Medical Services

Did you know that dental disease is the most common problem in canine and feline health? Our doctors and technicians have received special training in the field of dental therapy and oral surgery. Our hospital provides services ranging from routine dental cleanings with intraoral radiographs, to extensive oral surgery and extractions. Routine cleanings include careful charting, scaling and polishing, radiographic assessment, and a fluoride treatment to help strengthen and protect the teeth. The same careful monitoring we detailed in our surgery page is provided for all dental procedures with the addition of an external warm air heating unit covering the pet. This provides warmth and helps prevent a drop in body temperature during the procedure. Pain relief is also provided as needed.

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Routine dental home care is strongly encouraged. We can help teach you how to brush your pet’s teeth and also offer products to add to food or water that will help reduce tartar accumulation. Maintaining oral health for your pet reduces the need and expense of extensive oral surgery and, as in human medicine, has been shown to improve overall health and can increase your pet’s life expectancy.

Here at Bethel Mill Animal Hospital we have extensive diagnostic capabilities! We know when your pet is sick you want answers quickly and to accommodate that we provide the latest technology. In less than 10 minutes we can have results for most of these tests.

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BLOOD TESTING

Lyme/Erlichia/Heartworm/Anaplasmosis (4DX): This is your yearly heartworm test which also screens for the 3 most common tick borne diseases. Early detection and treatment is extremely important, and if positive additional testing may be needed.

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Giardia/Rectal Cytology: These tests are extremely important if your pet is suffering from diarrhea. They allow us to identify some of the more common causes of diarrhea some of which can be contagious to humans.

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CBC (Complete Blood Count): This is used to determine the number and types of cells in the blood. Results help your veterinarian identify anemia, leukemia, and possible infections. This is also a part of our pre-surgical lab testing, important information for any pet going under anesthesia.

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Chemistry Profiles: A select group of blood chemistries are run to evaluate organ function including values related to the liver, kidney, pancreas, and other internal organs. These tests are used to help identify the location and severity of disease in the body. This is also included in our pre-surgical testing to ensure your pet’s organs are healthy and able to withstand anesthesia.

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Urinalysis: This test consists of the chemical testing and microscopic evaluation of your pet’s urine sample. This helps us to evaluate kidney function, detect a urinary tract infection, and screen for crystals that can be related to the development of bladder stones. We also use urine testing to check for diabetes mellitus and liver disease.

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Feline Aids (FeLV)/Feline Leukemia FeLV) Testing: This test screens for two incurable viral diseases in cats. Adopted a new cat? We can check for these diseases to help assure that the new addition does not bring these diseases into your household.

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Pancreatic Spc CPL: Pancreatitis is a life threatening inflammation of the pancreas that can cause vomiting and dehydration. This test helps us to differentiate pancreatic disease from other gastrointestinal causes of disease.

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RADIOLOGY

Our hospital offers digital radiography. This allows us to have images available very quickly, to manipulate an image for size and contrast, and send your radiographs by e-mail directly to referral centers, or to a board certified radiologist for interpretation/second opinions.

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Ultrasound: limited to brief abdominal scans and pregnancy diagnosis.

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Endoscopy: limited to foreign body retrieval. This procedure allows us to remove some ingested objects directly from the stomach, and in some instances can save the pet from having abdominal surgery. When this procedure can be used, it is also much less expensive for owners than surgery. Objects that we have removed include needles and thread, socks, bone pieces, underwear, leash pieces, and various toys and toy pieces.

Lyme/Erlichia/Heartworm/Anaplasmosis (4DX): This is your yearly heartworm test which also screens for the 3 most common tick borne diseases. Early detection and treatment is extremely important, and if positive additional testing may be needed.

​

Giardia/Rectal Cytology: These tests are extremely important if your pet is suffering from diarrhea. They allow us to identify some of the more common causes of diarrhea some of which can be contagious to humans.

​

CBC (Complete Blood Count): This is used to determine the number and types of cells in the blood. Results help your veterinarian identify anemia, leukemia, and possible infections. This is also a part of our pre-surgical lab testing, important information for any pet going under anesthesia.

​

Chemistry Profiles: A select group of blood chemistries are run to evaluate organ function including values related to the liver, kidney, pancreas, and other internal organs. These tests are used to help identify the location and severity of disease in the body. This is also included in our pre-surgical testing to ensure your pet’s organs are healthy and able to withstand anesthesia.

​

Urinalysis: This test consists of the chemical testing and microscopic evaluation of your pet’s urine sample. This helps us to evaluate kidney function, detect a uriary tract infection, and screen for crystals that can be related to the development of bladder stones. We also use urine testing to check for diabetes mellitus and liver disease.

​

Feline Aids (FeLV)/Feline Leukemia FeLV) Testing: This test screens for two incurable viral diseases in cats. Adopted a new cat? We can check for these diseases to help assure that the new addition does not bring these diseases into your household.

​

Pancreatic Spc CPL: Pancreatitis is a life threatening inflammation of the pancreas that can cause vomiting and dehydration. This test helps us to differentiate pancreatic disease from other gastrointestinal causes of disease.

Imagine what your mouth would feel like if you never brushed your teeth or went to the dentist. For many dogs and cats, this is a painful reality. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, more than 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have dental disease by the age of 3. Dental (or periodontal) disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem in pets.

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Common signs of dental disease include:

• Yellow or brown buildup (tartar) on the teeth

• Red, swollen, or bleeding gums

• Bad breath

• Excessive drooling

• Changes in eating or chewing habits

• Pawing at the face

• Loose teeth

• Depression

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Even if your dog or cat doesn’t have these symptoms, we recommend that you have a veterinarian evaluate your pet’s dental health at least once a year. Bacteria and food debris accumulate around the teeth and, if left unchecked, will lead to deterioration of the soft tissue and bone surrounding the teeth. This decay can result in irreversible periodontal disease, tooth loss, and possibly expensive oral surgery.

Dental disease can also affect other organs in the body: Bacteria in the mouth can get into the bloodstream and cause serious infections in the kidneys, liver, lungs, and heart. If these problems aren’t caught and treated quickly enough, they can result in death. A physical exam combined with appropriate laboratory work can determine if infection in the mouth has spread.

Schedule your pet’s dental exam today! We can also help show you how to brush your pet’s teeth and recommend foods and treats that will help combat plaque and tartar buildup.

When we need to figure out what’s wrong with your pet, we routinely use x-rays to help identify the cause of the problem, rule out possible problems, or provide a list of possible causes. We may also use x-rays during a wellness exam to diagnose potential problems before they become serious.

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X-rays provide valuable information about a pet’s bones, gastrointestinal tract (stomach, intestines, colon), respiratory tract (lungs), heart, and genitourinary system (bladder, prostate). We use radiology alone or in conjunction with other diagnostic tools. Interpretation of radiographs requires great skill on the part of the veterinarian.

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We are proud to offer digital radiology (x-rays that are captured digitally rather than on film). This state-of-the-art technology allows us to provide you with a quicker diagnosis for your pet. Plus, it uses less radiation than traditional x-rays.

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To avoid a blurry image, pets need to remain completely still while an x-ray is taken. In some cases, we may need to sedate your pet or use short-acting general anesthesia.

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If you have any questions about our radiology service or what to expect during your pet’s procedure, please don’t hesitate to ask.

A flea problem on your pet means a flea problem in your home. Understanding the flea life cycle and methods for its control can be a daunting task. We will gladly assist you in this process. We can provide you with safe, effective flea prevention and if necessary, flea treatment. See the flea article in the Pet Health Library of our site.

Skin problems are common in dogs and cats and can be caused by hormonal disorders, allergies, infections, or parasites such as fleas and mites. These issues can be particularly difficult to treat and should be addressed promptly.

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We can often diagnose a skin problem by simply examining your pet. Some dermatologic diseases or conditions do require additional diagnostic procedures to ensure a correct diagnosis. Depending on your pet’s symptoms and the results of our physical exam, we may run blood work or perform a urinalysis, skin scraping, or biopsies.

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Contact us if you notice your dog or cat scratching excessively or if he or she develops any bare patches, scabs, scaling, redness, inflammation, lumps, or bumps.