Vet Services
A regular exam is just as important for your pet as it is for you. At the BIG EASY Animal Hospital, a thorough physical exam is one of the most important things we can do for your pet. Routine check-ups help our veterinarians get to know your pet; these visits are useful in helping spot potential medical problems before they become serious or life threatening.
During an exam, our veterinarian will discuss with clients heartworms and fleas—a year-round problem in Pittsburgh—as well as vaccine protocols and other care options for pets. We perform vaccinations according to American Veterinary Medical Association.
For a complete list of our vaccination programs, please click here.
Our hospital also offers the Home Again Microchipping service. After Hurricane Katrina displaced thousands of pets, the BIG EASY Animal Hospital now encourages pet owners to microchip their pets as a way to increase the chances of a pet being found should an emergency arise or if the pet goes missing.
Big Easy will perform declaws on cats on a case by case basis.
Senior Care
Extra care is often necessary for pets that are either very young or approaching their senior years. Because of this, our veterinarian stresses the importance of counseling new owners on how to care for their puppy. Our doctor also helps clients learn how to care for senior pets and can provide information about diet, arthritis and other senior pet concerns.
A healthy mouth is indicative of your pet’s overall health. We offer standard dental cleanings for your pet, and encourage clients to take an active role in keeping their pet’s teeth sparkling and healthy. Proper dental care can help prevent periodontal disease and other illnesses, which, left untreated, could cause more serious health problem.
Senior Pet CareYour pet enters his or her senior years around the age of seven. At this time, pets often begin to develop diseases common to their senior human counterparts, such as diabetes, heart disease, endocrine disease and cancer. These diseases can go unnoticed in their early stages, and therefore preventative health care is very important for seniors.
Early detection can help in disease prevention and can minimize suffering. If left undetected, many diseases can put your pet’s health at risk. Senior pets should be examined at least once a year, and owners may consider twice-yearly examinations. The best approach to caring for your senior pet includes diagnostic care, such as:
- Establishing baseline blood work
- Identifying existing health problems
- Monitoring progress during treatment
Together, we can help your pet. You know your pet better than anyone else and can alert us to any changes in your pet before they become serious problems. We can help you understand the common medical conditions that senior pets face and discuss with you a regular monitoring plan.
Urgent Care
In any emergency, seconds count. Our experienced staff is backed up by our resuscitation unit, stocked and equipped to administer the ABCs of basic life support – Airway, Breathing, Circulation/Cardiac compressions. Urgent care is offered during regular business hours. In addition, we use the services of a local, fully staffed emergency center
Examinations
Your pet’s annual exam allows for early detection and prompt treatment of health problems, but it’s also the way that we get to know you and your pet. This doctor, patient, client relationship forms the foundation for caring for the health of your pet throughout its life. At least once, and then as patients age, twice per year, your pet should have a complete physical examination. Remember that your pet’s lifespan is shorter than ours and their health can change significantly over a 12-month period.
Puppy & Kitten Wellness
Due to vaccine protocol, our pediatric patients require three early visits to the vet. The shot series usually starts at 8 weeks and then boosters follow every 3-4 weeks until the animal is at least 16 weeks old. Usually, but not always, the three visits are scheduled for 8, 12 & 16 weeks. In conjunction with the requisite vaccines, the animals receive an exam at all three visits to check that they are developing properly and are tested and/or treated for fleas, worms, and other parasites. We also spend time talking with you, the owner, about issues pertinent to raising a little animal in your home, for example: diet, exercise, obedience (when appropriate), health & behavioral issues, and more.
Dentistry
Taking care of your pets’ teeth does more to ensure a long and healthy life than people realize. Proper dental care is as important for your pet as it is for you. In addition to preventing bad breath and periodontal disease it can also prevent infection from spreading through the blood stream to your pet’s liver, kidneys, and heart. This bacterial shower can lead to permanent organ damage affecting your pet’s overall health. Our hospital is equipped to provide dental care information and services including prophylactic cleaning, polishing (which prevents new tartar from easily adhering), extractions, and more.
Internal Medicine
Animals can present with wide range of symptoms that fall into the category of internal medicine, for example breathing distress, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty urinating, not eating, and just plain old acting puny. We use any number of diagnostics means to try and figure out what is wrong with your animal, including blood work, urinalysis, radiology, cytology (looking at small cell samples under a microscope), histology (sending out larger samples to a lab to look at under the microscope), and more. Because our patients can’t tell us what’s wrong with them, our doctors rely on these diagnostic services combined with their medical knowledge, experience, and conferring with specialists to help them put the pieces of the puzzle together and diagnose what ails your pet.
Surgical Services
Our hospital is well-equipped to perform most minor and major surgical procedures from spays and neuters to more complicated emergency, orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries. Prior to surgery, each patient receives a thorough physical examination to identify any existing medical conditions that might endanger your pet’s health. Because not all problems can be detected on examination, we require pre-anesthetic blood work and if necessary urine testing. These tests not only give us a more complete picture of your pet’s health but also allow us to tailor an anesthetic regime that is specific for your pet. Your pet’s safety and comfort are our top priority. We believe in aggressive pain management and use many different modalities to ensure that your pet is as comfortable as possible.
Laboratory and On-site Blood Chemistry Analyzer Laboratory
Testing plays an integral role in the early detection of changes in your pet’s health. Diagnostic tests provide essential information by which our veterinarians can identify blood disorders, kidney and liver disease, diabetes, infection, cancer, thyroid disease and other hormonal problems.Our extensive laboratory provides fast and accurate information that is necessary for the well being of your pet. Owing to our modern in-house diagnostic equipment, animals can receive appropriate treatment immediately after arriving at the hospital.
Heartworm Testing / Prevention – A potentially fatal disease, we can test your pet for heartworm and provide him (or her) with an appropriate preventive medication.
Fecal Examinations for Intestinal Parasites Feline Leukemia / Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Testing Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) are two of the major causes of illness and death in domestic cats. The BIG EASY Animal Hospital is equipped for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus testing.
Pet Euthanasia & Cremation
At The Big Easy Animal Hospital euthanasia is strictly reserved for animals that, through illness or suffering, are nearing the end of their lives. For our terminal patients, we view euthanasia as a gift that we can give to not make them suffer to the very end. The decision to euthanize your pet is very personal and we try to support our clients in every way we can at this difficult time.
Schedule an Appointment
Walk-ins Monday, Tuesday,Thursday, and Friday
No walk-ins on Wednesday and Saturday.
Call us at 412-908-9301 to schedule an appointment.
Times available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
IF YOUR PET REQUIRES URGENT CARE CALL US AT 412-908-9301
IF IT'S AFTER BUSINESS HOURS CALL PVSEC NORTH (412) 366-3400 or PVSEC SOUTH (724) 809-2009
