When you bring your pet in for a dental examination, they’ll be put to sleep for the procedure and afterward spend a couple of hours in recovery, and then you’ll be able to take them home. Expect them to spend the whole day with us. Your vet will advise you on what to do the night before your exam.
Vaccination
Cats: an annual visit includes a complete physical, a rabies vaccination, an FDRCP vaccination (feline rhinotracheitis, calci, and panleukopenia), a FeLV vaccination (feline leukemia), and a check for intestinal parasites.
Veterinary Ophthalmology
A native of Knox County, Dr. Jones is a graduate of the Webb School of Knoxville. After completing the undergraduate requirements, he entered the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine and received his D.V.M. in 1983. He has been a longtime member of the Knoxville Veterinary Medical Association and served as President for 2 years. Dr. Jones is a member of the AVMA and TVMA and has served on the local chapter of the TVMA Peer Review Committee for the last 10 years. Dr. Jones enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine including ophthalmology, oncology, and behavior issues. Dr. Jones serves as a deacon at the Central Baptist Church of Bearden. He enjoys skiing with his family and plays mandolin in a bluegrass band.
Comprehensive Examination
Preventive veterinary care is the cornerstone of keeping your pet their healthiest so that you and your pet can have more great years together. Since pets age more quickly than people do, it is critical to have regular physical examinations done to assess your pet’s health. During routine preventive exams, your veterinarian will assess...
When health problems are identified, a medical plan will be outlined to evaluate the problems in depth. If your pet appears to be healthy enough for routine preventive care, your veterinarian will discuss which immunizations are advised, as well as parasite prevention including heartworm disease, intestinal parasites, and ectoparasites (fleas, ticks, etc.). Annual age-appropriate lab tests, testing for heartworm and/or tick-borne diseases, and fecal tests for parasites may also be recommended for your pet. Finally, your pet’s nutrition, diet, and exercise routines can be assessed and optimized to help your pet be in best physical condition for their lifestyle and age. Remember, keeping up with preventive care for your pet is the best way to keep your pet happy and healthy for life.
SNAP tests: point-of-care “snap” tests are available for certain infectious diseases such as Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, Canine Parvovirus, Giardia, and Leptospirosis.
Parvovirus Infection Treatment
Feline Retro Virus Treatment
Bacterial and Viral Infection Treatment
One of the most common but also frequently overlooked health problems for companion animals is dental disease. By age 3, most pets have some degree of periodontal disease. This occurs as a result of bacterial infection along the gum line, due to the formation of plaque. Plaque is a sticky substance containing millions of bacteria that forms along the tooth surface and gum line. Without frequent removal, plaque eventually hardens into tartar. Left untreated, this leads to gradual destruction of the gum tissue and supportive structures around the teeth, which can result in tooth loss. Not only is periodontal disease harmful and painful because it results in loss of teeth, but it can also cause damage to important vital organs such as the...
These conditions will start to become more prevalent as your pet gets older. For this reason, we recommend twice-yearly veterinary visits for pets over 7 years of age. Your aging pet may be showing early signs of osteoarthritis such as stiffness after rest or play, difficulty going up or downstairs, and reduced activity. Early intervention with joint supplements and prescription arthritis medications when indicated, along with modified nutrition and exercise plans, can greatly improve your pet’s comfort and mobility. Likewise, performing annual screening lab work on your older pet can help identify early stages of medical problems that might go unrecognized, and progress significantly without treatment.
Heart Disease Treatment
Heartworm is another important endoparasite, but one which is not zoonotic. Heartworm infections result from pets being bitten by infected mosquitos. The larval form of the heartworm travels through the bloodstream to the heart where it develops into an adult. The adult heartworms live in the right side of the heart and left untreated, result in progressive heart failure and death. In initial stages of heartworm disease, pets may be asymptomatic. As the condition progresses, symptoms may evolve including a cough and exercise intolerance in dogs, and vomiting/coughing in cats. Treatment of heartworm disease can be very risky for the pet, and very costly.
Kidney Disease Treatment
Any pre-surgical testing that is recommended – baseline laboratory testing is beneficial so that there are no surprises on surgery day. Knowing that your pet has normal blood test results can help prevent anesthetic complications or surgical complications such as excessive bleeding, which can occur when patients have low platelet counts or abnormal clotting. When there is liver or kidney disease, this may affect the choices of anesthetic drugs recommended by your veterinarian, to prevent anesthetic complications and promote a smooth anesthetic recovery.
Periodontal Disease Treatment
Good pet dental care is one of the most important factors for the overall health of your pet. Cats and dogs are very susceptible to oral problems like periodontal disease, which can lead to tooth loss, gum deterioration, and infection that can cause damage to internal organs, including the heart, lungs, and liver. Regular pet dental care can help prevent problems from developing with your pet’s teeth and gums. An annual oral examination and cleaning from your vet is the key to early detection and effective treatment of tooth decay and disease.
At some point in your pet’s life, they may need a surgical procedure. Whether your pet is having an elective surgery such as spay or neuter, or an emergency surgery for intestinal obstruction, you can rest assured that our staff will provide the very best care possible for your pet.
Spaying and Neutering
Spaying and neutering are additional topics to consider; the appropriate age for the timing of sterilization surgery may vary upon the species and breed of your pet. You may also want to consider Pet Health Insurance – a great way to get your new little family member off to a good start. Last but not least, you’ll also want to consider whether your new puppy or kitten may need preventives such as monthly heartworm prevention and flea/tick preventives. We realize that adding a new family pet can come with lots of questions... but don’t forget, we’re here to help, so please don’t hesitate to call.
Laboratory testing for baseline blood counts and organ function tests, or infectious disease. Blood and/or urine samples may be collected from your pet, for point-of-care testing, or reference lab tests. Point-of-care tests are those tests that are done on-site in our hospital so as to be able to determine results and make treatment recommendations in the most timely fashion possible. In other cases, lab samples may need to be sent off to off-site laboratories (reference laboratories) – when the test cannot be performed with in-hospital lab equipment, or when the test results are not needed urgently.
X-Ray
West Bearden Veterinary Hospital and Bearden Hill Veterinarian Clinic are two full-service veterinary hospitals located in the heart of Bearden and West Knoxville. We are seeking a part-time veterinarian to work every Friday and one Saturday a month at our West Bearden location, however, hours can be negotiated. We offer a large range of services such as boarding, surgeries, dentistry, digital radiography, and in-house blood work. Overall, we strive to practice general medicine with an emphasis on providing excellent care in order to further foster the human-pet bond.
Our boarding facilities are located at our West Bearden location. See the Pet Boarding & Facilities section of the Services page for more information. We gladly do bathing, nail trims, anal gland expression, and therapeutic clips. However, we do not have a professional groomer on staff at this time.
Senior Pet Care
We love Senior Pets! Senior pets have special needs and benefit from more regular veterinary visits compared to their younger counterparts. Age-associated conditions include...