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Pachaug Animal Hospital

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860-376-2544

Pachaug Animal Hospital

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Pachaug Animal Hospital

Pachaug Animal Hospital
156 Preston City rd. Voluntown, CT 06384

Our Doctors

Dr. Nicole Belair, Owner & DVM

Our Services

  • Pet Emergency
  • Dental Care
  • Acupuncture
  • Surgery
  • Microchipping
  • Dermatology
  • Spay & Neuter
  • Parasite Prevention
  • Vaccinations
  • Senior Wellness
  • Preventative Care
  • Advanced Diagnostics

Serious health problems, injuries, and illness require immediate care. When your pet urgently needs to see a veterinarian, Pachaug Animal Hospital offers quality emergency care during our regular business hours. While we understand you may not always be in a position to call in advance, if you are able to do so it will help our staff be prepared for your pet's arrival so the animal gets needed medical care that much quicker. If your pet has an emergency when we care closed, we recommend the following 24-hour veterinary hospital(s): Ocean State Veterinary Specialists 480 South County Trail, East Greenwich, RI 401-886-6787 Pieper Memorial 730 Randolph Rd, Middletown, CT 860-347-8387 Signs your pet may need emergency care:

  • Pale gums
  • Rapid breathing
  • Weak or rapid pulse
  • Change in body temperature
  • Difficulty standing
  • Apparent paralysis
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Seizures
  • Excessive bleeding
Safety tips:
  • Pets who are severely ill or injured may try to bite, claw, or act in an aggressive manner toward those trying to help them. Approach any injured or sick pet slowly and calmly; say their name and see how the animal reacts. Call for help if the pet reacts aggressively.
  • For dogs, fashion a makeshift stretcher if the animal is unable to move. Make sure the neck is supported.
  • For cats, slowly place a blanket or towel over the head to prevent biting. Slowly lift the animal into an open-topped carrier or box.
  • Elevate and apply pressure to any bleeding wound.
If  you think your pet has eaten something poisonous: Call us at 860-356-4250 immediately! If after hours, contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435. Trained toxicologists will consider the age and health of your pet, what was ingested, and then make a recommendation about what action should be taken.

Imagine if you never brushed your teeth or had them cleaned. Pretty frightening, right? As you can guess, things would eventually start to go very, very bad inside your mouth: teeth would rot and decay, gums would become inflamed and infected. Bacteria from those rotting teeth would eventually travel into your bloodstream and could cause other serious health problems. And we haven’t even mentioned the daily, debilitating pain.

It’s the same scenario for your dog or cat. While some people might laugh at the idea of brushing their pet’s teeth or taking them for a dental cleaning, the fact is that by age three, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some evidence of periodontal disease. Periodic dental exams help maintain proper oral hygiene and prevent future problems.

Pachaug Animal Hospital offers complete pet oral health services, including:

  • Dental exams
  • Annual dental cleanings
  • Dental X-rays
  • Extractions

Following American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines, Pachaug Animal Hospital only does cleanings and dental work on anesthetized pets. To ensure your pet is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia, we do require a routine blood test before the procedure.


Preventative Dental Care

Brushing your pet’s teeth several times per week is the best way to prevent plaque and tartar build-up. Interested in learning how to brush your pet’s teeth? Just ask and our veterinarians will be happy to help you get started. If you have a pet that won’t tolerate brushing, our veterinarians can also recommend products that will help keep your pet’s mouth healthy in between cleanings.

To make an appointment for a dental exam or cleaning, call us at 860-356-4250.

Acupuncture is a 3000-year-old Chinese practice utilizing hair-thin needles to stimulate the body’s nerve centers, improving blood circulation and releasing pain-relieving hormones. This virtually painless process relaxes muscle tissue and oxygenates the surrounding area, allowing the body to heal more rapidly. Acupuncture is one of the safest veterinary treatments available, and Dr. Belair is certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. Many disorders can be treated with acupuncture including:

  • Neurologic and soft tissue pain
  • Arthritis
  • Allergies
  • Gastrointestinal issues
  • Musculoskeletal systemic problems
  • Skin conditions
  • Respiratory distress
Acupuncture is relatively painless, requires no sedation, and can be used in conjunction with most other traditional and alternative treatments. We expect to treat most chronic conditions weekly for 4-6 weeks, then decrease down to every 4-6 weeks. For appointments, you can expect the first visit to last 1 hour and the follow-up visits to last 40 minutes. These appointments are in limited time windows, so please call 860-356-4250 to schedule.

Surgery is often the most effective way to treat many serious injuries and disorders. Pachaug Animal Hospital offers a wide variety of surgical services from routine spays and neuters to more advanced soft tissue and orthopedic procedures.

Patient safety and comfort is our main priority. Pachaug Animal Hospital’s experienced veterinary anesthesiologists provide skilled pain management during and after all surgical procedures, ensuring your pet recovers quickly and with minimum discomfort.

Our veterinary team will walk you through the entire process, giving you the tools to make informed decisions regarding your pet’s treatment options. We understand surgery is a stressful time for any owner, and we’re available every step of the way to answer questions and put your mind at ease.

If you are considering surgery for your pet, please contact us at 860-356-4250 to schedule a consultation with your Pachaug Animal Hospital veterinarian.

One of the worst feelings to experience as a pet owner is a realization that your pet has gone missing. Only 17% of dogs and 2% of cats make it back to their owners—which can make it feel like you’ll never see your pet again if they get lost.

Pachaug Animal Hospital encourages you to consider microchipping your pet, even if they live entirely indoors--because even indoor pets can escape and become lost. Unlike collars and tags, microchips can’t fall off and they serve as permanent identification for a pet’s entire life. Microchips are also rated for 25 years, meaning they never need to be removed or recharged during your pet’s lifetime.

Microchipping a pet is simple, relatively painless and very affordable. Once implanted, authorities only need to scan the chip to locate your information. But remember: a microchip is only useful if your contact information is updated.

Pachaug Animal Hospital believes microchipping is the safest, most effective method of pet identification, helping reunite more than 15,000 lost pets to their owners every month. To get your pet “chipped”, request an appointment online or call us at 860-356-4250.

The chewing. The scratching. The licking. These behaviors are all too familiar to many pet parents and they can be symptoms of a significant health problem. It could be allergies, an infection, stress or any one of many issues, and it’s important your pet see the vet when these symptoms start to happen. At Pachaug Animal Hospital we can examine and test your pet and based on the diagnosis, provide you with treatment options that will provide relief to your pet—and you as well. Symptoms of Skin Problems in Cats & Dogs

  • Excessive scratching, chewing or licking
  • Rashes
  • Lesions
  • Irritated or dry skin
  • Scabs
  • Red or inflamed skin
  • Hair loss
  • Rubbing of face against furniture or carpets
If your pet is exhibiting any of the symptoms above, contact us today at 860-356-4250 to schedule an exam.

Every year thousands of stray and unwanted animals are euthanized in shelters across the United States. Many of these deaths are the avoidable result of owners failing to spay and neuter their pets. Even if you keep a close watch on your pet, accidents happen, and unexpected offspring means more animals that won’t be given the chance at full, happy lives.

Spaying and neutering can help end this cycle, and both procedures can have health benefits for pets.

Spaying

Spaying is a common surgical procedure performed on female cats and dogs. The process is called an ovariohysterectomy and involves removing the patient’s uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes, rendering the animal incapable of reproduction. Pachaug Animal Hospital recommends spaying your cat at 6 months and your dog between 6-12 months depending on their breed and size.

Benefits:

  • Prevents unwanted pregnancies
  • Eliminates the risk of ovarian and uterine tumors
  • Remove the possibility of uterine infections

Neutering

Neutering is performed on male cats and dogs. This process castrates the animal, removing their testicles and making them unable to impregnate females. Pachaug Animal Hospital recommends neutering your cat at 6 months and your dog between 6-12 months depending on their breed and size.

Benefits

  • Reduces roaming and spraying (territory marking)
  • Eliminates the risk of testicular and prostate tumors
  • Reduces risk of most other prostate diseases

What to expect after surgery

Both spaying and neutering are very safe but are also considered major surgery requiring a full two weeks (14 days) of recovery time. Recovery will include pain medication and lethargy is common for the first couple of days following the procedure. It’s important that you monitor your pet during the recovery period. This includes:

· Limiting activity. Walk your pet on a leash to eliminate, and keep him or her in a crate or kennel when unsupervised.
· Preventing the pet from licking or biting the incision. Use an e-collar or inflatable collar.
· Keeping the incision dry. No baths during the recovery period.
· Making sure your pet’s pain is managed. Call us if your pet appears to be having discomfort.
· Keeping recently neutered males away from unspayed females. They can still impregnate a female for up to 30 days after they are neutered.

Your Pachaug Animal Hospital veterinarian can help you determine when is the best age to have your pet spayed or neutered, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have about the procedure. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (860) 376-2544.

Fleas, ticks and mosquitoes aren't just a summer problem! Warming temperatures mean year-round prevention is key to making sure your pet is protected from these pests or the diseases they may carry. Don’t overlook the problems they can cause: Fleas often trigger dermatitis, tapeworm and hot spots; one tick bite can transmit numerous dangerous diseases and mosquitoes carry potentially deadly heartworm. In addition to preventive medications, you should thoroughly check your pets for fleas and ticks on a daily basis if they've been outdoors. Although fleas and ticks can be anywhere on your pet’s body, they prefer posting up near the head, ears, neck and paws. You can spot evidence of fleas if you notice little black specks that resemble pepper or bits of dirt. Both the incidence of Lyme disease from tick bites and heartworm from mosquitoes are on the rise around the country and in our region. Lyme disease, while rarely fatal, can cause irreversible kidney damage in some patients, especially retrievers. Heartworms are also treatable, but require 2-4 months of crate restriction to minimize the risk of life-threatening complications. Prevention is always the best treatment! We carry the best options for flea, tick and heartworm preventive and your Pachaug Animal Hospital veterinarian can help you choose which one is right for your pet. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us at 860-356-4250.

Vaccinating your pet is a relatively inexpensive but very important way to protect his or her health. In addition to preventing many life-threatening illnesses, vaccinations can prevent diseases prevalent in wildlife and those that can be passed to humans. It's important to administer vaccinations when pets are puppies and kittens because their young immune systems are still developing and need protection to stay healthy. It is also important to make sure your pets get boosters throughout their life, usually every 1-3 years depending on the specific vaccine. 

While any medical treatment involves some degree of risk, in the case of vaccinations, the benefits far outweigh any potential side effects. Adverse reactions are rare and usually mild and short-term when they do occur.

Which vaccines should your pet have? “Core” vaccines are those recommended—and possibly mandated by law—for most pets. Core vaccines include:

  • Rabies (dogs and cats)
  • DA2PPV - Distemper, Hepatitis, Adenovirus 2, Parvo and Parainfluenza (dogs)
  • FVRCP - Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia (cats)

One non-core, but highly suggested vaccination for outdoor cats is FeLV to protect against feline leukemia. For dogs, important non-core vaccines include those to prevent Lyme disease and leptospirosis.

It’s also important to note that even pets who live primarily indoors should be vaccinated, as they can still be exposed to a disease. Your Pachaug Animal Hospital veterinarian can advise you which vaccinations are required or recommended for your pet based on age, health, and lifestyle. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us at 860-356-4250.

Leptospirosis: The Backyard Threat

There are very few diseases you can get directly from your pet, but one of them is especially easy to contract: leptospirosis, a highly contagious illness spread through the urine of infected wildlife.

Dogs don’t even need to make contact with wildlife to get the disease—simply drinking water or ingesting dirt that’s contaminated with the urine of common backyard animals like squirrels, raccoons, and foxes is enough to make your dog very sick.

It’s important to know that this disease is also zoonotic, which means if your dog catches it, the human members of your family could as well! 

Symptoms for both dogs and humans are similar and can include:

  • Fever
  • Shivering
  • Muscle tenderness
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Dehydration
  • Lethargy
  • Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
  • Abdominal pain

Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a common ailment associated with ticks, and its symptoms include:

  • Fever
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Joint pain

It’s always a good idea to constantly check your pets for ticks on a daily basis. This can be done while you are playing with your best friend or grooming them. However, the best defense against these pests is always prevention.

It can be hard to admit when we see the signs of old age in our animal companions, but the fact is that most dogs are considered seniors when they hit seven, cats around nine. Pets age much more rapidly than humans, which means diseases and illness progress quicker as well.

To ensure that your pet has the longest, healthiest, most comfortable life possible, Pachaug Animal Hospital encourages you to bring your senior pet for exams and blood tests twice each year. This way, we can track how your pet is aging, and we’ll be more likely to catch any developing diseases before they are big problems.

Just as in people, arthritis often accompanies old age in pets, resulting in pain, stiffness, and immobility. It’s important to understand the difference between normal aging and the symptoms of arthritis, because by the time your pet shows symptoms, they have likely been in pain or discomfort for a while. You’ll want to watch your older pet for these signs:

  • limping
  • stiffness
  • decreased activity
  • lagging behind on walks
  • difficulty standing up after rest
  • avoidance of stairs
  • hesitation to jump up (especially in cats)
  • arched back, head lowered or tilted
  • neck pain
  • biting or licking at a leg or joint
  • thinning legs
  • irritability

While there’s no “cure” for arthritis, there are effective treatments to preserve mobility and manage pain. They include weight loss, medications, rehabilitation exercises, supplements, and alternative treatments such as acupuncture and laser therapy. 

We can help your pet maintain a high quality of life through his or her senior years—to schedule an appointment, give us a call at (860) 376-2544.

Preventative care is a pet’s first line of defense. Annual exams help by establishing your pet's baseline health as well as diagnosing and treating disease in its early stages--often before any noticeable symptoms begin. The earlier treatment starts, the more effective it is and the greater the chances of a positive outcome.

Pachaug Animal Hospital’s comprehensive annual exams evaluate temperature, skin and coat, ear and hearing acuity, lung and chest, internal health, oral hygiene, eye, and visual responsiveness. We will also discuss parasite prevention as well as behavioral concerns and nutritional needs to keep your pet in optimum health.

Early detection is key when it comes to treating your pet, and Pachaug Animal Hospital offers complete in-house diagnostics including an on-site laboratory and digital radiology. This saves time, money, and most importantly, you don’t have to wait overnight for results—meaning your pet gets a diagnosis and needed treatment sooner.

Digital Radiography (X-Rays)

Radiographs, or X-rays, use electromagnetic radiation directed towards the body to highlight objects within. They can detect abnormalities including skeletal fractures, soft tissue damage, foreign bodies, and dental disease.

Orthopedic radiographs and contrast studies require the patient remain completely still to work correctly, necessitating sedation in most cases. Some specialized procedures may require anesthesia. The duration of sedation or anesthesia is usually short and patient recovery is swift.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a powerful diagnostic tool that creates a real-time image of an animal’s body. This composite reveals important information about internal processes including the circulatory, skeletal and gastrointestinal systems.

An ultrasound works by broadcasting high-frequency sound waves that reflect off your pet’s internal structures. A small probe held against the skin collects the returning signals to create an image of the internal body, commonly used to examine abdominal organs like the stomach, kidneys, liver, spleen and gallbladder. An ultrasound of the heart, known as an echocardiogram, provides precise information about heart valves, blood flow, chamber size, and contractions.

There are several types of lab tests and blood screenings we may recommend, depending on your pet’s age and/or what symptoms are present. Below is a brief description of the most common types of testing and their purpose.

Urinalysis

Urinalysis is a test to assess the health of the kidneys and urinary system. It is helpful in identifying urinary tract diseases and may provide more information about liver failure and hemolysis.

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

The CBC is a routine blood test that acts like a snapshot of the red and white cells in your pet’s blood and can reveal many conditions such as whether he or she is anemic, dehydrated, or has an active infection. The CBC screens for:
· Red blood cells, which carry oxygen
· White blood cells, which fight infection
· Hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells
· Hematocrit, the proportion of red blood cells to the fluid component in blood
· Platelets, which help with blood clotting

Blood Chemistry Panels

In addition to the CBC, your vet may also decide to run a more specific blood chemistry panel based on symptoms, breed, or the animal’s age. These panels can give more specific information related to a diagnosis and can also be helpful in determining the progression of a disease. Some of the most common blood chemistry panels are:

· Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and Creatinine – measures the health of a pet’s kidneys
· ALT and Bilirubin– these are substances that indicate liver health. When a pet’s liver is not functioning properly, these levels might increase.
· Glucose – used to help diagnose diabetes in pets
· Electrolytes – this screening measures a pet’s potassium, sodium, and chloride levels, which can be affected by a wide variety of illnesses and conditions, including dehydration, kidney failure, and Addison’ s disease
· Thyroxine (T4) – this test can give your vet information about a dog’s thyroid function
· Calcium – tumors, thyroid issues, and kidney disease are just a few of the conditions that alter calcium levels
· Canine Progesterone - for planning breeding
· Bile Acid Test - blood test for liver function

Have questions about advanced diagnostics or want to schedule a consultation for your pet? Call us at (860) 376-2544.

We understand that a pet is part of the family. The day your pet enters our hospital it becomes part of our family, too—and our goal is to give them as many happy, healthy years with you as possible. From new puppies and kittens to graying seniors, we’ll be there every step of the way with comprehensive services and the experienced, compassionate care your pets deserve.