Our Services

All Services

• WELLNESS CARE: THE SECRET TO A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE

  1.  Wellness Exam:  Our wellness exam is a comprehensive review of your pet's needs.  Our wellness exams include: Diet and body condition score Oral health and dental condition score Complete physical examination Behavior/training issues Infectious disease/vaccination status Internal/external parasite status Review of problems Review of medications/supplements/vitamins Age - life stage wellness screening tests 2.  Nutrition:  You are what you eat applies to pets too!  We can help you select a diet based on the latest scientific information.  Did you know that nearly 60% of pets in the United States are overweight?  Did you know that overweight dogs live, on average, two years less than dogs that are at optimum weight?  We can help determine your pet's optimum weight and diet.  We carry Hill's Prescription Diets and other specialty diets.  We can also help you with information on supplements and vitamins.  3.  Dental care:  Did you know that 85% of dogs and cats over two years have an active infection in their mouths?  It is called periodontal disease.  We see a direct link between good oral health and healthy pets and their longevity.  We can show you how to keep your pet's mouth healthy. 4.  Exercise:  Talk to us about how much exercise is right for your pet.  We can help senior pets feel like playing and exercising again. 5.  Behavioral issues:  We can help you with pet selection, puppy and kitten training, socialization and provide advice on individual problem behaviors.  Early intervention is best.  We have a dog training center that offers puppy kindergarten, basic obedience, introduction to agility and Canine Good Citizen.  Our classes are fun.

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• BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE

  We believe that a trained dog will be a better companion.  Many of the dogs who end up at shelters across the country are surrendered because of behavior problems.  We offer several levels of training classes for you and your dog; Puppy, Basic Obedience, and Canine Good Citizen.  These classes are taught by Gail Gardner, who has many years of experience in dog training.  They are held in our training room, and limited to a small class size for more personal attention. Dogs can suffer from illnesses like separation anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders that we can diagnose and treat with behavior modification and sometimes medications.  Cats also exhibit behavioral problems, such as inappropriate urination, aggression or phobias.  We can work with you to try to have your kitty purring again.

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• BOARDING

  We offer boarding services for our feline friends.  They will stay in a quiet, bright area with roomy cages.  They will also have access to the "playroom" on a rotating basis, where they can lounge on the window seat and watch the birds or the walkers/bikers on the trail.

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• DENTAL CARE

  Regular professional cleaning is important to maintaining your pet's teeth. We use modern and safe ultrasound to clean each tooth thoroughly - above and below the gum line. Dental technicians polish teeth to create a smooth, lustrous tooth surface more resistant to plaque buildup. Fluoride treatments help strengthen enamel and reduce tooth sensitivity.

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• EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE

  In any emergency, seconds count. Our experienced staff is backed up by stateof-the-art emergency equipment, including a positive pressure ventilation unit and a climate controlled intensive care unit. Emergency care is always available during regular business hours. In addition, we are usually available after hours to tend to your pet emergencies.  When we are not available we have a reciprocal arrangement with another veterinary hospital for emergency coverage.  When you call our regular office number after hours you will be instructed how to contact the doctor on call.

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• ENDOSCOPY

  High-tech fiber optics permits direct visual examination and biopsies of your pet’s gastrointestinal system. This allows for more accurate diagnosis and treatment of oral, esophageal, stomach, colon and even upper intestinal tract disease. Foreign objects can also be removed without the need for surgery.

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• FULLY STOCKED PHARMACY

  We stock a wide range of the best veterinary drugs in the animal healthcare field.

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• HOSPICE/EUTHANASIA SERVICES

  Saying goodbye to a long-time friend is painful. We work with clients to ensure their pet's comfort and dignity. Services include taking care of the remains as directed by the client.

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• HOUSE CALLS

  Our doctors can sometimes make house calls for established clients with special needs.

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• INFECTIOUS DISEASE/IMMUNIZATIONS

  An important part of a wellness exam is the assessment of a pet's risk of contracting an infectious disease, and selecting the appropriate vaccination schedule for that pet. Regular vaccinations play an important role in the prevention of life threatening diseases like parvovirus, distemper, feline leukemia and rabies.  Recent studies suggest that some vaccines may protect our pets  for a longer period than previously thought, and that vaccinating with a combination vaccine every year may not be necessary or prudent.  We will tailor a vaccination schedule based on your pet's individual risk, age and health status.

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• INTERNAL MEDICINE

  We cover all areas of internal medicine, including: Cardiology; Ophthalmology; Neurology; Dermatology; Gastroenterology; Orthopedic surgery; Oncology; Endocrinology; among others.

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• LASERS

  Lasers are a minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgery. Lasers replace scalpels in many procedures, and are useful for a wide range of conditions, such as cyst, tumor, and wart removal, and can even be used in declawing. Laser procedures result in less pain; less bleeding and less swelling. They reduce risk of infection and result in less post-operative discomfort.

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• MICROCHIPPING

  Microchips have helped reunite thousands of pets with their families. We offer the most widely used microchip products to increase the chances of a safe recovery.

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• NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING

  Some pets require special food, and all pets benefit from a balanced diet. Our trained and certified staff is available to help you choose the right diet for your pet to keep him or her happy, healthy and active.

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• PAIN MANAGEMENT

  Prevention or reduction of pain is the cornerstone of compassionate veterinary care.  For years our profession has underestimated the level of pain pets experience and consequently has under-treated for pain.  Today we recognize that pets hide their pain response by a variety of behaviors, but in fact feel pain and need appropriate pain management.               Riverview Animal Hospital recognizes that the best way to control pain associated with surgery and dentistry is to treat pain preemptively and with a multi-modal approach.               Preemptive pain management starts with keeping our patient calm and reducing stress as much as possible.  Often our patients are given a tranquilizer/sedative as soon as possible after arriving at the hospital in the presence of the owner in a quiet, darkened exam room.  In some cases tranquilizers are prescribed for owners to give to their pets before coming to the hospital.  Preemptive use of oral anti-inflammatories and local anesthetics can greatly decrease nerve stimulation and enhance overall pain management.               Multi-modal pain management involves the use of a combination of tranquilizers, sedatives, anesthetics and anti-inflammatories to diminish pain.  Micro-doses of multiple agents  reduce the total amount of anesthetic used and help avoid unwanted side effects.  Importantly, these micro-dose combinations have synergistic activity that actually block pain more effectively at several different pathways, resulting in profound reduction in pain and inflammation.  Other pain management techniques involve the use of narcotic pain patches, epidural anesthesia, and constant rate infusion of  drugs to block pain Although surgical pain can likely never be completely eliminated, it can be greatly reduced. In addition, Riverview Animal Hospital uses state-of-the-art laser surgery, which has been shown to decrease bleeding, swelling and pain.  Postoperatively, we use local cold therapy, appropriate bandaging, warmed cages, and lots of TLC.    Riverview Animal Hospital requires that all patients undergoing a potentially  painful procedure receive appropriate preemptive and multi-modal pain management.

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• RADIOLOGY

  Radiology – or X-rays – help our veterinarians evaluate muscular-skeletal, cardiovascular(cardiopulmonary), gastrointestinal, reproductive and urinary systems.

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• SURGERY/ANESTHESIA

  Your pet's safety and comfort are paramount to us!  Modern anesthesia and surgery, despite all the recent advances, still represent a risk (albeit very, very small) to your pet.  With every anesthesia and surgery we perform we strive to make your pet safe and comfortable. Pre-anesthetic physical exam.  We check your pet's heart, lungs and vital signs prior to surgery. Stress-free environment.  In handling your pet we will try to reduce stress whenever possible.  We use heated cages, separate dog and cat recovery wards, and lots of warm towels to keep your pet clean, quiet and comfortable before, during and after the procedure.  We have a state-of-the-art ICU recovery unit for those patients with special needs.  We believe pets, like people, are most comfortable at home.  Most of our surgical patients go home the same day! Pain management.  We attempt to block pain before, during and after your pet's procedure.  Preemptive and multi-modal pain management has been shown to decrease the amount of anesthetic needed.  Please see the section on Pain Management. Pre-surgical blood test screens.  These tests tell us if major organ function and important blood components are acceptable before surgery.  Anesthetic monitoring.  All of our anesthetized patients are monitored using an EKG monitor and doppler blood pressure unit.  Pulse oximetry is also performed as needed. Every patient is monitored by our doctor and technicians.  There is no replacement for a watchful pair of eyes.  Surgical staff.  Our doctors and surgery technicians are highly trained and dedicated.  They love their work!  Your pet will be carefully handled and monitored before, during and after the surgical procedure.  There is no replacement for a caring pair of hands. IV fluids.  Intravenous fluids are essential to a safe, smooth, comfortable anesthesia.  IV fluids help maintain blood pressure, which is critical for the health of vital organs like the heart, brain and kidneys.  IV catheters provide instant access to the bloodstream in case lifesaving drugs are needed during the procedure.  Finally, IV fluids prevent dehydration, which allows for a quicker, smoother recovery.

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• ULTRASOUND

  This non-invasive, state-of-the-art technology uses sound waves to painlessly examine specific internal organs, primarily the heart and abdominal organs. Pregnancy exams are also available.

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