neuters to most major surgeries.
Prior to surgery, each patient receives a thorough physical examination to identify any existing medical conditions that might endanger your pet's health. Because not all problems can be detected on examination, we also do preanesthetic blood & urine testing. These tests not only give us a more complete picture of your pet's health, but also allow us to tailor an anesthetic regime that is safe for your pet.
We offer a wide variety of anesthetic protocols tailored to your pet's individual needs. We use state-of-the-art anesthetic equipment offering the safest level of anesthesia. Please discuss these options with our staff. We also utilize a variety of anesthetic monitoring devices including Doppler blood pressure monitors, pulse oximetry and cardiac monitoring equipment.
Pain management is an important part of our pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative anesthetic and medical protocol. All surgical patients, including those undergoing routine procedures such as ovariohysterectomy or castrations, receive pain control medications. We urge you to discuss pain management options with our staff.
Digital X-Ray Technology
Radiographs (X-rays) are useful in evaluating a number of areas of your pet's body including musculo-skeletal, cardiovascular (cardiopulmonary), gastrointestinal, reproductive and urinary systems. Our hospital is able to take high-quality, digital x-rays of your pet. PMCS is equipped with a state-of-the-art digital radiography unit. Digital radiographs are extremely helpful for diagnosing and monitoring many medical and surgical problems.
The advantages of digital radiology are many. The time spent taking your pets' radiographs is significantly shortened and fewer pictures need to be taken to achieve diagnostic-quality results -this means less stress for your pet. If a second opinion is necessary, digital radiographs can be e-mailed to a veterinary radiology specialist, making consults much easier and faster. In addition, the diagnostic quality of digital images is much better than traditional radiographs.
Spay & Neuter
Each day 10,000 humans are born in the U.S. and each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. As long as these birth rates exist, there are not enough homes for all the animals. As a result, every year 4 to 6 million animals are euthanized because there are no homes for them.
Spay and neuter your pet! In addition to saving lives, spaying and neutering can also drastically improve your pet's health and life expectancy. The idea that pets become fat or lazy when they are spayed or neutered is a myth. Sterilized pets lead healthier, longer lives. Spaying a female eliminates the possibility of uterine and ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the risk of breast cancer. Neutering a male reduces the risk of prostate disease and testicular cancer. Neutering can also make your pet more affectionate and less likely to roam, get in fights, or become lost.
Early Morning Drop Off
You may drop your pet off at the hospital and one of our staff members will record an appropriate history. Your pet will be examined by a doctor who will contact you by phone with a diagnosis and recommended treatment plan.
Grooming
Our professional groomer is trained to groom purebred and mixed-breed dogs and cats. She also works with the doctors to help treat skin diseases and external parasites. A typical grooming visit includes the breed specific trim, bathing, conditioning and blow drying. We also trim your pet's nails, clean the ears, and express the anal glands. Since the grooming for each pet is unique, we can recommend a regular grooming routine for your pet so you know exactly what to look for and how often to have them groomed.
Nutritional Counseling
We carry a variety of prescription and therapeutic diets to meet your specific pet's nutritional needs.
Pet Identification and Micro Chip System
A microchip is a tiny electronic device, about the size and shape of a grain of rice. It is implanted beneath the skin between the shoulder blades, and stays there for the pet's entire life. This procedure is as easy and as painless as a vaccination.
Each microchip has a unique number. This number, along with information about the owner and pet, are added to a national pet registry. Most veterinary hospitals and animal shelters have electronic scanners for detecting and reading these implanted microchips. Micro chips are the standard for pet identification because the information cannot be changed. If a lost pet is found and a microchip is scanned the registry is called and the owner can be contacted.
Pharmacy
We stock an extensive drug inventory. Medications can be conveniently dispensed before leaving the clinic. Some of the medications that we offer include:
Prescription Medications
Heartworm Prevention
Nutritional Supplements
Routine Pet Care and Grooming Products
Premium Quality Therapeutic Diets
Puppy and Kitten Examinations and Vaccinations
Young puppies and kittens should receive their physical examination and first set of vaccinations at six to nine weeks of age. Additional exams and vaccinations are given every two to four weeks until they are fifteen to sixteen weeks old. For adult pets vaccination protocals will be based on your pet's lifestyle, exposure and risk factors. During your pet's initial examinations you will also receive behavioral advice, nutritional counseling, and recommendations on disease prevention. This advice can go a long way towards preventing future medical problems and lead to a happier, healthier pet.
Senior Pet Care
In the past several years great strides have been made in addressing the needs of older pets. Older pets, like older people, develop age-related changes resulting in heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney failure, hormonal imbalances like diabetes or hypothyroidism, arthritis, cancers and depressed mental ability to name a few. Many of the changes that occur in pets as they age are very gradual and can often be hard to detect. Veterinarians today are well equipped with knowledge, products and diagnostic tools to identify these problems and formulate realistic strategies to allow our pets to live longer and richer lives.
The importance of early detection of these age-related changes is critical in allowing for improved length and quality of life. Often we assume our older pets are "slowing down" simply because they are older when for example, they may be uncomfortable due to joint pain, or anemic due to kidney disease. When the specific problems are treated, it can be very rewarding to see the obvious improvement achieved.
Early detection of any abnormalities greatly influences our ability to help your pet live a long and healthy life. Please ask about our senior patient evaluation.
Boarding
Pet Medical Center of Springfield offers veterinary supervised boarding as well as a walking service for pets needing additional exercise. The same veterinary assistants who care for the hospitalized animals also care for our boarding kennel guests. The assistants are trained to recognize changes in your pet's appetite and attitude, and they work hard to keep pets clean and comfortable. We also offer "special care" boarding for pets who have medical conditions requiring additional care and monitoring. Please discuss your pet's needs with our staff. Reservations for boarding should be made well in advance, especially around major holidays.
Complete Diagnostic and Ancillary care
Medical Care - If your pet is ill, we will arrange to see him or her the day that you call. If your pet is seriously ill, the doctors will see your pet immediately.
Pet Medical Center of Springfield is a well-equipped modern veterinary hospital. In order to diagnose your pet's illness, we have some of the finest and advanced instruments and techniques available. Our hospital is equipped with a modern x-ray machine, an EKG apparatus, and an in-house blood and serum analyzer. When blood tests are required, our in-house analyzer provides the doctors with immediate and accurate results. Since our pets' blood test results are only minutes away, our doctors and staff can begin treatment almost immediately.
Treatment of most illnesses begins at the hospital. Follow up care is generally continued at home. Our doctors and staff are always available to help and support you during the home care portion of the treatment. For some illnesses, your pet may require hospitalization for fluid therapy, metabolic stabilization, wound treatment, or other procedures that require direct veterinary supervision. During the hospitalization period, the doctors speak with you daily about your pet's progress. At Pet Medical Center of Springfield, the entire staff is dedicated to making your pet feel comfortable and secure during his or her hospital stay.
Ultrasound
We are proud to offer ultrasound, a non-invasive, state-of-the-art technology that uses sound waves to produces a visual map of the interior of the body for painlessly examining specific internal organs, primarily the heart and abdominal organs. Ultrasound can be used for the targeted biopsies of diseased organs such as the liver, spleen, kidneys or prostate. Ultrasound is also used to diagnose pregnancy and for counting the number of puppies or kittens in the mother's uterus.
Wellness Exams and Preventative Vaccinations
Wellness Exams and Preventative Vaccinations - The best medicine for your pet is preventative medicine. Since all aspects of your pet's life affect his or her health, we want to help you with more than vaccinations, tests for parasites, and the physical exam your pet needs each year. We talk to you about your pet's dental needs, proper exercise and training, the best diet available for your pet's age and condition, and various techniques for correcting behavior problems. We encourage our pets' owners to participate in health care decisions. Early detection of health problems can allow for prompt treatment. At least once, and perhaps twice per year, your pet should have a complete physical examination. Remember, your pet's lifespan is shorter than ours and their health can change significantly over a 12-month period.