Services
Preventative and Wellness Care
At Johnston Animal Hospital we believe that preventative health care is the key to a healthy pet. Preventative medicine lengthens your pet’s life span, ensuring his or her overall health by detecting illness as soon as possible. We implement bi-yearly visits as part of this preventative approach. During these visits your pet will receive a comprehensive physical exam. The exam entails a thorough nose to tail-tip evaluation of all systems that can be felt, heard and smelled. Your pet will then receive blood work, parasite checks, and routine deworming.
In addition we recommend monthly flea and tick control as well as year round heartworm prevention. Many diseases can be prevented with simple routine vaccinations or medications. We recognize that all pets and their lifestyles are different so we can tailor preventative care to your pets needs. We mail reminder cards to notify you when your pet(s) are due for routine wellness care. If at any time your pet is in need of additional services please let us know.
General Medicine
We make appointments Monday thru Friday and offer drop off appointments if your pet needs to be examined due to illness. We offer a variety of lab tests, procedures, and medications to help your pet feel better as soon as possible.
Dentistry
During routine exams, your pet’s teeth will be checked and scored based on the level of tartar buildup. A healthcare plan will be made detailing the dental work that needs to be performed. Dental work, including cleanings and prophylaxis are performed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Other offered services include dental radiographs, simple and surgical extractions, SANOS sealant application and more.
Surgery (Orthopedic and Soft Tissue)
JAH offers a variety of routine surgical procedures including spays, neuters, and declaws. We also provide a variety of orthopedic surgeries such as cruciate ligament repair and fracture repair. Every patient is unique and we want to evaluate and treat them prior to, during, and after their procedure. A pain management program is tailored specifically to all surgical patients and their condition. Following surgical procedures, each patient receives custom at-home-care instructions. Recheck appointments are scheduled during the recovery process to allow Dr. Ward to monitor each patient’s progress. Prior to surgery, it is best to have a consultation with Dr. Ward so you can discuss any questions and concerns. Please call ahead to schedule a consultation appointment. Dr. Ward performs surgeries on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
Digital Radiographs
We offer Sound-Eklin™ digital radiographs, which are preferred over film radiographs due to their clarity. Radiographs can be taken and viewed immediately. We also have the capacity to e-mail digital radiographs to specialists as needed. Upon request you can receive your pet’s radiographs via e-mail to view at home.
OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) Certification
Johnston Animal Hospital is committed to providing services that equip breeders with the proper tools to breed animals that are genetically and physically sound. Some breed organizations or individual breeders require radiographs prior to breeding. These radiographs examine joint stability and can give the breeder greater confidence in the animals they produce. Here at JAH, we have state-of-the-art digital radiograph equipment to deliver high definition images to OFA.
Ultrasonagraphy
Dr. Ray Lazenby, DVM is an ultrasonographer and veterinarian that we use exclusively for ultrasounds on our patients. He is normally with us on Wednesdays. Dr. Lazenby provides pictures as well as a written summary of his findings for Dr. Ward to review and share with you.
Hospitalization
In the event that your pet should need to be hospitalized, we are here to give your pet the best care possible. Hospitalized patients are monitored closely in our ICU by Dr. Ward and our Registered Veterinary Technicians. Our team member will call you to keep you up to date on your pet’s progress.
In-House and Send-Out Laboratory Services
Lab work is most commonly performed for routine wellness care, for sickness or injury, prior to administering anesthesia and for routine intestinal parasite analysis. Lab work is performed in-house and through Antech Diagnostic Laboratories. Dr. Ward orders lab work based on several factors including the patient’s age and health condition.
Routine wellness blood panels are usually performed annually for patients under age 7. The standard lab panel evaluates internal organ function, provides a complete blood count (cbc) and checks for heartworms.
Patients over 7 years of age are considered geriatric. Due to their body’s aging process early detection of abnormalities is important. For this reason we will do blood panels twice a year to assess organ function. This panel will also include a urinalysis and thyroid evaluation.
If at any time your pet becomes ill or is injured Dr. Ward will chose the blood panel best suited to diagnosing the problem.
Prior to surgery or sedation we recommend that all pets have pre-anesthetic blood work. The results are available prior to your pet’s procedure and can help us alter our anesthetic plan if needed. This panel includes blood chemistries and a complete blood count. Knowing your pets overall health status prior to anesthesia will minimize potential risks and give you peace of mind.
If your pet is on long term medication for pain, seizures, thyroid conditions, or other chronic illness, periodic blood work is required for prescription refills. Blood work allows us to evaluate the level of medication in your pet’s system. It is our goal to use the lowest effective dose of medication to maintain control of the symptoms.
Intestinal Parasites are a threat to animals and humans alike. Children are at higher risk of exposure since parasites can be found in dirt, sandboxes, and natural play areas for kids. During your pet’s routine wellness visit we will check a stool sample for parasites and give the appropriate dewormer.
Vaccinations
Dr. Ward has developed a routine vaccination schedule based on recommendations by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and current veterinary standards. We offer routine vaccines as well as lifestyle vaccines such as the Lyme disease and Leptospirosis vaccines. Reminder cards are sent to you to inform you when your pet is due for vaccine boosters. Please call with any questions regarding your pet’s vaccinations.
Dermatology
Irritating skin issues are uncomfortable and have a variety of common causes including seasonal and non-seasonal allergies, mites or other parasites, infection, or more serious metabolic problems. Following correct diagnosis, we can prescribe the appropriate combination of treatments and dietary changes for your pet’s particular condition.
Boarding
Johnston Animal Hospital offers boarding services year round, including holidays. For the protection of all boarding and hospitalized patients, pets are required to be up to date on vaccinations and free of internal and external parasites.
We serve Purina Veterinary Diets unless you provide your pet’s special diet. Indoor and outdoor kennel spaces are available. Medications are administered by trained team members.
Day Spa services are available on the day of pick up for an extra fee. Our Day Spa treatment includes a bath, pedicure, ear cleaning, and anal gland expression.
Space is limited so please call for reservations as soon as your travel dates are planned.
Pharmacy
Prescription medications are filled in our in-house pharmacy for your convenience. We maintain a supply of reliable veterinary pharmaceutical products from reputable suppliers. Please call ahead for refills or use our online refill request form to decrease your wait time.
Health Certificates for Travel
We provide health certificates for domestic and international travel. A wellness exam must be done at the time the certificate is issued. Please bring the following required information so that we can complete your pet’s health certificate thoroughly, saving you from making multiple visits:
- Your destination ‘Ship To’ address and contact information
- Vaccination records if your pet was vaccinated with another hospital
- Vaccination requirements from your airline and the country or state of delivery. Please note that titer tests required by some countries take up to 6 weeks for results.
Dietary Products
We carry a wide selection of Purina Veterinary Diets available by prescription only. Special diets are available for patients with diabetes, urinary and kidney issues, food allergies, skin conditions, arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders and sensitive stomachs, excessive tartar build-up and unhealthy weight issues. Nutrition counseling is available for chronic health issues and weight concerns.
Healthy treats are also available for purchase without a prescription.
Microchip Installation and Registration
HomeAgain microchips are recommended for all pets. According to HomeAgain.com 1 in 3 pets goes missing during its lifetime, and without proper ID, 90% never return home. A microchip for dogs & cats gives the best protection with permanent ID that can never be removed or become impossible to read. HomeAgain Microchips do not require surgery and do not wear out.
HomeAgain offers a variety of specialized services to help reunite you with your lost pet as well as a pet recovery database of more than 450,000 vets, shelters and volunteer rescuers!
Euthanasia/Cremation Services
Saying goodbye to a long-time friend is painful. We work with you to ensure comfort and dignity for you and your pet. In-hospital and at-home euthanasia services are available. Additional services, if needed, include taking care of the remains using the option you choose.
