Caring for the dogs and cats of Watkinsville, GA and beyond
Barber Creek Veterinary Hospital is a full-service veterinary clinic for dogs and cats.
Wellness Exams
Your pet’s ongoing care is more important than you think. From their first visit to their senior years, we’ll put together a comprehensive health plan built just for them.
For the health of your pet, regular professional veterinary care is essential, especially for your senior pet. Preventive veterinary care not only lengthens the life of your pet, but it also improves your pet’s quality of life. A regular and complete physical for your pet can increase the chances of early diagnosis and treatment of physical ailments. The earlier in the disease process we can make a diagnosis and recommend treatment, the better the outcome. We also offer geriatric screenings for your older pets, which include urinalysis and bloodwork. We are happy to work with you to determine the best diagnostic, wellness, and treatment programs for your pets.
Vaccinations
Vaccines are special proteins that prime the immune system to fight off specific infections. They work in two ways: to reduce the severity of such diseases should they strike or to completely prevent infection.
There are several diseases that can afflict cats and dogs, but most pets can be protected from the worst of them if they are vaccinated properly. For dogs, these include parvovirus, distemper, and infectious hepatitis. For cats, these include panleukopenia, feline herpesvirus, and feline calicivirus; for outdoor cats, protection can include feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus.
Once contracted, these illnesses can prove painful, distressing, and even fatal. Luckily, most of these illnesses can be prevented with vaccination.
Surgery
Our team is highly skilled and experienced in performing a wide variety of pet surgeries using modern techniques and cutting edge equipment and always adhering to the strictest standards of safety and care. We provide surgical options in a clean and safe environment. Most importantly, our veterinary team can closely track each animal’s vital condition during surgery. Your pet is in safe hands at Barber Creek Veterinary Hospital!
Radiowave Surgery
For the health, happiness, and comfort of your pet, we are pleased to offer radio wave technology as part of our surgical services. With radiowave surgery, your pet will require anesthesia for a shorter period of time in addition to experiencing shorter post-surgical healing. Some procedures may also require only a local anesthetic.
Examples of procedures that can benefit from radiowave surgery:
- Spay
- Mastectomy
- Neuter
- Epilation
- Skin tag and wart removals
- Anal fistula surgery
- Soft palate resections
- Gingivectomy
- Biopsies
How does radiowave surgery work?
A radio frequency electrode tip becomes energized by the radio waves but does not become hot. The ultra-high frequency radio waves provide specific and delicate tissue interactions. This results in a focused cutting and coagulating effect, which disintegrates and volatilizes single cells minimizing the amount of tissue destruction. Healing is rapid and painless with the formation of a supple tissue identical to surrounding normal tissue.
Why is radiowave surgery safe?
- No contact is needed between the neutral plate and patient, eliminating the possibility of burns or shocks.
- Radiowave surgery provides a tactile but pressureless incision which allows the doctor to sense what he is cutting.
- Radio frequency energy is low-temperature, minimizing the occurrence of tissue necrosis and burning.
Distinct benefits for you and your pet:
- Affordable
- Decreased post-operative pain: radiowave surgery seals nerve endings as it cuts
- Decreased post-surgical edema: high frequency/low temperature = less tissue destruction
- Less blood loss: the radio waves close off blood vessels as they cut
- Reduced risk of infection: radio waves vaporize bacteria, preventing infectious agents from being seeded along the length of the incision
- Quicker recovery: with less tissue destruction, healing is hastened and your pet will recover quickly
Hospitalization
Senior Pet Care
If you notice that your dog has developed gray hair around his snout, it is a sign that they are getting older. Dogs are considered seniors (mature adults) between the ages of seven and eight years old, and cats are considered seniors when they are 10 years old. When your pet is considered a mature adult, they will start needing special care.
Just as our health care needs change as we age, your pet’s health care needs also change. Nutritional needs, exercise habits, and many aspects of your pet’s daily routine can change as your pet ages. But how can you tell the difference between “normal” aging and a medical problem? As in humans, some health issues that affect older pets can begin with very subtle changes that may go unnoticed until the problem has become serious.
Regular wellness visits are important for every stage of your pet’s life, so don’t forget to keep your senior pet’s scheduled wellness appointments. The best way to help protect your pet as he or she ages is to understand the aging process in pets.
Your senior pet’s wellness examination is also your chance to have us address any of your questions or concerns about your pet. We welcome your questions and encourage you to be involved in decisions regarding your pet’s health care.
Dentistry
Did you know that poor oral health can lead to infections that can spread through the bloodstream to affect major organs such as your pet’s liver, kidneys, and heart?
Just as it’s important for you to see a dentist regularly, it’s important for dogs and cats as well. Your pet’s oral health is directly connected to their overall health. Signs of dental disease include bad breath; loose, broken or missing teeth; yellow or brown teeth; red, inflamed, or bleeding gums; difficulty or pain when chewing; pawing at the mouth; and excessive drooling. If you notice any of these symptoms, please contact our team and we’ll be happy to help.
We are proud that we have the most up-to-date equipment to treat dental disease, including digital dental X-rays. This allows us to detect if there is any disease beneath the gum line that we would not be able to see otherwise. We are often able to see undetected abscesses, broken teeth, resorbed roots, retained roots, and more thanks to dental radiographs.
Common dental problems
- Gum disease is very common in dogs and cats. Gingivitis, or gum disease, is an inflammation of the gum tissue.
- Peridontitis, or periodontal disease, is the most common dental problem for dogs.
- Tooth fractures are the second biggest problem for dogs. This can lead to infection inside the tooth (endodontic disease).
Radiographs
There have been many advancements in digital X-ray technology, and we can now manipulate the digital images that we take. This allows us to diagnose issues that may not be seen on a traditional X-ray. Because the X-rays are digital, we can also easily share the images with specialists or other veterinarians we may consult for more difficult cases.
Our on-site X-ray machine and automatic processor enables us to take radiographs of your pet and have them available within minutes. This allows us to obtain an image of our pet’s internal structures which may help us diagnose illnesses that aren’t visible to the naked eye.
Nutrition
An estimated 59% of cats and 54% of dogs in the United States are overweight or obese. Good nutrition and weight management are key to your pet’s overall health. These healthy habits are created at a young age for your pet and it’s up to you to help them maintain these habits. Through a good diet and proper exercise, you greatly increase your pet’s chance at a long, healthy life.
At Barber Creek Veterinary Hospital, we can recommend diets specific to your pet’s needs. We also carry a full stock of prescription diets.
We're proud to serve Watkinsville, GA and the surrounding communities.
We're a full-service veterinary hospital in Watkinsville, GA. Our goal is to create a caring, lasting bond with our clients and patients by providing the highest quality veterinary care with excellent client education and service.
Location
Hours
Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 7:30 am - 6:00 pm
Wed: Closed
Sat: 8:00 am - 1:00 pm
Sun: Closed
Contact Info
Phone: 706-549-7387
Fax: 706-549-4821
Email: contactus@barbercreek.net
Have a question?
Complete the form below, and our team will be in touch with you shortly. If you need immediate assistance during business hours, please call us directly at 706-549-7387.
