Our anesthetic patients are monitored closely throughout their procedure and recovery by a designated doctor and technician.  We use the anesthetic gas called sevoflurane which is the safest in the industry.  Sevoflurane is rapidly eliminated from the system so your pet wakes up faster and more smoothly. 

A vital signs monitor allows us to monitor heart rate, blood pressure, oxygenation, EKG and core body temperature. 

Since a patients temperature drops during anesthesia, they are kept warm via a heated surgical table or a RICA pad.  Except for very short procedures, anesthetic patients receive an IV catheter in their front leg to keep them hydrated during and after their procedure.

Dental care is extremely important to your pet’s health.  With regular exams and dental check-ups you can help protect your pet from dental disease which canl cause loose teeth and chronic pain. Dental patients are anesthetized and their teeth cleaned with an ultrasonic scaler and then polished.  Patients have a full oral exam to identify any loose or diseased teeth or gums that need treatment.  Dental X-Rays can be taken with our state of the art digital X-Ray machine to evaluate broken or diseased teeth and oral tumors.  We ask for your permission prior to the procedure to remove any loose or diseased teeth and will contact you by phone if there are any unexpected findings.

Our hospital has in house Heska machines to evaluate blood chemistries, blood gases, and complete blood counts on sick or pre-anesthetic patients.  Our staff may ask you to bring a stool sample which will be tested for intestinal parasites. If you report any urinary symptoms, we will collect a urine sample for analysis.  Heartworm and tick testing are routinely performed in house at the time of your pets’ annual exam.

Our hospital has a state of the art digital x-ray that allows us to evaluate internal problems as well as to email films to a specialist or referral facility.  Most abdominal and chest x-rays are done on the awake patient. Patients are usually sedated for orthopedic x-rays because movement will disturb the finer detail required. 

Dr. Ransom performs routine spays and neuters in addition to gastrointestinal surgeries (i.e. intestinal foreign body, gastric dilatation and volvulus "GDV"), cystotomies (bladder surgery), mass removals, and other soft tissue procedures.We have a visiting orthopedic specialist who is called in for orthopedic surgeries or your pet will be referred out to a specialty center.
 

Our isolation ward is another service that separates us from the rest.  Some facilities have a separate room they use as an isolation room but is it truly isolated? We have a true isolation ward for patients with infectious diseases.   Our isolation ward has it’s own dedicated entrance from the outside along with its own HVAC system. Our patients receive individual care without compromising the health of other hospitalized animals.

Dr. Ransom is certified by the USDA to provide your pet with an international health certificate for travel.  Every countries list of requirements is different, so please notify us as soon as you are aware of an upcoming trip so that we can help guide you through this sometimes tedious process. You can also check the USDA aphis site for more information.
 

Some illnesses require your pet to stay at the hospital for further evaluation, fluid therapy, metabolic stabilization, wound treatment, or other procedures that require veterinary supervision. Our hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and patient monitoring equipment necessary to handle the most critical patient. During the hospitalization period, the doctors will update you daily with your pet's progress. At Wachusett Animal Hospital we are dedicated to providing and maintaining a safe and comfortable environment for your beloved friend so they can concentrate on getting better.

Intestinal parasites are common in both cats and dogs.  They are commonly seen in puppies and kittens since several species can be transmitted through the placenta and milk.  Parasites do not shed eggs in every stool, so for this reason, your puppy or kitten may receive a dewormer at its first visit even if the fecal sample is negative.  Many outdoor cats are hunters and can get intestinal parasites (worms) by eating rodents.  Many adult dogs get intestinal parasites from eating carcasses or other animal stools outdoors.  It is also common for cats and dogs to get tapeworms when they have fleas.  Fleas are ingested during routine grooming and can contain a developing tapeworm.  We recommend year round intestinal parasite control for all dogs and outdoor cats.  Our staff can make a product recommendation for you based on your pets' needs.

Ticks are most often found around your dog’s neck, in the ears, in the folds between the legs and the body, and between the toes, but they can be found anywhere on the body and are usually easily seen or felt. Cats may have ticks on their neck or face. Tick bites can cause skin irritation and heavy infestations can cause anemia in pets. An adult female tick can ingest up to 100 times her weight in blood! Ticks are also capable of spreading serious infectious diseases such as Lyme disease.

In Massachusetts, flea and tick season usually starts in March when the snow melts.  Occasionally if the weather is mild in the winter, we may see ticks even in January or February.  We recommend that all dogs and outdoor cats be treated with a "spot-on" flea/tick prevention from March through December.  Our staff can make a product recommendation based on your pets' needs.