At Northwest Neighborhood Veterinary Hospital, we firmly believe in collaborative pet health care. After all, who knows your pet better than you do? When you come to our hospital, our veterinarians and staff will speak with you about your pet’s health, behavior, lifestyle, and activities. This will enable us to provide veterinary care that is specifically tailored to your pet’s unique needs.
We will also discuss steps you can take at home to ensure optimal pet health. Because, as much as we enjoy seeing you and your pet, we would much prefer it be for a periodic wellness exam rather than something more serious. Following are the ways we will work with you to keep a pet healthy.
Pet Wellness Exams
Beginning with the first puppy or kitten appointment, our veterinarians will carefully examine your pet from nose to tail. We will review any potential breed-specific health issues and discuss how to address them proactively.
Once your pet becomes an adult, our veterinarians will perform annual checkups and lab tests when needed to ensure that all is well. As your pet enters his or her senior years, it’s important to have semi-annual exams and annual blood work for his or her protection. We offer discounted packages for senior pets to make this essential preventive care affordable.
Vaccinations: There is no one-size-fits-all vaccination protocol. Our veterinarians understand this and are careful to tailor our vaccination recommendations to each patient’s needs. Your dog, cat, or ferret will receive the safest and highest quality vaccines available.
Dental Care: Dental disease is the most common and overlooked disease that animals develop. Each time your pet has a wellness exam, our veterinarians will carefully examine his or her teeth, gums, and oral cavity. We will instruct you regarding how to brush your pet’s teeth and discuss dental treats, rinses, and other tools to protect your pet’s mouth from plaque and tartar buildup. Our veterinarians are also skilled at small mammal pet dental care, which is especially important for rabbits and rodents.
Parasite Control: Not only is Portland an extremely pet-friendly city, we also have a large wildlife population. In addition, our climate stays moist and temperatures are relatively moderate throughout the year. This means pets are more likely to be exposed to parasites, some of which are transmittable to humans. Our veterinarians will work with you to protect your pet and your family from fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites.
Proper Nutrition: Nutrition plays a large role in your pet’s health. We are happy to discuss which food options will offer your pet the nutrients he or she needs for each life stage. If your pet has an ongoing pet health condition, we have a large selection of prescription diets as well as maintenance diets available on site for your convenience.
Senior Animals
Preventative care becomes more significant for aging dogs, Northwest Neighborhood Veterinary Hospital recommends increasing exams to twice a year for elderly animals. As pets get older they are prone to many age-related diseases that are increasingly difficult diagnose and treat. Many preventive health measures must be adjusted to better suit the medical needs of senior animals.
Pet Behavioral Counseling
There is a lot to teach a new puppy or kitten. Our veterinarians will be happy to discuss everything from house training and early obedience training to how to resolve teething issues. We will also show you how to trim nails, clean ears, and brush your pet’s teeth.
When necessary, we offer assistance with pets that are experiencing behavioral issues—such as inter-dog aggression, separation anxiety, and cats that will not use the litter box. Please contact us to learn more!
Spay and Neuter Surgeries
Prevent unwanted litters, behaviors, and potential health problems by having your pet spayed or neutered. We have extensive safety and pain management protocols in place to ensure that your pet will be comfortable and well cared for before, during, and after the procedure.