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Puppy and Kitten Exams and Care Counseling
At the Goodison Veterinary Center, we understand that your new
puppy or kitten will become an important member of your family.
Whether a novice pet owner or a seasoned pro, we want to help
you and your pet get the most out of your new relationship with
each other. We do this by providing a comprehensive physical
examination to screen for congenital abnormalities and to
evaluate overall health status. In addition, we will formulate
a preventive care schedule tailored to meet your pet's age and
specific needs. You may find it helpful to check out our
puppy vaccination schedule and kitten vaccination
schedule links for general guidelines, though we'll review
this with you at your visit. We find it equally important to
discuss general care, behavioral concerns, and any specific
questions you may have.
We recommend that this visit be scheduled within 7 days of
bringing your puppy or kitten home and we look forward to
working with you to keep your new pet happy and healthy for many
years to come!
New pets can be wonderful additions to your family! We
recommend that all new pets have a wellness exam within 7 days
of obtaining him or her. Please bring any past medical records
(if available) to your appointment for our review.
Based on this information and a thorough physical examination,
our veterinarians will make a health assessment of your new
pet. We will then work with you to create a plan for addressing
any medical or surgical concerns and to establish a preventive
care schedule tailored to meet his or her specific needs. We
will also address any concerns you may have, such as how to
integrate your new pet into your family and introduce him or her
to other pets. In addition, we are happy to discuss general
care information, behavior topics, and more!
Annual wellness exams are an essential part of helping your pet
stay happy and healthy. One year for a cat is about the
equivalent of five human years and one year for a dog is
approximately equal to seven human years, so you can imagine how
much can change during that time period!
Throughout each life stage, we want to listen to your questions
and concerns and work with you to optimize your pet's health.
During wellness exams, we also frequently find and successfully
manage disease conditions that can significantly impact the
health and quality of life of your pet, such as obesity, dental
disease, ear infections, allergies, orthopedic problems,
internal disease, and more. In addition, we may be able to
identify even more serious problems you might not have reason to
suspect such as heart murmurs and even some types of cancers.
Finding these problems before signs develop will give your pet a
much better chance at a successful outcome which could mean the
difference between life and death.
Sick Pet Exams/Diagnostic Testing
When your pet is sick or injured you can trust us to provide the
expert care he or she needs. If necessary, we have access to a
wide array of in-hospital diagnostics, including blood work,
urinalysis, fecal analysis, diagnostic imaging (digital
radiographs, dental radiographs, and ultrasound), blood pressure
measurement, electrocardiogram (ECG), pulse oximetry,
opthalmalogic testing, skin/ear cytologic examination, skin
scraping evaluation, fungal culture, fine-needle aspirate and
cytology, surgical biopsies, and more. For additional lab work,
we partner with premier laboratories such as Antech and the
Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and
Animal Health so that we can provide you with accurate, reliable
results.
Comprehensive Senior Pet Care
Cats are considered seniors at about age ten, while dogs are
senior citizens at approximately seven years of age, although
there is breed-related variation of this, with larger dogs
reaching senior status even earlier. These "oldies but goodies"
have special needs that greatly benefit from your extra
attention!
For starters, senior pets have specific nutritional requirements
and often develop age-related diseases. Taking a proactive
approach to senior pet care can help prevent disease or identify
problems before complications and major illness arise. This
typically results in a more successful outcome and better
overall prognosis. Regular physical examinations (every 6
months is ideal) and screening tests to more thoroughly evaluate
the health of your pet can significantly extend the quality and
duration of his or her life. Your GVC veterinarian is happy to
discuss the specific senior care that will benefit your
pet!
Exotic Pet Care (Birds and Small Mammals)
We know that love for your pet is not constrained by species!
We are therefore pleased to treat a variety of exotic pets
including ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters,
gerbils, hedgehogs, birds, and more. These furry and feathery
friends will receive exceptional care because we know that they
deserve it too!
Due to their high degree of species specializations and
medical/environmental needs, we do not often treat reptiles, but
would be happy to refer you elsewhere, as needed. Please call
us at 248.650.5900 so that we may assist you however possible.
We are pleased to offer the specialized services of our
veterinary dentist, Dr. Molly Angel. Dr. Molly is a
currently a resident of the American Veterinary Dental
College and Academy of Veterinary Dentistry,
working toward board certification as a veterinary dental
specialist.
As a resident, Dr. Molly is on the cutting-edge of the most
current veterinary dental care options, both medical and
surgical. Her knowledge and skill are supported by
invaluable technology including digital dental
radiography and specialized instrumentation allowing for
a variety of procedures. These range from routine
prophylaxis (comprehensive oral examination, scaling,
polishing, and fluoride application) and extractions to
advanced dental procedures such as root canals, crowns,
oronasal fistula treatment, jaw fracture management, and
complicated oral surgeries. She welcomes difficult cases
and is pleased to provide second opinions, so don't hesitate
to seek out her expert advice. Call 248.650.5900 to
schedule an appointment or visit our dental health page
to learn more!
Our skilled veterinarians perform a variety of surgeries ranging
from elective procedures (spays, neuters, declaw procedures,
etc.) and growth removals to more extensive procedures such as
invasive tumor removals, reproductive surgeries, bladder
surgery, splenectomy, stomach and/or intestinal surgery,
amputation, and more.
They understand that the thought of surgery can be unsettling to
owners even under the best of circumstances and are happy to
address concerns and answer questions. In addition, each
patient will undergo a
comprehensive
pre-operative evaluation. Based on this assessment, an
individualized care plan will be established to minimize risks
associated with anesthesia and surgery. During the procedure,
your pet
will be continuously monitored by our highly trained surgical
team using state-of-the art equipment. We also monitor him or
her carefully during the post-operative period, providing
preemptive pain control to keep your pet as comfortable as
possible. Discharge instructions are provided orally and in
writing so that you can continue exemplary care at home, and we
always welcome questions.
Please see our surgical FAQ's for more information.
Diagnostic Laboratory in Hospital
In order to provide the best care possible for your pet, we can
complete many of our diagnostics while you wait! This is a
convenience we are proud to offer you, but it is also imperative
when time is of the essence, as with emergencies or in cases of
critical illness. These tests can include blood work,
urinalysis, fecal analysis, diagnostic imaging (digital
radiographs, dental radiographs, and ultrasound), blood pressure
measurement, electrocardiogram (ECG), pulse oximetry,
opthalmalogic testing, skin/ear cytologic examination, skin
scraping evaluation, fungal culture, fine-needle aspirate and
cytology, and more.
Have you ever wondered what the genetic background of your
mixed-breed dog is? Now you can find out! With a simple but
reliable blood test, you can satisfy your curiosity and gain
powerful information. Learn about breed-related diseases to
which your dog may be predisposed and better understand his or
her behaviors. Ultimately, it would also allow us to create a
more targeted care plan for your pet which means even better
care! Just ask for details, or visit www.wisdompanel.com.
We've gone digital! In an effort to provide the most up-to-date
patient care, the Goodison Veterinary Center transitioned from
traditional film-type x-rays to digital x-rays. Since making
the switch back in January 2008, we have been overwhelmed by the
positive feedback from staff, clients, and specialty
veterinarians to whom we refer patients. Digital radiography
(i.e. digital x-ray) provides clearer, faster images with many
other advantages. Most importantly, they give our doctors a much
better opportunity to identify and solve internal and orthopedic
health problems. We also have the added benefit of being able
to conveniently e-mail images to veterinary specialty centers or
transfer them to compact discs, as needed. In many cases, this
saves valuable treatment time. As health care technology
continues to progress, we will strive to keep up with those
advances in order to provide the best care possible for your
pet.
Ultrasound is a valuable diagnostic tool and our veterinarians
routinely use it to perform pregnancy evaluations, evaluate the
urinary system/bladder, characterize abdominal or thoracic
masses, screen for fluid in the abdomen or around the heart, and
to guide needle placement for trans-abdominal procedures. It is
noninvasive and provides information that would otherwise
require much more extensive testing. We therefore find it an
essential part of our diagnostic repertoire and we rely on it to
provide your pet with the best possible care.
Full Service Pet Pharmacy
The Goodison Veterinary Center stocks a large supply of commonly
used prescription and over-the-counter medications. Each
medication we dispense is chosen with the best interest of your
pet in mind. Our veterinarians closely consider factors such as
efficacy, side effects, and drug interactions. We are also
happy to provide prescription drug counseling and tips on how to
administer medication, so please don't hesitate to ask if you
have questions or concerns.
Nutritional Guidance and Prescription Diets
Nutrition affects every aspect of your pet's health and dietary
management can even become a treatment modality to address
certain disease conditions, such as food allergy, inflammatory
bowel disease, kidney failure, dental disease, arthritis, and
more. Our veterinarians have abundant resources within this
field and can make routine diet recommendations or provide in
depth nutritional counseling, depending on the needs of your
pet. We stock Hill's, Iams, Purina, and
Royal Canin foods.
At the Goodison Veterinary Center we strive for healthy and
happy pets! We therefore find it important to discuss common
behavioral concerns such as mouthing, housetraining,
socialization, and obedience work as early as your first puppy
or kitten visit. As time goes by and pets age, their behaviors
often change. This brings a new host of questions or concerns
that we are always available to address. In general, problems
are best handled promptly because longstanding issues are much
more difficult to resolve. This is especially true of difficult
problem behaviors such as feline inappropriate elimination
(urinating or defecating outside of the litter box) and
separation anxiety. We also find that senior pet problems like
Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) respond more notably when
treated early on in the course of the disease.
You know your pet better than anyone else, so please don't
hesitate to call us if you are suspicious of problems. Signs to
watch for include departure from usual behavior, undesirable
behaviors (jumping up on people or counters, stealing food,
eating bowel movements, etc.), development of fear or
aggression, urinating or defecating out of the litter box (cats)
or in the house (dogs), excessive vocalizing when left alone,
destructive behavior when left alone, confusion or
forgetfulness, or anything else you might consider concerning
for your pet. After ruling out a medical basis for the problem
behavior, our experienced veterinarians will support you through
challenging times by establishing a treatment plan and working
to help you implement it. In every case, we strive for the best
possible outcome - after all, your pet's quality of life is of
utmost concern to us and you deserve to enjoy pet ownership!
We always strive to provide the best for our patients and after
due consideration, we've decided to make the switch to Home
Again microchips. With many of our clients pursuing
international travel and/or relocation, we wanted to be able to
offer a microchip that is readable here in the United States and
abroad as well. In addition, Home Again is not simply a
microchip and microchip database. While it does provide a Pet
Recovery Database and access to Lost Pet Specialists, membership
in the Home Again service also gives owners access to Rapid Lost
Pet Alerts, a 24/7 Pet Emergency Hotline, and Pet Travel
Assistance for recovered pets. Their service is unbeatable!
With so much to offer, we do recommend microchipping for those
who desire permanent identification for their pet. This can be
beneficial in reuniting you with your pet in the unfortunate
event that he or she is lost or stolen and can also be used to
prove positive ownership if it should ever come into question.
Some states even require microchipping of aggressive or
dangerous animals. Officials can then keep track of repeated
negative incidents associated with a particular pet to better
protect the public. Microchipping is a safe and effective way
of achieving all of these goals.
The microchip is a tiny metal object about the size of a gain of
rice that can be easily implanted under the skin with a needle.
Most of the time this can be performed without the need for
sedation and with minimal discomfort. The metal in the chip is
inert (inactive) and there are no anticipated side effects from
chip placement. After the chip is implanted, we'll give you a
demonstration on how it works and are happy to answer questions
at any time.
Overall, microchipping can be extraordinarily beneficial – it
not only provides good peace of mind, but may someday reunite
you with your pet or even save his or her life. For details on
the Home Again microchip and Home Again membership, please call
us or go to www.homeagain.com.
Interstate and International Health Certificates
Veterinarians at the Goodison Veterinary Center are all licensed
by the state of Michigan and accredited by the United Stated
Department of Agriculture (USDA). This gives them legal
authority to complete both interstate and international health
certificates.
In particular, Dr. Jill Savage has extensive experience in
preparing health certificates for international travel and would
be pleased to assist you with your travel plans. When calling
to schedule an appointment regarding international travel,
please provide your country of destination to facilitate
research into travel requirements. Dr. Savage will then meet
with you to discuss your plans in greater detail. Knowing that
travel preparations often leave owners feeling pressed for time
and stressed, Dr. Savage will strive to make the process as
seamless as possible. She will coordinate with the USDA to
create a travel scheme so that all requirements will be
fulfilled and will also perform a physical examination of your
pet. This will help address any imminent health concerns and
ascertain that he or she is fit for travel. At the conclusion
of your initial visit, follow up visits will be planned based on
requirements of the country of destination. We know that
questions may arise as travel approaches, and we will provide
you with the information you need so that you feel comfortable
and ready for your journey.
We highly advise that you research travel requirements as soon
as plans arise, for some are simple, others quite complex.
State travel requirements can be obtained by contacting the
state veterinarian's office in the state of destination. Click
here for a list of state veterinarians and their contact
information. For international travel, requirements for many
countries can be found on this website of the USDA by clicking
here. Happy travels!
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