Proper wellness care starts early in your pet’s life.
When you bring a new furry family member home, it’s important to schedule them for a wellness exam to get them on a proper wellness and care plan. We’ll be there every step of the way to ensure your pet is getting the proper care.
Proper wellness care doesn’t just mean getting a shot or a vaccine every time we email. It’s a lifestyle that includes vaccines, diet, exercise, and proper full-body exams for your pet. These examinations may help our veterinarians diagnose, treat, or prevent illnesses before they become life-threatening. Major health changes can occur in a short amount of time, so it is important to recognize even subtle changes. Some of the reasons we may recommend a health exam include: limping, changes in urination (color, frequency, accidents), changes in eating/drinking habits, behavioural problems, excessive itching, discharge from eyes, head shaking, and many other concerns.
Our Services
Annual Examinations
At Highlands Pet Hospital, we believe in maximizing your pet’s health, wellness, and quality of life. One of the best ways to do this is through preventive health care and early disease detection. By focusing on such prevention, we may catch diseases early, when they are more manageable, and we are able to help your pet live a longer, happier, and healthier life.
When your pet comes in for their annual exam, your pet’s veterinarian will perform a thorough nose-to-the-tail exam and discuss any health concerns or questions you may have. Together, you and your pet’s health care team will create a wellness plan encompassing everything from your pet’s oral health and diet to parasite prevention and vaccination protocols. This will be tailored to your pet’s particular lifestyle and stage of life.
Our registered veterinary technologists and veterinarians will also discuss early disease detection plans, including health screening lab work.
Puppy and Kitten Health
Welcoming a new puppy or kitten into your family is one of the most exciting and happiest times. But with all the excitement, there can also be a lot of questions. The team at Highlands Pet Hospital is here to help answer all of your questions about your pet’s early health care needs and ensure they have the best start in life.
Your puppy or kitten will need a few visits with us in their first year. During these visits, our registered veterinary technologists and veterinarians will discuss everything from vaccination protocols and deworming, to diets, oral care, and behaviour/training tips.
While we recommend that pets be spayed or neutered around six months of age, our veterinarians will discuss all of the benefits and risks with you to help you make the best decisions for you and your pet.
Medicine
Our pets are our family, and when they are in pain or not feeling well, it can be a very stressful time. Take comfort in knowing that we treat your family like our own. Your care team will work closely with you and your pet to assess why they don’t feel their best and get them back on their paws as quickly as possible.
Our vets are trained in internal medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology, orthopedics, cardiology, oncology, and nutrition. They are also continuously educating themselves on the newest developments in veterinary medicine. This allows us to work with you to determine the most up-to-date diagnostic and treatment plans for you and your pet.
Your care team will discuss with you a detailed and extensive care plan to allow your pet to recuperate at home. If necessary, we offer daytime in-hospital treatment. If your pet requires close monitoring throughout the night, we will facilitate transfer to a suitable 24-hour care facility.
Surgery
Our veterinarians are trained in a wide range of soft tissue surgery, including spay and neuter, abdominal exploratories, surgical biopsies, and mass removals.
Any surgery, whether a minor or major procedure, can be scary and stressful for pets and their families. Our goal is to decrease stress and minimize discomfort by providing a comfortable and safe experience for your pet.
Our registered veterinary technologists (RVT) and veterinarians will stay with your pet from beginning to end. During the procedure, our RVTs provide close anesthetic monitoring, keeping a close eye on your pet’s oxygenation levels, heart and respiratory rates, temperature, blood pressure, and pain control.
Your pet’s care team will keep you informed every step of the way, including discussing any risks associated with your pet’s procedure and updating you on your pet’s recovery. We will also discuss in detail your pet’s needs and postoperative care, helping to set you and your pet up for a successful recovery once returning home.
Specialist Referral
Sometimes, our pets’ medical issues require a specialist’s knowledge and care. We offer and assist in referral to specialty care centers in and out of the province.
We commonly refer to the VCA CARE Centre, the VCA Western Veterinary Specialist and Emergency Centre, Alpine 24/7 Pet Hospital and Trinity Hills 24 hours Pet Hospital, all located in Calgary.
Dentistry
Periodontal disease is by far the most common disease affecting dogs and cats. Ninety-eight percent of our pets have some degree of dental disease by the age of three. Periodontal disease is a painful disease that can affect your pet’s overall health, leading to complications affecting the heart, liver, and kidneys.
The best way to deal with dental disease is prevention. Your pet’s care team will work with you to establish a good at-home preventive care plan that works for you and your pet.
However, even with the best at-home care, your pet may still require professional veterinary cleaning and treatment at least once in their lifetime. During these procedures, close anesthetic monitoring is performed by our skilled registered veterinary technologists. All the teeth are scaled and polished. Our veterinarians then perform a thorough dental and oral exam to establish an appropriate treatment plan. Depending on the level of dental disease, dental X-rays of all the teeth may be taken, which helps to identify any disease lying below the gum line.
Sometimes, dental problems are beyond our scope, and the care of a dental specialist is required. We offer and assist in referral to board-certified veterinary dentists.
Diagnostics
Because your pet cannot speak, we often need to rely on other tools, aside from a thorough physical exam, to identify and treat diseases and conditions. These tools are also useful in establishing baseline values to be referenced in the future, for early disease detection and prior to procedures requiring anesthesia in order to minimize risks.
In-house Laboratory
Our in-house laboratory allows us to get results fast! When your pet isn’t feeling well, we are able to get more information in a shorter amount of time, allowing us to get your pet back on the road to health that much faster.
Digital Radiology
Our digital radiology system allows us to take clear, high-quality X-rays of your pet. These procedures are done quickly and efficiently, receiving images within seconds, while keeping a close eye on your pet’s comfort and stress levels.
Dental Digital Radiology
Our dental digital radiology system allows us to take high-quality X-rays of your pet’s teeth, jaws, and sinuses. Dental X-rays must be performed under general anesthesia, and allow us to find disease under the gumline and offer you and your pet the best treatment options.
Abdominal Ultrasound
Our ultrasound machine allows us to take a better look at the individual structures within your pet’s abdomen. This can help us to better assess and rule out possible causes of a pet’s symptoms. Ultrasound scans are performed in a quiet area of the clinic where every effort is made to ensure your pet is relaxed and comfortable. Images and videos are sent to a board certified radiologist for review and interpretation.
End of Life
Deciding when the right time to say goodbye to our furry loved ones is never easy. Our compassionate team is here to answer any questions you may have and help you through the decision making process. When the time does come to say goodbye, we work with you to make the whole experience as comfortable as possible.