Veterinary Services

Allergy testing is a procedure used to determine what factors are contributing to a specific allergic response. Allergy testing may be used to confirm a tentative diagnosis of skin disease but more importantly to help identify the offending allergens, usually when a skin condition becomes chronic and does not respond to antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine and topical treatments.

Risks – The allergy test we currently employ is a blood test. The blood is sent to an outside laboratory for testing. This can be done for environmental and/or food allergies.

Blood testing is the analysis of blood and blood products including serum and plasma.

Blood testing is used to identify certain underlying conditions, such as diabetes, systemic infections, metabolic disorders, and to determine the function of many major organs. Blood testing is routinely performed to diagnose Lyme, Heartworm, Feline Leukemia and FIV infection as well as monitor liver and kidney function when certain long-term medications are required. Most testing is available at the Line Mountain Animal Hospital, however, some tests, are sent out to an offsite laboratory.

Regular professional cleaning is important to maintaining your pet’s teeth. We use modern and safe ultrasound to clean each tooth thoroughly above and below the gum line. Dental technicians polish teeth to create a smooth tooth surface more resistant to plaque buildup.

ECG stands for electrocardiogram, which is a non-invasive technique to monitor cardiac function. Probes are placed on various parts of the body which record electric impulses that pass through the body. These recordings allow the clinician to interpret certain conditions of the heart. The ECG is a useful tool in evaluating heart disease associated with arrhythmias. ECG is also used during surgery here at Line Mountain Animal Hospital to monitor the patient’s pain, stress and anesthetic depth.

Some other important indications for performing an ECG are:

• Monitoring heart rate (tachycardia, bradycardia, and arrhythmias)
• Difficulty breathing (dyspnea) or cyanosis (lack of oxygen)
• Fainting or seizures
• Enlarged heart profile as seen with a radiograph (x-ray)
• Preoperatively in animals at increased risk for surgery
• Evaluating the effect of cardiac drugs
• Various metabolic diseases that change electrolyte balances

Used for improving conditions such as arthritis, acute and chronic pain, back injuries, sprains and strains, inflammation and edema, and wound healing. There are many advantages over other forms of therapy. Some advantages include, fewer side effects/risks, does not require the use of drugs or surgery, quick and convenient, and studies show that it is equal to or more effective than other forms of physical therapy.

Each year, thousands of pets go missing, and many don’t make it back home. Many pets (especially indoor pets) don’t wear collars or tags. Even if your pet wears a collar and identification tag, collars can break off and tags can become damaged and unreadable, so these forms of identification may not be enough to ensure your pet’s safe return. Your pet needs a form of identification that is reliable and can’t get lost, stolen, or damaged. A microchip is a safe, simple form of identification that can significantly increase the chance that your pet will return safely.

A microchip is about the size and shape of a grain of rice and is placed underneath your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades. Microchip implantation takes only a few minutes and is very safe. Each microchip is unique and carries vital information about your pet—including your name, address, and contact information. When a microchip is implanted, the pet owner is given a registration form to complete. Registering the number on the microchip includes your pet in a national pet recovery database. Veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, and animal control offices across the country are equipped with special electronic scanners that can detect the microchip and read the identification number. If a lost pet is picked up by animal control or found by a good Samaritan and presented to a veterinarian, a quick scan of the microchip reveals the identification number. A toll-free phone call to the pet recovery database alerts the microchip company that a lost pet has been identified. The pet owner can then be contacted and reunited with his or her pet!

Young puppies and kittens can receive microchips, but even if your pet is already an adult, you should consider microchipping. Even indoor pets can get outside accidentally and get lost, so if you’re relying on other forms of identification, you could be placing your pet at risk. Microchipping is a safe, effective way to help ensure your pet’s return if the unthinkable happens. At Line Mountain Animal Hospital we care about the safety of your pet, call us today to schedule an appointment for a microchip.

Radiology (also called x-ray) is a non-invasive procedure used to examine interior structures of the body. This is accomplished by passing x-rays through the body and recording this passage on a screen (x-ray film). The patient is placed on a specialized table and positioned so that the x-rays will pass through the area under question.

Radiographs are taken for various reasons including, but not limited to: fractured bones, foreign bodies, suspected tumors, lung disease, heart disease, bladder and kidney stones.

Radiation is highly monitored, by special badges and also machinery is monitored and calibrated by specialists. The risk to the patient is minimal, however, sometimes it is necessary to use sedation or anesthesia, depending on the reason for the radiograph.

All patients are carefully screened for safety, and anesthetics are specifically tailored to your pet. Surgical services and facilities include:

• Fully trained veterinary and technical staff, to ensure the safest procedures for your pet
• Heat support under anesthesia for safety
• ECG, heartrate, CO2, respiratory, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation monitors
• After surgery care
• Full range of blood testing

We have a surgical staff member with your pet from induction to recovery for hands-on monitoring and assessment of the patient.

Focused sound waves at very high frequencies are passed through the body for the purpose of determining the location, size and type of tissues in question.

The patient is placed on a table, the area of interest is shaved and a special gel is applied. An ultrasound probe is placed on the area and images are transferred to a computer screen. Ultrasound is used as an aid identifying tumors, diagnosing pregnancy, monitoring kidney and liver disease, and is routinely used to identify small bladders for the purpose of collecting urine by cystocentesis.

Risks to the patient are minimal, neither general anesthesia nor sedation are required.