Our Veterinary Services
Our Veterinary Services
Pet Wellness Care in Monticello, IL
Allowing Animal Hospital of Monticello to examine your pet on an annual basis and keep all necessary vaccinations up to date can help your pet live a longer, healthier life.
We want to be your partner in the care of your pet. Communication is essential in any relationship, and we hope you find value in your pet’s annual exams and check-ups. It is critical to bring your pet to Animal Hospital of Monticello for physical examinations. We provide thorough physical examinations in order to detect potential problems before they become major issues. Many pet health problems can be avoided with regular physical exams, which is why we recommend that your pet be examined by our staff at least once a year.
While physical exams are important for animal health, you can help by being a responsible pet owner. Take detailed notes and bring your pet to Animal Hospital of Monticello for an examination if you notice any irregularities with him or her.
What exactly is a physical examination? Some things require special tests and equipment to see, feel, touch, or hear, but you can often learn a lot about your pet through simple observation. During a physical exam, your veterinarian looks for anything out of the ordinary. What is normal is a combination of what is normal for the breed and what is considered normal for your specific unique pet. Every pet is unique, just as every person is unique. Any areas of concern will be addressed further after the veterinarian has completed the basic physical exam.
Many diseases that can affect dogs and cats can be avoided with proper pet vaccinations. From your first visit to Animal Hospital of Monticello, we'll ensure that your pet is up to date on their vaccinations and put them on a schedule to ensure that they continue to be up to date. Our Monticello veterinarians will discuss the best course of action for your pet's vaccine schedule based on his or her age, medical history, lifestyle, and environment. You can bring your cat or dog in for his or her first round of vaccinations as early as eight weeks old.
Feline Vaccinations
Panleukopenia (feline distemper), Feline Rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and rabies are the most important vaccines for cats. These vaccinations protect your cat from serious health problems. Depending on your pet's lifestyle, you may want to consider vaccinating your cat against the feline leukemia virus. During your feline's visit, we'll talk about his or her lifestyle and decide which vaccines he or she needs.
Canine Vaccinations
Canine Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis, Bordetella, Leptospirosis, and Rabies are among the most important vaccinations for dogs. Dogs are required by law to receive a rabies vaccination (starting at 12-16 weeks) and boosters every three years. Depending on your dog's lifestyle, we'll discuss his or her risk and determine if he or she should also receive the Canine Influenza and/or Lyme vaccine.
Previously, parasites such as fleas, ticks, and roundworms were regarded primarily as a nuisance. We now know, however, that parasites can cause severe illness and even death in pets. Ticks, for example, can spread Lyme disease, and fleas can spread tapeworms and Bartonella - the bacteria that causes "cat scratch fever" in humans. Mosquitoes transmit another type of parasite known as heartworm. Heartworms live in your pet's lungs and heart, causing damage and, in some cases, death. Intestinal parasites such as roundworms and hookworms pose a threat to pets and can even be transmitted to humans.
You may not always be able to detect parasites in your pet. Fleas can hide under your pet's fur, and some ticks are so small (the size of a pinhead) that they are difficult to detect. Roundworms and other intestinal parasites can cause diarrhea and other problems, but many infected pets show no signs of illness at all.
Fortunately, we can recommend tests to determine whether or not your pet has parasites. We can also examine your pet for evidence of fleas, ticks, or other parasites. Our knowledgeable staff can advise you on the best medications to control fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites. Preventing parasites in your pets also protects children and other family members, so let's all work together to keep your pets and family safe.
Veterinary exams and parasite testing are critical steps in protecting your pet's health. Allow our experienced staff to provide you with a comprehensive parasite control program. We can recommend a parasite testing schedule, teach you signs of parasites you can look for at home, ways to control parasites in and around your home, treatment options if your pet has parasites, and ways to control and prevent parasites in the future.
When a pet is separated from his or her owner, it is a frightening situation. Owners are concerned about their pet's safety, as well as who will find them and how they will be reunited. Pets have been known to escape from their collars, and identification tags can fall off or become unreadable. Microchips are a permanent solution that will assist you in reuniting with your lost pet!
A tiny microchip is implanted beneath the skin of the dog or cat between the shoulder blades. The microchip contains an identification number that a scanner can read. The chip can be read by a veterinarian's office or an animal shelter to determine who owns the animal.