Animals: Large and Small

An animal hospital and a vet's office are not two dramatically different things. The services offered in a traditional veterinary clinic are also offered in most pet hospitals, but the hospital may feature augmented care options. It can be viewed as the difference between seeing your primary care doctor in an office setting versus seeing your doctor on staff inside the hospital. Being on-site at the hospital as a pet or a person opens the door to a wider array of diagnostic testing and other pet care options.

Traditional services

Like a vet's office, the animal hospital is prepared to take on basic pet care services. These include standard vaccinations, regularly scheduled check-ups, and additional care, like providing flea treatments. An animal hospital is also able to assist with spaying and neutering procedures, care for basic cuts and scrapes, and general diagnostics a vet would provide in-office.

Specialized care

Where an animal hospital starts to differ in service scope is the addition of more specialized care services. Animal hospitals maintain x-ray equipment, more surgical tools, and diagnostic lab machines to help identify and treat a wider array of conditions. Imaging equipment can help identify masses or broken bones and internal injuries from any accidents. Vets and lab technicians can use specialty equipment to take and process samples in-house or prepare specimens for delivery to third-party labs for additional review. More complex surgeries, including bone setting, cancer removal, and amputations can be performed with both pre-surgical and post-procedure care provided.

Emergency care

Animal hospitals generally offer extended hours for emergency services or vets on staff make themselves available when an emergency occurs after hours. Some may also advertise as 24-hour clinics or emergency facilities. Always check in with your local vet or animal hospital to see if emergency visits are possible and make contacting them part of any emergency plans.

Additional services

The additional services offered by animal hospitals can extend beyond general health to include wellness and a bit of pampering. They often feature access to short-term and long-term boarding and provide full grooming services, such as haircuts and nail trims. With access to hospital facilities, anesthesia can be provided for anxious pets who need to sleep for examinations or grooming. Pet physical therapists can also provide therapy after surgery or injury to get pets moving again. Special equipment and services may also be available to help animals in need of an exercise routine get in shape.

For more information, contact an animal hospital near you.