We offer
complete care for your pet!
Daniel Webster Animal Hospital is a full service veterinary
hospital located at 3 Hawthorne Drive in Bedford, New Hampshire. Following
is a list detailing some of the medical and surgical services we offer.
Comprehensive Physical Examinations:
Early detection if health problems can allow for prompt treatment.
At least once, and perhaps twice a year, your pet should have
a complete
physical examination. Remember, your pet's
lifespan is shorter than ours and their health can change
significantly over a 12-month period.
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Vaccinations and Preventative Medicine:
Due to many recent discoveries and innovations in veterinary
medicine, your pet can be protected against most major infectious
diseases. Today many immunizations and preventative treatments
are available that did not exist a decade ago. The staff at Daniel
Webster Animal Hospital can assist you in deciding which preventative
measures are necessary for your pet.
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Puppy and Kitten Examinations and
Vaccinations:
Young puppies and kittens should receive their physical examination
and first set of vaccinations at six to nine weeks of age. Additional
exams and vaccinations are given every two to four weeks until
they are twelve to sixteen weeks old. Thereafter regular booster
vaccinations should be given. During your pet's initial examinations
you will also receive behavioral advice, nutrition counseling,
and recommendations on disease prevention. This advice can go
a long way towards preventing problems in your pet's adult life.
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Senior Pet Care and Geriatric
Pet Evaluations:
In recent years, great strides have been made in recognizing
the special needs and requirements of our "senior citizen" dogs
and cats. Our veterinarians are well equipped with the knowledge
and diagnostic tools to identify age related problems and formulate
realistic strategies to allow our pets to live longer and healthier
lives. If your dog is seven to nine years of age or older (depending
on breed) or your cat is ten years of age or older it is now
in its geriatric years. We will be happy to discuss with you
our recommendations for geriatric testing and geriatric diets.
Common
Medical Conditions in Senior Pets
If
your Pet is a Senior, Watch for these Signs
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Complete Diagnostic and Ancillary
Care:
We offer a full range of diagnostic (radiography, blood analysis,
etc) and ancillary services to diagnose and manage both minor
and major health problems. Our team of experienced veterinarians
and support staff are here to assist you with the outpatient
care needed throughout the life of your pet.
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Credit
Care:
WThe Daniel Webster Animal Hospital is pleased to offer CareCredit to our clients because we understand that your pet is an important part of your family. As the leader in healthcare financing, CareCredit has made it easy for millions of people nationwide to accept the best treatment recommendation for their pets – right away. For mor information or to apply online, please visit the following link: www.carecredit.com
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Radiology:
We have a state-of-the-art x-ray machine that produces excellent
quality radiographs (x-rays). Radiographs are extremely helpful
for diagnosing and monitoring many medical and surgical problems.
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Diagnostic Laboratory Testing:
Our extensive laboratory services provide information that
is critical to the sick or injured pet. We have access both in-house
and at our centralized reference laboratory to extensive diagnostic
testing allowing animals to receive appropriate treatment in
a timely manner.
Our in-house laboratory is equipped to perform pre-anesthetic
blood testing. This important procedure can greatly reduce the
risks associated with anesthesia and surgery.
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Surgical Care:
Our hospital is well-equipped to perform most minor and major
surgical procedures from spays to neuters to more complicated
emergency, orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries.
Prior to surgery, each patient receives a thorough physical
examination to identify any existing medical conditions that
might endanger your pet's health. Because not all problems can
be detected on examination, we also suggest pre-anesthetic
blood testing. These tests not only give us a more complete
picture of your pet's health, but allow us to tailor an anesthetic
regime that is specific for your pet.
We offer a wide variety of anesthetic protocols tailored to
your pet's individual needs. We use state-of-the-art anesthetic
machines offering isoflorane anesthesia. We also utilize pulse
oximetry on all anesthetized patients to ensure a smooth anesthetic
procedure.
Pain management is an important part of our pre-operative,
intra-operative and post-operative anesthetic and medical protocol.
All surgical patients including those undergoing routine procedures
such as ovariohysterectomy or castrations receive pain control
medications. We urge you to discuss operative pain management
options with our staff.
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Dental Services and Teeth Cleaning:
Proper dental care is as important for your pet as it is for
you. In addition to preventing bad breath and periodontal disease
it can also prevent infection from spreading through the blood
stream to your pet's liver, kidney's, and heart. This bacterial
shower can lead to permanent organ damage affecting your pet's
overall health.
Our hospital is equipped to provide dental care information
and services to insure your pet receives proper oral health care.
We also carry an assortment of dental home care products, including
OraVet, a barrier sealant that prevents plaque- and tartar-forming
bacteria from attaching to your pet's teeth.
Dental Services that we provide include (but are not
limited to):
- Dental and Prophylactic Cleaning
- Polishing
- Extractions
- Periodontal Care / Surgery
- Puppy / Kitten Dental Evaluations
Please click HERE for
more information on Dental Care, including:
- Diseases
- Cleaning Procedure
- Home Dental Care (Instruction and Products)
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Nutritional Counseling:
We carry Hill's, Eukanuba, and IVD Prescription Diet foods
and special low fat treats. Please check with your veterinarian
for information regarding your pet's specific nutritional needs.
Please see our on-line Food / Pharmacy option for convenient
ordering and no-charge delivery.
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Pharmacy:
We stock an extensive drug inventory so medications can be
dispensed before leaving the clinic. We frequently use the services
of local formulating pharmacies to provide palatable medication
options for our patients. Drugs we do not carry in-stock can
be special ordered or prescribed through outside pharmacies.
For clients who prefer the convenience of mail-order, we provide
an on-line Food / Pharmacy
option.
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Behavior Counseling:
Behavioral problems are the number one reason pets are taken
to animal shelters. If you are experiencing a behavioral problem
with your pet we offer examinations, laboratory evaluation, counseling,
and sometimes drug therapy to help resolve the issue. We can
also refer you to veterinarians specializing in behavior medicine
as the situation warrants.
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Pocket Pets:
Our veterinarians are available to assist you with information
and care for your "pocket pets". Our knowledgeable
staff can provide nutritional and husbandry advice for your furry
loved ones including ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters,
gerbils, rats and mice.
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Pet Identification and Microchipping
your Pet :
A microchip is a tiny electronic device, about the size and
shape of a grain of rice. It is implanted beneath a pet's skin
between the shoulder blades, and stays there for the pet's entire
life. This procedure is as easy and as painless as a vaccination.
Each microchip has a unique number. This number, along with
information about the owner and pet, are added to a national
pet registry. Most veterinarians and animal shelters have electronic
scanners for detecting and reading these implanted microchips.
If a lost pet is found, and the microchip is scanned, the registry
is called and the owner is contacted.
We use the Home Again Microchip System, which is recognized
nationwide.
Please click HERE for
more information.
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Early Morning drop-offs and late
evening Pick-ups:
Drop off your pet on your way to work and pick them up when
your day is over.
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Evening and Saturday Hours:
With your busy lifestyle, the veterinarians and staff at Daniel
Webster Animal Hospital want to help. We try to make veterinary
care as convenient as possible. Check out our extended evening
and Saturday hours.
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After-hours Emergency Service:
If you have an after-hours veterinary emergency, please call
Animal Emergency Clinic located on Carl Drive, close to the Mall of New Hampshire.
The address is 55
Carl Drive and the
phone number is (603) 666-6677 or (800) 974-6688.
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Pet Loss
We never enter into these relationships thinking about the eventual loss we will suffer of one of the most nonjudgmental and supportive companions in our lives. A loss may be sudden or it may come after months, or even years, of decline. Quite often, we tailor our life around the care of our pet… getting up in the night or coming home from work during the day if the bladder won’t last long enough, building ramps or stairs to aid in mobility, sleeping downstairs if the stairs are now too much of a challenge for a companion that has always slept by our side. Eventually though, quality of life issues arise that often lead us to make the decision for euthanasia
The term “euthanasia” is translated from the Greek derivation – “eu” referring to “well” or “good” and “thanato” referring to “death”…meaning “painless death.” It is the final gift we can give to a pet at the end of its life.
MAKING THE DECISION
Quality of life
Our pets fulfill many different roles in our lives and, for most of us, they truly become a member of the family. Many people struggle with the responsibility of making the decision to euthanize a pet. After all, we don’t have to make this choice for any other family member…Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that as pet owners we all have the ability to compassionately stop or avoid suffering that can come at the end of a life. Different factors to consider that may help to have a comfort level with the choice include:
Comfort - what is the pain level of your pet? Can it rest and move in a comfortable manner? Does it welcome contact?
Mobility – can your pet get up and walk without assistance? Does it want to go for walks? Does it stumble or fall?
Hunger – does your pet want to eat? Is it eating enough to maintain its weight and strength?
Hydration – is your pet drinking enough to stay hydrated? Does its medical condition allow proper hydration?
Hygiene – Can your pet eliminate in a normal fashion and maintain proper hygiene? If not, are you able to care for it in such a fashion that it stays clean and dry? Is it immobile to the point that it is getting pressure sores?
Happiness – Is your pet glad to see you? Does it still recognize family members? Does it express interest in its surroundings? Does it stay isolated or does it still want to be with the family?
All of these are factors to consider when faced with nearing the end of a life of a pet. As caregivers, we must make the decision to euthanize if our pet is suffering. If death is approaching, we are ultimately the ones responsible to ensure that it is peaceful and painless.
Discussions with your veterinarian
Your veterinarian is a valuable source for discussion about the decision to euthanize your pet. While no one can make the decision for you, frank discussion about your pet’s health issues, quality of life and your ability to financially and emotionally support its needs is essential. Please feel free to call and speak to the doctor that has been involved in your pet’s care.
EUTHANASIA AT OUR HOSPITAL
The procedure for euthanasia involves IV (into the vein) administration of an anesthetic (pentobarbital) solution. This may be administered directly through a needle from a syringe or with a butterfly or IV catheter. If there is a thick hair coat, the area on the leg (front or rear) may be shaved with clippers first. The anesthetic solution works very quickly, causing your pet to enter into a deep plane of sleep in which first breathing and then the heart will cease. Because it is an anesthetic, it is not uncommon to observe some extra deep breathing and/or some muscle tremors or twitching as the injection is given or in the first few minutes afterward. This is nothing that your pet will be aware of or feel. Often, the pet may urinate or defecate once it relaxes. Commonly, the eyes do not close afterward.
All pet owners have the option to be present during the procedure. It is an individual choice and not an obligation. If you do wish to be present, we will schedule a specific time for you to come in. You can have some time alone with your pet afterward if you so wish. If you do not want to be present, you can be sure that we will take care of your pet with the care and compassion that we would take with one of our own.
AFTERCARE
There are ordinances in place in many communities that prohibit the burial of pets at home. If you wish to take your pet with you, this is nothing we are bound to report.
We employ the services of a business that provides for aftercare of your pet’s body. Choices include Cremation (ashes are spread at the facility) or Private Cremation, in which your pet is cremated separately from any other animal and its ashes are returned to you. We will call you when the ashes come back to the hospital; this usually takes 7-14 days.
If choosing a private cremation, your pet’s remains will return to you in a small pine box with a nameplate engraved with its name. We do want to verify the correct spelling of its name; please let us know if you would prefer a nickname instead.
You also have the option of having a picture (laser or wood burned) attached to the box. If you know what picture you would like, you can bring it at the time of euthanasia. This can also be done at a later date. Please contact the business manager, Beth Margenau.
Other services
There are many options for other pet memorials provided by other companies:
www.lasergraving.com
www.OldWorldStones.com
BEREAVEMENT/HEALING
People experiencing the loss of a pet will transition through the same stages of grief that are felt with the loss of any other family member. THIS IS NORMAL. We have all probably heard somebody (probably NOT a pet owner) say something like “it is only a dog/cat,” and we need to realize that those people have yet to experience the fulfillment of a true human/animal bond. One should not feel belittled or guilty about mourning the loss of a pet.
For help with this process, there are many resources.
- www.petloss.com – a pet loss grief support site with links to bereavement hotlines
- www.critters.com – create an online pet memorial
- www.petvets.com/petloss/ - a pet loss website with information about grief management in children and adults with reading recommendations and an online support group
AVMA Pet Loss Support Hotlines
- (607) 253-3922 – a bereavement hotline staffed by Cornell University veterinary students
- (508) 839-7966 – a bereavement hotline staffed by Tufts
University veterinary students
- (888) 478-7574 – a bereavement hotline staffed by Iowa
State University veterinary students
- (877) 394-2273 - a bereavement hotline staffed by
University of Illinois veterinary students.
- (800) 565-1526 – a bereavement hotline staffed by
University of California veterinary students
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call us or contact us via email. As your veterinary hospital, we are here to guide you through all stages of your pet’s life.
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