Specialty Services
Our specialty teams are available for appointments to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions.
Anesthesiology
Additionally, we partner with Peak Anesthesia for high risk patients that would benefit from the care of specialty trained veterinary technicians. To read more about Peak, visit their website.
Anesthesia Services
Blood oxygen levels can be measured using a non-invasive technique called pulse oximetry. This involves placing a device on the tongue that uses light to sense oxygen levels through the tissue. Blood oxygen can also be assessed by taking a blood sample from an artery and assessing the oxygen levels directly.
An electrocardiogram monitors the electrical function of the heart. With this tool, our veterinary technicians will ensure that your pet has an appropriate heart rate and rhythm throughout their procedure.
Our hospital is fully staffed with registered veterinary technicians. While your pet is under anesthesia, they will have a dedicated technician to monitor their vital signs and make adjustments to their protocol as needed.
Maintaining appropriate blood pressure during anesthesia is important to ensure that all of the organs are getting blood flow. Your pet will be monitored throughout their procedure with indirect measurements of blood pressure using a cuff on a limb, or potentially a direct measurement of blood pressure using a catheter in an artery.
End-tidal capnography is a tool that monitors the amount of carbon dioxide exhaled with each breath. This is used to assess airway and lung integrity, confirm the endotracheal tube is placed correctly, monitor for intraoperative complications, and ensure that proper gas exchange is happening in the body.
Local anesthesia is a technique used to numb specific areas that are expedited to be painful during a procedure. Common usages are on skin, specific nerve blocks, or epidurals. This ensures that your pet feels as little pain as possible and allows for lower doses of injectable and inhaled anesthetic agents to be used.
Our veterinary staff is trained to design anesthetic with a multimodal approach. This involves choosing a combination of injectable and inhaled drugs with different effects on the body. When used together, these drugs result in sedation, induction of anesthesia, and/or pain management. A combination of drugs allows for the lowest dose of each drug to be used to keep pets safe.
Through attentive monitoring during anesthesia and the postoperative period, our veterinary staff is trained to detect signs of pain and advocate for our patients to ensure they are comfortable.
Many anesthetic agents decrease the automatic drive to breathe. Positive pressure ventilation is used to mechanically provide a breath for your pet to ensure that they are receiving enough oxygen.
Prior to anesthesia, your pet will be evaluated using physical examination, baseline blood testing and x-rays. This ensures that they are safe to undergo anesthesia or guides modifications that need to be made to keep them safe.
During your pet’s procedure, our veterinary staff will keep meticulous records of what drugs were used, what doses were used, and how their body responded to those drugs. Keeping record of how each individual responds to certain drugs will make each anesthetic event more individualized should additional procedures be needed in the future.
Reliable Communication
You will have access to the Specialty teams during normal business hours for follow-up questions or concerns via phone, e- mail, or in person appointments.
The Specialty teams will have direct communication with your primary care veterinarian to maintain a collaborative approach to your pets’ medical care. If you or your primary care veterinarian have any questions regarding any diagnostics or procedures, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions.
Our Emergency team is available 24-7 for urgent attention that cannot wait.
Cardiology
Cardiology is a subspecialty of Internal medicine that focuses exclusively on the structure and function of the heart and cardiovascular system. Your primary care veterinarian may encourage a referral to our Cardiology department for evaluation of a heart murmur, a heart arrhythmia, or symptoms that could be indicative of underlying heart disease such as exercise intolerance, coughing, labored breathing, fainting episodes, or fluid build up in the lungs, chest, or abdomen.
The Cardiology team at North Springs Veterinary Referral Center will provide gold standard, compassionate care to your pet to keep them feeling their best!
Common Conditions Treated by a Cardiologist
- Arterial Thromboemboli
- Cardiac Tumors
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Endocarditis
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Arrhythmias
- Cardiomyopathies
- Dietary DCM
- Myxomatous Valve Disease
Request Consult
During your appointment with the Cardiologist, you will have the opportunity to watch and be involved in the physical exam and diagnostic tests performed on your pet. The Cardiologist will go over the results and a treatment plan with you directly at the time of the appointment. If there are tests that are sent out or take time to receive the results, you will be called at a later date by the Cardiologist or an experienced Cardiology Technician.
Cardiology Services
These procedures involve using a needle or catheter to remove free fluid from within the abdomen (abdominocentesis) or chest (thoracocentesis). Accumulation of fluid in the body cavities can occur with certain types of congestive heart failure and causes discomfort and difficulty breathing.
Some complex cardiac diseases cannot be definitively diagnosed with echocardiography alone. This test involves agitating sterile saline and injecting it into a vein while watching with the ultrasound. By visualizing the path that the saline takes within the heart and vessels, the Cardiology team can make a more targeted diagnosis and treatment plan.
Many blood tests are available for the diagnosis and monitoring of cardiac disease. These tests will be discussed at the time of your appointment and can be performed with our Cardiology team.
Many cardiac diseases can be life threatening and need urgent attention. Our Emergency team is available for your urgent cardiac needs 24-7. Our Cardiologist will be actively involved in the care of your pet during their stay in the hospital with us. They will receive gold standard medical care and monitoring with wireless continuous electrocardiogram monitoring (telemetry), oxygen support with temperature and humidity-controlled kennels, and 24-7 nursing care
This is an ultrasound of the heart that allows the Cardiologist to visualize your pet’s heart structure and function while it beats. It aids in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of many heart conditions.
This is a non-invasive method used to detect abnormal electrical activity of the heart (arrhythmia) that may be present. Arrhythmia may not always result in symptoms at home or be detected on a routine physical exam.
Holter monitors are wearable devices that may be placed on your pet to evaluate for the presence of intermittent arrhythmia or to monitor the success of treatment of an arrhythmia. The device requires small patches of hair to be shaved from your pet’s chest where electrode stickers are placed. The electrodes are connected to a monitoring pack that is secured with a vest. Typically, the monitor is worn for 24 hours.
These appointments are for pets that are healthy with no known heart murmur, arrhythmia, or heart disease for the purpose of being screened prior to breeding or getting cardiac clearance with OFA
Most cardiac diseases require follow-up tests over time to adequately control symptoms and extend their quality of life. Our experienced cardiac technicians are here for your routine blood work visits, Holter monitor placements, electrocardiogram monitoring, blood pressure measurements and much more. These visits are reserved for pets that have already met with the Cardiologist for an initial consultation, and are feeling well but are coming in for routine testing and monitoring.
Catheter based surgical procedures are used for treatment of common congenital heart diseases such as a patent ductus arteriosus, and pulmonic stenosis, as well as pacemaker implantation, and heartworm removal.
Reliable Communication
You will have access to the Specialty teams during normal business hours for follow-up questions or concerns via phone, e- mail, or in person appointments.
The Specialty teams will have direct communication with your primary care veterinarian to maintain a collaborative approach to your pets’ medical care. If you or your primary care veterinarian have any questions regarding any diagnostics or procedures, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions.
Our Emergency team is available 24-7 for urgent attention that cannot wait.
Diagnostic Imaging and In-House Laboratory
Diagnostic testing is the foundation of practicing medicine. Through diagnostic imaging, labwork evaluation, and tissue sampling, our veterinarians are able to accurately diagnose, treat, and monitor your pet’s illness.
During your appointment, the Diagnostic team will start by obtaining a complete medical history and performing a thorough physical examination on your pet. This will allow for comprehensive diagnostic test recommendations and personalized treatment plans to help your pet feel their best.
The Diagnostic Imaging and Laboratory teams at North Springs Veterinary Referral Center are working hard behind the scenes every day to assist the veterinarians in performing and interpreting important diagnostic tests.
Diagnostic Services
Giardia, parvovirus, tick borne disease, heartworm disease, FeLV/FIV, NT-pro BNP, blood glucose, lactate, and many more rapid SNAP tests
The hospital is equipped with state of the art digital radiography and ultrasonography machines. A board-certified Radiologist is available for outpatient ultrasound appointments and evaluation of hospitalized patients. Image interpretation performed by an in-house board-certified Radiologist or after hours tele-radiology. Endoscopy/Bronchoscopy are procedures performed with a specialized camera designed to enter your pets body through natural openings. This will allow visualization and sampling of tissue, as well as foreign material retrieval from the upper gastrointestinal tract. Emergency focused and point of care ultrasounds for rapid disease diagnosis.
This is a handheld, bedside blood analysis machine that accurately evaluates chemistry, hematology, acid-base, blood gas, and electrolytes in less than one minute
Top of the line analysis systems that perform common blood testing such as complete blood counts and chemistry panels, as well as urinalysis, fecal testing, blood smears, fluid analysis, cytologic/aspiration evaluation, and advanced blood testing.
A CT scan is used when more advanced imaging is required to diagnose and/or treat your pets illness. It uses x-rays beams in multiple planes to create a detailed image of your pets body. This requires heavy sedation or general anesthesia.
Fluoroscopy uses x-ray technology to capture moving tissues in the body in real time. This technology can be used for the diagnosis of certain disease states as well as in surgery to aid in treating a variety of orthopedic, soft tissue, and cardiac diseases.
This is the use of a specialized camera inserted into the urinary system to identify and treat complex urinary tract diseases.
Reliable Communication
You will have access to the Specialty teams during normal business hours for follow-up questions or concerns via phone, e- mail, or in person appointments.
The Specialty teams will have direct communication with your primary care veterinarian to maintain a collaborative approach to your pets’ medical care. If you or your primary care veterinarian have any questions regarding any diagnostics or procedures, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions.
Our Emergency team is available 24-7 for urgent attention that cannot wait.
Exotics
Coming Soon!
Internal Medicine
Internal Medicine is an extensive and comprehensive specialty, covering a wide range of disease processes that require long term treatment. Your Primary care veterinarian may encourage a referral to our Internal Medicine department if conventional diagnostic tests are inconclusive or if your pet is not responding as expected to appropriate treatment.
The Internal Medicine team at North Springs Veterinary Referral Center is committed to enhancing your pet’s quality of life by utilizing a collaborative approach, cutting-edge techniques, and compassionate care.
Common Conditions Treated by a Internist
- Endocrine Disease
- Hematologic Disorders
- Kidney Diseases
- Respiratory Disease
- Gastrointestinal Disease
- Immune-Mediated Disease
- Pulmonary Hypertension
Request Consultation
During your appointment, the Internal medicine team will start by obtaining a complete medical history and performing a thorough physical examination on your pet. This will allow for comprehensive diagnostic test recommendations and personalized treatment plans to help your pet feel their best.
Internal Medicine Services
Sampling the airway involves depositing sterile fluid into the airways then collecting it to analyze what cell types and infectious agents may be present.
Joint pain/swelling can happen for a number of reasons in pets. This procedure involves sampling of fluid from one or more joints and analyzing it to better understand why your pet has joint pain/swelling.
This is a separation of whole blood into its individual components that are given to your pet from a donor animal to optimize individual therapeutic success based on their disease process.
Blood cell disorders can occur due to a lack of production, over production or destruction by the bone marrow. Bone marrow aspirates and biopsies can better characterize the cause of the blood cell disorder.
Performed when your pet has disease of the airways.
Performed when your pet has disease of the colon.
X-rays performed on various regions of the body depending on your pet’s symptoms can broadly identify the diseased area and help guide additional tests that need to be performed to diagnose your pet’s disease and target therapy.
This procedure may be performed when there is a narrowing of the esophagus inhibiting passage of food and water into the stomach.
Many pets that are ill either cannot, or will not eat. The placement of feeding tubes with individual nutritional plans will help them recover from their illness as fast as possible and will provide the ability to administer medications easily at home.
Let’s face it, animals eat dumb stuff sometimes. If the inappropriate item remains within the esophagus or stomach, it may be able to be removed using an endoscopic technique to avoid surgery.
These procedures involve using a needle or catheter to remove free fluid from within the abdomen (abdominocentesis) or chest (thoracocentesis). Accumulation of fluid in the body cavities can occur for a variety of reasons.
Performed when your pet has disease of the nasal passages.
Our Internal Medicine team has extensive training performing and interpreting specialized blood work that may not be available at all primary care veterinary offices. These tests are helpful in evaluating the nuances of each condition and individual pet to elevate the level of care that can be provided.
Ultrasound waves are used to non-invasively image the abdominal and thoracic cavities for signs of diseased tissue that may be causing your pet’s symptoms. This test provides greater detail compared to x-rays. This procedure can typically be performed without sedation; occasionally, light sedation is necessary.
This technique involves using ultrasound to guide sampling of diseased tissue to evaluate it under a microscope.
Performed when your pet has disease of the esophagus, stomach and small intestines.
Performed when your pet has disease of the urinary bladder or urethra.
A CT scan is used when more advanced imaging is required to diagnose and/or treat your pets illness. It uses x-rays beams in multiple planes to create a detailed image of your pets body. This requires heavy sedation or general anesthesia.
I-131 Therapy is performed in cats with hyperthyroidism (overproduction of thyroid hormone). It is intended to be a permanent treatment for hyperthyroidism without the use of long term oral medications and is effective in 95% of cases. The treatment involves injection of a radioactive isotope that specifically targets overactive thyroid tissue and eliminates it thus returning your cat’s thyroid hormone level back to normal.
Reliable Communication
You will have access to the Specialty teams during normal business hours for follow-up questions or concerns via phone, e- mail, or in person appointments.
The Specialty teams will have direct communication with your primary care veterinarian to maintain a collaborative approach to your pets’ medical care. If you or your primary care veterinarian have any questions regarding any diagnostics or procedures, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions.
Our Emergency team is available 24-7 for urgent attention that cannot wait.
Rehabilitation
Physical rehabilitation utilizes human physical therapy techniques and adapts them to improve the quality of life for our pets. The numerous benefits of physical rehabilitation include increasing muscle strength, reducing joint pain, strengthening tendons and ligaments, increasing mobility, speeding recovery from orthopedic injury and surgery, fighting obesity, promoting wound healing, and slowing deterioration in chronic age related degenerative orthopedic and neurologic diseases.
The Physical Rehabilitation team at North Springs Veterinary Referral Center is dedicated to working with you and your pet to develop an individualized rehabilitation plan to keep them moving with ease.
Common Conditions Treated by a Rehabilitation Specialist
- Arthritis
- Muscle Loss
- Neurological Degenerative Disorders
- Post Operative Recovery
- Wounds
- Intervertebral Disc Disease
- Nerve Pain
- Obesity
- Soft Tissue Injuries
Request Consultation
During your appointment, the Physical Rehabilitation team will start by obtaining a complete medical history and performing a thorough physical examination on your pet. This will allow for comprehensive and personalized treatment plans to help your pet feel their best.
Rehabilitation Services
Veterinary acupuncture involves the insertion of small needles into specific areas of the body to improve blood flow, reduce trigger points (knots of the muscle), and to help the body to release pain relieving substances.
Assistive devices may be customized or fitted devices designed to improve an individual’s function. They consist of braces, splints, orthotics, prosthetics, harnesses, and wheelchairs.
Electrotherapy uses electricity to target individual muscle groups to improve muscle strength or endurance. TENS unit therapy can also be utilized to provide pain control.
The Rehabilitation team will take time every day to provide care to hospitalized patients to help them stay comfortable and recover faster to get home to you as soon as possible.
Laser therapy uses a specific wavelength of light to penetrate through the skin with little heating effects. The light is absorbed by a structure in the cells of the body and converted to additional energy. These changes improve all phases of healing and help relieve pain.
Manual therapy utilizes many hands-on techniques to decrease pain, decrease spasm, improve relaxation, and increase range of motion.
During each appointment stance analysis will be used to detect problematic weight shifting patterns (lameness). This technology also allows our team to monitor your pet’s rehabilitation progress and guide our treatment recommendations.
Therapeutic exercise is a specific program of exercises selected for your individual pet to promote recovery, improve quality of movement, enhance performance, and to improve quality of life.
Therapeutic ultrasound utilizes sound waves to gently heat the tissues. The heating effects decrease pain, reduce spasm, increase tissue stretch, improve blood flow and tissue healing.
Underwater treadmill therapy allows active muscle contraction with minimal weight bearing on bones and joints. Patients with poor standing balance or weakness can stand easily in temperature-controlled water. Skeletal and cardiac muscles may be strengthened with the resistance of the water.
Reliable Communication
You will have access to the Specialty teams during normal business hours for follow-up questions or concerns via phone, e- mail, or in person appointments.
The Specialty teams will have direct communication with your primary care veterinarian to maintain a collaborative approach to your pets’ medical care. If you or your primary care veterinarian have any questions regarding any diagnostics or procedures, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions.
Our Emergency team is available 24-7 for urgent attention that cannot wait.
Surgery
North Springs VRC surgery department enlists several boarded veterinary surgeons in the area to come perform all types of complicated surgical procedures.
Specialized training and experience, in addition to access to a variety of diagnostic tools, imaging, equipment, support staff, and monitoring, offer care that surpasses basic surgical needs.
Request Consultation
During your appointment, the Physical Rehabilitation team will start by obtaining a complete medical history and performing a thorough physical examination on your pet. This will allow for comprehensive and personalized treatment plans to help your pet feel their best.
Soft Tissue Surgery
- Complicated mass removals
- Cryptorchidism and testicular torsion
- Gallbladder (cholecystectomy)
- Hepatic (Liver lobectomy)
- Splenectomy
- Complicated wound repair & management
- Cystotomy
- Gastrointestinal surgeries
- Skin grafts
- Urethral surgery (penile urethrostomy, urethral tear)
Thoracic Surgery
- Lung Lobectomy
- Pericardectomy
- Thoracotomy
Orthopedic Surgery
- Amputation
- Cruciate repair
- Ligament rupture
- Arthrodesis
- Fracture repairs
- Patellar Luxation surgery
Surgery Services
When a disease of a limb is significant enough, the whole limb or a portion of the limb may need to be removed.
This procedure is the fusion of joints. It can be helpful in stabilizing damaged or diseases areas and reduces pain long term.
This is the removal of the gallbladder when it is diseased, develops gallstones, or has ruptured.
Not all wounds heal well without extra specialized help. The surgery team can apply their specialized training to help with complicated wound care.
The cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) is similar to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in people. This ligament is not able to be repaired as it is in humans, therefore, different techniques such as a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) and lateral suture procedure are used in veterinary medicine to relieve the pain and mobility issues created when the CCL is injured.
This is surgery of the bladder often to remove stones or other disease processes that may be causing harm.
This surgery involves removing the head of the femur due to certain injuries or disease states to restore pain-free mobility.
Complicated bone breaks sometimes require a Surgeon with specialized knowledge and equipment to facilitate appropriate healing.
There is a wide variety of diseases that require surgery of the gastrointestinal tract.
The liver has several different lobes. A single or multiple lobes can have disease while the remainder of the liver lobes are healthy. In that case the diseased liver lobes can be removed.
The lungs are composed of multiple lobes. Occasionally there can be disease of a single lobe while the remaining lobes are healthy. In that case, the diseased lobe can be removed.
Many masses/tumors can be removed by your primary care veterinarian. However, if they are in a location that is risky, you may need a surgeon to manage complicated procedures.
This is a broad term referring to opening the chest cavity by cutting the sternum.
Many small dogs do not form their knee joint properly which allows for the kneecap to slide around. There are surgical procedures available to help your pets knee cap become more stable to reduce pain and limping.
A patent ductus arteriosus is a vessel present in fetal life that is supposed to close when animals are born. Occasionally, this vessel does not close on its own. Therefore, it needs to be physically tied shut to avoid congestive heart failure at a young age.
This is the removal of the fibrous sac surrounding the heart. This is sometimes necessary in cases where abnormal fluid develops in this sac and compresses the heart causing a life threatening condition.
Disease can occur to the reproductive system if it is left intact. These diseases can be life threatening and often require urgent attention.
This is the removal of the spleen that may be necessary for a multitude of disease states or injury.
Tendons and Ligaments can become injured or even rupture if put under enough stress. To restore proper mobility, these tendons and ligaments can sometimes be repaired.
This is a broad term referring to opening the chest cavity between the ribs.
The TECA-BO procedure involves removal of the ear canal and middle ear typically due to severe, refractory ear infections. The ear flap remains intact.
The most common site for urinary blockages is the urethra. Several surgeries can be performed to help alleviate this blockage.
Postoperative Care
Your pet’s postoperative care will be managed around the clock by our surgical team of skilled veterinary technicians, as well as our emergency doctors and technicians overnight until your pet is ready to go home.
If you or your primary care veterinarian have any questions regarding any of these procedures or a procedure is not listed, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions!
Reliable Communication
You will have access to the Specialty teams during normal business hours for follow-up questions or concerns via phone, e- mail, or in person appointments.
The Specialty teams will have direct communication with your primary care veterinarian to maintain a collaborative approach to your pets’ medical care. If you or your primary care veterinarian have any questions regarding any diagnostics or procedures, please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions.
Our Emergency team is available 24-7 for urgent attention that cannot wait.
