House Calls
Animals First Veterinary Service was created in 2001 to provide excellent holistic veterinary care to companion animals in the comfort of their own home. Providing care in this manner allows us to observe our patients’ behavior and physical abilities in their environment to better understand their needs. During the exam, most dogs do not suspect that we are there for more than a friendly visit. Cats welcome our visits as they are only briefly disturbed from their daily schedule for their exam and treatment and do not need to be confined to a carrier for a ride to a clinic.
Common House Call Procedures
Physical Exams to address a specific concern
Vaccines or vaccine titers
Holistic Exams geared toward the use of homeopathy, herbal medicine, or acupuncture
Assessment of Internal Medicine Issues
Musculoskeletal Exams
Blood Work (see below for details)
X-Rays with immediate review of digital pictures
Treatment of Wounds and Abscesses
Acupuncture
Herbal Medicine Consultations
End of Life Consultations and At-Home Euthanasia with Cremation Services
Wellness Visits & Annual Exams
Yearly holistic exams of dogs and cats involves ensuring the protection of your pet from contagious disease through the use of in house titer test, review of diet and lifestyle, as well as making suggestions for keeping your pet healthy at whatever their life stage. Our yearly exams last from 30 minutes to an hour and we can schedule as much time as you need to discuss your pet’s well being. A yearly exam performed via house call allows you and your pet to relax and not feel rushed to remember all of the details of your pet’s health. Your pet is comfortable in her own home and it is very helpful for us to understand their regular behavior patterns. Often, they are more willing to allow a comprehensive physical exam when in their own comfortable home.
While it is important that pets be immune from contagious diseases, it is a fact that pets often are vaccinated, even when they already have protection from the disease. We now have an in-house test to determine if your dog is already immune to Distemper, Parvo and Adenovirus. This test is of similar cost to the vaccine which many pets receive yearly. When we test instead of vaccinate, we have actual proof that our pets are protected from diseases. This proof is acceptable at all of the boarding kennels and groomers that we have dealt with, ensuring that your pet is able to participate in any social activities with the confidence that they are protected from infectious disease. We may also test for other infectious diseases such as heart worms and tick borne diseases.
Wellness visits are easily performed on a house call basis, including any laboratory test that is needed with results usually within 24 hours. Wellness visits incorporate the following services:
Protection from Disease — Fortunately, we are able to test dogs or cats for immunity to infectious diseases. Therefore, we can avoid exposing them to vaccines while providing proof of their protection from disease. Currently we are able to test dogs for the most common infectious diseases: Parvovirus, Distemper Virus, and Hepatitis Virus. Cats can be tested for immunity to Panleukopenia. (Link to titer tests here)
Testing for Heartworms — The incidence of heartworms is increasing in our area, especially for patients who live near bodies of water. This test can be pro formed in combination with the tick borne disease test or separately.
Tick Borne Diseases — Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichia are three diseases with increasing incidence. We can test your dog for these diseases in combination with their heartworm test during a home visit.
Wellness Blood Profiles — Dogs age 7 or above and cats age 10 or above are considered senior animals and will benefit from a senior blood panel. It is always beneficial to have baseline blood work before entering the "senior life stage". This profile will offer us valuable insight in to how your pet is maturing. Information from this blood work can give us an indication of the health of your animal that may not otherwise be apparent from a physical exam.
Cardiac Monitoring and Blood Pressure — Any animal presenting with an abnormal heart rate, rhythm or murmur can be evaluated by EKG and blood pressure during a home visit. This will allow us to make quick decisions regarding pets who may need urgent care for a cardiac problem. A common finding in older pets, both feline and canine, is an increase in blood pressure which is easily treated before it leads to renal or cardiac changes. With our equipment, we can monitor the blood pressure of your companion animal while they are resting in their own home, providing the most accurate reading possible.
To make an appointment:
We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule. Give us a call: 540-937-6683
