Gehrman Animal HospitalQuality veterinary medicine for over 60 years
client forms >> contact us >>
Veterinary Products and Services
Services Provided (click on each service for more information)
Annual Exams and Preventive Care
Annual exams are an important aspect of good preventive health care for our pets. Pets age at a much faster rate than humans. It is estimated that the first years of life for a dog and cat is equivlant to 15 years of a human's life. The second year is equivlant to 9 human years. Succeeding year equivalence is dependant on the animal's breed and size, ranging from 4 to 7 years.
Knowing this information on an animal's aging patterns is important because it increases the priority of annual exams or even more frequent exams for senior pets. If an annual examination is missed, it would be equivalent to a person only being examined every four to seven years. Problems found in early stages of development are often easier to deal with.
Middle-aged pets are benefited by taking a base line health profile in blood, urine, stool, and chest films. Baseline health profiles provide a basis of comparison of future samples with the baseline sample. As our pet's age, the doctor is able to compare present values to the baseline.
Please bring a fresh, small, unfrozen urine and stool sample from your pet. Place them in a clean, dry container, inside a zip-locked plastic bag. Please have them identified with both your pet's name, and your name. A urine sample should be brought to the clinic within an hour of passage or refrigerated in a container in a plastic bag and delivered as soon as possible.
Boarding
As a service to our clients, we offer quality boarding for dogs and cats. Boarding reservations with a deposit are required. We reserve busy holiday times for our existing client’s dogs. For the health of all pets as well as our staff, we require that vaccinations be current, and that all pets are free of parasites. Because of the threat of the emerging canine influenza, we can not board animal that have been acquired from an animal shelter or humane society in the last two weeks. In addition, we can not board animals that have been to a dog show, or one of their house mates within the last two weeks.
Our Boarding facility has in floor heating, a hi-flow air ventilation system, and air conditioning. Your pets will be walked twice daily. For animal’s comfort, we provide padded bedding .
Required Vaccinations:
Dog: Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvo Virus, and Coronavirus, Rabies, Bordetella (infectious bronchitis)/ Kennel Cough
Cat: Feline Distemper / Upper Respiratory Vaccine (is combined), Rabies If the Gehrman Animal Hospital does not have record of your pet’s vaccinations because it was immunized elsewhere, please bring proof of vaccinations or the name and phone number of the veterinarian who immunized your pet with you when you bring in your pet. We do not board known Felu and Fiv positive cats.
During flea season (May-November), we require dogs to be protected with a flea preventative while boarding. If your dog is not on preventative treatment, we will administer Frontline at the time your dog is checked in. Any animal requiring treatment for fleas or illness, will be properly treated (at an additional cost). All pets are discharged during normal vet clinic hours Mondays through Saturday.
Download our boarding release form (140K PDF file)
We have in clinic diagnostic chemical, electrolyte, and hematology equipment that allows us to run much of our blood work in our hospital. This is particularly important in monitoring and treating critically ill patients and presurgical cases. The results of these tests are electronically transferred into the patient's permanent computer record.
We often send blood to commercial reference labs for evaluations. This allows us to have tests done that we do not do, or that they may be able to run more cost effectively. In addition, this allows us to consult with board certified veterinary pathologists when necessary.
Lab work is done to assist veterinarians in diagnosing disease and aids in monitoring the progress of patients under treatment. An accurate diagnosis is vital to effective treatment.
Convienient Drop Offs and Pickups
As a convenience to our clients, we are open early in the morning to accommodate dropping off a pet before normal working hours. Your pet may be dropped off after 7am Monday-Friday and after 8am on Saturdays. Pets should be picked up prior to 5:30pm Monday-Friday and before noon on Saturdays. We are closed on Sundays and most major holidays.
Cosmetic surgery may be requested by clients or required. We recommend a presurgical examination to confer with the client and examine the patient prior to surgery. At that time the doctor will explain the procedure and answer any questions the client may have. Some of the cosmetic procedures we perform include:
- Tumor removal: some tumors, because of their location or size, may require special attention and care.
- Scars
- Injuries
- Burns
- Dewclaw removal
- Ear cropping: our clinic does ear cropping per client request.
- Tail docking
- Congenital defects
We require that animals undergoing a general anesthetic procedure have a blood work prior to anesthesia. All animals need a CBC (complete blood count) to check the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood as well as the presence of infection. Pets eight years and older need a CBC and Presurgical Blood Profile.
A minor dental infection can become major health problem…..
Oral hygiene is critical for both dogs and cats to:
- Maintain healthy teeth and gums
- Decrease oral infections that can cause the loss of teeth and damage both heart values and kidneys. Bacteria from oral infections have a clear path to the animal’s bloodstream and vital organs.
- Prevent the loss of teeth
- Decrease mouth odor
- Decrease oral pain
- Prevent oral abscesses
The amount of tartar (dental plaque) is dependant on:
a. Animal size
b. Breed
c. Diet
d. Animal size (relates to the crowding of the teeth)
e. Individual variation
f. Client care of their pet’s teeth
Warning signs of Dental Disease:
- Bad breath
- Loose or missing teeth
- Red and swollen gums
- A brownish crust of plaque on the teeth near the gums
- Difficulty eating or decreased appetite
- Bleeding from your pet’s gums when touched or when they eat.
Plaque is an accumulation of food, calcium, and bacteria. When plaque is present, bacteria remain at the gum line. When the plaque isn't present, the saliva will more easily wash the bacteria from the gum line. Professional cleaning becomes necessary when clients are unable to keep up with the home tooth brushing and dental care. Like people, animals need professional teeth cleaning on a routine basis.
We require that animals undergoing a general anesthetic procedure have a blood work prior to anesthesia. All animals need a CBC (complete blood count) to check the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood as well as the presence of infection. Pets eight years and older need a CBC and Presurgical Blood Profile. The presurgical screen allows the doctor to look for organ dysfunction and anemia (low blood counts) that might affect the safety the anesthetic. This can be done the day of the dental, or a short time prior to surgery.
General anesthesia is normally required to do a good job of cleaning. We use isoflurane, which is an inhalation anesthetic that is combined with oxygen to increase its level of safety and decrease the recovery time. Most our dentals are outpatient procedures, and will be discharged after 4 pm the day of surgery. We recommend that clients schedule a discharge visit, at the time your pet is dropped off. At that time, the doctor, or a technician, can answer questions about the dental procedure and the appropriate after care. We appreciate the opportunity to answer any and all questions at that time.
We monitor anesthetized patients with a pulse oximeter or esophageal stethoscope. Post operatively our patients are carefully monitored as they come out of anesthesia.
Unless otherwise directed, any pet that will have a general anesthetic should be fasted after 7pm the night before the dental. Water should be taken up by bedtime. For the comfort of your pet, take them out of an extended walk in the morning to defecate. Dentals may be dropped off between 7 - 8 am, the morning of surgery. Please let the receptionists know a daytime phone / cell number where you can be reached the day of surgery and when your pet ate and drank last.
To view our surgery/dental consent form, click here.
Emergency Care
In an effort to provide quality after hours emergency care to our clients, Gehrman Animal Hospital is a member of the Affiliated Emergency Veterinary Service (AEVS). The AEVS operates after our normal business hours and on holidays. Call the AEVS before you leave, to prepare them for your arrival and to get directions to their clinic.
Golden Valley Clinic
4708 Hwy. 55
763.529.6560
Hours: Monday – Thursday:
6 pm to 8 am
Friday: 6 pm to 8 am MondayEden Prairie Clinic
7717 Flying Cloud Drive
952.942.8272
The Eden Prairie office offers 24 hours care in case of severe injury or illness in which a patient should not be transported the next day.
Food and Nutritional Counseling
Nutrition is a vital part of pet care. It has been said that we are what we eat and this is true of our pets as well. There are many disease conditions in our pets that are a result of their nutritional history. Sometimes a change in diet is vital to the treatment and control of such conditions. We offer a complete line of specifically formulated, high quality prescription foods that are kept in stock at our hospital for your pets needs. Our highly educated staff is able to provide you with nutritional advice and for special cases, we have the availability of services of professional veterinary nutritional specialists.
The Gehrman Animal Hospital has always tried to be your pet's once stop service provider. In additional to health maintenance services, we offer boarding for when clients need to be out of town and grooming to keep your pet clean and clipped.
Sometimes in your pet’s lifetime, it may be necessary for your pet to be monitored closely by a veterinary professional or need treatment that may exceed the kind of care that can be offered at home. At our clinic, we provide the best possible care keeping in mind the patient’s condition, health and well being. If your pet’s condition requires a stay in the care of a veterinarian, we may recommend that your pet be hospitalized at the Gehrman Animal Hospital.
Because of the nature of some illness and the necessity of 24 hour care, our doctors my suggest a referral to the AEVS (Affiliated Emergency Veterinary Service) or to the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota.
Internal medicine has multiple facets:
- Diagnosis: A proper diagnosis is the corner stone of internal medicine. Proper diagnosis of a patient’s illness allows the doctor to know what is wrong, to anticipate what the outcome will be, and how to treat the patient. Making a diagnosis is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle…the doctor first collects a careful history from the owner by listening attentively. The veterinarian then completes a careful physical examination and orders the appropriate lab work to help establish a diagnosis. Having done all of this, the doctor will then review the lab results to see if they agree or conflict with the physical examination and tentative diagnosis. The veterinarian’s diagnosis may change as additional information about the case becomes available. Through past experience, reading and reviewing his database, the doctor can make an intelligent decision as to the nature of the pet’s illness.
- Treatment: Based on the diagnosis, treatment may or may not be necessary. The doctor will establish a treatment plan, based on experience, research, and the probability of success. The treatment may be either medical, surgical, or a combination of both.
- Review: Careful follow up on the patient is necessary to determine if the treatment is working. Reevaluation becomes necessary if the patient is not responding appropriately.
Our clinic is client and pet centered. Our professional doctors and staff spend the time necessary to help our clients succeed in caring for, treating, and making their pets comfortable, enabling efficient recovery.
- Permanent, life long Identification
- Safe
- Greatly increases the chances of retrieving a lost pet
- The database for lost pets is nationwide, managed by the American Kennel Club, accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through an 800 number.
A small electronic id chip with a unique # code can be easily implanted under the skin of your pet for positive identification in the event that your pet becomes lost. Our doctors use a special syringe and needle to place the microchip under the skin, between the shoulder blades. The process does not require any sedation or anesthesia and is a short procedure (similar to giving a vaccination), however it does require an appointment and can be performed while your pet is here for other services. The microchip has a unique, unalterable code that can be read with a special microchip scanner. We use and recommend the Home Again Microchip. A separate, one time fee is sent along with a form identifying your pet and it’s microchip number to the American Kennel Club (AKC) to register your pet with their recovery database for lifetime enrollment. In an effort to unite lost pets with their owners, most animal control facilities across the country have these microchip readers. They scan the chip, then call the AKC to determine the owner’s name and phone number and help unite the lost pet with it’s owner. Microchiping is permanent, so your pet can be identified, even if their collar is lost.
It is important to notify your veterinarian and the AKC of any change in your name, address, phone number, or change of ownership of your pet. The AKC’s phone number for lost pets is: 1-800-252-7894.
Our clinic is equipped with a recently purchased 300ma x-ray machine that can radiograph animals from the size of kitten and puppies up to St. Bernards. Our high definition screens and automatic processor allow excellent quality films to be processed in 90 seconds.
We refer ECG's to Cardiopet and the tracings are sent electronically, and reviewed by a veterinary cardiologist. Stat results can be phoned back in a few minutes. Normal turn around time is 24 hours.
Our clinic has capacity to do GI endoscopies. This allows the doctor to view parts of the stomach and bowel for diagnostic procedures.
We have in clinic diagnostic blood chemical, electrolyte, and hematology equipment that allows us to run much of our lab work in our hospital. This is particularly important in properly handling and serially monitoring critically ill patients and presurgical cases. The results of the tests are electronically transferred into the patient's permanent computer record.
CT and MRI scans are available on a referral basis.
Ultrasound:
Ultrasound is the use of sound waves to create diagnostic images. It is particularly useful with body cavities that have fluid in them or in organs with a high water content. Ultrasound is available at our clinic by appointment or by referral. The images are then recorded on paper and read by a veterinary radiologist. Ultrasounds can be extremely helpful in many cases to establish a diagnosis, to determine a prognosis (an outlook), and to aid the attending veterinarian with a treatment plan, if needed.
Ultrasound guided biopsies, under sedation or a general anesthetic are often done to insure the quality of the biopsy, and to increase the safety to the patient. A small-bore needle is directed to the location in question. A tiny core is collected and submitted to the pathologist for review.
Many pets are stressed by a visit to the veterinary clinic. Being in a place with unfamiliar smells, sights and sounds can cause some pets to feel anxiety, especially if they are separated from their owners in the case of certain procedures or treatments. We try very hard at Gehrman Animal Hospital to minimize their stress and to keep any hospital stay to a minimum.
Many patients and clients appreciate having their pets at home, if at all possible, after a medical or surgical service. We work with clients on home care issues for their pets and discuss signs to watch out for. We will teach owners how to administer medication, give proper dosages, and post convalescent nutrition, along with proper monitoring of their pets. We continually strive to spend the necessary time to answer all questions to make you, as an owner as comfortable as possible with home care for your pet. Home care can significantly reduce hospital care costs and we favor client involvement with appropriate home care.
Pet Behavioral Counseling
Pet behavioral counseling is an important part of any veterinary practice. It is widely acknowledged that more pets lose their homes due to behavioral issues than they do from disease. Pet owners need not only be aware of how their pet’s personalities develop, but also be actively involved in taking the steps necessary to ensure their pet develops a well mannered, healthy personality. The following factors play a role in that development:
- Your pet’s breed and genetics. Certain personality traits can be affected by the characteristics the pet has been bred for (ie: retrievers tend to be very oral by mouthing a lot and wanting to carry many things in their mouths). Genetics play a major role in personality also. Be sure to select a pet whose parents have a friendly, stable personality.
- Socialization. When looking for a young puppy or kitten, find a breeder who socializes them daily. Ideally, the litter has had lots of positive interactions with people of all ages, genders, and sizes. Positive experiences with other animals, places, noises, and situations are also helpful. Interactions with children, as they often play and touch the young pets all over, can help result in a well balanced young pet.
To help insure that you get a well-socialized pet, do personality testing on your prospective choice. Get down on the floor and see that the puppy or kitten come up to you and wants to be petted or held. Never, never, select a real shy puppy or kitten as most of the time their personalities are reasonably well set. You probably will not be successful in changing their personality. Shy animals often fail to interrelate with their owners well and may later become fear biters.
Socialization doesn’t end when your pet leaves the breeder. It is a life long process and as a pet owner, you should be prepared to provide many positive situations to socialize your pet throughout its entire life.- Environment: Will you insure that your pet has a structured, caring, loving home? You and your family are responsible for the actions of your pet and ensure that your pet will be enjoyed by your family and those people who have interaction with your pet. Providing structured training to help your pet gain confidence, obtain better manners, and important social skills with other animals and people is very important. Obedience training which utilizes positive reinforcement and humane training methods through a formal class environment is very helpful.
Pet behavior counseling requires a complete history, an understanding of the home environment, a complete physical with appropriate diagnostic testing, and an accurate diagnosis by the veterinarian.
Pet behavioral counseling is time intensive, however, and with dedicated clients, an accurate diagnosis, much can often be accomplished with a bonded client / patient / veterinarian relationship.
Periodically the clinic in conjunction with “Take the Lead Dog Training” offers obedience class in the lower level of the Gehrman Animal Hospital by a experienced, qualified trainer. Call the front desk for information.
Pharmacy Services
For the benefit of out patients, our clinic provides a full service pharmacy. We stock as many medications as possible, and those we do not have on hand, we will gladly write a prescription for you to take to your local pharmacy. We will only script to pharmacies with a valid Minnesota Pharmacy License.
We ask that clients call ahead when ordering refills of medications 24 hours prior to arrival to the clinic. The hospital staff will consult with the doctor regarding any refills, as most refills require a doctor's ok. We also offer clients the opportunity to purchase brand name medications, and in some cases, the equivalent generic form.
Starting in the spring of 2005, clients will also be able to refill prescriptions on line through our interactive web site called Pet Portals. This may be a convenience to many of our busy clients.
We maintain an in-house pharmacy for our client's convenience, as well as to assure the products are obtained from reputable sources, and have long expiration dates. Because we plan our purchases for the needs of the practice's entire client base, we negotiate to obtain the best possible pricing that can be passed on to our clients. Our purpose is to continue providing a reliable source for medications that we believe serve your pet's health needs as safely, efficaciously and conveniently as possible.
Puppy and Kitten Developmental Consultations
The first year of your new pets life will greatly impact its health and well being for the next 10 to 15 years. To help ensure that you will get a healthy companion with a stable temperament, begin before you get a pet. First, research what kind of pet is right for you, your family, and your lifestyle. Even though there is tremendous satisfaction owning and caring for a pet, you must seriously consider the extra time commitment and cost of bringing another member into your household. It is only fair to that pet that you are fully prepared to care for and take responsibility for their well being.
Next, make sure you take great care in the selection of a new companion when you visit the breeder or the animal shelter. Don’t get a pet on impulse. All puppies and kittens look adorable and are so very hard to resist taking one home, so be prepared to know exactly what you want before you go and look. Make sure that puppy or kitten has a friendly disposition and that the parents are friendly as well. Make sure they look healthy and are very social with people. We feel that obtaining a health guarantee from the breeder or shelter is very important. Your prospective pet should be checked over by a veterinarian to determine that you are getting a healthy new family member.
At Gehrman Animal Hospital, we can help your new puppy or kitten start off right with Well Puppy & Well Kitten visits. We will consult with you about their long-term care such as vaccinations, examinations, nutrition, behavior, training, and general development issues along with doing a thorough physical checking for any outward abnormalities, problems or obvious behavioral issues. Bringing in a fresh, unfrozen stool sample for us to check microscopically check for internal parasites is also recommended as many puppies and kittens are born with parasites.
Referral to Specialists
Many disease processes require elaborate, special equipment to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of disease in our pets. In some cases, our doctors may feel your pet could benefit from the expertise of a specialist, in which case we may refer a patient to see another veterinarian. Specialists in internal medicine, dermatology, ophthalmology, surgery, radiography, neurology, behavioral counseling, and acupuncture are available and we welcome your questions in regards to these types of services. We will gladly prepare records of your pet’s history, any radiographs pertaining to the case, and even help make arrangements for a referral at your request. We believe an appropriate referral may be an important aid in your pet’s diagnosis or treatment.
Senior Pet Care
The goal of our practice is to help your loving pet age gracefully. Our overall goal is to improve the quality of your pet’s life, as well as how long they live. Thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer and healthier than ever. We have more diagnostic tools and treatment options to help your pet stay healthy and happy.
Older dogs and cats are more likely to encounter health problems than younger pets. Pets age at a much faster rate than humans (see chart above). Dogs and cats age approximately seven years for every human year and larger breeds can age even faster. So it’s important for us to examine your senor pets more often.
Aging Signs to Watch Out For:1. Increased / decrease water intake
2. Having to urinate frequently
3. Increased / decreased appetite
4. Shortness, fatigue, exercise intolerance, or labored breathing
5. Loss of vision or hearing
6. Loss of teeth and gum disease
7. Altered mental state and changes in behaviora. Disorientation or confusion
b. Sleeping more
c. Decrease in purposeful activity
d. Inappropriate urinating or defecating in the house
e. Less interaction with owners
f. Persistent vocalization8. Change in appearance and grooming patterns
9. Frequent constipation and or diarrhea/vomiting.
10. Change in weight: gain or loss
11. Coughing
12. Change in sleeping patterns
13. Difficulty standing, jumping up, or climbing stairs
If your pet shows any of these signs, please schedule an appointment for an examination and consultation.
Common Health Conditions of Senior Pets
- Periodontal disease: Inflammation of the teeth and gums may lead to pain, infection, tooth loss, bad breath, kidney and heart damage, and as a result, decrease, and, as a result, decrease your pets life expectancy.
- Obesity: As your pet’s metabolism slows, weight gain can increase his or her risk of arthritis, disc disease, and diabetes.
- Endocrine disease: Aging pets often experience changes in thyroid, pancreas and adrenal gland function that can negatively affect the heart, the digestive system, as well as the liver and kidney.
- Kidney and liver disease: Failure of these organs can lead to chemical imbalances, anemia, comprise immune function and blood clotting defects as well as altered mental capacity. Kidney disease is a leading cause of death in cats.
- Heart disease: Pets with heart disease can experience difficulty breathing, fatigue, exercise intolerance and lethargy. Medications may help make your pet more comfortable.
- Arthritis: Arthritic joints are not only painful, they make it difficult for your pet to climb stairs, run or even jump into your lap.
- Loss of vision or hearing: Older animals are at risk for cataracts and nuclear sclerosis—a natural aging process that clouds the eye. Diminished hearing is also common.
- Cancer: Early detection may improve the prognosis. Many treatments are available and most have very few side effects.
- Behavior changes: Pets suffering from canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome may appear disoriented, forget their housetraining, sleep more and interact with family members less.
Senior Exam Diagnostic Tests
- Physical examination: Our doctor can check for physical signs of cancer arthritis, heart and lung disease, dental disease or cataracts.
- Complete Blood Count: This test helps identify infections, anemia, and certain types of cancer as well as problems with bleeding and the immune system.
- Serum chemistry profile: This blood test can help pinpoint diseases of the liver and kidney, and endocrine disorders such as diabetes.
- Complete urinalysis: A urine sample can help test for kidney disease, diabetes, urinary tract infections and bladder stones.
- Fecal exam: A fecal (stool) sample can be checked for internal parasites and bacterial overgrowth.
- Other tests: Depending on your pet’s overall health, our doctor may recommend additional tests such as blood pressure measurement, radiographs, electrocardiography (ECG), ultrasound, thyroid or adrenal gland testing, as well as liver, pancreas and small intestine function tests.
This information was adapted in large part from a client hand out entitled Senior Care by the Pfizer Animal Health Company
We provide both routine and complex surgical services. Our philosophy is to consult thoroughly with clients prior to surgery discussing options, answering questions and giving an accurate estimate of the cost of the services to be done.
We require that animals undergoing a general anesthetic procedure have blood work prior to anesthesia. All animals need a CBC (complete blood count) to check the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood and pets five to eight years it strongly recommended, while animals eight years and older needs a CBC and Presurgical Blood Profile. The presurgical screen allows the doctor to look for organ dysfunction and anemia (low blood counts) that might affect the safety the anesthetic. This can be done the day of surgery, or a short time prior to surgery.
We primarily use isoflurane, which is an inhalation anesthetic that is combined with oxygen to increase its level of safety and decrease the recovery time. Most our surgeries are outpatient procedures, and will be discharged after 4 pm the day of surgery. We recommend that clients schedule an afternoon discharge appointment at the time your pet is dropped off in the morning. At that time, the doctor, or a technician, can then answer questions about the surgery and the appropriate after care. We appreciate the opportunity to answer any and all questions at that time.
We monitor anesthetized patients with a pulse oximeter that has an oxygen saturation meter. Post operatively our patients are carefully monitored as they come out of anesthesia.
Our hospital has a ventilator that is very useful in chest or trauma surgeries and in some critical care patients to assist an animal breath correctly.
Unless otherwise directed, any pet that will have a general anesthetic should be fasted for food and water by bedtime the night before surgery.
For the comfort of your pet, take it out of an extended walk in the morning to defecate. Surgeries may be dropped off between 7-7:30 am the morning of surgery so the presurgical blood work can be drawn. Please let the receptionists know a daytime phone or cell number where you can be reached the day of surgery and when your pet ate and drank last.
To view our surgery consent form, click here.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is the use of sound waves to create diagnostic images. It is particularly useful with body cavities that have fluid in them, or in organs with a high water content. Ultrasound is available at our clinic by appointment, or by referral. The images are then recorded on paper and read by a veterinary radiologist. Ultrasounds can be extremely helpful in many cases to establish a diagnosis, to determine a prognosis (an outlook), and to aid the attending veterinarian with a treatment plan, if needed.
Ultrasound guided biopsies, under sedation or a general anesthetic are often done to insure the quality of the biopsy, and to increase the safety to the patient. A small-bore needle is directed to the location in question. A tiny core is collected and submitted to the pathologist for review.
