Why is dental care so important? Recent studies have shown that 70% of adult cats and 80% of adult dogs show symptoms of oral disease. In fact, most pet parents are not aware that their pet is dealing with dental issues. Bad breath, plaque build-up, excessive drooling, sore or bleeding gums when eating or chewing, and decreased appetite are signs that your pet’s teeth may require veterinary attention.

Just as it’s important for you to see a dentist regularly, it’s important for dogs and cats as well. Your pet’s oral health is directly connected to their overall health. Signs of dental disease include bad breath; loose, broken, or missing teeth; yellow or brown teeth; red, inflamed or bleeding gums; difficulty or pain when chewing; pawing at the mouth; and excessive drooling. If you notice any of these symptoms, please contact our team and we’ll be happy to help.

Fleas are gross, and they carry different diseases. They will carry tapeworms, hemobartonella (a blood parasite), plague, and other diseases to your pet and into your home. We didn’t even mention the diseases ticks can carry. Ticks carry Lyme disease and viruses and can leave your pet anemic and tired. So how do we prevent them from coming into our nice warm house to feast upon us and our pets?

So what do we do? We prevent it because an infestation means at least three months of treatment to break up the life cycle and treating for the secondary diseases that come with them. This can become expensive and tiresome. Especially if you get this infestation every year as soon as spring arrives.

We recommend the treatment and prevention of fleas/ ticks by the use of various products. The ones that we love and use are Bravecto and Revolution. Why do we like them? Because they have been proven to work and work quickly. They are great with prevention and treatment. They do double and sometimes triple duty, which means they do at least two to three things that we love and keep your pet healthy.

Our veterinary team is trained and equipped to handle emergencies. Emergencies can be things such as accidental ingestion of rat poison, being hit by a car, and chocolate ingestion. If you ever feel that your pet needs emergency treatment do not hesitate to call immediately. If an emergency occurs after business hours, we encourage you to seek help from Kansas State University Veterinary Health Center 785-532-5690 located at 1800 Denison Ave. Manhattan, KS 66506 or the Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital of Wichita 316-262-5321 located at 5618 W 21st St N. Wichita, KS 67205. Another helpful resource if your pet has ingested a toxin is the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661.

We are also available for urgent care when the condition is not life-threatening. If you feel your pet needs to be seen before you are able to get an appointment, our veterinarian may be able to offer an “admit exam” or may be able to work to fit you in between scheduled appointments.

Our veterinarians at Salina Veterinary Hospital are proud to offer a wide range of grooming services to keep your pet looking and feeling his/her best. Our hospital offers bathing, nail trims, anal gland expressions, ear cleaning, and clipping. It’s always a great time to schedule a spa day at our animal hospital that proudly serves Salina and the surrounding area.

When you trust our animal hospital with grooming services, you can always expect your pet to receive quality, compassionate care. Whether your pet is just here for a quick bath, nail trim, anal gland expression, or more extensive treatment, such as a medicated bath, de-matting, ear cleaning, or a sanitary clip, our veterinary team will always treat your pet as one of their one. For those requiring full sedation for grooming (in particular our feline friends), we offer bloodwork prior to sedation to screen for underlying disease that may put your pet at risk. Also, if you are a new client requesting a feline sedation groom, we will first schedule an appointment to meet with one of our doctors. This allows them to do a thorough physical exam, review required vaccinations, and discuss any questions or concerns regarding the sedation event prior to the groom appointment.

We also offer mild sedation (given at home before the appointment) for those fur babies that stress easily. We strive to keep your pet as comfortable and relaxed as possible throughout the grooming appointment, and we’ll give you a call as soon as your pet is ready to be picked up.

Spay & Neuter

Spaying your pet early on offers the best protection from diseases like uterine infections and breast tumors, which are malignant or cancerous in about 50 percent of dogs and 90 percent of cats. Neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems. Other added benefits include:

• Your female pet will not go into heat once they are spayed.
• Your male pet may behave better after the operation.
• Your male dog will be less likely to run away from home, as un-neutered dogs will do anything to find a mate.

Our vets are happy to have an open discussion with you about the benefits of these important procedures, any concerns or questions you may have, and help decide the best time to spay or neuter your pet.

Orthopedic Surgery

We are proud to offer orthopedic surgical procedures on a case by case basis. Such procedures include cruciate ligament surgeries for small to medium-sized canine patients, femoral head and neck excision to help patients suffering from certain hip pathology, and amputations if needed, just to name a few. Our doctors recognize that some orthopedic conditions are best addressed by veterinary orthopedic surgeons who have completed extra training and/or completed residencies to give your pet specialized care. When these more complicated situations arise, we are happy to help coordinate your pet’s referral to give them the best care possible. 

Soft Tissue Surgery

We are also proud to offer soft tissue surgical procedures ranging from the more routine laceration repairs and mass removals to the not so routine intestinal surgery to retrieve foreign objects or emergency Cesarean sections. While it is easier to accommodate the routine soft tissue surgeries among other scheduled services, we do our best to work with emergency cases as well.

Radiography is a valuable diagnostic tool in veterinary medicine. As we continually strive to offer the highest quality of medicine and diagnostic testing, we are pleased to offer radiology services as a means of providing excellent care to our patients.

A radiograph (sometimes called an X-ray) is a type of photograph that can look inside the body and reveal information that may not be discernible from the outside. Radiography can be used to evaluate almost any organ in the body, including the heart, lungs, and abdominal organs, as well as the bones.

Radiography is painless, safe, and completely noninvasive, and it uses only very low doses of radiation. Because the level of radiation exposure needed to perform radiography is very low, even pregnant females and very young pets can undergo radiography. Radiographs can be used to evaluate bones as well as the size, shape, and position of many of the body’s organs. The size of organs is important because some medical conditions—such as kidney, heart, or liver disease—can alter the size of these organs. The shape and position of organs can be altered or distorted by certain medical conditions, including intestinal blockage or cancer. Tumors, depending on their size and location, can also sometimes be detected using radiography. Radiography can also be used to diagnose bladder stones, broken bones, chronic arthritis, certain spinal cord diseases, and a variety of other conditions.

Radiographs are an important tool that can help us make a correct diagnosis for your pet. Our radiology service is staffed by caring, skilled professionals who will provide state-of-the-art care with compassion and expertise.

We carry a full line of Hill’s Prescription Diets for your convenience and can access other prescription diets such as Royal Canin, by special order. We also have a variety of treats, including several weight control, dental care, and hypoallergenic options, for both dogs and cats. Please call ahead to ensure we have the diet you wish to purchase. We are happy to place a special order for you!

Along with a variety of foods in stock, we are also excited to offer the “Hills to Home” feeding program! With this program you may register through our hospital to conveniently order your pet’s prescription or regular Science Diet food and have it delivered straight to your door. No minimum purchase and free shipping every time!

Laser therapy is a cutting-edge technique in veterinary medicine for managing many conditions, including chronic pain in pets. Class IV (cold) laser therapy is especially effective for treating pets that struggle with osteoarthritis pain whether or not they have orthopedic surgery.

Cold laser therapy is a noninvasive procedure that uses light to stimulate blood flow and increase circulation. It is not a surgical laser which cuts tissue but a laser with different wavelengths to help heal tissues. The laser may even be used as a part of acupuncture in place of the needles.

Your veterinarian will first assess a pet’s pain management needs to determine whether he or she is a good candidate for laser therapy. It is not recommended for pets with cancer to have laser therapy as it could worsen or spread the malignancy. The doctor will create a custom treatment plan. Dogs and cats generally receive the greatest pain relief benefits from a series of eight to ten sessions, usually starting two to three times weekly, tapering down to weekly appointments.

Treatment sessions are tailored to each pet’s individual needs. Smaller dogs may only need 8- to 10-minute sessions. A larger dog that suffers from arthritis in multiple joints may benefit from a longer 30-minute session. During a treatment session, the pet reclines on a table or may even lie on a blanket on the floor.  Your veterinarian may allow you to be present for these sessions, but you will need to wear special goggles to protect your eyes.

Pets that undergo orthopedic surgery may need up to six months of recovery time. Physical therapy helps the pet to recover and become active again. Laser therapy is a common adjunctive treatment that allows faster healing of the surgical incision and also helps to relieve the arthritic pain.

Many arthritic pets respond positively to laser therapy. In fact, some pets even fall asleep during treatment sessions as it is the first time they are finally able to relax and not be in pain.

In addition to helping manage arthritis pain, veterinary laser therapy has numerous other applications. Treatment with a Class IV laser may help heal wounds, treat skin disorders such as lick granuloma, and help surgical skin incisions heal faster.