Health Maintenance Services for Northshore Pets

Unfortunately, despite even the best wellness care plan, your pet may experience an illness or injury. The skill, experience, and extensive education of our veterinarians and staff allow us to effectively manage complex medical challenges relating to cardiology, ophthalmology, neurology, dermatology, gastroenterology, orthopedics, oncology, endocrinology, and more. Our level of expertise, coupled with our resources, reduces the frequency of referrals to specialists and allows you to receive care for your pets from people you know, in a comfortable and familiar setting.

Allergies and Dermatology

Allergies are quite common in dogs of all breeds and backgrounds, typically due to fleas, 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. The most common symptom associated with allergies is itching of the skin, either localized or generalized. Other symptoms include respiratory distress (coughing, sneezing, and wheezing) or digestive problems causing vomiting, flatulence, or diarrhea.

Flea allergy is the most common allergy in cats. A normal cat experiences only minor skin irritation at the site of the bite. The flea allergic cat, on the other hand, has a severe, itch-producing reaction when the flea's saliva is deposited in the skin. Just one bite causes such intense itching that the cat may severely scratch or chew itself, leading to hair loss and open sores or scabs on the skin. The area most commonly involved is over the rump or base of the tail.

It is important to be able to identify the first signs and symptoms of allergies and dermatological conditions. These include:

• Inflamed ears
• Hotspots, especially those that recur
• Scratching
• Rubbing the eyes or mouth area
• Flaking
• Lesions on the skin
• Hair loss
• Red itchy bumps on the skin
• Asthma-like wheezing or respiratory issues

If your pet exhibits any of these symptoms, please make an appointment to have him or her seen by one of the veterinarians at Slidell Veterinary Hospital. We will evaluate your pet, determine the most effective method of treatment, and explain how you can prevent future problems. If left untreated, allergic reactions and skin conditions can become serious medical concerns.

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, or chronic, glaucoma can be hereditary or develop as your pet ages. Secondary, or acute, glaucoma develops as the result of an injury or illness. Because secondary glaucoma can progress rapidly, it is considered an emergency situation.

Symptoms of glaucoma to look for include:

At Slidell Veterinary Hospital, we recommend that your pet receive a routine glaucoma exam as part of his or her regular wellness care. The exam is not only an effective screening measure for chronic and acute glaucoma, 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.

This is a non-invasive, simple procedure that should not cause your pet any pain or discomfort. One of our veterinarians will apply a mild anesthetic eye-drop to ensure your pet is comfortable during the exam.

Oncology and Cancer Treatment

The word cancer strikes fear in all of us; however, with new advances in veterinary medicine, many pets are living longer with a greatly improved quality of life.

Successful cancer treatment often lies in early detection. Early detection can be difficult at times as cancer may not only present itself as a lump on the skin, but may develop inside the body. If this occurs, a thorough examination with diagnostic tests can often discover the tumor. If left undiagnosed, the disease may not be noticed until clinical symptoms develop.

At Slidell Veterinary Hospital, we coordinate your pet's treatment with a local oncologist. If possible, surgical removal of the tumor is recommended. In addition, some types of cancer are responsive to chemotherapy, which include a variety of oral and injectable drugs. Dogs and cats tend to tolerate chemotherapy well and rarely develop side effects similar to humans.

Behavior Counseling

Behavior problems are the number one reason that owners give up a pet. Slidell Veterinary Hospital offers behavior counseling for many of your pet's problems including inappropriate urination or defecation, aggression, separation anxiety, inappropriate chewing and barking and introduction of new pets into the household. Often a behavior problem, such as inappropriate voiding, can be linked to a medical issue (cystitis, bladder stones, and kidney disease).

Slidell Veterinary Hospital maintains an extensive library of information about behavior problems. Our veterinarians help you recognize, validate and categorize behavior problems. We work closely with you in developing a specific plan to help eliminate your pet's unwanted behavior. The treatment plan often includes behavior modification and medication-assisted training. If our veterinarians and technical staff members cannot help with your pet's behavior problem, we can refer you to a board-certified animal behavior specialist.

Your Pet's Nutrition

Pets are living longer, healthier lives than ever before and a big part of that is due to our expanded knowledge connecting proper nutrition with overall good health. In fact, nutrition is the biggest health variable that you, as your pet's caregiver, control. Therefore, Slidell Veterinary Hospital's veterinarians and medical staff make it a priority to give you all the information you need to make the most informed choices regarding your pet's diet.

During your pet's comprehensive physical examination, we evaluate his or her body condition and give recommendations based on what we see. Our doctors can also assist you with information on proper serving size and other feeding strategies so your pet can maintain his or her optimal body weight and nutritional health. We can also help you navigate through pet food companies' claims so you can make the most informed nutritional food choice for your pet.

Dogs and cats are healthiest when they eat the whole, natural foods we would eat ourselves: USDA-inspected chicken, turkey, and lamb, whole grain rice and barley, fresh fruits and vegetables, and Grade A dairy products. However, most cheap commercial pet foods contain filler ingredients and low-grade proteins. It is best to feed your pet a food that is denser, richer in nutrients, and without the added bulk. A high quality food provides more nutrition, with calories and fats formulated to fit the needs of your specific dog or cat.

Prescription Diets

Some pets have more serious nutritional challenges or chronic conditions that can benefit from a special diet. If your pet is diagnosed with a specific condition, we may recommend feeding a special prescription diet. Prescription diets benefit medical conditions such as liver disease, bladder and kidney stones, renal failure, food allergies, diabetes, and more.

Slidell Veterinary Hospital carries Purina, Science Diets, and Royal Canin prescription foods. If your pet requires a prescription diet we do not carry, we can easily order it for you.

Slidell Veterinary Hospital's Isolation Ward

One of the risks of being in a hospital environment is catching an infection from another patient. At Slidell Veterinary Hospital, we have a temperature-controlled isolation ward that keeps pets with infectious conditions separated from other patients and other areas of the hospital. It is one of the many ways we prioritize your pet's health, safety, and comfort here at our hospital.

A Veterinary Pharmacy You Can Trust

Ensuring that you have convenient and timely access to competitively priced medications is an important aspect of our veterinary practice. Slidell Veterinary Hospital offers an in-house pharmacy, which means that your pet will receive precisely the right medication, at the right dose, and in the right form as quickly as possible. We're also available to show you how to administer the medication and monitor its degree of effectiveness.

We maintain an extensive inventory of pharmaceuticals, vitamins, shampoos, flea and tick control products, and heartworm preventatives to meet the needs of your pet. Refills are easy, too. Simply go to our online store or give us a call at (985) 643-4822.

For more information about any of our health maintenance services, please email or call us at (985) 643-4822. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have.