ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture is a key element of traditional Chinese medicine and has been used for thousands of years to treat various conditions in humans as well as animals.  Needles are inserted into specific points on the surface of the body to treat illnesses or produce an analgesic effect. It can be used on its own or in combination with Western medicine.

Conditions that can benefit from acupuncture include osteoarthritis, paralysis or other neurologic symptoms, incontinence or skin problems. It can be used as an alternative or adjunctive treatment for pain management in patients who may not tolerate normal doses of conventional medicines (e.g. patients with kidney insufficiency).

For small animals, the insertion of acupuncture needles is virtually painless. Once the needles are in place, there should be no pain. Most animals become very relaxed and some may even become sleepy. Humans have described feelings such as tingles, cramps, or numbness during acupuncture, which may be uncomfortable for some animals.

Acupuncture will not cure every condition, but can be effective when indicated. If you would like to know if your pet might benefit from acupuncture, please contact us and we can arrange an appointment to discuss in further detail.

CONSULTATIONS

Every consultation gives us a chance to get to know you and your pet just that little bit better. We understand that some pets have some sensitive areas, but we aim to perform a complete physical exam from nose to tail when possible. Using four of our five senses (we try to stay away from tasting), we will do our best to give your pet a clean bill of health, but if not, we hope to have detected any changes early enough and will discuss with you whether we can monitor or initiate treatment.

DENTISTRY

Just like humans, our animal counterparts enjoy looking great with a glistening smile. Brushing their teeth (thumbs up to you if you can do it daily) certainly helps a great deal, but there are times when your pet may need professional dental work. When you notice that their kisses are leaving an unpleasant odour, or if you find yourself cringing when they are breathing on you, we recommend coming in and letting our vets take a better look inside their mouth.

What can you expect from a professional veterinary dental cleaning?

We begin with a conscious oral exam on your pet. We will only advise a dental if it benefits your pet.
Proper dental cleaning requires the pet to undergo general anesthesia. Pre-anaesthetic blood work is always recommended. This allows us to identify any potential problems that we may need to be aware of and to determine if the pet is fit to proceed.

Under anesthesia, we will be able to perform the following:

• A full cleaning under the gum-line where periodontal disease lurks. It would be impossible to clean this area on a conscious dog or cat, but this is where periodontal disease begins with bacteria ‘living’ below the gum tissue.

• Professional scaling and polishing of the crown, or the visible part of your dog or cat’s teeth. Scaling or scraping the tooth is required to remove plaque and calculus build-up on the tooth crown.

• Lastly, the teeth are polished leaving a completely smooth surface of the tooth which discourages plaque and bacteria from adhering to the rough tooth surface.

After recovery, your pet will likely to ready to go home later that day. We will give you a report on any findings and any recommendations for home care. (Credit: The American Veterinary Dental College)

HEALTH CERTIFICATE

Whether you are relocating or just going on holiday, we are able to assist you with necessary documentation and any services that your pet may need before travelling. We aim to make the journey as hassle free as possible.

HOUSECALLS

It is no surprise that some pets prefer the comfort of their own home. We also understand that there are instances where visiting the clinic may not be convenient. We are able to provide limited house-call services to the local neighborhood and slightly beyond to cater to these situations. Services include but are not limited to: Basic consultations, vaccinations, acupuncture and even diagnostic tests such as ultrasonography and blood-sampling. Please contact us for more information; we will always do our best to be of assistance.

IN-HOUSE IMAGING

HKIVC is proud to be equipped with the latest digital-imaging devices, aiding us in reaching diagnoses in an efficient and non-invasive manner allowing us to initiate necessary treatment with minimum delay. Imaging can usually be performed on a conscious pet with minimal restraint.

IN-HOUSE DIAGNOSTICS

*BLOOD DIAGNOSTICS

Sometimes different disease processes may manifest with similar symptoms. We rely on blood samples from your pet to differentiate the possible causes before initiating or changing treatment plans. We can obtain a great deal of information from a small amount of blood. Our machines are also capable of testing for hormone imbalances, viral and parasitic diseases.

Running blood diagnostics does not only have to be done when you pet is feeling unwell. We highly recommend any pet around 6-7 years old to have a full blood profile done as part of a medical database or to monitor for any early signs of disease processes or degeneration.

*IN-HOUSE CYTOLOGY

What is causing my pet to itch? What could this lump be? These are just a couple questions that can be answered with the help of our trusty microscope. We can even share pictures via a tablet that is connected to our microscope.

*URINALYSIS

We may advise a urinalysis in conjunction with a full blood profile for a more complete picture, or sometimes independently to monitor urine concentration or presence of crystals. If you think your pet is drinking a lot of water, we usually advise to start with a urinalysis first. See Dr. Fred’s post on “Is my pet drinking too much water?”

SURGERY

We hold sterility in the highest regard here at HKIVC. To achieve minimal contamination, our operation suite has been divided into separate areas for “clean” surgeries such as neutering or mass removals and “dirty” procedures such as dentals or enemas. We are also equipped with state-of-the-art anesthetic-monitoring equipment to ensure the safety of our patients.

VACCINATIONS

Vaccinations play an essential part of preventative medicine. They are used to protect your pet from several infectious and potentially fatal diseases that are prevalent in Hong Kong. It is a common misconception that pets kept indoors are “risk-free”. While being indoors may lower the possibility of your pet being exposed to pathogens, it does not completely eliminate the risk. Boarding, trips to the groomer or even to vet clinics may expose your pet to potential illness. Pathogens may also be inadvertently picked up and carried home by you or any person or animal if contact was made with a sick animal or contaminated items. Vaccinations also do not eliminate disease. Even if your pet was vaccinated at a young age, the chance of previous exposure means that an illness could be present but latent. Vaccination boosters are useful in minimizing frequency and severity.

VACCINATIONS FOR DOGS:

1. DHPPiL 5IN1 VACCINE - Distemper/Infectious Hepatitis/ Parvovirus/ Parainfluenza/ Leptospirosis

DHPPiL vaccine should be given at the age of 2,3,4 and 12 months old to build up your puppy’s immune system, and then every 3 years for the DHPPi booster; but do remember we highly recommended your pet to have the Leptospirosis component booster yearly as it was a deadly and unfortunately very common disease in Hong Kong.

2. RABIES VACCINE

By law, all dogs above 5 months of age are required to be vaccinated against rabies and licensed with the Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department. License should then be renewed along with a vaccination booster every 3 years. And not to worry, we will take care of the license processing procedure for you in HKIVC.

3. KENNEL COUGH (BORDETELLA) VACCINE

Kennel cough is a very common infectious disease seen in Hong Kong, if medical attention is sought in an early stage, it can usually be fully resolved with treatment. We recommend administering this vaccine at least 14 days prior to an event where your pet may have an increased risk of exposure such as staying in a dog hotel.

VACCINATION FOR CATS:

1. FRCP 3IN1 VACCINE - Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis/ Calicivirus/ Panleukopenia

FRCP vaccine should be given at age 2, 3, 4 and 12 months old to build up your kitten’s immune system, and then every 3 years for protection maintenance.

2. RABIES VACCINE

Not required for cats in Hong Kong, but some countries may require vaccination and a rabies serology test before allowing entry.

If you have any questions about vaccinating your pets, please feel free to drop by and speak to one of our nurses or contact us via phone/email.
Remember, prevention is always better than cure!