News, Tips & Bits

Our Website

Our site was created in October 1999. It's now been designed to be faster, and easier for you to use. We've spent a lot of time working to make it as informative and useful as possible, and we'd like your help to make it the best it can be.

VPI Pet Insurance

Are you interested in possibly cutting down the cost of your pet's medical bills? We our proud to accept VPI in order to give your pet the highest quality care. Please ask a staff member for more information on VPI Pet Insurance or click on the link.

Wellness Plan for Puppies and Kittens

A Wellness plan for your puppy and kitten is a great way to get your new pet on the right track. This plan not only guarantees that your puppy or kitten gets the best start possible as far as preventive health care, but also saves you money. Please ask a staff member about this innovative idea!

Senior Wellness Plan

It is just as important to care for your aging pet as it is for a puppy or kitten. A Wellness plan for your senior dog or cat continues good preventative health care. This plan includes essential exams and screenings to keep your older pet's health on track. Please ask a staff member for more details on this money saving plan.

Laser Surgery

We at Three Notch and Park Veterinary Clinic have Accuvet Carbon Dioxide Lasers! This new technology allows us to offer our patients (your pets) better control of post operative pain. We are one of the first veterinary hospitals in Maryland to use this laser. Please talk to one of our staff about this safe and effective procedure. And, please visit www.petlasers.com for more information.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a treatment method that can be used to benefit many different conditions in veterinary medicine. Dr. Jeanne Feldhaus has recently completed the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society Course and has received certification to practice acupuncture therapy at Three Notch Veterinary Hospital.

The goal of acupuncture is to help fight disease by balancing energy in the body. According to Chinese medicine, disease is an imbalance in the body's natural energy flow. Correcting this imbalance with acupuncture can help to heal disease conditions. Acupuncture can benefit patients with conditions such as hip dysplasia, arthritis, disc disease, skin diseases, intestinal disorders, seizures, and many other problems.

Animals tolerate acupuncture very well. Very thin, sterile needles are used to stimulate various sites in the skin that have effects on the nervous system, vascular system, and immune system. Once the needles are in place, most animals relax, and some even fall asleep. The needles are left in place anywhere from ten seconds to thirty minutes, depending on the condition being treated. The treatment plan varies depending on the condition, but most patients are treated weekly for the first six to eight treatments. A positive response is often noted in the first four to six treatments, sometimes sooner. Treatments are tapered to a maintenance plan which might be every one to three months depending on the patient's response.

Acupuncture is considered very safe, and side effects or complications are extremely rare. It should be practiced by a veterinarian who has completed appropriate training, such as the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society Course. This course provides extensive training specifically for veterinarians, including course and hands-on experience.

Ultrasonography

In an effort to continue to offer our clients the highest quality medicine and surgical treatments, we have added in-house ultrasonography to our diagnostic capabilities.

Ultrasound technology is a safe, non-invasive diagnostic tool. It provides information about the internal architecture of organs in the chest and abdomen, including the heart, lymph nodes, liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach, intestines, bladder and reproductive organs. Radiographs, commonly referred to as x-rays, allow your veterinarian to evaluate muscular and skeletal problems, lung disease and provide information about the organs in the abdomen. For example, an x-ray may show the size or general shape of the liver or kidneys. The ultrasound complements this information while allowing a more detailed look at the structure of internal organs. In addition to visualizing the structure of the internal organs, the ultrasound can be used to obtain a guided biopsy of organs or tumors through the skin. Because bone and air stop ultrasound waves, the use of ultrasound is limited for diagnosis of lung and skeletal disease.

The ultrasound unit produces ultrasound, or high frequency sound, waves that pass through the skin into the animal's body. These waves are reflected back by tissues in the body to varying degrees. Each second, the probe sends out and receives millions of soundwave pulses and reflections. The unit then analyzes these reflections and creates an image on a screen. No radiation is used for ultrasound examination.

For most ultrasound examinations, the pet is not sedated or anesthetized. The fur will likely be shaved to allow for the ultrasound probe to make complete contact with the skin. For most ultrasound examinations, the urinary bladder should be full and the animal should have an empty stomach. If a biopsy will be obtained using the ultrasound, short-acting anesthesia is required.