Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital offers various specialized pet medical services for
HIGH-END CARE.
Since pets age at a much quicker rate than humans, these visits will become increasingly important in early detection of any changes in their health.
Laboratory
Why is our in house laboratory important?
Our hospitals maintain a full service diagnostic laboratory that allows us to perform complete blood counts, chemistry profiles, electrolyte analyses, urinalysis, fecal exams, cytology evaluations, and other valuable tests for your pet. With our advanced laboratory technology, we are able to receive fast and accurate results, helping to determine your pet’s diagnosis and what treatment therapy is required.
Our complete in-house laboratory is particularly essential to our emergency and critical care cases. We also offer several tests as part of your pet’s wellness exam and specialized testing if your pet is in his or her senior years. We can often have results within 15 minutes (for many tests).
We also frequently evaluate skin cytologies, ear cytologies, skin scrapings, and fungal cultures for the purpose of diagnosing various dermatologic conditions that may be affecting your pet.
Have questions about diagnostic imaging or want to schedule a consultation for your pet? Call us at (360) 385-4488.
Advanced Digital X-Ray
WHAT IS ADVANCED DIGITAL X-RAY?
Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital is equipped with advanced imaging technologies enabling rapid interpretation by board-certified radiologists, guaranteeing the highest quality of care for our patients.
Radiographs, or X-rays, use electromagnetic radiation directed towards the body to highlight objects within. They can detect abnormalities including skeletal fractures, soft tissue damage, foreign bodies, and dental disease.
We have advanced digital radiology capability, which means less exposure to radiation for the patient and faster, more accurate results.
ULTRASOUND
WHAT IS ULTRASOUND?
Ultrasound is a powerful diagnostic tool that creates a real-time image of an animal’s body. This composite reveals important information about internal processes including the circulatory and gastrointestinal systems.
When used in conjunction with other diagnostic tools like X-rays, ultrasounds can help us define cardiovascular or circulatory, soft tissue diseases, tumors, gastrointestinal disease, renal, liver, gall bladder, pancreatic, splenic and lymphatic conditions as well as define the extent of trauma and injuries.
An ultrasound works by broadcasting high-frequency sound waves that reflect off your pet’s internal structures. A small probe held against the skin collects the returning signals to create an image of the internal body, most commonly used to examine abdominal organs like the stomach, kidneys, liver, spleen, and gallbladder. An ultrasound of the heart, known as an echocardiogram, provides precise information about heart valves, blood flow, chamber size, and contractions.
Completely painless and non-invasive, ultrasounds usually require some sedation because the patient must remain completely still. Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital employs advanced imaging technologies enabling rapid interpretation by board-certified radiologists, guaranteeing the highest quality of care for our patients.
THERAPEUTIC LASER TREATMENTS
WHAT IS Laser therapy?
Photobiomodulation with laser therapy occurs when a dose of light energy reaches deep into the target tissue — resulting in decreased inflammation, decreased pain, and accelerated healing for our patients. This painless, safe and effective therapy is a veterinarian-prescribed, technician-driven modality that effectively treats a wide variety of conditions of pain — including pre-surgical, post-surgical, acute, and chronic pain and/or inflammation states.
At Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital, laser treatments are performed by a skilled member of our laser-certified veterinary nursing team, to ensure the best treatment success while ensuring safety for everyone involved. Laser therapy has been practiced for more than 30 years, during which time it has been used to treat chronic pain, trauma, arthritis, and metabolic disease. At our hospitals, we ensure that all safety protocols are always used in order to deliver maximum results in a minimal amount of time. Our clients and doctors all seem to agree the results of laser treatments have been overwhelmingly impressive when it comes to decreasing pain, decreasing inflammation, and speeding up tissue healing.
ACUPUNCTURE
WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?
Acupuncture is a 3,000-year-old Chinese practice utilizing hair-thin needles to stimulate the body’s nerve centers, improving blood circulation and releasing pain-relieving hormones. This gentle process relaxes muscle tissue and oxygenates the surrounding area, allowing the body to heal more rapidly. Acupuncture is one of the safest veterinary treatments available, and Chimacum Valley Veterinary Hospital offers this service through our doctors who are professionally licensed and exceptionally skilled at the practice.
What kind of pains are addressed by using acupuncture?
- Neurologic and soft tissue pain
- Arthritis
- Musculoskeletal systemic problems
- Hind limb weakness
- Spinal cord disorders
- Intervertebral disc disease and back pain
- Cancer pain
Is acupuncture right for my pet?
Acupuncture requires no pharmaceutical assistance, removing the possibility of overdose and adverse reaction, and can be used in conjunction with most other traditional and alternative treatments. Most patients tolerate acupuncture needles quite well, and can easily be distracted by love and/or treats (please bring some of their normal food or treats if they are sensitive to other foods).
Not sure if acupuncture is right for your pet? No problem. We require a comprehensive physical, medical, and Chinese Medical assessment/examination prior to your pet’s first acupuncture treatment, so we generally formulate a treatment plan together during this initial acupuncture exam. Acupuncture treatments can be a bit more nuanced, and often takes into consideration a great many factors — including a patient’s emotional and behavioral history, their home environment and lifestyle, their diet, etc.
