SMALL ANIMALS

The most common species cared for at our Hospital are cats and dogs.  We also have experience with a wide variety of other species as well.  "Pocket pets" including hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs all require veterinary care, as do pet birds, ferrets, rabbits and reptiles.  These pets often have unique care requirements and illnesses.

WELL PATIENT VISITS

Many of the patients that come to our hospital are healthy!  Yearly physical exams on mature pets and puppy or kitten appointments are a very important part of their health care.  Many of our patients have a life span of twelve to sixteen years.  An annual visit to a veterinarian would be the same to your pet as a human seeking medical care every five or six years.

 

Equally important is the fact that our patients can't talk, making the annual physical examination an important opportunity to pick up problems before they become more serious.  Vaccinations against common diseases, appropriate nutrition and parasite control of worms and fleas are all frequently discussed during these visits.

 

MEDICAL DIAGNOSTICS

To assist our veterinarians in evaluating a sick animal, large or small, Lloydminster Animal Hospital offers a number of diagnostic services.  The clinic is able to perform a variety of blood tests in-house with results available in ten to thirty minutes.  Other bloodwork can be couriered to outside laboratories in Edmonton or Saskatoon with results often available within 24 hours. 

 

Animals with cardiac or heart problems can be evaluated using an ECG monitor which sends a signal to a referral center in New York for interpretation.  In emergency situations, important often critical information can be relayed to the clinic within minutes.

 

Lloydminster Animal Hospital also has the capability of taking and developing X-rays of both large and small animals.  While X-rays are useful when visualizing  hard or dense objects like bone or surveying entire chests or abdomens, until recently examination of soft tissue has been more difficult.  Now with recent additions to our diagnostic tools, we are able to more completely assess our patients' needs.  An ultrasound machine equipped with multiple probes to cover all species allows more detailed imaging of soft structures such as liver, kidneys, or heart. Endoscopic equipment inserting a fibre optic camera makes it possible to view the interior of organs such as stomach, intestines and airways and to obtain laboratory specimens in a less invasive manner therefore greatly reducing recovery periods.

 

 

SURGERY

A large variety of surgeries are performed by our veterinarians at Lloydminster Animal Hospital.  Small animal elective surgeries including spays, neuters and declaws are routinely performed most weekdays.  Dental procedures such as teeth cleaning and extractions for pets require general anesthesia so these appointments are booked in as "day surgery".  More involved operations such as exploratories and orthopedics are also performed.

 

Small animal surgery is performed in a dedicated surgical suite complete with general gas anesthesia, suction pump, electrocautery and electronic cardiac and blood oxygen monitors.  Large animal procedures are approached a little differently since most are usually performed under sedation with local anesthesia.  Short acting injectable anesthetics can be used in horses for brief operations where the animal can be laid down outside (weather permitting) and allowed the necessary space to recover.