Services

Preventative Medicine

At Capeside Animal Hospital, we believe in preventative care for your pet. Early detection of health problems can allow for prompt treatment. Your pet should receive a comprehensive physical exam at least once a year and geriatric, or older pets (pets 7 years or older), should have a physical exam twice yearly. Since the average pet's lifespan is significantly shorter than ours, their health can change very quickly within just a few months.

Vaccines are also an important component of a preventative health plan. Recent studies have shown that some vaccines are lasting longer than one year. Your pet's age and lifestyle will be used to tailor a vaccination protocol based on your pet's risk for certain diseases. We will be sure to send you a reminder when vaccines are due. You can also refer to your Pet Portal to manage your pets health care.

General Surgery

Prior to surgery, each patient receives a thorough physical examination to identify any existing medical conditions that might endanger your pet's health. Because not all problems can be detected on examination, pre-anesthetic blood work may be performed to give us a more complete picture of your pet's health and allow us to tailor an anesthetic regime that is specific for your pet. Depending on your pet's age and health an intravenous catheter and fluids may be required.

Capeside Animal Hospital offers the safest and most effective injectable and inhalant (isoflurane) anesthetics and pain relief for all surgical procedures. All surgical patients receive a pre-operative sedation (which includes pain medication) to minimize anxiety. We also monitor heart rate and oxygen saturation on anesthetized patients. Surgeries are performed Monday through Friday and include routine ovariohysterectomies (spays) and castrations (neuters), feline declaws, dental prophylaxis, mass removals, intestinal procedures (gastrotomies, enterotomies, intestinal resections/anastamosis), bladder procedures (cystotomies), eyelid/entropions, amputations, and other soft tissue surgeries. Complicated soft tissue surgeries and orthopedic/spinal surgeries are referred to board certified surgeons at Eastern Carolina Veterinary Referral Hospital (www.ecvetreferral.com) in Wilmington.

Pain management is an important part of our pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative anesthetic and medical protocol. All surgical patients including those undergoing routine procedures such as ovariohysterectomy or castrations receive pain control medications.

Laser Surgery

Your pet's health is as important to us as it is to you. Capeside Animal Hospital is pleased to offer laser surgery as an exciting new option for safe, comfortable treatment. In many procedures, the laser can replace the scalpel and provide a better alternative to traditional surgery.

What is a laser?

A laser is a device that generates an intense beam of light at a specific wavelength.

How does a laser work?

Our patients are treated with a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, the most widely used typed of medical laser in the world. CO2 lasers produce an invisible beam that vaporizes the water normally found in the skin and other soft tissues. Because the laser beam can be precisely controlled, it removes or “cuts” only a thin layer of tissue at one time, leaving the surrounding areas unaffected. This level of control allows your veterinarian to be extremely precise in every laser surgery procedure.

Why laser surgery?

Less pain- The laser seals nerve endings as it “cuts,” so your pet may require less anesthesia during the operation, reducing the risk of complications. Pain after surgery is also reduced.

Less bleeding- The laser seals small blood vessels during surgery.

Less swelling- Laser energy does not crush, tear or bruise because there is no physical contact with the tissue.

What does this mean for my pet?

Reduced risk of infection- The laser sterilizes as it removes diseased tissue, killing bacteria that cause infection.

Precision- The laser can remove unhealthy tissue without affecting or removing surrounding healthy tissue.

Quick return to normal activities- Healing is rapid and there is less post-operative discomfort.

Laser procedures reduce the trauma to your pet, improve healing, and may shorten time spent in the veterinary hospital.

Are lasers new?

No. Laser technology has been proven to work for more than 20 years- human doctors have used lasers to help many thousands of people.

What types of procedures can a laser perform?

A laser is ideal for a wide variety of surgical procedures for dogs, cats, and other animals. Laser surgery can correct many common conditions such as cysts, tumors, warts, and infections that may occur around the eyes, ears, in the mouth, and anywhere on the skin. Specialized internal procedures and declaws are also possible.

Dentistry

Proper dental care is as important for your pet as it is for you. In addition to preventing bad breath and periodontal disease it can also prevent infection from spreading through the blood stream to your pet's liver, kidneys, and heart. This bacterial shower can lead to permanent organ damage affecting your pet's overall health. Dentistry is an important part of your pet's overall health. Signs of dental disease include bad breath, pain with eating, and drooling.

A dental prophylaxis is performed under general anesthesia using the same inhalation anesthetic and careful monitoring techniques that we use for our surgical patients. Depending on your pet's age and health, pre-anesthetic blood work and an intravenous catheter and fluids may be required. A thorough oral exam is performed to look for infected/loose teeth, foreign material in the mouth, or any oral masses. The teeth are then scaled with an ultrasonic scaler. Any loose, fractured, or infected teeth are then extracted. Certain teeth may have up to 3 roots, and extraction may require a gingival flap and sectioning of the teeth. The remaining teeth are then polished and then a fluoride treatment is applied and allowed to sit for 5 minutes. The last step in a dental cleaning is the application of a sealant called Oravet® (www.oravet.com), which seals the teeth and prevents tartar and plaque build up.

Good oral health means greater comfort for your pet and also decreases the risk of other systemic side effects associated with dental disease. We also carry a variety of home dental care products to keep your pets teeth clean in between dental cleanings. Many pet owners find their pets tolerate brushing at home and many products are now available to continue good oral health, including flavored tooth pastes, special dental diets (Purina DH Veterinary Diet), and dental chew toys.

Video Otoscopy

The Video Vetscope system can be used in a variety of ways. It is an instrument containing a camera that is connected to a video monitor. The camera is small and can be used to better visualize the ear canal, retinas, nasal cavity, oral cavity, trachea, rectum or the genital/urinary tract. Images or short video clips can be obtained, stored, or printed in color. The images are then shared with the client so you can see exactly what we are seeing.

Ultrasonography

Ultrasonography is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that can image structures within the body. An abdominal ultrasound can reveal problems with the liver, gallbladder, intestinal tract, spleen, kidneys, adrenal glands and urinary bladder. An ultrasound of the heart, or an echocardiogram, allows us to see the heart in motion. We can assess the four heart chambers, the heart valves, and blood flow through the heart. A complete, detailed scan usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Your pet's hair will be shaved in the appropriate area, heart or abdomen, and most pets do not require any sedation for this procedure.

Capeside Animal Hospital works with a mobile ultrasonography service, VetSound, owned by Renee Bryan, BSRS, RTR, RDMS. Renee received her Bachelor of Science in Radiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She then attended Wake Forest Bowman Gray School of Medicine to obtain her Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonography Certification. She completed an Externship with a Veterinary Radiologist at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine so she could apply her radiology background to animals. She has been doing ultrasounds on animals since 1995. Renee has limited her ultrasonography service to animals for the past 10 years.

Cancer Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy refers to drugs that are used to kill cancer cells. These drugs may be given by mouth or by intravenous or intramuscular injection. Because pets are considered part of the family and they are living longer lives, cancer treatment is a rapidly evolving discipline in veterinary medicine. The goal of cancer chemotherapy in companion animals is not to cure the cancer, but rather prolong the life of the pet while providing the highest quality of life. One specific chemotherapy drug or a combination of several drugs may by used to treat different types of cancer. The side effects commonly experienced by humans, such as vomiting, nausea, and hair loss, are rare in veterinary patients.

The diagnosis of cancer in a beloved pet can be devastating and very emotional. The decision to pursue chemotherapy treatment is very personal and we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages with you and your family so you can make an informed decision.

Radiology

Radiographs, commonly referred to as X-rays, are an extremely useful diagnostic tool. They can be used to detect a variety of problems, such as broken bones, heart and lung disease, intestinal foreign bodies, bladder stones, and some types of cancer.

Capeside Animal Hospital has a room specifically designed for radiology and film processing (dark room). The Doctor and veterinary assistant wear protective lead lined aprons and radiology badges that measure x-ray exposure.

Radiographs require the patient to remain very still and most dogs and cats are cooperative. Some patients require sedation or general anesthesia if a particular view or position is needed. Because we are required by law to monitor radiation exposure via badges, clients are not permitted to restrain their pets during radiographs.

Boarding

Capeside Animal Hospital provides limited boarding to our clients. We have 3 indoor runs (3 feet x 5 feet) and 2 different size cages. All animals have blankets and are fed twice daily with our in house premium food (Purina EN) or food brought from home. Fresh water is available at all times. Animals are also walked 3 times a day (twice on Sunday). Any special medication is administered at no additional cost. All dogs must be current on DHPPL, Bordetella, and Rabies vaccinations. All cats must be current on FVRCP and Rabies vaccinations.

In a boarding situation, chewable toys can be dangerous. Animals may chew excessively and actually choke on toy remnants. For your pet's safety, we do not accept personal toys while boarding. Additionally, since we do as many as ten loads of laundry daily, it is not possible for us to keep track of a personal towel or blanket. If you still wish to leave one, we cannot guarantee its return.

We require an emergency contact phone number, just in case we need to get in touch with you. If someone else will be picking up your animal, please inform us ahead of time, as we cannot release your pet to anyone except to you.

House Calls

Capeside Animal Hospital provides compassionate veterinary medical care in the stress free and convenient environment of your own home. This service is perfect for animals that do not travel well or clients that are physically handicapped or have no means of transportation. We can also arrange to have your pet picked up at your home and brought to the hospital for any services. We have found that the house call service has been most utilized for at home euthanasias. Our clients and patients experience less stress in the comfort of their own home.

Grooming

The Capeside Animal Hospital groomer, Tasha Green, has been with Capeside since April 2009. Tasha has worked with both of Capeside's previous groomers and is excited to have taken over as our full time groomer.  Tasha is a talented groomer and she will treat your pet with compassion and patience. If needed we provide sedation for pets that require it for grooming. She schedules appointments for dogs and cats Monday through Friday, with drop off times at 8:00 am or 12:00 pm.

Your pet is usually ready within 5 hours. Please contact Tasha for rates and availability at 383-2100!

Feel free to schedule a grooming through the Pet Portal.

Microchipping

Microchipping is permanent pet identification. The HomeAgain® Pet Recovery Service is a safe, simple and permanent form of pet identification designed to quickly identify lost pets and reunite them with their owners. Over 10 million pets become lost each year. 1 out of 3 pets is lost during its lifetime, and only 1 in 10 lost pets is found. The HomeAgain® Pet Recovery service is a proven way to successfully recover your pet if it should become lost. Nearly 10% of pets enrolled in the HomeAgain® Pet Recovery Service have become lost and were successfully reunited with their owners.

The HomeAgain® microchip is no bigger than a grain of rice. It is a small, sterile transponder that contains a unique ID code capable of being read (scanned) by an ISO standard scanner. The procedure to implant the microchip is simple and similar to administering a vaccine. The microchip is injected by a veterinarian just under the skin between the shoulder blades on your pet's back. Anesthesia is not necessary for implantation.

Once your pet is microchipped, our office registers the information with HomeAgain.com.  The enrollment information is stored in our secure HomeAgain® Pet Recovery database and is used to contact you should your pet become lost.

Rest assured that if your pet is lost, scanning can help point the way home. Thousands of veterinarians, animal shelters and animal control agencies routinely use harmless hand held scanning devices to read the ID code on the microchip. The HomeAgain® Pet Recovery Service simply matches the unique ID code to your contact information. Once all information has been verified, you are contacted immediately and plans are made for you to bring your pet home.

Feline Declawing

Feline declawing (also known as feline onchyectomy) is an elective surgical procedure offered by Capeside Animal Hospital. Before performing a declaw, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this procedure with each client, as this is a permanent alteration in your cat's defense mechanism. We limit this procedure to the front limbs and will not declaw the hind limbs unless medically necessary (i.e.: self mutilation). Other alternatives to declawing, such as Soft Paws® (www.softpaws.com), are encouraged prior to declawing.

Declawing involves amputating the last joint of each “toe”. Each cat receives a nerve block on both front paws prior to the procedure. A nerve block is an injection of a local anesthetic (bupivacaine, similar to lidocaine) that is injected around the nerves that supply feeling to your cat's paws. When your cat wakes up, it will not feel its paws, and therefore, not experience pain. The procedure is done using a laser; therefore, there is less pain, less bleeding, less swelling, and a reduced risk of infection. Once the claw is removed, the skin is closed on each “toe” with a topical tissue adhesive. Please note, there are no tourniquets or bandages used for this procedure. Pain medication is administered before and after surgery, and your cat will go home with a 3-day supply of oral pain medication. We advise using shredded paper or Yesterday's News® (www.yesterdaysnews.com) in the litter box (in place of litter) for 2 weeks after surgery. This will help prevent litter from sticking to the incisions and decrease post-operative infection.

Declawing is performed on kittens as young as 12 weeks of age. We recommend cats 5 years of age and older not be declawed. In our experience, older cats tend to have longer recovery periods, experience more pain and stress, and are at increased risk of infection.

Supplies

Our retail area provides you with a variety of pet supplies such as shampoos, conditioners, toothbrushes/pet paste. We recommend and routinely stock Purina pet foods, treats, and prescription diets (Purina.com).