Animal Health Clinic

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COMPLETE MEDICAL SERVICES FOR YOUR COMPANION ANIMAL

Pet Wellness

Two Veterinarian Holding a Dog — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

The Animal Health Clinic recommends that every pet has at least one wellness exam each year. Young animals under 6 months of age will need multiple exams as they come in for vaccination boosters. Older animals with existing health issues will also need more frequent examinations to maximize the quality of life they experience. Yearly visits to your veterinarian are much more than just keeping your pets vaccinations up to date. These yearly check-ups often allow us to catch illnesses in their early stages resulting in a better and longer life for your pet and perhaps lower expenditures by the owner. Besides the examination, the veterinarians and staff may also be able to discuss nutritional and behavioral issues that you have questions about.

Surgery and Procedures

Surgery Photo — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

Surgical Suite Image — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

When you come to pick up your pet, there will be discharge instructions that will be carefully explained. We will cover home care, feeding, surgical site/suture care, activity level allowed as well as answering any questions you may have. In addition, any take home medications including pain management drugs will be discussed. There may also be suture removal or recheck appointments to set up.

Surgery and Procedures

The Animal Health Clinic is proud of our newly renovated surgical suite that allows us to perform a variety of procedures with the highest quality of care. We tailor the anesthetic(s) used in each case to provide the safest option that allows for the quickest recovery time. Intravenous fluids and medications are provided when necessary and monitoring equipment is used on all patients.

Your pet will be closely monitored throughout the surgery and recovery periods and provided with pain medication and antibiotics in all cases. Some procedures are same day surgeries and your pet will go home in the late afternoon. Other procedures require a longer recovery period with professional monitoring so your pet may need to spend a night or two with us.

When you come to pick up your pet, there will be discharge instructions that will be carefully explained. We will cover home care, feeding, surgical site/suture care, activity level allowed as well as answering any questions you may have. In addition, any take home medications including pain management drugs will be discussed. There may also be suture removal or recheck appointments to set up.

ORTHOPEDIC PROCEDURES

We are available to provide a variety of orthopedic surgeries including fracture repairs, TPLO, Lateral Sutures, Luxating patella repair etc.

Dr. Joel Teachout is both an orthopedic and general surgeon available by appointment who comes and will do consults and perform surgeries here at our location. No travel needed.

Please contact us for further information.

Pet Dental Care

The most common symptom of dental disease that pet owners notice is bad breath. When you lift your pet's lips you may also notice red, swollen or bleeding gums as well as a build-up of plaque on the teeth especially of the upper arcade. In advanced cases, your pet my start losing teeth and experience pain when eating.

Depending on the condition of your pet's teeth, our veterinarians will make recommendations that include: water additives, dental enzymatic sprays or solutions, dental chews/Nylabones, pet toothbrushes/toothpaste, prescription dental diet food or a teeth cleaning. Ultrasonic scaling/polishing procedures are performed using an anesthetic with a reversal agent that allows your pet to go home the same day in the afternoon. Antibiotics and pain relievers are used in all cases and medications are continued at home if your pet's condition warrants them.

Before Dental — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

BEFORE: 4 yr old Silky Terrier

After Dental — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

AFTER: Ultrasonic scaling/polishing

Pet Dental Care

An important part of any physical examination of your pet by our veterinarians is the oral exam that checks the condition of the teeth and gums. Since animals are not brushing and flossing daily, dental issues may start at an early age. Dental disease not only affects the teeth and gums, but the bacteria and inflammation in the mouth can be detrimental to other body systems especially the heart.

The most common symptom of dental disease that pet owners notice is bad breath. When you lift your pet's lips you may also notice red, swollen or bleeding gums as well as a build-up of plaque on the teeth especially of the upper arcade. In advanced cases, your pet my start losing teeth and experience pain when eating.

BEFORE: 4 yr old Silky Terrier

AFTER: Ultrasonic scaling/polishing

Animal Diagnostics

Veterinary Radiographs
At the Animal Health Clinic, we take, develop, and interpret radiographs on site to provide our clients with timely answers when their pet is ill or has been injured. Common reasons for taking radiographs include checking for fractured bones or joint disease, locating foreign bodies especially in the digestive tract, looking for abnormal masses in the abdomen, identifying bladder stones, and evaluating the heart and lungs.

Diagnostics Picture — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

Veterinary Electrocardiograph Studies
An EKG study may be recommended in pets where there is a suspected heart function problem. The machine that is used at the clinic performs EKG's as well as monitoring pulse, blood oxygenation, blood pressure, temperature and respirations. They are all painless tests that in combination with a physical exam, radiographs, and blood work allow the veterinarians to diagnose common heart conditions.

Electro Studies — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

Laboratory Testing
Blood tests such as complete blood counts (CBC's) and serum profiles, as well as specialty blood tests to check for hormone levels or disease titers are all used to gain specific information on your pet. Various tests are also performed on urine, feces and tissues removed from the body to help the veterinarian come to a diagnosis. Laboratory testing is frequently recommended when your pet is sick, prior to surgery, or as they age. Any animals over seven years of age are required to have pre-surgical blood work. However, routine screenings will often allow early detection of a variety of conditions that can then be more successfully treated or managed.

The Animal Health Clinic is proud to announce the addition of new in-house blood analysis equipment that allows us to do Complete Blood Counts with Differentials and Serum Chemisty Profiles immediately after blood collection with results in 10-15 minutes.

Boarding

The Animal Health Clinic realizes how hard it is to leave your pet at a boarding facility when you need to leave town, have work done on your home, or when an emergency arises. The entire staff is devoted to treating your pet as if it was one of their own. Besides the basics of providing food, shelter and exercise, we believe in personalized caring interactions with all of our boarding pets.

Our indoor facility has a variety of kennels to accommodate all sizes of pets. We do have some large indoor runs. Individual roofed outdoor runs provide your pet with multiple safe opportunities for exercise. We feed Hill's Science Diet and bedding is provided. Please feel free to bring your own food, bedding, toys, etc. We will be happy to handle any medication needs that your pet has while they stay with us.

Cat and Dog Sitting — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

Animal Boarding — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

Woman Holding a Dog — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

Reservations are recommended especially around holidays and weekends as we are typically fully booked at those times. We also appreciate a reasonable notice when canceling boarding reservations as we often have a waitlist of other clients wishing to board their pet with us. All boarders are checked for fleas upon arrival and treatment is mandatory if fleas are present. For the health of all of our boarders, we require that vaccinations for rabies, distemper/parvo, and bordetella are current.

Drop Off and Pick Up Times
During the week, you may drop off or pick up your boarding pet between 8AM to 12PM or 1PM to 5PM. On Saturday, boarding kennel hours are 8AM to 12PM. We are closed on Sunday to drop offs and pick ups.

Boarding

Reservations are recommended especially around holidays and weekends as we are typically fully booked at those times. We also appreciate a reasonable notice when canceling boarding reservations as we often have a waitlist of other clients wishing to board their pet with us. All boarders are checked for fleas upon arrival and if fleas are found, we unfortunately are not able to board your pet. For the health of all of our boarders, we require that vaccinations for rabies, distemper/parvo, and bordetella are current.

Drop Off and Pick Up Times
During the week, you may drop off or pick up your boarding pet between 8:15AM to 12PM or 1PM to 4:30PM.

We are closed on Saturdays and Sundays to drop offs and pick ups.

Microchipping and ID

Two Women Gently Working on the Dog — Animal Hospital in Yankton, SD

The Animal Health Clinic is pleased to offer Microchip Identification for your pet. Microchipping is the only unique, unalterable, tamper-proof, permanent form of identification that owners can provide for pets. We use the Microfindr (TM) Slim microchip which is significantly smaller than any other chip on the market and thus can be implanted using a smaller needle. As a result, microchipping your pet is no more painful than any other vaccine or injection; microchipping doesn't require anesthesia and takes only seconds. A Microfindr microchip is as small as a grain of rice, and is easily implanted under the skin of your pet between its shoulder blades. The Microfindr is not a GPS tracker, though this brand can be read by all readers being used today by veterinarians, humane societies, breeders and animal control officers.

Millions of lost or abandoned animals are taken in each year by animal welfare organizations in the US. Due to a lack of identification, only a very small percentage of those lost are ever reunited with their loving families. Microchipping and registration offer the only truly permanent method of identifying your pet.

After your pet is microchipped, the staff of the Animal Health Clinic will give you information on registering your pet with PetLink (TM). Your PetLink registration is included in the cost of the Microfindr implantation, and covers you for the lifetime of your pet. There are no hidden fees or annual renewal fees required. You will also receive a wallet size hard laminated card with your pet's microchip number and the PetLink information as well as a small tag for your pet's collar that identifies them as being microchipped.

Please call today to set up an appointment to have your pet microchipped.

Laser Therapy

Cold laser therapy for animals employs deep-penetrating light to promote pain relief and stimulate healing. These treatments are cumulative, so each additional treatment facilitates a greater improvement in your pet's condition. Laser therapy can be used to treat a multitude of problems including: Post-surgical and soft issue trauma, back pain, arthritis, ear infections, hot spots and wounds, anal gland infections, degenerative disc disease and many muscle, ligament and tendon injuries.

Laser treatment is totally pain free and comforting and some dogs actually fall asleep during their sessions. It has no known side effects and is considered both safe and effective. Laser treatments can help speed up healing, strengthen muscle and tissue, improve mobility, decrease inflammation/pain and enhance your pet's overall quality of life.

Furry Faces At Our Clinic