Why treat when you can prevent? San Marco Animal Hospital in Jacksonville, FL makes it easy to keep your pet feeling his or her best. Dr. Venkat Gutta and his compassionate team have removed the barriers to pet parents affording the care they need for many happy, quality years with their furry loved ones. Our veterinary services distinguish from other practices and animal hospitals in a number of ways; notably, affordable wellness plans suit clients’ budgets and clients’ diverse needs, and gentle and precision diagnostics create a pleasant experience for both pet and parent, and facilitate effective treatment.
You know you and your human loved ones should go to the family doctor at least once a year, right? That same healthy habit applies to your pet. Arguably, the annual (or bi-annual) exam is all the more important for our pets because they age faster than we do. When your dog or cat misses a yearly checkup, it’s the equivalent of you avoiding your GP for at least five years!
Dr. Gutta’s special interests include wellness, prevention, and senior health. These ongoing “well” visits examine “nose-to-tail,” including:
Dental health – Oral health problems can affect your overall health. The same is true of your pet; harmful bacteria can travel into your pet’s bloodstream and damage their heart, liver, kidneys, and other organs. The doctor checks for symptoms of dental disease, including bad breath, inflammation, plaque build-up or tartar, and infections that can affect your pet’s quality of life or even shorten his or her lifespan.
Potential vision and hearing related problems – When Dr. Gutta checks ears or eyes, he’s looking for signs of infection, ear mites, cataracts, and glaucoma. Other medical conditions can also show up in the ears and eyes, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, the latter of which is sometimes characterized by cloudy vision, especially among our canine friends.
Overall body condition — When Dr. Gutta “massages” your pet, he’s looking for several indicators of health. Examining muscle tone, lymph nodes, and even the condition of your pet’s skin and coat, can provide clues to infections and diseases. The skin and coat may also betray mites and ticks. A belly rub may involve palpating or closely examining the abdomen by hand for any worrisome bumps, enlarged organs, or signs of discomfort upon touch.
Wellness visits wouldn’t be complete without checking the joints, spine, heart, lungs, and under the tail. Your vet is looking for signs of tenderness or discomfort that may require pain management and proactive care, or for murmurs, irregular heartbeat, and clear lungs. Anal gland-related issues, tapeworms, and tumors may be identified and addressed quickly. San Marco Animal Hospital offers an onsite lab for accurate, fast results from the team you already know and trust. Blood work, urinalysis, and stool samples may be ordered. Our lab’s in-house endocrine tests check for hormone-related issues, in addition to analyses of blood cell counts, blood glucose and chemistry profiles, electrolytes, and microscopy.
Advanced technologies safely, accurately, gently, and quickly diagnose your pet. These diagnostics include digital X-rays, which are generally clearer and emit less radiation than their conventional counterparts. The ultrasound that has so significantly benefited human clients can be used as a noninvasive, well-tolerated way to render lots of information about your pet. It’s particularly useful to rule out potential diagnoses like bladder stones, UTI’s, and to obtain small biopsies of organs or masses.
All of San Marco Animal Hospital’s wellness plans include services like the comprehensive exams and vaccinations. For an annual membership fee, parents choose from puppy, kitten, and adult dog and cat plans. Puppy or kitten “premium” and adult “standard” and “intensive” plans cover additional services, such as spay or neuter, and urinalysis and dental prophylaxis packages. All members enjoy discounts on services like nail trims and gland expression and, best of all, unlimited free office visits! We are also a “true” emergency hospital. Accidents don’t keep regular business hours. Our emergency and critical care staff are available seven days a week, and urgent appointments and walk-ins are seen immediately. We also don’t penalize you in this trying time; there are no emergency fees and transfers from overnight facilities are welcome.
Your pet deserves the best. We also offer financing through CareCredit, and discounts for seniors, active-duty military, veterans, and rescues. Our team looks forward to meeting you and your furry friend. Call to request an appointment today. New clients, be sure to ask about a free exam!
Phone Number: (904) 399-5557
