Fidelis Animal Hospital
Fidelis Animal Hospital recommends annual check-ups for most pets, while senior pets should visit at least every six months. These exams include a comprehensive physical evaluation by our veterinarians, along with necessary vaccinations, parasite screening and prevention, and various lab tests.
Puppies and kittens require more frequent visits during their first year to monitor their growth and development. For pets over seven years old, we advise biannual exams and blood work to detect potential health issues early, ensuring they receive the best possible care.
Many people assume bad breath is normal for dogs, but it’s actually caused by bacteria in the mouth. Regular at-home care and professional cleanings help prevent bad breath and the bacteria behind it.
Beyond bad breath, dental disease can:
Routine dental cleanings improve your pet’s quality of life by:
Dental disease is the most common illness in dogs, with studies showing that 85% of cats and 92% of dogs over age 3 have periodontal disease.
A thorough dental cleaning requires general anesthesia to ensure a safe and effective procedure. Our anesthesia is safe for all animals, and your pet is closely monitored throughout. Beforehand, we conduct blood tests to detect any underlying health concerns.
During a professional cleaning (dental prophylaxis), we remove plaque and tartar while assessing your pet’s overall oral health, including teeth, gums, tongue, and lips.
Pets can’t tell us when they’re in pain and often hide discomfort, especially cats. Watch for changes in behavior like appetite loss, lethargy, aggression, decreased energy, inappropriate elimination, or increased vocalization. These can signal underlying health or behavioral issues. If you notice any of these signs, schedule an exam with our veterinary team right away.
Keep your pet separated from other animals and small children to prevent the spread of parasites. Visit our clinic for thorough testing, as most parasites are easily treatable. However, prevention is the best approach—for both your pet’s health and your wallet. Ask us about our safe and effective parasite prevention products!
Fidelis Animal Hospital recommends waiting until your pet is at least six months old before scheduling a spay or neuter procedure. The ideal timing can vary based on species, breed, and size, so contact us to discuss what’s best for your pet. Spaying and neutering offer health and behavioral benefits while also helping to prevent overpopulation.
A single mosquito bite can infect your pet with heartworm larvae, leading to a serious and potentially fatal disease. These spaghetti-like worms grow up to 12 inches long, living in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, causing organ damage, heart failure, and lung disease.
Fidelis Animal Hospital offers safe, effective prevention products tailored to your pet’s needs and your budget. Year-round prevention is essential!
There’s no benefit to letting your pet have a litter, but spaying or neutering offers many advantages. It reduces the risk of breast tumors, ovarian cysts, uterine infections, and prostate disease. It also curbs roaming, spraying, and marking while helping prevent pet overpopulation.
We prioritize your pet’s safety and comfort during any procedure. We provide thorough monitoring and round-the-clock care during business hours. All surgeries are performed under anesthesia, and we recommend pre-anesthetic blood work to detect underlying health issues.
Pain management is a key part of our approach, with protocols in place before, during, and after surgery. We closely monitor vital signs, assess pain levels, and ensure your pet stays warm, comfortable, and well-cared for throughout recovery.
A pre-anesthetic blood screening is performed in our clinic before surgery to evaluate organ function, blood counts, and clotting ability. This important test helps ensure your patients safety during the procedure and supports a smooth recovery.
Modern anesthetic monitoring has made surgery safer than ever. We perform a thorough physical exam before administering anesthesia and tailor the dosage based on your pet’s health.
Pre-anesthetic blood testing is essential to assess liver and kidney function, reducing anesthesia risks. Even seemingly healthy pets can have hidden issues, and early detection helps prevent complications. Pets with minor dysfunction may benefit from IV fluids during surgery, while serious conditions may require postponement.
We provide in-house blood testing before surgery and may recommend additional tests for senior or ill pets. To minimize risks, withhold food for 8–10 hours before surgery, but water is allowed until the morning.
For many surgeries, we use absorbable sutures that dissolve on their own, while smaller incisions may be closed with surgical adhesive. Some procedures, like tumor removals, require skin sutures, which are removed in 10–14 days.
Monitor the incision for swelling, discharge, or excessive licking. Activity should be limited, and no baths are allowed for the first 10 days after surgery.
Animals feel pain just like people, even if they don’t show it the same way. The type of pain relief needed depends on the procedure, with major surgeries requiring more medication than minor ones.
For dogs, we may prescribe an oral anti-inflammatory to reduce pain and swelling after surgery. We use newer medications that minimize stomach upset and can be given the morning of surgery.
Cats cannot tolerate common pain relievers like aspirin or ibuprofen, but advancements in veterinary medicine have improved pain management. We administer a pain injection before surgery and provide additional medication as needed.
Both dogs and cats may receive injectable pain relief after surgery because keeping your pet comfortable is our priority.
While your pet is under anesthesia, we can also perform minor procedures like dentistry, ear cleaning, or microchip implantation. If you’re interested, please call ahead for an estimate, especially if someone else is dropping off your pet.
When you arrive for surgery, please allow 5–10 minutes for paperwork and discussing options like blood testing. Plan to spend another 10 minutes at pick-up to go over post-surgery care.
We’ll call the night before to confirm the drop-off time and answer any questions. Feel free to contact us anytime if you have concerns about your pet’s surgery or health.