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Small Animal Services

With our new graduates and our experienced veterinarians we can offer both the latest medical technology and the knowledge that comes from years of clinical experience with small animal medicine. Browse this section or Contact us at: Animal Medical Services Mount Airy, NC (336) 786-9444 or Galax Veterinary Clinic Galax, Virginia (276) 236-4212

Behavioral Counseling

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If you’re concerned about or bothered by an aspect of your pet’s behavior, we can help. Our expert can work with you and your pet to stop or change the behavior. Many aggressive, fearful, or inappropriate behaviors in dogs and cats can be modified through a combination of desensitization and counter-conditioning. These techniques can have dramatic results when applied properly. This may involve a professional trainer who we can recommend. In some cases, medication can also help. We are able to prescribe a wide variety of medications to help pets through the transition back to more acceptable and confident behavior. Contact us for an appointment if you’d like to consult with our expert.

Flea Prevention and Control

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Fleas can cause problems for pets ranging from minor to life-threatening. Not only can these parasites cause severe itching, irritation, and allergies, but they can also transmit tapeworms and diseases. Fleas can infest dogs, cats, ferrets, mice, and rats. And fleas don’t just stay on pets; they can bite people, too. For more information, see our Flea and Tick Prevention Products Page or see the flea article in the Pet Health Library on our site.

You don’t want these blood-sucking parasites on your pet or in your home. We can help keep them away or help you get rid of them if they’ve already found their way inside. Call us to find out how to eliminate and control fleas or to start your pet on a preventive today.

Heartworm Prevention

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When they bite, mosquitoes can transmit heartworm infection. And those heartworms can wreak havoc on your dog or cat. These parasites can severely and sometimes fatally damage the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Some pets may not show any signs of infection; in those that do, symptoms can vary widely.

In dogs, signs of heartworm disease can range from coughing, fatigue, and weight loss to difficulty breathing and a swollen abdomen (caused by fluid accumulation from heart failure). Canine heartworm infection can also lead to a life-threatening complication called “caval syndrome” (a form of liver failure); without prompt surgical intervention, this condition usually causes death.

Although often thought to not be susceptible to heartworm infection, cats can indeed get heartworms. Cats can suffer from a syndrome referred to as heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD); the symptoms can be subtle and may mimic those of asthma or allergic bronchitis. Signs of respiratory distress, such as rapid or difficult breathing, wheezing, and panting, are common. Other symptoms include coughing, vomiting (typically unrelated to eating), and loss of appetite or weight. Heartworm infection is more difficult to diagnose in cats than it is in dogs.

Treatment for heartworm infection is far more expensive than prevention—and it can actually kill your dog. There is no approved treatment for cats. Some cats spontaneously rid themselves of the infection; others might not survive it. And even one or two adult heartworms in a cat can cause serious problems.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to keep your dog or cat safe: by administering monthly heartworm preventives. Most heartworm medications also protect your pet against other parasites, such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, ear mites, fleas, and ticks. We can recommend the best regimen of prevention for your pet.

Tick Prevention

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Ticks are becoming more and more prevalent in North America, and they’re now being found in areas where people and pets didn’t previously encounter ticks. These parasites aren’t just a nuisance; they can cause serious—and sometimes deadly—diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and tick paralysis. Contact us immediately if your pet starts coughing or has joint pain, trouble breathing, fever, weakness, or loss of appetite, weight, energy, or coordination.

The best method for keeping ticks off your pet is by keeping your dog or cat on a tick preventive. Even indoor-only pets are at risk because ticks can hitch a ride inside on your clothing or shoes. Tick preventives are safe and highly effective at controlling ticks and the diseases they carry. Call us to get your pet protected today!

Don’t panic if you find a tick on your dog or cat, even if your pet is on a preventive. Some preventives kill ticks after they’ve come in contact with your pet. Ticks can hide easily under your pet’s fur, so as an added measure of protection, we recommend checking your pet for ticks every time your pet comes in from outside. And don’t hesitate to ask us any questions you might have.

Microchip Pet Identification

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Imagine if your dog or cat got lost. You’d want to give him or her the best chance of getting home. With microchipping, you can.

Even the most responsible pet owners can’t always guarantee their pet won’t get lost. A leash could break or slip out of your hand, a pet could push through a screen door or window, or a contractor or friend might accidentally leave a door or gate open.

Microchipping is a safe, permanent way to identify your pet in case he or she becomes lost. A microchip, which is a tiny device about the size and shape of a grain of rice, is placed just under the loose skin at the back of the neck. When a lost dog or cat without an ID tag is found, a veterinarian or veterinary technician will use a handheld microchip scanner to check for a chip. If the pet has one, it will transmit its ID number to the scanner via a low-frequency radio wave. The veterinary hospital or shelter then calls the chip manufacturer, retrieves the pet owner’s contact information, and calls the owner.

We recommend that you use a microchip, along with a collar and ID tag, to identify your pet. An ID tag is still a reliable identification method. Pets that have tags with current contact information are more likely to not end up in shelters and tend to get home faster than those without tags. However, collars and ID tags aren’t permanent and can be removed (overnight or for grooming); pets can also lose them. With a microchip, your pet will have a much better chance of being identified and returned to you. Pets without microchips that end up in shelters may be adopted out to another family or even euthanized.

Although we hope your pet never becomes lost, we want you to be prepared. We can also suggest a plan to have in place so if your pet does go missing, you’ll be able to act quickly. With your registration of your microchip you have access to many additional features such a the “lost pet network”, instant access to printable flyers, travel insurance should your pet be found more than 500 miles away, emergency medical insurance and access to the ASPCA poison control hotline (normally a $65 consultation fee) in any emergency. See the HOMEAGAIN site for additional details and found pet success stories.

We can microchip ferrets, rabbits, birds, horses, goats, alpaca, llamas, etc. Almost all species can by microchipped! For large animals, this can prevent theft and misidentification of animals and is often simpler than tattooing or branding. Please contact us to schedule an appointment to microchip your pet.

Boarding

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Ease your concerns about leaving your pet behind while you’re away: Let our qualified staff take care of him or her. We will provide your dog or cat with a safe, comfortable, “home away from home” atmosphere. We are happy to accommodate any special care or needs your pet might have. Just let us know when you make the reservation.

We provide amenities such as clean bedding and food and water bowls, but feel free to bring your own if you’d prefer. Toys and other personal items that are washable are welcome. We will administer any needed medication and follow your specified feeding regimen. (Alternately, we can provide a high-quality diet and treats for no extra charge, although eating their own food tends to agree better with most boarded pets.) We can also provide grooming services before you pick up your pet.

Veterinary technicians regularly check on the pets, and our kennel staff monitor the boarding area. You have the added benefit of knowing that one of our clinicians will promptly begin treatment if your pet gets sick during his or her stay. In addition, we can arrange for one of our veterinary team members to provide overnight monitoring for senior pets or those with certain health issues.

To keep all our patients as healthy as possible, we require pets that are boarding with us to have current rabies and distemper vaccinations, along with other species-specific vaccinations. We also require that most vaccinations be given at least two weeks before boarding. Please call us for more information.

Schedule your boarding reservation today! For a tour of our boarding facilities, feel free to drop by anytime.

House Calls

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One advantage to Blue Ridge Veterinary Services’ farm call practice is the ability to make house calls for our small animal patients as well. We are happy to perform your pet’s preventative care in the comfort of your own home.  Call us to discuss what services we can offer in your home. House call charges are based on mileage from our clinic.

24-Hour Emergency Service

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If your pet becomes injured or sick outside our normal business hours, call us immediately at (276) 236-1315. This will connect you to our on call doctor. Sometimes if we are currently treating a patient, you’ll be asked to leave a message and your phone number and one of our veterinarians will return your call as soon as possible.

Medical Assessment

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A medical assessment begins with a physical examination whereby your pet’s eyes, ears, skin, cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal and skeletal system are examined for any abnormalities. Blood tests can be performed as necessary to assess the proper functioning of your pet’s kidneys, liver, pancreas, and endocrine system including the thyroid gland and adrenal glands. Urine tests can detect similar problems. Depending on your pet’s condition, we may recommend further diagnostic tests such as radiography (X-rays), endoscopy (internal scoping), ultrasound or surgery.

Puppy Wellness

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Our puppy wellness program is designed to offer your new puppy all the benefits of veterinary services available to him / or her from 6 weeks of age to 16 weeks of age. Included in this service is a series of examinations and vaccinations including rabies, distemper, parvovirus, etc. In addition, your puppy will be tested for worms and be treated for the most common intestinal worm of puppies – roundworms. Roundworms can cause gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting and / or diarrhea. There are other parasites that can cause similar symptoms and can even cause your puppy to become anemic (low red blood cells). Performing a fecal test will allow us to treat your puppy accordingly. Although some worms are visible to the naked eye, most worm burdens are diagnosed by examining the stool of your puppy microscopically.

Emergencies

We have a veterinarian on call for emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call the clinic and if your call is not answered directly you will receive a message instructing you how to reach the on-call doctor.

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