Wellness

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That’s just as true when it comes to the well-being of your pet. And there’s no better way to help your pets live long and healthy lives than to make sure they receive their annual veterinary exams. Even if your pet seems perfectly healthy, a yearly check-up is a must. During the exam, our veterinarians might pick up early warning signs of a medical problem that can be completely corrected, or at least slowed in progress. That means a longer and healthier life for your pet—and lower medical bills for you.

North Shore Animal League America’s Don and Karen LaRocca Pet Wellness Center is another advancement towards creating a better world for all companion animals regardless of breed, size, or where they are rescued from. The state-of-the-art facility marks a great step forward in providing affordable wellness care for pets in our community and beyond. Located just steps from our Adoption Center, the new facility enables us to create a healthier population of pets and a more informed community of pet owners, both of which support our no-kill mission.

Our Pet Wellness Center provides the high-quality medical services our clients have come to expect from Animal League America, as well as cutting-edge techniques that will have your four-legged friend living their happiest, healthiest life for years to come.

What’s Included in Our Wellness Exams

Veterinary wellness exams are performed for the same reason you have them done by your physician – to detect potential problems while they’re in the early stages. When problems are caught early, they’re more likely to be treated and resolved with less expense, less difficulty, and better success.

At our veterinary wellness center, we provide your pet with all the services needed to ensure optimum health. This includes checking their general body condition, including heart and lung performance, pulse rate, and mental acuity. Vaccinations, heartworm prevention, routine deworming, and other preventative measures are also performed. Wellness exams are essential for preventing diseases that are not only life-threatening but also very expensive to treat. So if your pet hasn’t had an exam in a while, now is the time to have them checked by one of our veterinarians.

Our services include*:

• Scheduled routine examinations.
  
• Vaccinations: Inoculating your pet with preventative vaccines to ward off dangerous diseases is not only necessary, but it ensures that your best friend is safe from harm. The core vaccine protocol for dogs includes the Distemper combination vaccine (Distemper, Adenovirus Type-2, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza); Bordetella (kennel cough); and Rabies. The core vaccines for cats are FVRCP (Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia) and Rabies. If cats have exposure to the outdoors, the feline leukemia virus vaccine should be administered every year. We do not vaccinate for FIV.
• Microchipping: Microchipping is a simple procedure in which a microchip (about the size of a large grain of rice) is injected under the skin between your pet’s shoulder blades. It only takes a minute to be completed, and no anesthesia is required. The microchip, which can be read by any universal scanner at vet practices and shelters nationwide, is registered in a national database. That means if your pet is ever lost, you’ll be able to locate them and be reunited. What a quick and easy way to give you peace of mind!
• Juvenile and Geriatric Care: From specialized and preventative care during your pet’s younger years to regular wellness checks as they age in order to prevent and detect problems before they arise. We know your pet is important to you, that’s why we work hard to ensure they are given only the best in care through all the years of their lives.
• Nutritional Counseling: Receiving a nutritious, balanced diet can be a key component to sustaining your pet’s health and longevity. Our nutritional counseling service can optimize your beloved pet’s overall wellbeing and quality of life.
• Acupuncture: Safe, comforting acupuncture treatments for patients with chronic pain and a variety of other conditions.
  • Acupuncture can be effective in treating:
    • Musculoskeletal problems—Muscle soreness, back pain, disc problems, osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease
    • Gastrointestinal disorders—Diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, poor appetite
    • Neurological disorders—Seizure, weakness from chronic disc disease, radial nerve or facial paralysis
    • Chemotherapy—Minimizing side effects in cancer patients and promoting general wellbeing
    • Chronic conditions—Asthma, geriatric weakness, skin problems, immune system disorders, etc.

• Physical Therapy: Physical therapy for pets is about applying the basic principles of physical therapy for increased function, mobility, and overall quality of life. Most commonly used on dogs, this kind of therapy is known to help decrease chronic pain and help rehabilitate injured pets.
• Aquatic Therapy: Hydrotherapy uses the properties of water — buoyancy, viscosity, resistance, and hydrostatic pressure — to enable the dog to move his or her joints. The buoyancy of water reduces stress on the joints and this creates a much safer environment for recovery after surgery. Hydrotherapy is also beneficial for dogs who are recovering from an injury, dogs who suffer from degenerative joint disease, and those who have been paralyzed. Underwater treadmills are often used for dogs with joint problems. This can create improved circulation, increased joint flexibility, and decreased joint pain. Muscle strength and endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, increased flexibility, range of motion, and agility are additional benefits.
• Laser Therapy: Veterinary laser therapy provides a non-invasive, pain-free, surgery-free, and drug-free treatment that is used to treat a variety of conditions, and can be performed in conjunction with existing treatments. Laser treatment employs deep-penetrating light to promote a chain of chemical reactions known as photobiostimulation. This process helps relieve pain through the release of endorphins, and it stimulates injured cells to heal at an accelerated pace.
• Digatherm: Digital Thermal Imaging can be a crucial and valuable visual tool in helping diagnose inflammation or lack of circulation and its exact location in the animal’s body. A valuable tool used as an adjunct with diagnostic procedures.

Call us today at 516-883-2000 to schedule an appointment.

*Emergency visits or clients without an appointment will incur additional charges.