Preventive Care

• Dental Care
  Dental care for pets is a necessary part of any responsible pet health care program. While it is true that dental disease is prevalent in companion animals, pet owners must realize that dental disease affects more than just the mouth. Infections and diseases of the mouth and gums travel quickly throughout the system, leading to heart, lung, and kidney diseases in pets.
• Vaccination
  Vaccines have a limited duration and will need a booster. At your annual wellness visit, your veterinarian will review your pet’s vaccination schedule and discuss the current need for vaccines and boosters.
• Veterinary Ophthalmology
  Dr. Rachel Cohen did her undergraduate work at the University of Rhode Island and gained her DVM degree at Ross School of Veterinary Medicine. She then did a rotating internship at Redbank Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, NJ. She has a strong interest in ophthalmology and community outreach to help educate owners on how to best care for their pet. In her spare time, she enjoys horseback riding, reading with her island dog Bart, and visiting the beach.
• Behavioral Counseling
  Adrenal gland disease (see special discussion below)—Most ferrets over the age of 3 years old will get adrenal gland tumors. Symptoms include hair loss over the tail and pelvis or hip area of the body, dry itchy skin, a swollen vulva in female ferrets, behavior changes, and difficulty urinating (due to enlargement of the prostate gland) in male ferrets. Treatment for adrenal gland disease includes either surgical removal of the affected adrenal gland, hormonal injections, or implantation of a melatonin chip. Prior to surgery, it is recommended to have blood work, ultrasound, and X-rays taken of your ferret to help ensure its safety while under anesthesia.
• Nutritional Counseling
  To learn about nutritional care of pets with diabetes, listen to advice from Dr. Tony Buffington of the American Veterinary Medical Association, specialist in pet nutrition and professor at The Ohio State University.
• Comprehensive Examination
  Most pets require vaccines to protect them from highly contagious and life-threatening diseases. Community Animal Hospital offers core and non-core vaccines for all of the companion animals we treat, administered as part of your pet’s regular wellness exam.

Illness Treatment

• Parasites Treatment and Control
  Today, there are many products available for flea control. The most typical treatment option is a topical liquid applied directly to the neck and back. Other products include shampoos, sprays, and powders. Some of these products kill both adult fleas and their eggs, but they vary in effectiveness. Never use products on cats that are intended for dogs, and vice versa. Also, consult your veterinarian before treating your rabbit for fleas.
• Behavioral Disorder Treatment
• Pain Management
  Pain management protocols are established based on each patient's need, and every pet is treated with the most humane level of care. We offer pain relief and prevention through oral medications such as anti-inflammatories and injectable drugs especially during surgery. Whether your pet is undergoing a routine surgical procedure, such as spay or neuter, or requires a more serious or complex operation, you may be confident that safety and compassionate care are our first priorities.
• Vomiting Treatment
• Diarrhea Treatment
  ECE or green slime disease—ECE is a virus that ferrets pass to one another via any contact and is extremely contagious. Symptoms include diarrhea and lethargy. Again, because ECE is a virus, there is no real treatment for it, but most ferrets benefit from supportive care with fluids, anti-diarrheal medications, and antibiotics. This virus can be extremely dangerous in young and older ferrets and can even cause liver disease or death. If you suspect that your ferret may have ECE, call your veterinarian for advice immediately.
• Skin Condition and Allergy Treatment
  If your dog's coat becomes patchy or coarse, your bird is tearing out its feathers, or your rabbit is chewing and scratching its skin, your pet may have a skin problem. Community Animal Hospital treats all types of dermatology issues in pets, from dogs and cats to exotics and pocket pets. Please note: while we do see a fair amount of skin problems we do not have a dermatologist on staff. If this is what your pet requires you may want to see a specialist.
• Upper Respiratory Illness Treatment
  Blood testing – Diagnostic blood work can reveal some signs of heart and respiratory disease as well as assist in developing a prognosis.

Infection Treatment

• Leptospirosis Treatment
  Dogs —Core vaccines for your dog may include the DHPP (distemper and parvo combination) and rabies. Non-core vaccines we sometimes recommend for dogs include Lyme, bordetella, leptospirosis, and canine influenza.
• Parvovirus Infection Treatment
  DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus) vaccine—Started at 6—8 weeks and boostered every 3—4 weeks until at least 14—16 weeks of age
• Bacterial and Viral Infection Treatment
  Some pets demonstrate psychological chewing, a dermatological problem that can be associated with stress on the animal, such as a change in the home environment. Your pet's skin irritation also could be a symptom of another disease, such as hypothyroidism. Other possible sources of a pet's skin problem may be allergies caused by inhalants, such as fungi, molds, and dust mites; pollens from trees, plants, weeds, or grasses; the bite of fleas, ticks, or other insects; bacterial infections; or contact with irritants.
• Urinary Tract Infection Treatment
  The veterinary professionals at Community Animal Hospital treat urinary tract problems in pets such as bladder and kidney stones, urinary tract infections, crystals in the urine, obstructions, kidney failure, incontinence, and urinary mishaps.

Chronic Condition Treatment

• Diabetes Treatment
• Thyroid Disease Treatment
  Some endocrine disorders, such as reproductive issues, may be addressed initially, with treatment discontinued after a limited period of time. However, most endocrine disorders are chronic, such as diabetes and hypothyroidism. If this is the case for your pet, we will vigorously address the disease and, once controlled, create a long-term treatment plan for lifetime maintenance.
• Knee Problems Treatment
• Heart Disease Treatment
  Heart disease in pets is a serious veterinary problem, one that requires skill and experience in both diagnosis and ongoing treatment. Community Animal Hospital offers comprehensive treatment for pets with cardiac conditions.
• Kidney Disease Treatment
  Kidney disease is most prevalent in older cats, but can occur at any age in animals that are predisposed to such hereditary kidney problems. Additionally, outdoor cats run a greater risk of problems due to their increased exposure to toxins that can cause kidney failure, such as antifreeze.
• Periodontal Disease Treatment
  Oral hygiene is an important part of keeping your pet healthy. More than 70% of cats and dogs over 3 years old suffer from some form of periodontal disease and pocket pets are likely to develop dental concerns that impact their overall health.
• Cancer Treatment
  Cancer in companion animals is an emotional and challenging diagnosis for any pet owner. However, you may not realize that cancer is one of the most treatable of all the chronic pet diseases. While we don't currently have a specialist on staff, our veterinary team has experience with a wide-range of cancer care.

Emergency Care

• Wound and Fracture Care

Surgery

• Dental Surgery
  Visit our dental surgery page for more about our Community Animal Hospital protocols when your pet has a serious dental problem.
• Veterinary Surgery
  In addition, we are well equipped to handle emergency surgery, diagnose sudden illnesses, and offer critical care and hospital services to small animal pets.
• Laser Surgery
• Spaying and Neutering
  There is a serious pet overpopulation problem in our country today, and even if you do not intend to breed your pet, there are many accidental pregnancies. Aside from being socially responsible, spaying and neutering is good for your pet’s health by decrease the risk of certain cancers and other medical problems. We recommend spaying or neutering dogs and cats around 6 months of age.

Lab and X-Rays

• Laboratory Services
  We commit to the highest standards of care for every surgical patient. Prior to anesthesia, your pet is carefully examined and pre-anesthetic blood work is performed. You may choose to have other procedures performed at the time of a routine surgical procedure, such as implanting a microchip. Discuss any add-ons with us well in advance, so we may evaluate the patient completely for the ability to tolerate these additional procedures.
• X-Ray
  Chest X-ray – Radiographs may reveal abnormalities in the size and shape of the heart or vessels, as well as fluid in the lungs or abdominal cavity.
• Microchipping
  Microchips help lower their costs of feeding, housing, and medical care for lost pets taken in by shelters. This technology helps find owners sooner since animal control officers also can also use the technology to scan an animal's chip and return pets to their owners quicker.

General Pet Care

• Boarding
• Grooming
• Senior Pet Care
  Senior pets deserve our respect for the years of loyalty and attention they have given us. At Community Animal Hospital, we support this belief and have created a program just for our elderly pets called the Senior Pet Care Plan.

Specialty

• Reptile Vet