Additional Pet Services

At Serrano Animal Hospital, we are grateful to have Dr. Krause who is Board Certified in Feline Medicine (and previously cohabitating with 6 cats!). She is well-versed in feline behavior, including the following:

• Housesoiling Inter-cat aggression
• Housesoiling
• Inter-cat aggression

Just like any member of our family, we never want to see our pets suffer. We can examine your pet to help you understand your options, and when all other options have been explored and the decision is made to say goodbye, we’ll do our best to make the process as stress-free as possible – for both you and your pet.

We work closely with at-home euthanasia services in the area. Our team will refer you to a trusted service that will meet your pets’ needs. It is important that you and your pet are in a comfortable, private environment of your choosing. Euthanasia is a service that is available in your home, or in a location of your choosing. Sedation will be administered prior to performing the euthanasia so that your pet is at ease and free of fear. We can discuss pet cremation services and other available options.

The decision to euthanize is difficult – even if it is a gift of love to let your pet go with peace and dignity. We are here to help you through this transition, and make the process easier for you.

Our experienced team of veterinarians and veterinary technicians provides many services at our clinic, ranging from routine to advanced procedures. Although we handle the majority of your pet’s medical and surgical needs in-house, we occasionally refer patients to veterinary specialists or specialty clinics when advanced training or equipment will be beneficial.

Board-certified specialists, such as oncologists, ophthalmologists, and neurologists, have extensive experience and training in a particular area of veterinary medicine or surgery. Specialty clinics and university-affiliated referral centers have specialized equipment to perform procedures that are not routinely performed by general veterinary practitioners.

We make referral decisions because we want to ensure that our patients receive the highest standard of care and best possible outcome. Be assured that when we refer a patient to another hospital, we continue to stay involved with his or her care, consulting with the treating specialist and often providing any needed follow-up care and rehabilitation.

Like us, animals such as dogs, cats, ferrets, and rabbits can get cancer. Fortunately, however, some forms of cancer are curable. In addition, recent advancements in cancer treatment can dramatically extend the lives of many dogs and cats. Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery may be used to stop the spread of cancer and remove or destroy cancer cells and tumors.

You can help prevent some forms of cancer by having your pet spayed or neutered at an early age, but most cancers cannot be prevented. This is why early detection is one of our best weapons against this disease.

Regular veterinary visits can help us keep track of what is normal for your pet, as well as detect anything suspicious. However, because we typically only see your dog or cat once or twice a year, we also rely on your knowledge of your pet to catch any potential issues early. Contact us right away if you notice any changes in your pet’s physical appearance or behavior (such as lumps or bumps, sores that don’t heal, vomiting, diarrhea, or changes in eating habits).

Has your pet been diagnosed with a condition that you are unfamiliar with? Are you interested in learning more about how a particular drug works? Would you like more information or advice on behavior, nutrition, or administering medications? We are always here to discuss these topics and more, but sometimes you may want to investigate or explore on your own, which is why we provide an extensive collection of pet health information.

Considering the wide availability of information on the Internet, it can be difficult to differentiate between what’s trustworthy and what’s not. The Pet Health section of our website contains accurate, current, and reliable information on a wide variety of topics. Feel free to search through our articles, educational programs, tips, and videos, and contact us with any questions you might have.

Whether you’re looking for more information on selecting the right pet, improving your pet’s behavior, or helping children through the loss of a pet, you can find answers here. Feel free to browse our collection of books and videos on pet health and pet care issues. You can also watch videos in our client education room. Please ask us if you have any questions or concerns about the information you find.

Losing a pet can be extremely upsetting, sometimes even more so than you might expect. We have such a close bond with our pets, so letting go is never easy and is often filled with pain, sadness, depression—even anger. Our team understands these feelings, as many of us have also lost pets of our own. The emotions we go through are real and nothing to be ashamed of.

Whether your loss is recent or you’ve been grieving for weeks, we are here to help you through this sad transition. We can also help your children understand and cope with their feelings. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

If you’re concerned about or bothered by an aspect of your pet’s behavior, we can help. Our expert can work with you and your pet to stop or change the behavior. Many aggressive, fearful, or inappropriate behaviors in dogs and cats can be modified through a combination of desensitization and counter-conditioning. These techniques can have dramatic results when applied properly. In some cases, medication can also help. Contact us for an appointment if you’d like to consult with our expert.

Imagine if your dog or cat got lost. You’d want to give him or her the best chance of getting home. With microchipping, you can.

Microchipping is a safe, permanent way to identify your pet in case he or she becomes lost. A microchip, which is a tiny device about the size and shape of a grain of rice, is placed just under the loose skin at the back of the neck. When a lost dog or cat without an ID tag is found, a veterinarian or veterinary technician will use a handheld microchip scanner to check for a chip. If the pet has one, it will transmit its ID number to the scanner via a low-frequency radio wave. The veterinary hospital or shelter then calls the chip manufacturer, retrieves the pet owner’s contact information, and calls the owner.

Even the most responsible pet owners can’t always guarantee their pet won’t get lost. A leash could break or slip out of your hand, a pet could push through a screen door or window, or a contractor or friend might accidentally leave a door or gate open.

We recommend that you use a microchip, along with a collar and ID tag, to identify your pet. An ID tag is still a reliable identification method. Pets that have tags with current contact information are more likely to not end up in shelters and tend to get home faster than those without tags. However, collars and ID tags aren’t permanent and can be removed (overnight or for grooming); pets can also lose them. With a microchip, your pet will have a much better chance of being identified and returned to you. Pets without microchips that end up in shelters may be adopted out to another family or even euthanized.

Please contact us to schedule an appointment to microchip your pet. Although we hope your pet never becomes lost, we want you to be prepared. We can also suggest a plan to have in place so if your pet does go missing, you’ll be able to act quickly.

We can microchip ferrets, rabbits, birds, and other companion animals, too!

Ease your concerns about leaving your pet behind while you’re away: Let our qualified staff take care of him or her. We will provide your dog or cat with a safe, comfortable, “home away from home” atmosphere. We are happy to accommodate any special care or needs your pet might have. Just let us know when you make the reservation.

We provide amenities such as clean bedding and food and water bowls, but feel free to bring your own if you’d prefer. Toys and other personal items that are washable are welcome. We will administer any needed medication and follow your specified feeding regimen. (Alternately, we can provide a high-quality diet and treats for no extra charge, although eating their own food tends to agree better with most boarded pets.) We can also provide grooming services before you pick up your pet.

Veterinary technicians regularly check on the pets, and our kennel staff monitor the boarding area. You have the added benefit of knowing that one of our clinicians will promptly begin treatment if your pet gets sick during his or her stay. In addition, we can arrange for one of our veterinary team members to provide overnight monitoring for senior pets or those with certain health issues.

To keep all our patients as healthy as possible, we require pets that are boarding with us to have current rabies and distemper vaccinations, along with other species-specific vaccinations. We also require that most vaccinations be given at least two weeks before boarding. Please call us for more information.

Schedule your boarding reservation today! For a tour of our boarding facilities, please give us a call to schedule a tour.