Additional Services

Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine utilizes the body’s own cells to heal and regenerate damaged tissues in acute and chronic conditions.

Therapies included are:

• Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

• Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) Stem Cells

Regenerative Medicine can be used for:

• Osteoarthritis

• Acute and Chronic Soft Tissue Injuries

• Tendon Injuries

• Ligament Injuries

• Muscle Injuries

• Certain Spinal Conditions

What is Platelet Rich Plasma?

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a highly concentrated blood sample that contains isolated cells (platelets) and the fluid portion of blood (plasma). When used as a therapy, PRP can help regenerate and heal tissues by:

• Recruiting cells to an area of injury to clean up dead and injured cells

• Releasing proteins called “Growth Factors” which are responsible for tissue regeneration

What’s involved with PRP therapy?

If your veterinarian has determined that PRP therapy is right for your pet, he/she can process and treat your pet with PRP during an office visit. A small amount of blood is taken from your dog and is processed using a specialized system that concentrates the platelets and the plasma. Once the PRP processing is complete, it is injected directly into the area of injury.

What results can be expected from PRP therapy?

Many veterinarians have noted therapeutic effects last between 6-12 months for dogs with mild to moderate osteoarthritis.

What are Stem Cells?

Stem cells have the ability to differentiate into any type of cell. They can also activate other surrounding stem cells and recruit additional cell types to aid in wound healing and tissue repair.

What’s involved in Stem Cell therapy?

If your veterinarian has determined that your dog is
a candidate for stem cell therapy, he/she can process and inject the stem cells during an office visit. A small amount of bone marrow is collected from the femur while the dog is under general anesthesia. It is then processed using a specialized system that isolates and concentrates the stem cells. Once the processing is complete, the stem cells are then directly injected into the area of injury.

Seeing results from Stem Cell therapy?

As with PAP therapy, every dog’s response to therapy will be different. Most veterinarians have noted that dogs with moderate to severe osteoarthritis will show marked improvement for more than a year with one treatment of stem cells. Follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for rehabilitation and follow-up.

Chemotherapy and Cancer Treatment

Like us, animals can get cancer. Fortunately, however, some forms of cancer are curable. In addition, recent advancements in cancer treatment can dramatically extend the lives of many dogs and cats. Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery may be used to stop the spread of cancer and remove or destroy cancer cells and tumors.

You can help prevent some forms of cancer by having your pet spayed or neutered at an early age, but most cancers cannot be prevented. This is why early detection is one of our best weapons against this disease.

Regular veterinary visits can help us keep track of what is normal for your pet, as well as detect anything suspicious. However, because we typically only see your dog or cat once or twice a year, we also rely on your knowledge of your pet to catch any potential issues early. Contact us right away if you notice any changes in your pet’s physical appearance or behavior (such as lumps or bumps, sores that don’t heal, vomiting, diarrhea, or changes in eating habits).

Grief Counseling

Losing a pet can be extremely upsetting, sometimes even more so than you might expect. We have such a close bond with our pets, so letting go is never easy and is often filled with pain, sadness, depressionu2014even anger. Our team understands these feelings, as many of us have also lost pets of our own. The emotions we go through are real and nothing to be ashamed of.

Whether your loss is recent or you’ve been grieving for weeks, we are here to help you through this sad transition. We can also help your children understand and cope with their feelings. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Behavioral Counseling 

If you’re concerned about or bothered by an aspect of your pet’s behavior, we can help. Our expert can work with you and your pet to stop or change the behavior. Many aggressive, fearful, or inappropriate behaviors in dogs and cats can be modified through a combination of desensitization and counter-conditioning. These techniques can have dramatic results when applied properly. In some cases, medication can also help. Contact us for an appointment if you’d like to consult with our expert.

Microchip Pet Identification

Imagine if your dog or cat got lost. You’d want to give him or her the best chance of getting home. With microchipping, you can.

Microchipping is a safe, permanent way to identify your pet in case he or she becomes lost. A microchip, which is a tiny device about the size and shape of a grain of rice, is placed just under the loose skin at the back of the neck. When a lost dog or cat without an ID tag is found, a veterinarian or veterinary technician will use a handheld microchip scanner to check for a chip. If the pet has one, it will transmit its ID number to the scanner via a low-frequency radio wave. The veterinary hospital or shelter then calls the chip manufacturer, retrieves the pet owner’s contact information, and calls the owner.

Even the most responsible pet owners can’t always guarantee their pet won’t get lost. A leash could break or slip out of your hand, a pet could push through a screen door or window, or a contractor or friend might accidentally leave a door or gate open.

We recommend that you use a microchip, along with a collar and ID tag, to identify your pet. An ID tag is still a reliable identification method. Pets that have tags with current contact information are more likely to not end up in shelters and tend to get home faster than those without tags. However, collars and ID tags aren’t permanent and can be removed (overnight or for grooming); pets can also lose them. With a microchip, your pet will have a much better chance of being identified and returned to you. Pets without microchips that end up in shelters may be adopted out to another family or even euthanized.

Please contact us to schedule an appointment to microchip your pet. Although we hope your pet never becomes lost, we want you to be prepared. We can also suggest a plan to have in place so if your pet does go missing, you’ll be able to act quickly.