Primary Care

Primary care services performed at our hospitals are the basic services every pet needs. These services include spays and neuters, health exams, laboratory and pharmacy services, and dental care. Please click on any of the subheadings listed below to learn more about all of the primary care services we offer your pets.

Available Services
  • Pets can suffer from allergies to elements in the environment around them, as well as certain ingredients in their foods, just like people can ... Read more

  • Anesthesia indicates the use of medication to block sensation, typically resulting in unconsciousness Anesthesia is induced using a variety of medications, both injectable and inhaled ... Read more

  • VCA Park Cities

    Dogs and cats don't often get cavities But they do frequently suffer from other types of dental disease Periodontal or gum disease, in fact, is the number one illness found in both dogs and cats... Read more

  • Our hospital offers Dental Radiographs (X-Rays) as part of our extensive Dentistry Services. In the course of dental treatment, specially designed dental radiology equipment allows your veterinarian to view structures that lie below the gum line. The location of tooth root infections, the extent of periodontal bone loss and the identification of bone cysts and tumors can be identified using dental x-rays.... Read more

  • While your general practitioner veterinarian can perform routine teeth cleanings and dental examinations, certain problems require the care of a doctor who has had specialized training in veterinary dentistry in order to provide the very best outcome for your pet. Your veterinary dental specialist will work closely with your general practitioner veterinarian to resolve your pet's dental problem.

    Our hospital offers a wide variety of Dentistry Services.... Read more

  • If you have ever wanted to know the exact DNA makeup of your mixed breed dog? We can help! The procedure is very simple, and only requires a small blood sample to be drawn from your dog by one of our veterinary technicians. This sample is then sent off to an outside laboratory where a complete analysis will reveal your pet’s heritage. Results are usually available within 3 to 4 weeks.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers thorough Ear Exams as one of our many extensive Dermatology Services. Conditions of the ears can be extremely uncomfortable and even painful. Symptoms like head shaking, scratching and pawing at the ears, rubbing the ears on the floor or furniture, whining, and abnormal odors are common.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers emergency care. If you suspect your pet may be having a medical crisis, err on the side of caution and seek medical attention immediately. Our experienced team of veterinarians, technicians and assistants are here to assist your pet when it is needed most.... Read more

  • Our staff will help you cope with euthanasia and end of life decisions. Unfortunately, there comes a time in the life of all pets when the possibility of a recovery to a comfortable existence is highly unlikely. Caretakers of an animal must at this time consider all possibilities to relieve the pet's suffering.... Read more

  • Our Hospital is proud to offer our clients a complete diagnostic laboratory. Our in clinic laboratory machines can perform complete blood cell counts, complete chemistry panels, including liver, kidney, and pancreatic enzyme function tests, glucose, and electrolytes. We also have a refractometer, the piece of equipment required to measure total solids in blood serum and specific gravity in urine, a microscope to examine ear and skin cytology, and centrifuges to prepare blood samples and measure packed cell volumes, a means of assessing anemia.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers many General Surgery Services that include a variety of common and elective procedures performed under general anesthesia.

    Examples of common surgeries include: spay (ovariohysterectomy), neuter (castration), lump removal and biopsy, laceration repair, abscess and wound repair, exploratory surgery, removal of gastrointestinal foreign bodies, enucleation (eye removal), cystotomy (removal of bladder stones), and skin biopsy.

    As these procedures usually require general anesthesia, please refer to our Anesthesia Services for a detailed description of our offerings.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers Geriatric (Senior Wellness) Medicine Services for your older pet.

    When your pet reaches his or her "golden years" they require special care and your veterinarian will recommend certain screening tests. The tests enable your veterinarian to provide an early diagnosis for some of the common diseases that affect older pets, so that they can manage those diseases more effectively.... Read more

  • There are two types of health certificates available, one which approves pets for travel within the continental United States, and another which approves them for international travel.

    Acquiring a health certificate will require you to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Your pet will receive an overall exam during which the doctor will be able to certify that your pet is healthy and safe for travel.... Read more

  • Wellness Exams not only help flag any potential problems with your pet's health, but they are also important in creating an overall medical history for your pet. By meeting regularly with your pet, your veterinarian is able to become better acquainted with his or her personal history, and is able to offer more personalized care.

    For pets who are 6 years and younger, Wellness Exams are recommended at least once a year.... Read more

  • VCA Park Cities believes that a pet’s life can continue for as long as there is good quality of life for both the pet and his or her human family. Therefore a terminal diagnosis does not have to signify the immediate end of a beloved pet’s life, but rather a period of time to say goodbye and a time to prepare for life without one’s beloved pet.

    The hospice movement originated in England in the 1960’s during a time of rapid medical advances and aggressive treatment of terminal illnesses.... Read more

  • We believe that pets function best at home rather than in the hospital, so we generally prefer to keep hospitalizations to a minimum. However, it does sometimes become necessary for an animal to be hospitalized in order to treat certain conditions that cannot be effectively treated at home.

    Our Basic Hospitalization Services involve admitting your pet into the hospital for monitoring or necessary medical care.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers house call services.

    Your veterinarian, and often times a technician or assistant, can travel to your home or your pet's location in order to best facilitate its medical care. This is particularly useful for pets that do not travel well, have anxiety disorders, have a chronic disease, or for owners with transportation difficulties.... Read more

  • Our hospital is equipped with an In-House Laboratory that enables our veterinarians to quickly perform diagnostic tests on a variety of body fluids (ear swabs, blood, urine, etc) and other samples (feces, etc. ) to achieve an accurate and rapid diagnosis.

    This is especially important in very ill animals and those requiring immediate or emergency treatment.... Read more

  • For your convenience, our hospital has an in-house pharmacy, enabling you to pick up your pet's medications at the time of your visit.

    While no hospital carries every medication, we keep the most commonly prescribed medications in stock. If your pet requires a medication that we do not carry, call ahead and we may be able to order it for you.... Read more

  • Our hospital features a dedicated surgical suite.

    Surgical suites are rooms designated for use during surgery only. These rooms are kept as clean as possible to minimize bacteria and other infectious organisms that would be capable of contaminating a surgical wound.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for treating your pet during times of critical need. ICU's are most often found at specialty hospitals with 24-hour care.

    Pets requiring ICU are often very ill and require specialized nursing staff and veterinarians to pull them through a crisis.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers a variety of Internal Medicine Services.

    Internal Medicine is the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis, management and nonsurgical treatment of disease affecting the lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, spleen, intestinal tract, urinary tract, endocrine system and neuromuscular systems. Management of these conditions is typically done with diet, exercise and medications.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers oxygen therapy for the treatment of many acute cardiac, respiratory and blood disorders. Oxygen may be provided to patients by a nasal catheter (cannula), oxygen cage, hood or mask. Close veterinary monitoring of these patients is required to maintain oxygen flow, avoid potential complications of oxygen usage and to insure that expected therapeutic goals are being met.... Read more

  • Keeping your pet pain-free is crucial to maintaining his or her quality of life. Our veterinarians use a multi-modal approach to pain management that includes anti-inflammatories, opioid drugs, local anesthetics, general anesthetics, and even epidural anesthesia to effectively combat pain at all levels. Some of our veterinarians even offer alternative services such as acupuncture or chiropractics for additional pain relief options.... Read more

  • Our veterinarians offer periodontic techniques to help slow periodontal disease and tooth loss.

    Periodontal disease is a major cause of tooth loss in dogs and cats. Periodontics involves the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the tissues that surround the teeth.... Read more

  • It is our experience that individuals and families experience a wide range of feelings and concerns in relation to their pets. We have found that common concerns include: new pet owners, pets with behavioral problems, family/pet dynamics causing friction within a family, and chronic illness.

    Our professional social worker can, upon request, provide counseling on an individual or family basis.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers routine radiology services. Radiology is the study and science of x-rays.

    X-rays are used to help your veterinarian diagnose a problem or a disease in your pet.... Read more

  • In our continuing efforts to offer the highest quality veterinary medicine, we are pleased to provide a wide range of surgical services for our patients. From routine surgical procedures, such as spaying and neutering, to more complex surgeries, we look forward to the opportunity to care for your pet’s surgical needs.

    Our staff is highly skilled in performing veterinary surgeries and will make every effort to ensure that your pet receives the very best care.... Read more

  • Our hospital offers a variety of anesthesia services for your pet. The term anesthesia indicates the use of medication to block sensation, typically resulting in unconsciousness.

    Anesthesia is induced using a variety of medications, both injectable and inhaled.... Read more

  • Our hospital routinely performs spays and neuters, the surgical sterilization of female and male dogs and cats.

    Spaying involves removal of the uterus and ovaries of female dogs and cats and is called ovariohysterectomy. Neutering involves removal of the testicles of male dogs and cats and is called castration.... Read more