We’re pleased to offer the following services at Prairie Creek Veterinary Hospital:
Our appointment book is computerized, which allows us to efficiently make appointments for you and your pet. Our staff will attempt to accommodate all requests to the best of our ability. Emergencies are accepted anytime our clinic is open. If you feel you have an emergency with your pet, please call us or come in immediately. If possible it is best to call before coming in so that a staff member can advise you on your particular emergency.
Emergency & Urgent Care
We have a veterinarian and personnel on duty six days a week who are trained and equipped to handle any urgent care your pet has. Usually an emergency team consists of at least one veterinarian and several technicians working together to save a pet’s life. Emergencies can be things such as accidental ingestion of rat poison, hit by car, and chocolate ingestion. If you ever feel that your pet needs emergency treatment do not hesitate to call or come in immediately.
We are also available for urgent care when the condition is not life-threatening. If you feel your pet needs to be seen before you are able to get an appointment, our veterinarians will work to “squeeze” you in between scheduled appointments. When you arrive, our receptionists will be able to give you an estimate on how long you may have to wait in order to be seen.
Wellness Exams
At Prairie Creek Veterinary Hospital we ensure that your pet will receive a thorough examination and evaluation. We take great care to communicate every detail of your pet’s health concerns to you in understandable terms to help you in making decisions and choices about your pet’s treatment regimen.
Geriatric Care
Pets who are more than seven years of age are considered “Senior Pets” and need a little extra attention. In addition to their annual examination and vaccines, we recommend these pets receive a complete laboratory screening. This screening will test blood chemistries, including liver and kidney values, thyroid function, a complete blood cell count, and a urinalysis. Monitoring these values as your pet ages aids the doctors in early diagnosis of potential health problems.
Vaccinations
One of the most effective ways of protecting your pet’s health is to provide immunization against various common and sometimes deadly diseases. The vaccines your pet receives at our hospital are the best available and come with a warranty, guaranteeing that your pet is protected against the diseases.
PUPPIES need a series of vaccines at 2 week intervals, starting at 6~8 weeks and ending at 13-14 weeks. Rabies is given at 14 weeks old.
ADULT DOGS need booster vaccines annually. After the initial two rabies vaccines, which last for 1 year each, a booster is given every 3 years.
KITTENS need a series of vaccines at 2 week intervals, starting at 6~8 weeks and ending at 13-14 weeks. Rabies is given at 14 weeks old.
ADULT CATS need booster vaccines annually. After the initial two rabies vaccines, which last for 1 year each, a booster is given every 3 years.
About Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline Immune Deficiency Virus (FIV): If a kitten or adult cat comes from an unknown background (i.e. you are unsure if both parents are FeLV/FIV negative), we strongly recommend testing for these two highly contagious and lethal diseases. If your feline friend tests negative, it can be vaccinated against FeLV if it is going to go outside or have contact with other cats. There is no vaccination currently for FIV; however knowing that your pet has this disease will change the care it will require. Please ask our knowledgeable staff any questions you have about these diseases and vaccinations.
Diagnostic Services
Since our patients are unable to tell us “where it hurts,” it is important that our hospital have the highest quality equipment to ensure quick and accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Prairie Creek Veterinary Hospital maintains its own modern, on-site laboratory, including an in-house blood analyzer. For conditions requiring complex analysis, we are affiliated with a veterinary reference laboratory which furnishes test results to us within 24-hours.
Our High Frequency X-ray machine and Rare Earth X-ray film system produces the highest quality radiographs, allowing our doctors to see fine detail and subtle changes.
Our endoscope allows us to visualize, diagnose and resolve problems as a minimal invasive procedure.
Our digital otoscope allows us to see and show you problems of the ear including ear mites, infections and foreign bodies.
Our tonopen is used to determine interocular pressures for early diagnosis of glaucoma.
Dentistry
Regular dental examinations and cleanings are as important for our pets as they are for ourselves, perhaps more so, since most of our pets don’t brush their teeth daily. Annual examinations by our veterinarian allow for monitoring of periodontal disease. If your pet shows signs of periodontal disease, then the doctor may recommend a dental cleaning. When a pet receives a dental cleaning under anesthesia, both ultrasonic and hand scaling are done to remove tartar and plaque from your pet’s teeth. Then high-speed polishing is performed which creates a smooth surface, thereby helping decrease the amount of tartar build up. Most of our equipment is the same as “people” dentists use, and we promise your pets will go home with sweet smelling breath and a pearly white smile!
Surgery
Surgery, including spaying, neutering, soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, is an integral part of our practice and is performed under similar aseptic conditions that exist in a human hospital. Controlling your pet’s pain is a priority for our doctors, therefore pain medication is routinely administered both pre- and post-operatively to allow your pet to experience the least amount of discomfort possible.
All pets undergoing anesthetic procedures, from the simplest teeth cleaning to the most challenging orthopedic operation, receive the highest level of care and constant monitoring while under anesthetic.
A variety of sedation methods and types of general anesthesia may be used for your pet. The doctor determines the best method based on the procedure being performed, the results of the pre-anesthetic screening, and the age and general health of your pet. During the procedure, a trained technician constantly monitors your pet using a variety of parameters, such as pulse oximetery and blood pressure readings.
Pharmacy Services
Prairie Creek Veterinary Hospital maintains a full pharmacy of veterinary medications. To help ensure your pet’s health and safety, veterinarians are prohibited from prescribing or refilling any medication unless your pet has been examined for that problem within a reasonable period of time.
If you have any questions about a prescription or need a refill, please call in advance. Use only medications that have been prescribed by a veterinarian for the pet in question.
KEEP ALL MEDICATIONS OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN AND PETS.
Microchips
Reliable, Permanent Identification For Your Pet
As part of our wellness program, we recommend pet identification microchipping. This minor, painless procedure installs a tiny chip the size of a grain of rice under your pet’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades. If he or she is ever lost, microchipping provides a safe, effective way to help your pet make it home safely.
Each tiny microchip is encoded with unique information about your pet. This information is entered into a national database. Veterinary hospitals and animal shelters across the country are equipped with special scanners capable of detecting and reading microchips. If your pet is lost, his or her microchip is scanned and the information is used to reunite you and your best friend.
