At Mission Valley Pet Clinic, we believe annual wellness care is imperative to keeping your pet happy and healthy! Your pet’s health is important and preventive care is necessary. We recommend wellness exams, keeping your pets on a vaccination schedule, and working with us on all facets of wellness care.

During your annual physical exam, your veterinarian fully examines your pet and discusses vaccinations and ongoing wellness. Just like you have wellness visits with your doctor, your pet must do the same. During these visits, our team will spend time examining your pet from nose to tail.

We have a veterinarian and personnel on duty six days a week trained and equipped to handle any urgent needs your pet has. Usually, an emergency team consists of at least one veterinarian and several technicians working together to save a pet’s life. Emergencies can include things such as snail bait poisoning, getting hit by a car, and chocolate ingestion. If you ever feel that your pet needs emergency treatment, do not hesitate to call or come in immediately. If possible, it is best to call before coming in so that a team member can advise you on your particular emergency.

We are also available for urgent care when the condition is not life-threatening, but you feel your pet needs to be seen before you are able to get an appointment. Our veterinarians will work to “squeeze” you in between scheduled appointments. When you arrive, our receptionists will be able to give you an estimate of how long you may have to wait in order to be seen.

We know how stressful it can be to have a pet that needs an operation. We’re here to calm your concerns. Mission Valley Pet Clinic offers a complete range of surgical services in our modern, state-of-the-art surgical suite. Here, we’re able to perform a wide variety of orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries, including spays and neuters, fracture repair, anterior cruciate ligament repair (ACL), surgical biopsy, and abdominal exploratory. More importantly, we focus on making sure your pet is as comfortable as possible while in our care. We’ll also help ensure that all pre-and post-operative care is clearly explained to you.

Our surgical services include:

• Sevoflurane/Isoflurane gas anesthetic
• Pulse oximetry and EKG anesthetic monitoring
• General, soft tissue, orthopedic, and ophthalmic surgeries

Laser therapy is a painless, non-invasive form of treatment that stimulates the body’s natural healing and pain control response. It can be used as a standalone therapy or as a complement to other treatment methods. Using a small, handheld device, the doctor applies a low-level laser to the area on question, stimulating normal cellular function. This results in faster wound healing and enhanced pain relief. Best of all, because laser therapy requires no medication or surgery, there are no harmful side effects.

What can laser therapy treat?

Laser therapy can be used to address a broad spectrum of conditions, including:

• Arthritis
• Disc disease
• Hip dysplasia
• Degenerative joint disease
• Sprains and strains
• Cranial cruciate ligament
• Dental problems
• Chronic pain and inflammation
• Dermatological conditions
• Lick granulomas

What are the benefits of laser therapy?

• Anti-inflammation – decreases swelling from bruising/inflammation
• Anti-pain – blocks pain by decreasing nerve sensitivity
• Accelerates tissue repair, cell growth, and nerve function
• Improves circulation
• Accelerates healing and reduces scarring

At Mission Valley Pet Clinic, we offer digital radiography, a form of X-ray imaging where digital X-ray sensors are used instead of traditional film. The advantages of using this important diagnostic tool include time efficiency from bypassing chemical processing, a clear digital image, and the ability to digitally transfer and enhance images. These images are immediately accessible to our doctors and to our clients; they are easily shared between our hospital and any other specialty veterinary practices, including:

• Orthopedic
• Internal medicine
• Emergency
• and more!

We provide a board-certified radiologist review of any images taken here with very timely reports by sending images to VICSD Imaging Services. These tools and more help our hospital to provide your loved one with the excellence in the care your pet deserves.

Radiographs are an important tool that can help us make a correct diagnosis for your pet. Our radiology service is staffed by caring, skilled professionals who will provide state-of-the-art care with compassion and expertise.

If you notice that your dog has developed gray hair around their snout, it is a sign that they are getting older. Dogs are considered seniors (mature adults) between the ages of seven and eight years old, and cats are considered seniors when they are ten years old. When your pet is considered a mature adult, they will start needing special care.

How often should a senior pet be seen?

With the increased risk of different health issues, our doctors recommend that senior pets have physical exams every six months. Blood work should continue to be checked once a year, and regular teeth cleanings should continue. Your veterinarian will help you watch for changes in behavior and provide treatment plans to keep your elderly fur-baby as comfortable as possible.