Services - Gilberts Ville Vet

Cryosurgery

Surgical Alternative to Remove Skin Tags, Eyelid Mass, and Other Lumps or Bumps. We have some great news to share!! We have a safer and cost-effective alternative to treat your pet’s lumps and bumps which can range from a cosmetically inconvenient skin tag to a troublesome wart. In the past, the only treatment for these lumps and bumps involved surgery with anesthesia.

Step in a great non-anesthetic alternative - Cryosurgery! Cryosurgery has been used in the human medical field for a long time and has been safely adapted to treat our pets. Recently, Gilbertsville Veterinary Hospital has added cryosurgery as a service we offer to our patients. It involves using extreme cold to remove superficial, benign skin lumps or eyelid masses. Your Doctor will freeze the area around the unwanted tissue and disrupt the blood supply, which numbs the surrounding nerves and reduces pain, and kills bacteria minimizing the risk of infection. Some lumps and bumps may take multiple treatments and others will dry up and fall off over 1 - 2 weeks. Cryosurgery is performed by your veterinarian in the office as a same-day procedure without anesthesia. Side effects are typically minimal and can include redness & swelling.

Cryosurgery is most successful in treating:

Warts or adenomatous cysts on the skin
Skin tags
Meibomian adenomas (eyelid masses)
Distichiasis (abnormal eyelash growth)

If you feel that your pet could benefit from cryosurgery please call our office to set up a consultation with your veterinarian. Read More

Ultrasound

Abdominal Ultrasound: Ultrasound testing uses sound waves and their ability to travel through tissues to produce an image. Unlike radiographs, ultrasound is able to produce amazing detail. It is ideal for evaluating any of the abdominal organs. Doctors at Gilbertsville Veterinary Hospital routinely perform abdominal ultrasounds on many of our internal medicine patients. We are able to diagnose and treat many of our patients using this technology. Although not required with every condition or illness, your doctor will discuss the benefits and limitations of this test.

Echocardiogram:

This test requires a significant amount of training and expertise. Dr. Hanlon completed many intensive weeks of continuing education training in Ultrasound. Dr. Hanlon performs Echocardiograms, which is the best way to test and evaluate the structure and function of the heart. While not all animals with a heart murmur will receive an echocardiogram, your doctor will help explain whether this test is a good idea for your pet.

Let’s get excited about your pet’s poop! No, really, it is important to understand why your veterinarian wants to perform a fecal analysis under a microscope each year. As a pet parent, learning about intestinal parasites and parasite control can protect you and your pet. Some parasites are zoonotic, which means you (humans) can get it too. You can contract zoonotic disease by simply playing in a sandbox that was contaminated with feces containing roundworms. That is why the Veterinarians at Gilbertsville Veterinary Hospital made a list of common intestinal parasites, and labeled which ones are zoonotic.

Roundworms

Where are they located? Roundworms are found in the small intestines and can develop into large enough quantities that they cause intestinal blockage and possible death.

What do they look like? Adult Roundworms look like spaghetti and are visible with the naked eye. Roundworm eggs are only visible under a microscope. If your pet(s) has roundworms you may notice the adult roundworms in the patient's stool or vomit.

How is it Transmitted? Roundworms are transmitted by the mother during pregnancy or through nursing. Roundworms are commonly diagnosed in puppies and kittens. Adult dogs and cats can become contaminated by consuming contaminated soil or ingesting an infected rodent.

Symptoms: Puppies that are diagnosed with roundworms may appear to have a pot-bellied look. All patients diagnosed with roundworms may vomit or have diarrhea containing adult roundworms.

Prevention/Treatment: Deworming medication will eliminate roundworms from your pet, and cleaning the environment of feces will help prevent reoccurance. Giving your dog a monthly dose of Simparica Trio and your cat a monthly dose of Revolution Plus is the best prevention.

Eliminating the Spread: To help eliminate the spread of roundworms to other pet(s) you should clean up after your pet defecates. Clean your pets backside after defecating with a wet paper towel. Practice proper hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water after playing with your pets. Clean your pets bedding frequently and avoid letting your pet lick your face.

Zoonotic: Yes! Roundworms can cause serious illness and blindness (Toxacara Migrans). People can be infected by ingesting contaminated soil located in sandboxes and beaches.

Tapeworms

Where are they located? Tapeworms are found in the small intestines. The adult tapeworm buries their head in the lining of the small intestines and is typically 6 – 12 inches long.

What do they look like? Tapeworms are long, flat and white in color, and when intact they can be relatively long. As they shed segments they appear to look like yellow/gold rice-like objects that can attach to the fur around your pet’s backside. You may also see these segments in your pet’s feces.

How is it Transmitted? The most common way your pet can become infected with a tapeworm is by ingesting a flea while grooming themselves. Tapeworms can also be spread through improperly prepared food.

Symptoms: Tapeworms rarely cause clinical signs, however, they do rob your pet of vital nutrients. Some clinical signs that you may notice are mild upset stomach and scooting.

Prevention/Treatment: Proper flea prevention should be used to help reduce the chances of your pet ingesting a flea. Avoid allowing your pet to hunt small rodents that may be infested with fleas. If your pet has tapeworms your veterinarian will recommend the proper deworming medication to treat your pet.

Zoonotic: Tapeworms are not zoonotic. However, humans can acquire tapeworms in the same fashion that your pets can.

Giardia

Where are they located? Giardia is a microscopic organism found in the small intestines.

What do they look like? Giardia is a single celled parasite only visible under a microscope.

How is it Transmitted? Pets become infected with Giardia by drinking water that is contaminated with the parasite. They may also ingest Giardia while grooming if they have come in contact with fecal material that was contaminated.

Symptoms: Symptoms include loose stools, diarrhea, vomiting and weight loss.

Prevention/Treatment: Medication if given to pets affected with Giardia. Some strains may be resistant to treatment and the patient may need more than one round of medication to clear the infection. Giving your pet fresh clean water and controlling the environment in which they live is the best way to prevent your pet from getting Giardia.

Zoonotic: The chances of humans getting infected with Giardia from their pet is extremely low.

Coccidia

Where are they located? Coccidia are single celled organisms that reproduce in intestinal cells leading to the death of the cell.

What do they look like? Coccidia can only be seen under the microscope and are not visible to the naked eye.

How is it Transmitted? Coccidia is commonly seen in puppies and kittens. Pets become infected with coccidia from other animals by ingesting infected dirt or feces.

Symptoms: Some clinical signs of coccidia are bloody or mucus-based, watery diarrhea. Coccidia can become serious if not properly treated causing death in immunocompromised pets.

Prevention/Treatment: Treatment involves dosing affected animals with medication (Albon, Ponazuril). Keeping infected animals apart is the best prevention.

Zoonotic: Coccidia is not considered zoonotic.

Whipworm

Where are they located? Whipworms live in the cecum and colon of the dog.

What do they look like? Whipworm adults are 2-3 inches in length. The eggs are microscopic and cannot be seen without a microscope. Also, adults do not shed eggs persistently, so multiple fecal analyses may be needed to confirm an infection.

How is it Transmitted? Whipworm eggs are passed in the feces, and under ideal conditions, they can cause whipworm infections after about two to four weeks in the environment. The eggs are ingested (for example, when a dog is grooming itself or eating things off the ground) and hatch in the small intestine. Eventually, the larvae move to the large intestine, taking about 11 weeks to become mature and capable of producing more eggs, which then pass to the environment. The eggs can survive for years in the environment. Whipworms are more common in older dogs than puppies, but they can infect dogs of any age.

Symptoms: In dogs with light infections, there are usually no symptoms. As an infection intensifies, inflammation of the large intestine can result, and any of the following symptoms may appear: Weight loss, Diarrhea, Mucus or blood in the stool,

anemia (pale gums, weakness) can be seen with chronic, heavy infections.

Prevention/Treatment: Deworming medication is used to eliminate whipworm infections. However, some infections are resistant to medication and since the eggs can persist in the environment for years, multiple treatment cycles is common when treating whipworm infections.

Zoonotic: There have been rare and controversial reports of people being infected with canine whipworms. However, animal whipworms are not considered a significant human health risk.

Unlike other parasites, heartworm is spread through mosquitoes. A mosquito will bite another dog (or fox, or coyote etc.), and when it feeds off a dog infected with heartworm, it will spread a microscopic version of a heartworm. Over 6 months, this worm will mature and travel to the right side of your dog’s heart. Untreated, this will cause inflammation, scarring and can lead to pulmonary hypertension and/or right-sided heart failure. Last year alone Gilbertsville Veterinary Hospital diagnosed more than 15 dogs with heartworm disease.

The best way to prevent heartworm disease is to keep your dog on heartworm preventative medication. There are many options available, including an oral chewable (Simparica Trio, Heartgard, Interceptor), a topical (Revolution), or an injection (Proheart). All of them work well, however the most important thing to remember is that mosquitoes can remain in your home during colder months. Therefore keeping your dog on Heartworm prevention year round is vital to prevent them from becoming ill if exposed.

“…if I keep my dog on heartworm prevention every month, why do I need to test them every year?”.

The answer is simple; if for any reason your dog doesn’t receive adequate protection every month (missed a dose by a week, vomits up the prevention, etc.), future doses of prevention do nothing to stop an adult worm from setting up house in the heart. If your dog develops an adult heartworm, prevention is not effective at removing it. Special injections of medication are required to remove the adult worm, and the longer it is present, the higher the risk of complications. Therefore, testing annually will help us potentially detect an adult worm before it leads to chronic changes in the heart and pulmonary artery.

Fleas are a nuisance; they cause itching, skin problems, and can live in your home. However, they can also spread some diseases and are the main source of tapeworms. Unlike cockroaches, fleas cannot live in your home without a host. If you are seeing adult fleas on your pets, it is only a small fraction of the entire flea population. A single flea bath or spray will only work for 24 - 48 hours. At some point, more flea eggs will hatch, producing adults which will lay more eggs.

Therefore the solution to treating and preventing fleas is to use a monthly flea preventative. This will ensure that all young fleas that hatch cannot have a meal or reproduce, stopping their life cycle. For more information on flea infestation, click here.

There are many products available for fleas. We carry prescription medications for dogs (Simparica, Simparica Trio: oral chew, Revolution: Topical) and cats (Revolution Plus).

Unlike fleas, ticks rarely will live in your house. Most of the time cats or dogs will become exposed if they are outdoors. Short brush and high grass are the most common places for ticks to dwell. Unlike fleas, ticks can survive and attach even in the colder months. As we all know, ticks also carry common bacterial infections such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichia and anaplasmosis. Most of these diseases require the tick to be attached for several hours to spread these diseases. By using a monthly preventative the flea will die before it is able to infect your pet. Similar to fleas, we strongly recommend a prescription preventative (Dogs: Simparica, Simparica Trio, Cats: Revolution Plus) over any over the counter remedies. Read More

Microchipping

Thanks to the invention of the implantable microchip, we are now able to provide a permanent identification for most patients. We can perform this in minutes without any need for sedation or general anesthesia. Once it is implanted and registered, the microchip number becomes linked to your personal contact information. Therefore, if your pet ever escapes and ends up at a shelter or veterinary hospital, they can easily be returned home. Depending on your area, the microchip also allows you to obtain a lifetime license for your dog. Gilbertsville Veterinary Hospital uses Home Again microchips for safe and reliable identification. Feel free to contact us at any time with more questions about microchipping your pet. Read More

Surgery

To provide the highest standard in medical care we take every precaution to keep your pet safe and comfortable during surgical procedures. Every procedure performed will receive:

Pre-Anesthetic Bloodwork
IV Catheter and Warm Fluids

Pre-surgical Sedation
Pre-surgical Pain Medication
Heated Surgical Table
Pulse Oximeter Monitoring
Continuous ECG Monitoring
Temperature Reading
Blood Pressure Monitoring
End-Tidal CO2 Monitoring
Dedicated Surgical Technician
Pre-Surgical Examination by Your Veterinarian
Memory Foam Beds for Large Dogs
Pet Beds for Small Dogs and Cats
Separate Wards for Small Dogs, Large Dogs, and Cats

Procedures Performed at GVH

Spay (Ovariohysterectomy) for both Cats and Dogs
Neuter (Castration) for both Cats and Dogs
Laceration Repair
Mass Removals
Cherry Eye Surgery
Cruciate Repairs
Bladder Stone Surgery (Cystotomy)
Splenectomy
Foreign Body Surgery
Entropion Surgery
Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA) for Dogs
Episiotomy
Enucleation
Urinary Obstructions (Blocked Cat)
Aural Hematoma
Cesarian Section
Gastropexy

Radiology uses pictures to see the inside of your pet and allows Veterinarians to diagnose and treat your pet. Here are some of the common reasons that we may need to use radiographs to diagnose your pet:

Limping

Car Accidents
Pets that are having difficulty urinating
Pets that have not defecated
Pets that eat something that they should not have (foreign bodies).
Difficulty breathing

PennHIP

Ask your certified PennHIP veterinarian to test your dog’s susceptibility to hip dysplasia.

Why should I be concerned about Hip Dysplasia?
Hip dysplasia is the most commonly inherited orthopedic disease. It is a malformation of the ball and socket joint of the hip and can lead to arthritis, stiffness, and diminished quality of life. There is no medical or surgical cure for hip dysplasia and affects large breed dogs more severely than smaller breed dogs.

What is PennHIP Certification?
Research studies conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine pioneered a diagnostic method to assess hip laxity – the key factor in the development of canine hip dysplasia. PennHIP screening is a precise method to measure hip laxity. It can identify as early as 16 weeks of age – dogs that are susceptible to developing hip dysplasia.

Veterinarians must complete specialized training and quality-control exercises before becoming certified to perform the PennHIP procedure. Your veterinarians at Gilbertsville Veterinary Hospital have taken the extra steps to offer this procedure to you and your pet.

What is Involved in the PennHIP Procedure?
A veterinarian will complete an office consultation with you and your pet to determine whether the procedure is right for your pet. If your pet is a good candidate you will be scheduled for the procedure on a separate date. Your pet will be admitted to the hospital and will receive general anesthesia and sedation before the radiographs are performed. Three separate radiographs will be taken and submitted to ANTECH Imaging Services for evaluation.

Who Should Consider PennHIP Certification?
Any large breed dog owner should consider PennHIP certification to be more knowledgeable in caring for their pet. Breeders should consider using the PennHIP certification as a tool for informed selection when breeding their pets. Service and working dog organizations should consider asking for PennHIP certification before they invest time and energy that it takes to prepare dogs for service. Read More

Dentistry

Dental care is an important part of your pet’s overall health. Left untreated, dental disease can lead to problems within the mouth such as pain, bad breath, and tooth loss but can also cause disease elsewhere in the body, like the heart and kidneys. While your veterinarian can diagnose and treat these problems, it is preferable to avoid them if possible with a preventative dental procedure.

Schedule Appointment

One of the key components of keeping our pets healthy is providing them with the most appropriate and beneficial nutrition. Many of our pets have been diagnosed with conditions that can benefit from proper nutrition including diabetes and obesity. See a full list of specialized foods that are available for your pet.

Feline Nutrition

Canine Nutrition

Behavior issues are difficult for you and your pet. If you are new to dog or cat ownership you may have a difficult time deciphering if your pet’s behavior is an issue. General anxiety and separation anxiety are common problems in dogs, while inappropriate elimination or inter-cat aggression is more prevalent in cats. Here are a few common behavioral issues that we see in dogs and cats.

Dogs

Excessive barking: speak to your veterinarian about why your pet might be barking so you can determine an action plan. Some dogs bark because they are scared and others bark to alert you that the mail has arrived. Getting to know your dog will help you better understand how to control their barking behavior.
Excessive chewing is a behavioral problem and may be a result of boredom or anxiety. Does your pet have enough to keep them entertained while you are at work? Or is there something going on at your house that could be different? Keep in mind that puppies will inevitably chew and most will grow out of it. Enrolling your puppy into training classes could be the fix to your chewing issues.
Digging: this can be a natural instinct for terrier breeds or can be a more serious symptom of anxiety or fear.
Inappropriate elimination can be a difficult issue and very frustrating for owners. Some dogs urinate when they get excited while others mark their territory.
Chasing/jumping are natural instincts for your dog. Working with a trainer is the best way to combat these issues.
Biting/Aggression can be one of the scariest behavior issues since you or your family can get hurt. Most biting occurs when a dog feels that it is warranted to bite, so they may be fearful, defensive, or painful/sick.

Cats

Scratching is a natural instinct for your cat. They do it when they stretch, play, or to sharpen their claws. Teach your cat where to scratch instead of trying to get them to stop scratching.
Aggression towards other cats can be caused by poor or no socialization. Cats can also have maternal instincts that make them aggressive towards other cats.
Litter box issues can have a plethora of causes, such as a litter box not cleaned to the cat’s satisfaction, or a sign of a urinary tract infection. It is important to talk to your veterinarian if you notice changes in your cat’s eliminations.
Meowing can be done by a cat as a greeting, to get someone’s attention, seeking food, or even to find a mate. If your cat meows a lot you should contact your veterinarian other medical issues may be present causing them to meow more frequently.
Urine marking can happen when a cat is marking their territory. This may occur if there is a change in the household. Intact (not spayed or neutered) cats will almost always mark their territory.

There is never a single easy solution to unwanted behaviors. However, our staff and veterinarians will help you to understand the situation in order to develop a plan to help keep everyone happy. Whether it’s medications, or simply changing your routine at home, our behavior appointments are scheduled with plenty of time to discuss all of your options. Read More

Reptiles, Avian & Pocket Pets

John A. Coniglario, DVM has a special interest in exotic medicine and has spent his entire career treating exotic pets as well as small animals. He has a natural ability to understand and treat the needs of our more unique friends such as reptiles, birds and pocket pets. We offer a variety of services for our exotic friends which include:

Annual Wellness Exams
Illness Exams and Treatments
Husbandry and Environmental Guidance
Nutrition Counseling
Wing Trim
Nail Trim
Beak Trim
Vaccinations