Mobile Veterinary Services

Pet Exams and Preventative Care

Aside from your love, the most critical thing you can provide for your pet is a complete physical examination once a year.  Because your pet cannot tell you when something is wrong, the exam allows the doctor to look for subtle signs of disease or other issues that are not apparent in your pet’s everyday life.  We can try to prevent more significant problems from developing by catching issues early.

In addition to the physical exam, we recommend specific other procedures be done annually in conjunction with the exam. These include vaccinations, heartworm testing in dogs, heartworm/FeLV/FIV testing in cats, and checking for intestinal parasites.

Sick or Injured Pet Visits

Unfortunately, accidents and illness happen. When it does, Allied Veterinary Care is here to help your pet. We welcome scheduled sick visits during business hours. Having a sick pet can be very stressful, but we are here to help. Never hesitate to give us a call! If you have an emergency after hours, please visit our Emergency & Referral page for more information about our recommended emergency hospitals.

Management of Chronic Conditions

We are at Allied Veterinary Care to help you manage your pet’s chronic illness. Some common chronic medical conditions we may help with include diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, or skin conditions. We will create an ongoing plan with you and build an ideal treatment regime to keep your pet happy, comfortable, and healthy.

General Veterinary Surgery

Our experienced team is highly skilled in performing a wide variety of pet surgeries using modern techniques and cutting-edge equipment while always adhering to strict standards of safety and care. We provide surgical options in a clean and safe environment. Our surgical services include spays and neuters, mass removals, and other routine surgeries such as stenotic nares corrective surgery for brachycephalic breeds, umbilical hernia repair, and wound repair.

Pet Hospice Care

Sometimes the most respectful and understanding way to help your ailing pet is to offer supportive and palliative care.  While veterinary medicine offers many of the same cutting-edge and aggressive treatment options as human medicine, we recognize that there are times when our job is to step back from this state-of-the-art medicine and instead provide more humble care, such as the comfort of home and relief from pain.

If your pet has a terminal condition, we can work with you to provide the care and support at home that will help keep your pet comfortable and dignified even as they approach the end of life.

In-Home Euthanasia

We understand that decisions regarding end-of-life care need special consideration. When it’s time to say goodbye, we know how important it can be for you and your pet to be in familiar and comfortable surroundings. Euthanasia at home offers a peaceful and compassionate farewell to a beloved friend and companion.

We know this can be a challenging and emotional time. We find it helpful to know what to expect, so a summary of the process follows. If you have further questions, please let us know.

Pet Dentistry

As much as we may want to avoid the dentist, we all understand the painful problems that can arise if we neglect regular dental care and hygiene. The same is true for cats and dogs. In fact, according to estimates from the American Veterinary Dental College, more than 80% of dogs and over half of all cats have some form of dental disease by the age of 3. Dental (periodontal) disease is pets’ most frequently diagnosed health problem.
Common signs of dental disease include:

• Yellow or brown buildup (tartar) on the teeth
• Red, swollen, or bleeding gums
• Bad breath
• Excessive drooling
• Changes in eating or chewing habits
• Pawing at the face
• Loose teeth
• Depression

If your pet is experiencing any of these symptoms, we urge you to contact us to schedule an appointment. More importantly, we recommend early and routine dental exams (at least once a year) to help prevent these problems in the first place. If left unchecked, the accumulation of bacteria and food debris around the teeth will deteriorate the soft tissue and bone surrounding the teeth. Over time, the decay can result in irreversible periodontal disease, tooth loss, and significant oral surgery.

The importance of your pet’s dental health cannot be overstated. This is because dental disease can also affect other organs in the body. Bacteria in the mouth can ultimately enter the bloodstream and cause severe infections in organs throughout the body. Some of these infections can even result in death if they are not identified and treated quickly enough. Contacting us today for an exam can help prevent these issues and give your pet a healthier smile!

Veterinary Telemedicine

We are proud to offer veterinary telemedicine consults from the comfort of your own home.

Telemedicine is yet another way we help you bring your pet the best veterinary care without the stress of a hospital visit. We offer video consultations through Zoom so we can gather more detailed information about your concerns and guide you to the most appropriate care. Clients must have internet access and a desktop or mobile phone to conduct the video chat. The telemedicine consult fee is $78 for the first 40 minutes. Our fee covers the call itself and the doctor’s preparation ahead of the visit, and record-keeping afterward. To provide the most proper care, this service is only available for patients with whom we have an existing relationship and have seen in the past year as a supplement to your regular in-person visits. Not all situations are a good fit for telemedicine. We will be upfront with you in recommending an in-person exam when it is best for your pet.

After we schedule the telemedicine appointment, we will email you a link to use when it’s time for the call. Any additional time beyond the 40-minute consult, as well as any follow-up consultations, will be billed at a pro-rata basis of $78/40 minutes.

Telemedicine consults need to be scheduled in advance, so we ask that you contact us or fill out our form to request an appointment.

Veterinary Diagnostics

Bloodwork

In cases of illness or before surgery, our doctor may recommend performing bloodwork to better evaluate your pet’s organ function. Most commonly run is a CBC and a Biochemistry. Biochemistry will provide values reflective of many systems, including kidney and liver function, blood glucose, and electrolytes. CBC will offer discounts that evaluate for signs of anemia or inflammation.

More specific tests, such as thyroid levels, ACTH stimulation, or a GI panel, may be run. Numerous options are available to aid in diagnosing and managing the disease, and your doctor will describe in detail what each test provides and what the results indicate.

Urinalysis

Collection and analysis of urine can help diagnose potential urinary tract infections and evaluate kidney function and other conditions.

If bacteria are present in the urine, a culture and sensitivity will often be recommended to ensure the appropriate antibiotic is used to treat the infection.

Cytology

If your pet has a skin or ear infection or has masses, our doctor will perform cytology to evaluate better what is occurring. Cytology consists of collecting samples of cells in the area of interest and examining them under the microscope to identify bacteria, fungi, and mites or evaluate the type of cells a tissue or mass comprises.

Your pet’s doctor may recommend a secondary evaluation by a board-certified pathologist to confirm the cytology results.

Veterinary X-Ray Imaging

We want to provide your cherished pet with the best care we can right on the spot. Sometimes, this requires internal imaging to quickly and thoroughly diagnose problems. Don’t worry! Not only do we have x-ray equipment on-site, but we also can consult with a board-certified radiologist when necessary.

Health Certificates for Travel

Allied Veterinary Care can help provide you with interstate and international health certificates. Many states and most countries will require a veterinary health certificate to be completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian if you are traveling with your cat or dog. You can check the requirements for your destination here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel.

Veterinary Acupuncture

Dr. Hood is completing the CVA (certified veterinary acupuncture) certification through the CHI Institute.

Acupuncture for dogs and cats is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TVM) that has helped to heal humans for thousands of years. More recently, acupuncture has also become a valuable treatment for pets, helping them with pain relief, healing, and general functioning. TCVM is based on the idea that life energy, called Qi, flows through our bodies. A disturbance in the flow of Qi can lead to disease. Acupuncture is a form of TCVM that keeps the body in balance.

Acupuncture points are based on meridians throughout the body. Tiny, sterile disposable needles are inserted into exact points. These needles cause a release of endogenous opioids, endorphins, serotonin, and norepinephrine.  The hands can be painless or sometimes feel like a tiny pinprick. The needles are typically left in for 15-30 minutes, depending on the patient.

Types of Acupuncture: 

• Dry needling: The insertion of sterile, disposable needles into precise points
• Aqua-acupuncture: The administration of Vitamin B12, or Adequan (FDA-approved DMOA injectable), into acupuncture, points to create longer-lasting effects.
• Electro-acupuncture: A mild current is applied to specific needles for a longer-lasting effect.

Acupuncture can be used for a variety of conditions, including:

• Arthritis
• Hip dysplasia
• Nerve injuries
• Neurologic disorders
• Cancer
• Granulomas and hot spots
• Post-injury or post-op rehabilitation
• Diarrhea and nausea
• Asthma
• Allergies
• …and more

Side Effects:

Aside from possible mild soreness, your pet should not experience any side effects from their acupuncture treatment. Sometimes, pets may get sleepy during their procedure, but they should not feel pain or discomfort. However, acupuncture may not be the best option if your pet has trouble sitting still.