Below you’ll find a list of our most common services: Veterinary vaccinations can play a very important role in your pet’s life. They are an integral part in keeping our loved ones healthy and free from contagious, life-threatening diseases. There are many factors to consider when vaccinating your pets. All too often vaccines are considered routine, but they should be treated as any other medical or surgical procedure and given the same amount of thought and care. Here at Bethel Veterinary Hospital, our focus is on using vaccinations that are appropriate for your pet. Rabies vaccinations must be given in conjunction with a physical exam and administered by a veterinarian. If adult patients are up to date on the annual exam and rabies and are otherwise healthy, pets may come in for other vaccines and heartworm tests via a technician appointment and will not require an exam. Dr. Aubrey Fitch can provide a behavior consult for you and your pet. An extensive history about the nature of the problem will be taken, and the treatment plan will be created to help make a positive change in the situation. Among the common problems seen are aggression, anxiety, house soiling and self-trauma. Puppies and kittens are very susceptible to disease and sickness if not vaccinated properly. It is very important to schedule a wellness appointment once obtaining your new family member. At that time, our trained and experienced staff will discuss proper care, vaccine schedule, nutrition, behavior, spaying/neutering, microchipping, and helpful at home tips. Veterinary diagnostics are invaluable tools that allow our experienced veterinarians to get a look at what’s happening inside your pet’s body so we can diagnose and treat the problem in a timely manner. Early detection and treatment can vastly improve the outcome for your companion. Bethel Veterinary Hospital utilizes a wide range of diagnostic services, both routine and advanced to manage the ongoing health of our patients. We have digital radiography as well as in-house ECG services for cardiology evaluations. Our in-house Lab provides for the fast and accurate retrieval of a wide variety of diagnostic results including: blood serum chemistries, hematology, and serology, as well as urinalysis and parasite testing. For those situations where an expert opinion or further testing is recommended, we also utilize commercial veterinary laboratories for specialized diagnostics and can arrange for consultations with board certified veterinary specialists. There’s something about surgery that can be stressful and nerve wracking, whether it’s a human or an animal family member. Here at Bethel Veterinary Hospital, we understand the uncertainty you are experiencing and want to put your mind at ease. We’ve worked hard to ensure that each surgery performed at our hospital, whether routine or complex, is as stress free as possible. When it comes to surgical care, your pet’s safety and comfort are our top priority! We offer a variety of surgical services, all performed using the most modern techniques and equipment and always adhering to the highest standards of care. Our state of the art surgical suite provides a clean, well-lit environment where our surgical team can deliver the highest quality surgical care- before, during, and following any procedure. When assessing the hygiene of your pet’s mouth, our doctors use advanced tools to ensure proper diagnosis. Digital dental radiographs are obtained for patients who have abnormalities on visual exams. Full mouth radiographs may also be taken, especially in cats, due to the inability to view root/periodontal disease which may not be detected during a physical examination. If extractions are recommended, then we would perform the procedure with your pet under general anesthesia. Our doctors are trained in advanced dental techniques and have decades of experience in oral surgery. We perform everything from the removal of deciduous teeth, to the excision and biopsies of oral masses, to full mouth extractions. It’s not easy to detect when animals are in pain. Animals often have underlying pain that is not easily detectable until it becomes severe and they show obvious symptoms. It is very important that a thorough orthopedic exam is performed during every annual exam especially in older patients. A large portion of our older patients have osteoarthritis (arthritis) and their quality of life may be significantly improved with medical therapy and other modalities. Only about 15-20 % of cats with severe arthritis show symptoms to owners such as limping or vocalizing. Some studies show this percentage may actually be lower. They may have subtle symptoms such as stiffness, reluctance to use the litterbox every time, reluctance to jump, loss of muscle mass, sleeping more, hiding, reluctance to be picked up, irritability, decreased interaction, or even excessive grooming/ pulling hair out. Dogs with osteoarthritis may have symptoms such as stiffness, loss of muscle mass, limping (both weight-bearing or non-weight bearing), difficulty sitting down/standing up, difficulty jumping onto couch, difficulty getting into the car, and irritability when touched. We offer treatments including several supplements such as glucosamine and omega fish fatty acids as well as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (Deracoxib, Meloxicam). Adequan injections have also been very successful as an additional option for arthritis management. Examples of acute pain include traumatic pain, postoperative pain, orthopedic pain (limping), painful infected ears, abscesses, pancreatitis, gall bladder disease, kidney infections, bladder stones. Examples of chronic pain include neck pain, back pain, and osteoarthritis. Laser Therapy can be an option. We are very proud to employ our Class IV Laser Therapy Unit for pain management as it reduces inflammation, improves blood flow, and releases natural endorphins in the body which can reduce pain in the patient. Laser therapy is safe, painless, and effective. The veterinary staff, pet, and owner participate in giving the treatment in a comfortable setting. Patients are able to get comfortable on a dog/cat bed for treatment and often feel good as the treatment provides warmth to their body as their owners are petting them. Please feel free to call us and speak to our staff as we would love to give you more information. We may recommend veterinary x-rays as part of a diagnostic procedure if your pet is experiencing any health conditions or as a preventive measure in a routine senior wellness examination. We can use radiology alone or also in conjunction with other diagnostic tools depending on the patient’s condition. We’re fully equipped to perform routine radiology services to identify many types of illness or injury when pets are sick or suffer a trauma. An ultrasound is a highly sensitive tool when evaluating your pet’s internal organs. An ultrasound is usually recommended when our doctors find significant abnormalities on bloodwork or x-rays, in addition to monitoring a disease process. We have two board-certified Veterinary Ultrasonagraphers who visit our practice to perform ultrasounds for our patients. Spaying and neutering prevents unwanted litters, helps protect against serious health problems, and may reduce many of the behavioral problems associated with the mating instinct in our family pets. Spays (Ovariohysterectomies) and Neuters (Castrations) are performed under general anesthesia. A spay is recommended to prevent pregnancy, mammary cancer, and development of pyometra which is a life-threatening condition in which the uterus becomes infected and requires emergency surgery. Neutering prevents pregnancy, may reduce aggression, helps prevent inappropriate marking, prevents testicular tumors, and prevents benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate) in male dogs. Spaying or neutering your pet will benefit their long-term health and reduce the stray population (or overpopulation of strays). Our exotic pet patients require just as much, if not more preventive and wellness care than their dog and cat counterparts. We recommend a wellness exam as soon as possible after you obtain your new pet. This allows us the opportunity to help you get your new family member set up with the best possible diet, care and husbandry right from the start. Unfortunately, improper diet is too often responsible for a very high percentage of illness in avian and exotic patients. Dr. Fitch and our staff enjoy taking time to teach clients about proper handling, behavior, feeding and care of their pets. Orthopedic surgery can help animals who suffer from joint problems, torn ligaments, broken bones, and can even help correct congenital problems. Most orthopedic surgery is focused around the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL), sometimes referred to as the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). We bring in a Board Certified specialist, Philip Pacchiana DVM DACVS, to perform all of our specialized surgical procedures here at our hospital. Here at Bethel Veterinary Hospital, we value the bond between you and your pet, and understand how stressful it can be when your pet is sick. Our quiet, non-clinical “Comfort Room” is designed for owners to have the opportunity to visit with your hospitalized pet or consult with the doctor. When the time comes to say goodbye to your beloved pet, our dedicated team is committed to making an extremely difficult time as easy as possible for both you and your pet. Our Comfort Room provides a private and comfortable space to be with your pet before, during and after euthanasia. Services
Bethel Veterinary Hospital offers a variety of services to address the special medical needs of your pets. We treat our patients as if they are family and offer a superior service.
