Animal Hospital of West Bay Services
Dr. Cynthia Stroup and her staff provide a very warm and welcoming environment for you and your furry family member. We believe a gentle and slow approach is key in making your pet feel at ease during their visit. Just as a visit to your doctor can be scary and tense, it can be frightening to your pet. Our rooms are very spacious and the exam tables are padded, thus eliminating the cold, slippery feel of the stainless steel table. All of our routine outpatient procedures are performed in the exam room with you right there to comfort your pet!
Our Services
WE OFFER HOUSE CALLS!
We already know it can be stressful to bring cats into the vets office. That’s why owners and cats both love that our office offers condo and house calls! We will come to you. Dr. Stroup will make a trip to your home and give your pet its necessary wellness visit exam and vaccinations.
Exams
Wellness Exam Visits – It is vital that your pet have a wellness exam every year, and in cases of older pets they should be seen twice a year if possible. During this exam your pet is thoroughly checked over for any indications of underlying medical problems. The eyes, ears, oral cavity, lymph nodes, nervous system, heart, lungs, abdomen, musculoskeletal system, and skin are carefully examined and the doctor may recommend diagnostic testing if she finds any abnormalities to ensure the health of your loved one. Yearly blood work for both cats and dogs is recommended . Depending on the age and medical condition of your pet we may recommend an early detection panel or a basic wellness screen. We prefer to have your pet fasted for at least 8 hours prior to their wellness exam because eating a meal can cause increase levels of fat in the blood which can sometimes falsely alter results. We also recommend that you bring in a fresh (not more than 2-3 hours old) stool specimen to check for intestinal parasites.
Senior Wellness Exam – We understand that pets in their “golden years” require more attention than a younger pet. We recommend all seniors receive blood screening to detect those problems undetectable by a physical exam.
Recommendations for Dogs
A heartworm check (blood sample is taken) is done on a yearly basis.
Your dog may not receive vaccines every year as we vaccinate with a 3 year distemper, hepatitis(adenovirus), parvo product and a 3 year rabies product. Our canine distemper vaccine was deemed by the FDA as rendering a duration of immunity of 3 years in dogs.
These are the “core” or essential vaccines we give dogs. Bordetella is given intranasally twice a year for those dogs that frequent grooming salons, dog parks, or kennel facilities.
Recommendations for Cats
Your cat will receive vaccine products that do not have adjuvants in them. Adjuvants are only found in killed vaccine products. They have been linked to potentially causing a fatal cancer seen in cats (fibrosarcoma). We follow the AAFP guidelines for vaccinating cats. Our rabies and leukemia vaccines are part of the Purevax line and are given on a yearly basis. The “feline distemper” vaccine which actually vaccinates against feline herpes, calici and panleukopenia viruses is given every 3 years in adult cats. This product was deemed by the FDA as rendering a 3 year duration of immunity in cats.
In cats the core vaccines are the rabies and distemper vaccines. The feline leukemia is an optional vaccine that is recommended to indoor/outdoor cats.
Bloodwork is recommend on a yearly basis to screen for diseases not detectable on a physical exam. A heartworm test is included in the blood screeing. We also recommend that any cats that go outdoors as well as those that are recently adopted have a feline leukemia and FIV blood test on a every 6 month to yearly basis.
Anesthesia – We use state of the art surgical monitoring and recommend pre-anesthetic lab work for the safety of your pet.
Dentistry – We perform routine dental cleanings, dental surgery and provide education and products for follow-up care.
Flea/Tick Control – Fleas and ticks carry a number of life threatening diseases which pose a risk to you and your pet. For this reason, we recommend year-round flea and tick control and carry several products which work well in our environment.
Heartworm Preventative – Heartworm disease is a deadly but easily preventable disease. We recommend year round preventative be given to cats and dogs.
Internal Parasite Testing – Parasites are a serious risk to you and your pet. We feel so strongly about intestinal parasite prevention that we recommend a fecal exam with all examinations.
Diet and Nutrition – We carry a full line of prescription diets. Different pets require different diets for optimum health and performance. Our doctors and staff will be happy to help determine which diet is right for your pet.
In-house Diagnostic Lab and Pharmacy – When your pet is sick, our in-house diagnostic lab and pharmacy allows us to get a quick diagnosis and begin treatment immediately.
General Surgery – Our experienced doctors and staff are committed to making your pet’s surgery as safe and successful as possible by using state of the art monitoring equipment, a great support staff and current surgical techniques.
Vaccinations – These are vital for preventing disease in your pet. We understand that a vaccine program should be tailored to your pet’s individual needs based on risk of exposure.
At Home Euthanasia – We offer you and your family the opportunity to say farewell in a peaceful and private setting most comfortable for your pet and respectful for the family.
Client Services
Pet Health Education and Literature – From this website to the handouts we provide in our clinic, we want to ensure that you receive accurate and up to date information on your pet’s problems as well as tips for prevention of diseases.
Micro-chipping – Millions of pets are lost or stolen each year. This is why we strongly recommend all pets be identified with a microchip which is registered with a national database. This greatly increases the number of lost pets reunited with their owners. Micro-chipping is available through Pinellas County Animal Services. They can be reached by phone at: 727-582-2600. They are located at: 12450 Ulmerton Road, Largo, Fl 33774.
Heath Certificates – All clients needing international health certificates are asked to schedule at least 60 days in advance to allow processing of paperwork.
