How often should my pet have an exam and blood work?
At Viking Drive Veterinary Hospital, we believe that the best way to prolong the relationship you share with your pet is to identify disease processes early and prevent the progression of chronic illness, before it becomes a problem. To keep tabs on your pet’s overall health, it is important to maintain annual exams and blood work. We recommend an examination by your veterinarian every 12 months for healthy pets under the age of 7, and every 6 months for healthy senior patients. Those pets with chronic disease or mobility issues may require examination on a more frequent basis. We also recommend annual blood work profiles to provide a continuous record for our veterinarian to identify trends and specific areas to focus on in an effort to prolong the duration and quality of life of our patients.
Why does my pet need a dental procedure?
Periodontal disease (disease of the structures around the tooth--the gums, bone, and connective tissue) is one of the more common problems that we deal with at Viking Drive Veterinary Hospital. Periodontal infections, tooth fractures, and oral masses can be sources of serious discomfort for your pet and can cause your pet to lose teeth prematurely. Additionally, untreated periodontal infections can cause damage to major organs of the body including the heart, liver, and kidneys. Proper veterinary dental care can help prevent your pet from developing painful dental conditions, avoid loss of teeth, and can extend their life expectancy as well.
How long should I wait to bring in my pet if I notice a change in behavior?
If you notice your pet acting strangely, including loss of appetite or energy, you should call us to schedule an appointment as soon as possible for an examination by our doctor. Pets have an instinctive tendency to hide pain and illness so that they do not show any weaknesses that might attract predators. As pet owners, by the time we notice a change in behavior, the animal may have been suffering for several days already.
What if my pet has an after-hours problem?
Unfortunately, when accidents happen to our pets, they don’t always occur during office hours. If you find yourself in an emergency situation with your pet such as a car accident, trauma, or poisoning after office hours, please call Animal Emergency Clinic at 318-227-2345.
What are heartworms, and how can I prevent my pet from getting them?
Heartworms are a serious, year-round parasitic threat to your pet’s health. After an infection occurs, treatment is not only very expensive, but can also be life threatening.
Heartworms are common in Louisiana, and can infect both our canine and feline companions. Heartworms are spread when a mosquito bites an infected animal and then transfers the juvenile worms when it bites a healthy animal. Unless your pet is taking a heartworm preventative, these immature worms can grow into adults that can cause serious damage to your pet’s blood vessels, lungs and heart, and may even cause death.
There are several options available for prevention of this potentially life threatening disease. Preventatives can keep your dog or cat healthy and are much less expensive than having to treat adult heartworms. Our veterinarian will determine which preventative is right for your pet, based on needs and lifestyle.
What financing options do you offer, or is payment expected at the time of service?
Viking Drive Veterinary Hospital strives to offer compassionate, comprehensive veterinary care to Bossier City, Shreveport, and the surrounding areas. In order to continue a high quality of service, payment is expected in full at the time of examination or procedure. We accept cash and credit card payments. Sometimes an unexpected emergency occurs with our pets that is not within our immediate budget. If you would like the option of financing unanticipated expenses in order to provide the best care for your pet, we are partnered with Care Credit and Scratchpay. For more information and to find out if you qualify, please visit https://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/ or https://scratchpay.com/.