Pet Wellness Services
New York is one of the largest and busiest cities on the planet. And yet, within this perpetually hectic and sometimes cacophonous environment, our pets provide us with numerous moments of quiet pleasure, contentment and unconditional affection. There is little doubt that sharing our home with a pet in the midst of this very dynamic and vibrant city provides us with a uniquely rewarding and satisfying experience.
Therefore, caring for your pet and ensuring its health and wellbeing are very important to you. As pet owners ourselves, we understand the special bond you share with your pet and are sincerely committed to helping you provide the long, happy and healthy life your special friend so richly deserves.
As professionals who have dedicated our lives to the healthcare of companion animals, we know that the basis of your pet's health maintenance is preventative care. We recommend yearly, nose-to-tail wellness exams, home dental care, vaccinations and microchip identification. Along the way, your companion may also need behavioral and nutritional counseling and grooming. We also perform regular screenings for diseases that commonly afflict our pets, especially in their senior years.
We realize that our expertise and knowledge are much more valuable to you if we share them with you. The foundation of a well-functioning doctor/client relationship is the exchange of information so that you can become a knowledgeable and empowered caretaker for your pet. This includes educating you on how to overcome the particular challenges of pet ownership in New York City, as well as making you aware of some of the unique advantages of raising a pet here.
Despite the most aggressive preventative treatment, our pets may experience a periodic illness or injury. The skill and comprehensive education of the doctors at East Side Animal Hospital allows us to effectively manage complex medical and surgical challenges beyond those typically handled in general veterinary practices. Our capabilities and resources also reduce the frequency of referrals to expensive specialists. Your pet is able to receive care from people he or she knows, in a comfortable and familiar setting.
Additionally, all of our doctors are extensively trained and experienced general practitioners with their own areas of specialized expertise. Together, they form a cohesive team with a proven record of working collaboratively to provide timely, qualified and compassionate second opinions. The result is a faster resolution without the need to put your pet through additional and costly tests and exams.
For our clients who may want to travel internationally with their pets, we are qualified to provide USDA International Health Certificates (the UN is only 10 blocks away). We can also offer important advice and tips on how to safely travel with your pet.
Please take a look at the services we have to offer on this and following pages and feel free to give us a call at (212) 751-5176 to ask our staff any questions or to set up an appointment.
Wellness Exams: The Cornerstone of Veterinary Care
A regular physical examination is important for your pet in every stage of life. Because our pets aren't able to tell us how they feel, we recommend a complete nose-to-tail physical examination annually, though more frequent exams are encouraged.
A routine examination provides your veterinarian with a picture of your pet's overall health and helps to spot potential medical issues before they become serious health concerns. It's also an opportunity for you to ask your veterinarian important questions about your pet's health, habits, diet and daily care. We also use this time to inform you about home care for your pet and to offer important advice and new information on the care of your particular type and breed of animal.
During your pet's wellness checkup, East Side Animal Hospital doctors will:
Listen to the heart – Early signs of cardiac disease such as heart murmurs and abnormal heart beat patterns known as arrhythmias can be heard through a stethoscope. Discovering these initial indicators of trouble ahead can lead to identifying and treating the underlying condition before it becomes a more serious health threat.
Listen to the lungs – Health issues such as infections, obstructive diseases and other problems can be detected by listening to your pet's lungs through a stethoscope. The doctor can also assess the overall pulmonary health of your pet.
Check the teeth and oral cavity – Examining your pet's teeth and mouth is an important part of preventing dental disease, which is one of the most common health concerns in pets. Very young animals, such as kittens and puppies, also need to be checked to ensure they are developing an appropriate bite and that they are losing their baby teeth at the right time. We also take the time to discuss proper home dental care with you.
Evaluate vision – All diseases follow relatively predictable processes and if found early can be more easily treated. Ocular conditions, which can also be prevented through regular care and screenings, are no exception.
Look into the ears – As with dental disease, ear disease is relatively common in many types of pets. Issues such as low-grade allergies, swimming or bathing, reactions to certain foods, mites and other parasites can all cause and contribute to otitis or ear disease. Though you may feel this is an area that can be well-handled at home, the fact is that many ear diseases are difficult to detect and require medical treatment.
Palpate the lymph nodes, abdomen and skin – By feeling the skin, we are looking for unusual lumps or swellings as well as evaluating for skin discolorations, lesions or patterns of hair loss or thinning. These can indicate the presence of more systemic problems, especially metabolic diseases, which most commonly occur in middle-aged animals.
Palpate joints and muscles – By examining the joints, legs and other areas of the body, we are able to evaluate for swollen joints, decreased muscle tone and variations in muscle size between the limbs. We also observe your pet's gait for developmental issues. In puppies, we look for early indications of hip or elbow problems. For older pets, we look for signs of arthritis, which can be well-treated if found early.
Lab work – A complete physical includes a heartworm test, parasite screening, and should include a full blood workup. Not only can a full chemistry panel and complete blood count identify the presence of underlying disease processes, but these tests help create a baseline should your pet become ill between routine examinations. Additionally, blood work is necessary if your veterinarian recommends a dental cleaning, removal of skin masses, or any other procedure that requires anesthesia.
Our Balanced Vaccination Protocol
Vaccinations are the foundation of your pet's preventive health care plan. Advances in veterinary immunology have made diseases that once were fatal to pets easily prevented. Today, many immunizations and preventative treatments are available that did not exist just a few years ago. We always tailor your pet's vaccination schedule according to his or her needs. All decisions about vaccinations and preventative care are made jointly by the veterinarian and you in order to develop a vaccination protocol based on your pet's lifestyle, environment, and other risk factors.
East Side Animal Hospital believes that our well-balanced vaccination protocol is the best means to protect your pet from disease as well as the risk of an adverse reaction to a vaccine.
Microchipping: Safe & Reliable Pet ID
Does your pet have a microchip? Each year, millions of pets go missing and many don't make it back home. Microchipping your pet is a safe, simple and effective way to prevent this tragedy. About the size of a grain of rice, identification microchips are encoded with your pet’s identification number and implanted beneath your pet's skin, usually between the shoulder blades. Veterinary hospitals and animal shelters across North America are equipped with special scanners capable of reading these microchips. The information in the chip is used to reunite you with your pet. It has also become the standard for international travel, as many countries require a chip to enter.
East Side Animal Hospital uses the HomeAgain microchip system. HomeAgain provides a number of very useful services to pet owners such as their National Pet Recovery Database, Lost Pet Specialists, Rapid Lost Pet Alerts, Lost Pet Medical Insurance, Travel Assistance for Found Pets and more.
Nutritional & Behavioral Counseling for Your Pet
Nutritional Counseling
We know how important a quality diet is to your pet's overall health. During your pet's comprehensive physical examination we evaluate his or her body condition and give recommendations. Some pets require special food to maintain optimum health, but all pets benefit from a balanced, healthful diet.
East Side Animal Hospital has trained staff available to help you with nutritional challenges for your pet. We can also offer advice and provide information about diets that benefit specific medical conditions such as liver disease, bladder and kidney stones, renal failure, food allergies and other conditions.
Behavioral Counseling
Behavior problems are the number one reason that owners give up a pet. East Side Animal Hospital offers behavior counseling for a number of issues such as inappropriate urination or defecation, aggression, separation anxiety, inappropriate chewing and barking, introduction of new pets into the household and household pets that are in conflict with one another. Oftentimes a behavior problem, such as inappropriate voiding, can be linked to a medical issue (cystitis, bladder stones, and kidney disease).
Your veterinarian will help you recognize, validate and categorize any behavior issues you may notice. We will then work closely with you to develop a plan to help eliminate your pet's unwanted behavior. If our veterinarians and technical staff members cannot help with your pet's behavior problem, we can refer you to a veterinary specialist in animal behavior.
Exotic and Pocket Pets
We not only provide superior and compassionate care to your dogs and cats, but we also offer a full range of medical services for your smaller friends, such as birds, rabbits, reptiles, hamsters, guinea pigs, chinchillas and other small mammals.
In the wild, many of these animals have developed strategies to conceal illness or injuries as a survival technique to avoid predators. As a result, their medical problems often go unnoticed for too long. By the time the owner recognizes that there is a problem with his or her exotic pet, the condition is often extremely serious.
This is why we strongly recommend regular physical examinations to check for health problems as well as annual monitoring to check for nutritional and husbandry-related conditions. With regular veterinary medical examinations—two per year is recommended—problems are often diagnosed before they become serious medical conditions.
After acquiring your new exotic or pocket pet, a complete veterinary examination is also strongly recommended. This exam includes a thorough physical examination, nutritional consultation, and disease screening and laboratory testing if necessary.
Pickup and Drop-Off Services
We understand that you are busy and that traveling in a taxi, bus or subway with a pet is not the easiest thing to do in New York City. That’s why we can refer you to a pet pickup and drop-off service. We will also deliver your pet’s medicines and prescription diets to your door.
All we ask is that you make a reservation by calling (212) 751-5176.