Our Hospital

At VCA Roberts Animal Hospital, we are passionate about providing exceptional service for our clients and top-notch medical care for their pets. For over 45 years, we have provided complete and comprehensive medical care for pets in surrounding communities. We work hard to make our clients and patients feel like part of the family—because they are!

During every visit, you'll be surrounded by experienced, knowledgeable and caring veterinarians and support staff. We'll treat your pet as if he or she is our own. We strive to continue to raise the standard of care, and it is our goal to meet your highest expectations for service, value and quality of care.

Local Medical Issues

Here on the South Shore, we live in an area that is endemic for Lyme disease. It is a preventable disease.

AVOID TICKS. First, be aware that the tick that transmits Lyme is active all year. Anytime the temperature goes above 42 degrees F they can be active. Even dogs that don’t spend a lot of time outdoors will get ticks occasionally. Keep your grass mowed short, and keep the brush away from areas where the dog will play. Avoid known tick areas such as high grass, brushy woodlots, deer trails and marshes.

CHECK FOR TICKS. Since it takes the tick 48 hours to transmit the disease, if you can get them all off every day, you can significantly reduce the risk of transmission.

USE PROTECTION. There are several products available from VCA Roberts Animal Hospital that can be applied topically on a monthly basis and are very effective. Occasionally you may find a live tick on your dog while on the preventative. The medications do take time to kill a tick so they may still be alive and may even have time to attach but remember, it takes the tick 48 hours to transmit the disease and the tick will be dead before then.

VACCINATE. There is a good vaccine that is approximately 80% effective in dogs. This vaccine is based on a new concept that kills the organism within the tick before it gets transmitted to your pet. We do not recommend vaccinating positive dogs until they finish treatment to be sure the vaccine is effective.

TEST. Talk to your vet about testing for Lyme disease. It is a simple blood test and results are available in about 10 minutes. We are finding 50–70% positives in routine testing.

LYME POSITIVE: WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
Your veterinarian at VCA Roberts Animal Hospital will work with you to outline an appropriate treatment plan. Antibiotics, pain medication and additional diagnostics are commonly prescribed in treating Lyme disease.

WHAT ABOUT CATS?
Rarely, cats are been found with antibodies against Lyme but none have had symptoms.