Comprehensive Physical Exams

As with your own health, the key to maintaining your pet's health is in preventative medicine. Working to identify risk factors for illness and taking appropriate measures to correct or address these factors is more effective than waiting until an illness develops to take action. There are many aspects of a preventative approach to your animal's health care. The most basic - and perhaps most important - of these is regular physical exams to identify risk factors and early signs of illness.

Every time that you bring in your pet for an examination we thoroughly check all aspects of your pets health and provide a written Pet Report Card. The report card details your doctor's examination and includes our Overall Health Recommendations. We are dedicated to working with you to ensure that your pets receive the best health care possible. 

Orthopedic Surgery

Dogs and cats often seem to be very good at getting themselves into trouble. Nothing is more alarming than seeing your loved one with a broken leg. Our doctors are experienced in repair of broken bones and other traumatic injuries.  

Dental Care

Dogs and cats can't brush their teeth - Foul breath and yellow-brown teeth are not only unappealing, they could indicate a serious gum disease.  And that can lead to other health problems.

Did you know?

• According to the American Veterinary Dental Society 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of dental disease by age three.
• Dental disease is the Number 1 health problem diagnosed in dogs and cats.
• Gum disease starts as bacteria and plaque on teeth and progresses into a disease that can cause tooth decay, bleeding gums and tooth loss.  The infection may enter the bloodstream, potentially infecting the heart, liver and kidneys.
• Symptoms of gum disease include yellow and brown build-up of tarter along the gum line, inflamed gums, bad breath, a change in eating habits, pawing at the face or mouth and depression.

We provide complete dental care for your pets. The first step is a thorough examination of all teeth. Unfortunately we often discover severely decayed teeth and infections. Using our new state-of-the-art digital dental x-ray system we can determine exactly which teeth need to be addressed. Your pet is anesthetized during x-rays and cleaning. Regular cleanings can add years to your pet's life.

Parasite Control

One area of pet health that is frequently neglected is parasite control. Many common parasites go unseen by pet owners or are considered a minor or inconsequential problem. However, the impact that parasites have on an animal's health can be considerable. Parasites stress the animal's entire system and can make it vulnerable to other ailments. Recent advances in parasite control allow us to minimize, and in some cases even eliminate, our pet's risk of common parasite infections.

In some cases pets can be carriers of parasites that can affect you and your family. We strongly recommend fecal exams for your pets once every 6 months.

Puppy and Kitten Care

Making the big decision to adopt a puppy or kitten deserves some research. What is a proper diet? What vaccinations are needed? How will you prevent illness? What training programs are indicated? Should you spay or neuter? What if the new family member develops health problems? Are you really prepared to care for a cat with feline leukemia virus or a dog with separation anxiety? Where do you find the answers? The best all-around source of information for pets and their care is your veterinarian. He or she will help you narrow your choices to a few breeds, personality types and an age group to fit your life style. Consult your veterinarian about the proper diet for your new pet. Get off to the right start. Make your veterinarian a member of your pet care team.

We offer special packages for all New Puppies and Kittens! These packages include all necessary vaccines as well as flea and parasite control at a greatly reduced price.  

Senior Care Facts:

Senior Care Facts:

• Did you know that most dogs and cats are considered Senior at 7 years of age?
• Taking your older pet to the veterinarian once a year, is the same as if you were to go to the doctor every 6 – 8 years.
• Kidney disease is one of most common medical problems for pets.  Symptoms usually do not appear until over 70% of the kidney is damaged.  Routine screenings can assist in earlier detection.
• Arthritis:  About 1 in 3 dogs over 8 yrs old are affected by arthritis.
• Tumors:  About half of all dogs over 10 will develop a benign or malignant tumor in their lives.
• Periodontal Disease: 85% of our senior pets have some sort of periodontal disease.  It has been proven to contribute to heart valve, kidney and liver disease in pets.

As your pet ages, nutritional needs and physical abilities change. Subtle, sometimes undetected, changes begin to occur. Your aging pet may become more susceptible to cancer, kidney disease, heart problems, pancreatic disease, and hormonal imbalances such as thyroid conditions or diabetes.

Dental disease may occur and predispose your pet to a host of other problems. Arthritic conditions cause pain and immobility and change the way your pet is able to interact in the family. Behavior changes and unexpected bad habits such as house soiling can suddenly make your beloved friend a difficult housemate.

The good news is that early detection and treatment can often add years to your pet's life. Current tests frequently detect disease before symptoms are even apparent. Advanced radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy, EKG, and Doppler blood pressure measurements are now routinely available for pets.

We offer special discount packages twice a year for Senior Pets. This makes it more affordable to do regular blood screening and diagnostic testing to help your best friend live longer and happier. 

Vaccinations

YOUR PETS HEALTH DEPENDS UPON HAVING ALL NEEDED VACCINES UP TO DATE!

WHAT VACCINES DOES MY PET NEED?

Dogs need the following vaccines:

• Rabies
• DHPP: Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo, Parainfluenza
• Leptospira
• Bordatella

Cats need the following vaccines:

• Rabies
• PRCC: Rhinotrachelitis, Calici, Panleukopenia, Chlamydia
• FELV: Feline Leukemia

YOUR PETS VACCINES NEED TO BE UPDATED ON A REGULAR BASIS! ASK YOUR VET HOW OFTEN EACH VACCINE IS REQUIRED.

Spay and Neuter

We provide year-round spay and neuter services and each spring we offer these surgeries with significant discounts. 

 Benefits of neutering males:

• Reduces the chance of a fatal encounter with a car while he's out searching for a girl!
• Completely eliminates the risk of testicular cancer.
• Greatly reduces the risk of prostrate cancer.
• Greatly reduces the risk of some forms of anal tumors.
• Reduces the tendency to get into fights with other males, thus avoiding costly hospitalization fees.
• Greatly reduces the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, some of which are fatal.
• Greatly reduces the tendency for males to "mark" everything in sight.

Benefits of spaying females:

• No possibility of the mother having birthing difficulties which may lead to a C-section.  A cost savings of approximately $350 -$600.
• Reduces the risk of your pet developing breast cancer by 95% if spayed before first heat cycle.  Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer found in female dogs and cats.
• Eliminates the chance for a life threatening uterine infection.
• Eliminates the chance for ovarian and uterine cancers.
• Greatly reduces the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.
• Eliminates the unpleasant affects of a dog or cat in heat. (Blood from the vulva in dogs and constant "yowling" in cats).  To say nothing of every non-neutered male in town hanging around your house and marking his territory everywhere!

Prescription Diets

Just like with us humans when we get older we tend to put on weight. This is not always a good thing! We offer specialized programs for managing overweight pets. Come see us for an examination and consultation.

We also offer specialized prescription diets for a wide range of medical issues including kidney and liver disease, diabetes and allergies. 

Health Certificates

We will assist you in obtaining up-to-date information and certification to take your pets on trips across the USA, to Hawaii and abroad. Make sure to contact us well in advance as some of the required steps take some time. 

Hours, Location and Phone

We are open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5:30 pm
Saturday we are open from 8 am to 5 pm

NORTH CASCADE VETERINARY HOSPITAL
200 MURDOCK STREET
SEDRO WOOLLEY, WA 98284
MAP to clinic

Phone: 360-856-1809
Fax: 360-856-2102

Mountain photograph courtesy of Andy Porter. Click here to see more of his photographs