Our Services

Surgery

Elective procedures - spay, neuter, feline declaw, neonate dewclaw removal and tail docks

Non-elective procedures - exploratory, amputation, laceration repair, hernia repair, mass removal, aural hematoma repair, c-section, enucleation, femoral head and neck ostectomy, mastectomy, splenectomy, cystotomy, urethral catheterization, fracture repair, pyometra OHE

Laboratory Services

We have a wide array of IDEXX analyzers that allow for fast, accurate results.

ProCyte - reveals markers for anemia and infectious and/or inflammatory processes, etc.

Catalyst - reveals abnormalities in blood sugar and electrolytes, kidney, liver and thyroid parameters, etc.

SediVue and UA - provide a thorough analysis of your pet's urine

Snap Pro - performs a wide array of in-house serological tests, including: Heartworm, Parvovirus, Lyme and other tick-born pathogens, Giardia, feline pro-BNP (a marker for early damage to the heart), select feline infectious diseases (FIV, FeLV and Heartworm) and pancreatic disease

Reference Lab Services - For more specialized tests, such as histopathology and select blood tests, we submit samples to a reference lab for analysis.

Canine Vaccination Guidelines

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has released guidelines on what vaccines are considered 'core' (those that are recommended for every animal) and 'non-core' (those that are recommended for 'at risk' animals, depending on region and lifestyle).

'Core' canine vaccines include: Distemper, Adenovirus-2, Parvovirus and Rabies (which is government mandated).

'Non-core' vaccines include: Bordetella bronchiseptica (kennel cough), Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme), Leptospira and Canine Influenza according to AAHA, and should be considered for 'at risk' animals.

At High Street Vet, we consider the Lyme vaccine to be a serious consideration for any canine that goes outside, due to the prevalence of 'Deer' ticks in our area.

Leptospira are spirochete bacteria found in waterways and sewers. They can cause a deadly infection or be harbored with or without signs in dogs, and can then be spread to humans. As we are part of the Chesapeake watershed, and many of our dogs swim in the surrounding rivers or traipse through local marshes, we also consider this an important vaccine in our region.

The Kennel Cough and Canine Influenza vaccines are recommended for dogs that will share an enclosed airspace with several other dogs (ie prior to boarding). Although, it could be argued that a veterinary waiting room could also be considered an 'at-risk' environment.

Feline Vaccination Guidelines

For cats, the American association of feline practitioners (AAFP) considers Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Herpesvirus-1 and Feline Calicivirus to be core vaccines. Rabies is mandated by the Maryland government, and thus must also be considered core.

The Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) vaccine is heavily recommended by AAFP for the first year of life, and yearly there-after considered for at-risk cats. FeLV is most prominent in feral cat populations and is spread in the saliva of infected animals. We consider FeLV a core vaccine for the first year and then heavily recommend that the vaccine be boosted yearly to any cat that goes (or could potentially go) outside.

Limiting Vaccine-associated Adverse Events

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention there are risks associated with vaccination. Vaccine reactions (facial swelling and vomiting are most common) are infrequent but possible soon after vaccination. The physical trauma of each needle poke can cause local tissue damage and pain. In cats, feline injection site sarcomas (FISS) are rare but possible, especially with the use of adjuvanted vaccines, which have been implicated, among other factors, in FISS formation.

At High Street Vet Practice, we try to limit these risks as much as possible. One, we use 0.5 ml vaccines where available to limit the amount of material administered. We also choose combined products where possible to limit the number of needle pokes necessary. For cats, we only use non-adjuvanted vaccines to reduce the risk of FISS formation.

Learn more about the feline vaccination and canine vaccination guidelines that we adhere to.

Euthanasia

It's never easy to say goodbye to an old friend. At High Street Vet Practice, we try to make the goodbye as smooth as possible. We handle all paperwork beforehand. Once in the room, we administer a sedative, followed by the euthanasia solution when all are ready. You can choose to be present or absent if you wish. Your pet will not be alone. We offer to hold the body afterward for pre-arranged cremation services or you may take home for burial.

Client Incentive Programs

We offer several client incentive programs to make it easier on your wallet to keep your pet healthy. These include:

• Heartworm and flea/tick preventative program: purchase 12 months of flea, tick and heartworm preventative from us and get a free heartworm test at your annual visit ($40 value)
• Dental health program: purchase 6 months worth of qualified dental health products and get 15% off your pet's yearly dental
• Joint health program: purchase 6 months worth of glucosamine chondroitin supplements or PSGAG injections from us and get 25% off NSAID prescriptions for that year