Our Services
Allergies
Allergies are common in pets of all breeds and backgrounds and can be the result of either food or an inhaled irritant like dust or pollen. Most allergies appear after the pet is six months of age with the majority of affected dogs over age two.
It is important to be able to identify the first signs and symptoms of allergies and dermatological conditions. These include:
• Scratching, licking, chewing or biting the skin, feet and ears
• Red, raised, scaly areas on the skin
• Bumps, crusts or pus-filled vesicles on the skin
• Increased skin pigmentation
• Thickened skin
• Loss of hair
• Salivary staining (brown color)
• Head shaking
If these symptoms sound familiar, call us today! If left untreated, allergic reactions and skin conditions can become serious medical concerns. At The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. we can evaluate your pet and determine the most effective method of treatment and provide advice to prevent future issues.
Boarding
Next time you are leaving town, board your pets at The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. Our spacious boarding facility offers a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere for both cats and dogs. Our boarding kennel features 16 indoor runs and 20 indoor kennels. All pets stay in a clean, temperature-controlled environment.
All dogs are exercised two-to-three times each day by compassionate, knowledgeable caretakers. Additionally, we can provide health care to all boarders as needed. The kennel also offers baths and toenail trims. We feed our boarding guests premium Science Diet food, however if your pet has special dietary requirements or prefers the food from their regular diet, we encourage you to bring it with them.
All boarding guests must be up to date with their vaccinations. If your pet requires vaccinations, we can provide vaccinations at an additional charge upon arrival. We require that your boarding pet have the following vaccinations:
Dogs: Rabies, tracheobronchitis, DHLPP, Influenza, current deworming
Cats: Rabies, FVRCP
Reservations are required for your pet’s stay with us. We offer pickup Saturday and Sunday between 4:00 and 5:00 pm. Please call us at (641) 472-2455 to book your pet’s stay or to request pricing information.
Dental Care
According to the American Veterinary Dental Society more than 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have dental disease by the age of 3. Dental disease can be very uncomfortable for pets and the longer it is left untreated, the more complicated and expensive it becomes to treat. Furthermore, improper care of your pet’s teeth can often be the cause of serious illness. If left untreated, dental problems can lead to larger systemic problems in your pet due to oral bacteria entering the bloodstream and damaging the kidneys, heart and liver.
If your pet is experiencing any of these symptoms, please make an appointment immediately:
• 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
Proper dental care is one of the easiest ways to protect your pet’s health and keep them pain free. Schedule an oral exam to prevent irreversible periodontal disease, tooth loss, and possibly expensive oral surgery.
Your Pet’s Dental Cleaning
At The Veterinary Clinic, P.C., your pet’s dental cleaning begins with a physical examination. This examination is important for evaluating your pet’s general health. After the physical exam, your pet is given an anesthetic for a safe and painless sleep during his or her dental cleaning.
The first part of dental cleaning requires the removal of tartar using a hand scaler. Next, an ultrasonic scaler is used to clean above the gum line while a curette cleans and smooths the teeth under the gum line in the crevice between the teeth and gums. Then your pet’s teeth are polished, and the gums are washed with an anti-bacterial solution to help delay tartar build-up.
Cleaning Your Pet’s Teeth At Home
There are easy steps you can take at home to keep your pet’s teeth clean including regularly brushing their teeth! Our knowledgeable team can show you the safest, most effective method of brushing your pet’s teeth.
Digital Radiography
Emergency Care
At The Veterinary Clinic, P.C., we focus on keeping your pet happy and healthy. Unfortunately, pets occasionally experience an illness or injury that requires urgent care. Our clinic is fully equipped to handle emergencies during hospital hours. We can asses your pet on the spot and give them the care they need quickly.
If your pet has an emergency outside of our hours, we encourage you to contact one of the following 24-hour fully staffed veterinary emergency clinics:
Emergency Veterinary Service of Iowa City
3030 Northgate Dr Suite B
Iowa City, IA 52245
(319) 338-3605
bebt.com/evsic.html
Eastern Iowa Veterinary Specialty Center
755 Capital Drive SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52317
(319) 841-5161
bluepearlvet.com/hospital/cedar-rapids-ia/
Iowa State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital
1600 S. 16th Street
Ames, IA 50011
(515) 294-4900
vetmed.iastate.edu/vmc/small-animal/emergency-services
When to Seek Emergency Care for Your Dog or Cat
The easiest answer as to whether you should seek emergency care for your pet is when you feel his or her medical condition is serious and cannot wait. However, the following general situations should help you determine if you need to seek immediate emergency care:
- Difficulty breathing
- Acute abdominal swelling
- Electric shock
- Excessive vomiting or diarrhea
- Bleeding
- Exhibits symptoms of heat stroke
- Seizures
- Sudden onset of weakness
- High or low temperature (more than 104 or less than 100 degrees)
- Unable to urinate or defecate
Flea and Tick Prevention
In Iowa, fleas are a year-round problem for pets and their owners. Fleas can carry diseases that can be dangerous to both you and your pet. For example, fleas can transmit tapeworms to your pet, and often you can see segments of the tapeworm in your pet’s stool. Your pet may also be allergic to fleas, and even just one flea bite can cause an intense allergic reaction, resulting in a severely painful skin infection.
Ticks can also carry a variety of serious illnesses, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. If you plan to travel to an area where these diseases are a problem, please talk to one of our veterinarians about the precautions you can take to protect your pet.
Animals are susceptible to a variety of parasites that can be easily avoided with parasite preventative. The Veterinary Clinic P.C. offers a variety of parasite preventatives. Our team can help recommend a product that is right for your pet.
Glaucoma Prevention
Glaucoma is a common condition in which the fluid pressure inside the eye increases, resulting in damage to the optic nerve, followed by loss of vision and blindness. There are two types of glaucoma: primary (chronic) glaucoma is hereditary or develops as your pet ages and secondary (acute) glaucoma that develops as the result of an injury or illness. Because secondary glaucoma can progress rapidly, it is considered an emergency situation.
Symptoms include:
• Redness in the eye
• Tearing or discharge
• Eye sensitivity to light
• Pain
• Cloudy-looking eye
• Bulging eyeball
The experienced veterinarians at The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. recommend that your pet receive a routine glaucoma exam as part of their routine wellness care. The exam is not only an effective screening measure for chronic and acute glaucoma, but it can also help set a baseline measurement of your pet’s normal intraocular pressure (IOP). Establishing an IOP baseline is important because the normal measurement can vary between species, breeds, and even individual pets.
Heartworm Prevention
Heartworm disease is a life-threatening illness transmitted by mosquitoes that can affect both dogs and cats. Heartworm disease is most prevalent in warmer climates, but it has been reported in dogs in all 50 states.
Clinical symptoms of heartworm disease can develop very slowly. Early symptoms include lack of energy, exercise intolerance, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Because heartworm disease is increasing in frequency and is a serious and deadly disease, we recommend that your dog be tested annually.
Luckily, heartworm disease prevention is simple and effective. For dogs we recommend a once-a-month heartworm preventive can be given as a chewable treat. This same chewable medicine prevents not only heartworms from developing, but also kills and prevents most other types of worms that can infect your dog. Cats are protected by applying a drop of heartworm prevention liquid to the skin once a month. We recommend this to prevent heartworm disease as well as fleas, ear mites, and other types of worms that can infect your cat.
Call us today to schedule your pet’s heartworm test and to discuss how to best protect your pet from this dangerous parasite.
In-House Laboratory
Surgery
The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. offers a wide range of basic surgical services, from spays and neuters to soft tissue and orthopedic procedures. We mostly handle routine medical and surgical cases but may refer more complicated cases to specialists if we feel that it would be best for the well-being of your pet.
Your pet’s safety and comfort are our top priority. We will carefully evaluate your pet before surgery, using a physical exam and blood tests. Additionally, we will develop a safe and effective anesthetic protocol for your pet. Our state of the art hospital is equipped with the latest anesthetic and monitoring technology to ensure your pet is safe and comfortable during and after surgery.
Your Pet’s Surgery
Whether performing a routine surgery or an emergency procedure, you can have confidence that the entire staff at The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. will go above and beyond to ensure that each procedure is thorough and causes as little stress as possible for both you and your pet.
We are here to answer any questions regarding your pet’s specific surgery and even offer a pre-surgical consultation as an essential part of the process. Your veterinarian will also provide information on postoperative care to ensure your pet is recovers quickly.
The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. offers the following soft tissue surgical procedures:
• Spays/neuters
• Abdominal procedures
• Elective surgery
• Cancer surgery (see below)
Should your pet require orthopedic surgery, the veterinarians at The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. can perform bone pinning surgery. If there is a procedure we cannot perform in house, we will gladly refer you to a veterinary specialist.
Anesthesia and Pain Management
At The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. the medical team ensures that the pain your pet experiences is minimal through a range of anesthesia and pain management protocols. During surgery, your pet will be intubated with inhaled anesthesia using isoflurane and sevoflurane. Veterinarians and skilled veterinary technicians monitor your pet’s pulse with an oximeter during both surgery and recovery. These investments in the latest veterinary medicine and technology reflect the hospital’s dedication to give your pet the best possible care.
We understand that your pet may experience pain for a time while they are recovering from surgery. We administer post-operative pain management via injectable and oral pain medications. Furthermore, The Veterinary Clinic, P.C.’s state-of-the-art facilities are equipped with laser therapy, which helps with arthritis, post-operative care, as well as enhanced wound and surgical healing.
Radiosurgery
To better care for your pet, The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. provides advanced radiosurgical care. Very high frequency radio waves are transmitted between a plastic-coated antenna and a small needle electrode held by the surgeon. Heat is induced only in the cells that are in contact with the needle electrode. The small amount of heat that is generated gives the surgeon the ability to cut with simultaneous coagulation. According to some researchers, radiosurgery is superior to laser surgery in minimizing tissue damage, alleviating pain and controlling bleeding. Radiosurgery can be used for skin incisions, tumor dissection, organ biopsy, gingivectomy, epilation and more.
Cancer Treatment
A diagnosis of cancer can be frightening, but recent advances in veterinary cancer treatments mean that many pets can not only survive cancer, but thrive after battling the disease. The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. provides the latest veterinary cancer treatments, in conjunction with referrals to veterinary oncology specialists.
Laser Therapy
Nutrition Counseling
Proper nutrition is one of the easiest ways to keep your pet healthy. Feeding your pet the correct diet has an impact on the length and quality of their life. At The Veterinary Clinic, P.C., we offer individualized nutrition counseling and customize a recommendation for your unique pet.
Although the differences between premium and budget varieties may not be apparent on their nutrition labels, they are in the quality of the ingredients. Both may contain the same amount of protein but be very different when it comes to digestibility and nutritional value. Making the best nutritional choices for your dog or cat can have a huge impact on their health.
The doctors at The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. perform a thorough body-condition evaluation during every physical examination, and can give nutritional recommendations based on what we see. We can also provide you with important information on proper serving size, nutrient needs, and feeding strategies for your individual pet.
Puppy and Kitten Care
The dedicated team at The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. shares your joy in welcoming this new family member into your life. Knowing how to properly care for your new pet will help eliminate worries and ensure they have the best start to life possible. Our puppy and kitten program is designed to cover all of the fundamental health care needs of your new pet during their early life stages.
Make sure to schedule an appointment at The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. within the first few weeks of bringing your new pet home. The initial visit provides an opportunity for you, your pet and your new veterinarian to meet and get acquainted. This time is well spent and offers you, the pet owner, a chance to ask questions. We strive to address any concerns or anxieties you may have about owning a puppy or kitten. This is a special time for you and your pet, and we want your memories to be cherished and worry-free.
Vaccinations
Many common diseases can easily be prevented through the use of vaccinations. At the Veterinary Clinic, P.C., we can develop a custom vaccine plan personalized to your pet’s needs including their lifestyle, location and other risk factors. In general, we vaccinate puppies and kittens and then provide boosters every one to three years.
The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. follows the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) guidelines for canine vaccinations, which are classified as core (universally recommended), non-core (optional), or not recommended. Core vaccines include distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus and rabies vaccines. Kennel cough (tracheobronchitis), Lyme disease, and leptospirosis vaccines are classified as non-core and are reserved for patients at specific risk of infection due to exposure or lifestyle. The AAHA advocates that vaccination decisions must always be based on risk and lifestyle factors of each individual pet. Issues to consider include the age, breed, health status, environment, lifestyle, and travel habits of the dog.
For cats, we follow the guidelines developed by the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). The suggested core vaccines for cats are feline panleukopenia (distemper), feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and rabies.
The AAFP suggests vaccinating against feline panleukopenia (distemper), feline viral rhinotracheitis, and feline calicivirus every three years. They also advise that cats at high risk of exposure to these diseases may benefit from more frequent vaccinations. Since vaccinating every three years does not agree with the current manufacturers’ directions of vaccinating annually, when to vaccinate must be a personal (and informed) choice for each cat owner. Consult with your veterinarian to determine what is best for your cat.
The non-core feline vaccine at The Veterinary Clinic, P.C. is feline leukemia (FeLV). The AAFP recommends against FeLV vaccinations in adult indoor cats who have no exposure to other cats. It is suggested that all kittens, because they are most susceptible and their lifestyles may change, should receive an initial FeLV vaccination series.
Video Otoscopy
Wellness Care
At The Veterinary Clinic, PC we recommend regular comprehensive wellness exams from the time pets are young. Wellness exams are a critical part of your pets healthcare routine regardless of size, breed or age. Routine wellness exams are important to maintain your pet’s wellbeing and detect any medical issues before they progress. We recommend annual physicals for mature pets and semi-annual physicals for senior pets (pets 7 years or older).
During your pet’s wellness exam, we will conduct an in-depth examination and advise you on all aspect of your pet’s care, from nutrition to behavior. We will also discuss any other recommended services, such as dental cleanings or diagnostic testing. If any areas of concern are identified during your pet’s exam, we will develop a treatment plan together.
