Looking for quality care?
Looking for quality care in the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Area? Then look for your nearest VCA Animal Hospital. We welcome you and your pet with the kind of genuine, personalized attention that you both deserve.
That’s because every member of our staff shares a spirit of commitment to your pet’s well being…and your peace of mind. We promise, we’ll always make time for you and pledge to go above and beyond your expectations, starting with a FREE health exam on your first visit.
We operate 12 veterinary hospitals in the Washington, D.C. area, providing a full range of general medical and surgical services and treatments as well as specialized treatments at our specialty hospitals.
- Wellness Panels and Early Detection
- Spay/neuter
- Internal medicine
- Ophthalmology
- Boarding
- Advanced diagnostic services (MRI/CT Scan)
- Oncology
- Dermatology
- Vaccinations
- Neurology
- Grooming
- Cardiology
In this part of the state, we encourage pet owners like you to pay particular attention to regional health issues such as:
Dogs are susceptible, and it can be a threat to humans as well. Signs of infection in dogs include excess thirst and urination, fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, severe weakness, and muscle pain. Kidney failure and liver disease are common complications, and death can occur.
In people, the symptoms are often like the flu. But for dogs, leptospirosis can develop into a severe, life-threatening illness.
Vaccinations to prevent this disease in your dog and reduce the risk to your family exist, and should be considered if you live in an area were leptospirosis is common.
Ticks feed on the blood of dogs, cats, horses, wildlife, and people. Diseases that ticks can transmit to companion animals include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis/anaplasmosis (bacterial infections), and babesiosis (a blood parasite).
Pets pick up ticks by visiting vegetated places such as grassy meadows, woods, brush, and weedy areas. Be sure to check your pet thoroughly if he frequents these types of environments.
Safe and effective tick and flea preventatives exist, as well as vaccination for your dog to prevent Lyme disease.
Prevention is much safer than treatment. An annual heartworm test followed by a monthly year-round preventative is recommended.
Heartworm is a real issue often diagnosed in dogs. No dog should suffer, or die from it, given the overall safety and availability of preventive medications.
Heartworm is diagnosed less frequently in cats, because of the unique nature of the infection in that species, but even indoor cats are susceptible. The disease poses a serious danger because of the cat�s unique immune response to the infection. In cats, �heartworm infection� results in lung disease, not heart disease. Cats with heartworm infection may show symptoms of coughing, wheezing, and vomiting. Rarely, a cat may die suddenly from the disease, but the real issue is the damage to the lungs, resulting in compromised breathing function. While there are no drugs to treat heartworm infection in cats, year-round monthly heartworm prevention is available.
If you want to learn more, feel free to contact one of our local hospitals with any questions or concerns you have about these or other issues.
Our nationwide network of more than 470 VCA Animal Hospitals provides you with convenience, friendly pet care and access to over 200 board-certified specialists.
Visit our corporate site to find out more about VCA. You may also contact us with questions.
Free Initial Health Exam
FREE pet health exam at your neighborhood VCA Animal Hospital!
It's a risk-free way for you to see the care and special attention we give to each pet at our hospitals.
Call now - 800-868-1853
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Free initial health exam for new clients only. Not to be combined with any other offer. Not good toward boarding, grooming, prescription and non-prescription medication, and retail items. Not good toward emergency and/or specialty veterinary services. Coupon good for up to two pets per household. Redeemable only at a general practice VCA Animal Hospital. Not valid in New Mexico.