Medical Services
Wellness exams
A regular physical examination is just as important for your pet as it is for you. Dr. Jarrett recommends a complete physical examination for your pet at least once, and, in many cases, twice a year.
During a physical examination, Dr. Jarrett listens to your pet's heart and lungs, checks the skin, evaluates your pet's vision, looks for any unusual lumps or swellings and checks your pet's teeth and oral cavity.
Diagnostic testing
Brazos Animal Hospital offers a range of diagnostic services to help identify and treat health problems in your pet. In addition to services such as radiology (x-rays) and our in-house laboratory, we offer blood pressure screening, glaucoma screening and electrocardiograms (ECG).
Microchipping
Each year, millions of pets go missing and many never return home. An ID collar is a must for your pet, but sometimes, having a collar isn't enough. A microchip is a tiny electronic device about the size of a grain of rice. Implanted under your pet's skin during a procedure much like a routine vaccination, a microchip contains vital information about you and your pet—information that can be used to bring your pet home if he or she is lost. Information on the chip is stored in a national pet database; if your pet is lost, veterinary hospitals or animal shelters can read the information on the microchip using a specialty scanner. This simple device can greatly increase the chance that your pet returns to you happy and healthy. Talk to one of our staff members about microchipping your pet today.
Surgical procedures
Dr. Jarrett and his staff are well-prepared to perform most common surgical procedures, from routine spays and neuter procedures to fracture repairs and cyst removals. For your pet's complete safety, we can administer a number of pre-anesthetic tests before your he or she undergoes surgery. During surgery, we monitor your pet closely for any complications. Pain management is also part of our medical protocols. All surgical patients, even those undergoing routine procedures, receive pain control medications. We urge you to discuss our pain management protocols with Dr. Jarrett and the staff.
We are fully equipped to perform most common orthopedic procedures including fracture repairs, joint surgery and ligament repair. We refer more complex procedures, including complex fracture repair and external fixators to another veterinary hospital. In some cases, a surgeon comes to our practice to perform surgery, including TPLO procedures.
Dental care
Clean teeth and a healthy mouth are important for keeping your pet in healthy. Plaque, tartar and food can all build up on your pet's teeth, leading to periodontal disease and other health-related problems. If left untreated, periodontal disease can cause bacteria to be released into the bloodstream, leading to liver, heart and kidney disease. At Brazos Animal Hospital, we offer full-service teeth cleanings for your pet. In addition, our veterinarians provide surgical dental extractions and digital dental x-rays. When your pet comes in for teeth cleaning or any other dental procedure, our technicians recommend the best way to keep up a dental health program at home.
Glaucoma screening
Glaucoma is an elevation of pressure in the eyeball. If there is too much intraocular fluid in the eye, pressure can build, leading to glaucoma and eventually cause blindness. Ocular tonometry is the measurement of pressure in the eyeball. To test for glaucoma, we use a tonometer to measure the pressure in your pet's eyes. If your pet is experiencing any vision problems, be sure to have his or her eyes tested as soon as possible.
Senior wellness profiles
Thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer than ever. But pet owners must take special care in order to keep their four-legged friends happy and healthy in their golden years. Senior pets should undergo a complete physical exam at least once a year, though more frequent exams are recommended. During an exam, Dr. Jarrett checks your pet's cardiac and respiratory functions and looks for abnormal growths. Regular exams for your senior pet can help spot serious problems before they become difficult—and expensive—to treat.
Senior wellness profiles include: comprehensive physical exam, blood pressure testing, eye evaluation, extended organ function testing (bloodwork), electrolyte testing to evaluate organ function, early kidney disease tests, kidney evaluation with urinalysis, urine sample obtainment, internal/external parasite testing, heart function EKG, radiographs (two views and interpretation) and thyroid testing.
Weight management and nutritional counseling
Just like their human companions, pets are packing on the pounds and experiencing problems with obesity. One too many bowls of kibble can do more than put extra flab on your lab—obesity can lead to heart problems, joint disorders, arthritis, diabetes and other serious health concerns. At Brazos Animal Hospital, we can provide you with the tools necessary to help your pet shed excess weight. Changing your pet's diet is a good first step, but frequent exercise and other lifestyle changes are key to encouraging weight loss. Dr. Jarrett and the experienced veterinary technicians work with you to develop an exercise and feeding program for your pet. There's another tool pet owners can use to shrink the size of their canine companions. In 2007, Pfizer introduced Slentrol, the first prescription weight-loss medication designed specifically for dogs. Slentrol reduces appetite and fat absorption to encourage weight loss. Slentrol should be used as part of an overall weight-management program.
Obedience classes
Training your dog is a must. A dog that jumps on guests and doesn't come when he or she is called isn't just a nuisance—he or she is in danger of being seriously hurt. Dogs are intelligent and easily trained, but you must make the first step. That's why Brazos Animal Hospital offers obedience classes for our clients and their canine friends. With our obedience classes, your dog will learn basic commands—sit, heel, stay, come, down—along with other skills. Most importantly, obedience classes are a fun way to strengthen the bond between you and your dog. Please contact the hospital for class schedules and rates.
Vaccinations
Up-to-date vaccinations play a large part in keeping your pet healthy and free from disease. However, not every pet requires the same series or frequency of vaccines. Dr. Jarrett tailors a vaccine protocol specific to your pet based on his or her lifestyle. Brazos Animal Hospital follows a three-year protocol on Canine Distemper/Parvovirus and Feline Distemper after the pet's first annual booster. We recommend yearly vaccinations for rabies (per city and county ordinances) and bi-annual vaccinations for Bordetella (Canine Cough) for pets who board in kennels or are groomed at our hospital.
Emergency services
If an emergency arises outside of hospital hours, emergency services are provided if Dr. Jarrett is available. In case of an emergency, please call 940-325-2273; the answering service will provide Dr. Jarrett's home phone number and pager number. If Dr. Jarrett is not available, clients will be referred to Metro West Emergency Veterinary Center, 3201 Hulen St., Fort Worth, TX, (817) 731-3734.