Services
CHECKUP
Annual wellness evaluations are extremely important in the maintenance of a happy, healthy pet. Your pet ages at a rate six to seven times faster than we do as humans, so an annual or semiannual exam is equivalent to you visiting your primary care physician every three to seven years. In the case of our more geriatric patients, a semiannual visit becomes more appropriate. Also in the case of specific conditions or with long term medications it is very important to monitor the effects of drugs even more frequently.
Therefore, don't assume that because your pets seem okay at home that they always are. Remember, he/she can/will not complain of the little things like you will. Our veterinarians are trained to to ask the right questions and evaluate your pet's organ function so as to help discern impending problems before they become life-threatening. However, this is a team effort, and we also rely on your close observations at home. So pay attention to the following:
- Appetite
- Water consumption
- Elimination behaviors
- Sleeping at night
- Activity levels
- Exercise tolerance
- Behavior changes
- Skin and hair coat condition
- Breathing habits
- Lumps and bumps on body surfaces
- Weight gain/ loss
- Breath and body odors
Just to name a few.
SURGERY
The veterinarians at Pocoshock Animal Hospital offer a wide variety of general surgical procedures. In addition to many elective procedures such as spays and neuters, we also offer a variety of orthopedic, oral, and soft tissue procedures. Dr. Hickey, Dr. Larsen, and Dr. Johnson have spent a significant amount of their continuing education time developing and expanding their surgical skills and will perform those procedures that they have the skills to perform. When, however, we feel that a given procedure requires a referral to a specialist or university we will assist you in making that referral request.
LASER SURGERY
Pocoshock Animal Hospital is pleased to be one of the first to offer Carbon Dioxide (C02) Laser technology to its patients. It has been a very rewarding alternative which has been met with much added satisfaction in the treatment of various surgical cases.
WHY USE LASER?
Less pain. The laser seals nerve endings as it "cuts", so your pet may require less anesthesia during the operation, reducing the risk of complications. Postoperative pain is also reduced. In many cases local anesthesia can be used thereby reducing the risk of general anesthesia, minimizing recovery time, and consequently, lowering your cost overall. . Less bleeding- Small blood vessels (capillaries) are sealed during laser surgery.. Less swelling- Laser does not crush, tear, or bruise tissue because there is no physical contact with tissues.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOUR PET?
- Reduced risk of infection ? The laser seals lymphatics, thereby reducing the risk of spread of infection. Sterilizes while it removes diseased tissues, killing bacteria that cause infection.
- Precision ? The laser allows us to remove unhealthy tissue without affecting or removing surrounding healthy tissue.
- Quick return to normal activities ? Healing is rapid and there is less postoperative discomfort.
LABORATORY
INHOUSE LAB ? Pocoshock Animal Hospital maintains an in-house laboratory capable of giving you same day results on:
- Complete blood counts
- Blood chemistry profiles
- Heartworm tests for dogs and cats
- Brucellosis testing for dogs
- Urinalysis
- Fecal analysis for intestinal parasites
- Electrocardiogram through Cardiopet
- Impression cytology
- Feline immunodeficiency virus testing (cat aids)
- Feline leukemia virus testing
- Parvo virus testing
OUTSIDE LAB ? We also utilize outside commercial labs for anything that we don't perform in-house such as:
- Virus isolation
- Bacterial culture and sensitivity
- Histopathology
- Immunoflourescent antibody testing
- Allergy testing
- Thyroid and cortisol test
- Other assays not available to us in-house
PHARMACY
Our in-house pharmacy is stocked with drugs that are approved for animal use. We carry the best quality and most efficacious animal drugs available for your pet. Most of our products are by prescription only and are only available through the veterinary market. Our state laws require that there is a valid client-patient-doctor relationship established prior to dispensing any legend drug. What that means in general terms is that the veterinarian caring for your pet has seen and examined your pet in the past twelve months and feels comfortable prescribing a given medication to his/her patient. We also carry a number of excellent over-the-counter products for your convenience. These products do not require a physical exam to necessarily dispense. They include certain nutritional supplements, shampoos, and nutraceuticals. We are also a registered dealer for all Oxyfresh Products, most of which do not require a prescription to purchase. For a list of those products, you can contact us.
DENTISTRY
Does your pet have bad breath? We can help! Pets need dental care too! Oral hygiene is extremely important to the overall health of your pet and care needs to be provided to keep the mouth healthy. Oral hygiene starts at home with regular brushing, proper chew toys, and special treats for keeping gums and teeth healthy. However, significant tartar and plaque build up on teeth after the first couple of years and can be causing significant disease by three-four years of age if proper care is not maintained. We offer a wide range of dental therapeutics at Pocoshock Animal Hospital and have the capability to provide your pet with dental services such as periodontal therapy, oral surgery, routine cleaning and root planning, polishing, fluoride treatment, dental radiography, and some endodontics. Research has demonstrated that severe tartar, gingivitis, and periodontal disease can predispose your pet to kidney disease, liver dysfunction, and heart disease, all of which can lead to life-compromising conditions. Therefore, just like you need to care for your own teeth and gums, you also need to care for your pet's teeth and gums.
RADIOLOGY
Most every veterinary hospital has the capability to take x-rays of your pet. It is a diagnostic tool that is required to have a full-service veterinary facility in Virginia. X-ray technology is a very useful tool in the diagnosis of many disease conditions, from broken bones to cancer. At veterinary colleges and in referral centers there is usually a Board Certified Radiologist on staff (much like in human hospitals) who read/evaluate the x-rays taken of the patient. Most general veterinary practitioners are very skilled at reading radiographs but there are times we need to get second opinions from a specialist about what is showing up on an x-ray. At Pocoshock Animal Hospital, we can get this valuable opinion when necessary by sending our images to a specialist and receiving an opinion within 24-36 hours. This way our films should not have to leave the hospital and risk being lost in transit or having to take four-seven days to hear what the other opinion is. The other advantage we have is that we can digitize our images and thereby enhance them through computer technology for better visualization.
ENDOSCOPY
Have you ever looked through a telescope or a periscope? Well, that is very similar to what we do with our endoscope, only we are able to look INSIDE your pet's esophagus, stomach, intestines, colon, and also inside his/her trachea and the back side of the nasal passages without using a scalpel to open him/her up. A lot of puppies and kittens swallow things they shouldn't and they have to be removed. With endoscopy, many of those things can be found and removed without having to do invasive surgery to retrieve them. This sure would be a lot better than surgery and the recovery a lot faster. It also allows us the capability to get biopsies in difficult to reach places without surgery.
INRA-RED LASER THERAPY
This is a painless effective treatment of pain and inflammation. It is especially useful for inflammed joints and trauma associated inflammation. We use it mostly for arthritis, sprains, muscle spasms and injury and for trendonitis. It is also very helpful in speeding up the recovery after orthopedic surgery. It is in-expensive and can be performed during a routine office visit.
