Please schedule a visit to your veterinarian if you notice any of the following:
- Loss of appetite or energy
- Difficulty breathing or excessive panting
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Limping or difficulty walking
- Skin bumps or irritation
- Red, malodorous, or itchy ears
- Increased coughing or sneezing
- Excessive drinking and/or urination
- Unexplained weight loss
- Difficulty urinating or defecating
- Bad breath, discolored or chipped teeth, or bleeding gums
- Behavior changes
Bathing
We know that bathing your pet is usually not pleasant – whether you dont have the tub or simply don’t have the time nor interest, we are happy to help your pets heal. There are many situations when your pet may need a medicated bath. Our most common baths are for dry and itchy skin – we use a soothing shampoo to help patients suffering from skin problems. Often, we will need to repeat these baths several times until we get the problem under control. We also offer baths for fleas, ticks, and ringworm.
Dental care
At West Orange Animal Hospital, we are committed to our patient’s dental health and implement the highest quality dental care. We implement a comprehensive approach including at home dental care including brushing and dental chews, as well as thorough dental cleanings.
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Diet
We recommend using products with “AAFCO” printed on the label – this stands for Association of American Feed Control Officials. Rather than regulating the pet food industry, AAFCO sets the standards for quality pet nutrition by creating and revising (as needed) nutrient profiles. A diet can only claim it is “complete and balanced” if it meets or exceeds AAFCO’s minimum requirements.
We recommend avoiding generic pet foods and advise that our patients are fed a diet formulated by a veterinary nutritionist. Examples of these premium manufacturers include Hill’s science diet, Purina, Iams, Royal Canin.
Please talk to your veterinarian about which specific diet will be best for your pet. Each individual is different – there is no “best food for all” – it is important how well you puppy or kitten does on whatever food you select. If you have other questions such as feeding raw food, grain-free, or how to balance a home-cooked diet – please mention this during your veterinary visit.
Disease prevention
We believe that one of the most important aspects of caring for your pet’s health is vaccinating him or her against potential diseases. Your veterinarian will create a vaccination protocol based on your pet’s lifestyle and exposure to disease. We will be happy to discuss the benefits of protecting your pet with vaccinations, as well as, provide you with information on the recommended core vaccines for your pet.
Digital imaging (x-ray and ultrasound)
We are excited about our new digital radiology and ultrasound equipment. Digital imaging allows us to see what is going on inside your pet without surgery. We can often see the images seconds after we take the films. It has always been our goal to give our clients the very best care – as such, we are constantly learning new techniques and working hard to keep our equipment up to date.
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Fully stocked pharmacy
We want you to get your pet’s medications and products from a reputable, trusted supplier, so we have stocked our pharmacy with a huge inventory of quality brands and products.
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Hospice care and humane euthansia
Are you having problems caring for a terminally ill pet at home? Before you struggle one more day, contact our staff of compassionate and caring professionals to learn how we can help you through this painful experience. We offer hospice services to ensure your pet’s comfort during their final moments. We understand that decision for hospice care or humane euthansia is a very personal and difficult decision to make. We are here to honor your special requests, provide guidance, and answer questions regarding end-of-life care.
In house laboratory (blood, fecal, and urine tests)
We understand how stressful it can be when your pet does not feel well. We are very proud and excited about our state of the art in-house laboratory equipment which allows us to diagnose your pets within minutes and begin treatment sooner so that they can start feeling better as soon as possible.
Our new diagnostic equipment allows us to diagnose diseases such as pancreatitis, heartworm, Lyme, leukemia and FIV, and many more. Our new machinery is also capable of performing more complex blood work including a complete chemistry profile to evaluate organ function, monitor electrolytes and complete blood cell count, and perform analysis on urine samples. Whenever your pets are not feeling well, we can offer you results and diagnosis in minutes instead of waiting for a day (or more) for results.
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Pain management
Recognizing and alleviating your pet’s pain is at the very heart of quality and compassionate patient care. We do not take pain management for granted and will employ all our skills to help ensure your pet’s comfort and well being. At West Orange Animal Hospital, we offer a wide variety of pain control including medications ranging from all natural joint supplements, anti-inflammatories, or Adequan injections. It is important to run blood work before starting many medications to minimize the potential for adverse side-effects.
In keeping with the latest medical advancements, West Orange Animal Hospital is one of the few hospitals on the East-coast with the training and experience to perform PRP joint injections. This is the latest and most innovative treatment for dogs with osteoarthritis.
Parasite prevention
We recommend year-long treatment with flea/tick and heartworm preventatives for all patients as well as annual routine fecal analyses and heartworm testing. Please talk to your veterinarian about which preventatives would be best for you and your pet.