Little Paws Animal Clinic

Ever heard the expression that “you are what you eat”? Well the same is true for our pets. A nutrition-rich diet is your pet’s first line of defense and a cornerstone of preventive care. Proper daily nutrition will go a long way in keeping your pet healthy by bolstering the immune system and supporting normal development in younger animals.

Every pet’s nutritional needs are different, based on age, breed, health conditions and lifestyle factors—which can make choosing the right pet food complicated. At Little Paws Animal Clinic our veterinarians and staff can take the guesswork out of feeding your pets by advising you about what’s right for your animal.

Have questions or concerns about what your pet is eating? Call us at 717-633-3603.

Imagine if you never brushed your teeth or had them cleaned. Pretty frightening, right? As you can imagine, things would eventually start to go very, very bad inside your mouth: teeth would rot and decay, gums would become inflamed and infected. Bacteria from those rotting teeth would eventually travel into your bloodstream and could cause other serious health problems. And we haven’t even mentioned the daily, debilitating pain.

It’s the same scenario for your dog or cat. While some people might laugh at the idea of brushing their pet’s teeth or taking them for a dental cleaning, the fact is that by age three, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats have some evidence of periodontal disease. Periodic dental exams help maintain proper oral hygiene and prevent future problems.

Little Paws Animal Clinic offers complete pet oral health services, including:

• Dental exams
• Annual dental cleanings
• Extractions

Following American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines, Little Paws Animal Clinic only does cleanings and dental work on anesthetized pets. To ensure your pet is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia, we do require a routine blood test before the procedure. Dental X-ray technology is coming soon.

Preventive Dental Care

Brushing your pet’s teeth several times per week is the best way to prevent plaque and tartar build-up. Interested in learning how to brush your pet’s teeth? Just ask and our veterinarians will be happy to help you get started. If you have a pet that won’t tolerate brushing, our veterinarians can also recommend products that will help keep your pet’s mouth healthy in between cleanings.

To make an appointment for a dental exam or cleaning, call us at 717-633-3603.

Your pet’s health is always our number one priority, which is why for most pets we recommend annual wellness exams to ensure that your animal companion remains in good health. If your pet is a senior--over seven for dogs, over nine for cats--we strongly suggest twice-yearly exams and blood screenings. That's because pets age more rapidly than humans, meaning disease and illness develop faster as well.

Little Paws Animal Clinic’s veterinarian-performed physical exams comprehensively assess every aspect of your pet’s health. Wellness exams typically include:

• Ear exam
• Eye exam
• Rectal exam
• Dental exam
• Skeletal exam
• Reproductive system exam
• Internal health evaluation
• Neurological evaluation
• Cardiovascular evaluation
• Nutrition consultation
• Behavior counseling

Taking care of your precious pet's health starts with a thorough veterinary exam. To schedule an appointment for your pet, call us at 717-633-3603.

Consider it the “non-cutting” edge of veterinary science! Laser therapy is an innovative technology used to treat acute and chronic injuries. This non-invasive treatment stimulates cell regeneration by increasing blood flow to the targeted area, which accelerates the healing process. It has been successfully used to accelerate the healing process after surgery, alleviate joint pain, and treat degenerative diseases.

How it works

Low-level or “cold” laser therapy focuses red and infrared light on tissue at and below the surface of the skin. The light energizes the cells, producing a structural protein called collagen used to repair tissue. Lasers continue the healing process by supporting vascular dilation and synthesis, increasing blood circulation to the affected region. The stimulation also releases the body’s own pain-relieving hormones.

The process generally takes between 5-10 minutes, with most patients seeing positive effects after 3-5 uses. The treatment continues to relieve pain and fight inflammation for up to 24 hours following the session.

Conditions improved with laser therapy:

• Hip dysplasia
• Post-surgical incisions and soft-tissue trauma
• Arthritis and degenerative joint disease
• Musculoskeletal injuries
• Neuromuscular disease

Laser therapy is normally combined with other types of veterinary medicine including pharmaceutical regimens and alternative treatments. The broad biochemical benefits and lack of adverse side effects have made laser therapy the preferred post-operative rehab method in veterinary medicine.

If you would like to know more about laser therapy and if it could benefit your pet, contact us at 717-633-3603.

Surgery is often the most effective way to treat many serious injuries and disorders, and Little Paws Animal Clinic is proud to offer state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. Our clinic provides a full range of surgical services ranging from standard spaying and neutering to more advanced soft tissue surgeries.

Surgery specialties

• Soft-tissue
• Dental
• Ophthalmic
• Foreign body removal

Patient safety and comfort is our main priority. We will provide skilled pain management during and after all surgical procedures, ensuring your pet recovers quickly and with minimum discomfort.

Our veterinary team will walk you through the entire process, giving you the tools to make informed decisions regarding your pet’s treatment options. We understand that surgery is a stressful time for any owner, and we’re available every step of the way to answer questions and put your mind at ease.

If you are considering veterinary surgery for your pet, please contact us at 717-633-3603 to schedule a consultation with your Little Paws Animal Clinic veterinarian.

Little Paws has upgraded our x-ray capabilities by installing a new digital x-ray imaging solution to help streamline our imaging processes, reduce client visit length, and provide better diagnostic capabilities.

Veterinary diagnostic imaging is used to discover internal disease or injury. Little Paws Animal Clinic employs advanced digital imaging technologies, guaranteeing the highest quality of care for our patients.

Radiographs, or X-rays, use electromagnetic radiation directed towards the body to highlight objects within. They can detect abnormalities including skeletal fractures, soft tissue damage, foreign bodies, and dental disease.

Little Paws Animal Clinic Radiology Services

Orthopedic radiographs and contrast studies require the patient remain completely still to work correctly, necessitating sedation in some cases. The duration of sedation or anesthesia is usually short and patient recovery is swift. Most traditional X-ray studies do not require sedation.

To schedule a radiology consultation or appointment for your pet, call us at 717-633-3603.

One of the worst feelings to experience as a pet owner is a realization that your pet has gone missing. Only 17% of dogs and 2% of cats make it back to their owners—which can make it feel like you’ll never see your pet again if they get lost.

Little Paws Animal Clinic wants to encourage you to consider microchipping your pet, even if they live entirely indoors--because even indoor pets can escape and become lost. Unlike collars and tags, microchips can’t fall off and they serve as permanent identification for a pet’s entire life. Microchips are also rated for 25 years, meaning they never need to be removed or recharged during your pet’s lifetime.

Microchipping a pet is simple, relatively painless and very affordable. Once implanted, authorities only need to scan the chip to locate your information. But remember: a microchip is only useful if your contact information is updated.

Little Paws Animal Clinic believes microchipping is the safest, most effective method of pet recovery available, helping reunite more than 15,000 lost pets to their owners every month. To get your pet “chipped”, request an appointment online or call us at 717-633-3603.

Little Paws Animal Clinic has the capability to perform various blood tests, pre-anesthetic bloodwork, and other types of testing on-site instead of sending samples to an outside lab. This saves time, money, and most importantly, you don’t have to wait overnight for results—meaning your pet gets a diagnosis and needed treatment sooner.

Testing provided in the clinic includes:

Chemistry Panels:

• Liver enzyme screening
• Pancreatic evaluation
• Renal (Kidney) profiles

Wellness screenings:

• Complete blood counts
• General chemistries
• Urinalysis
• Fecal testing (parasites)
• Blood pressure

 Viral screenings:

• FelV, FIV in cats

While we do offer an extensive range of on-site testing, it is possible that your pet may need laboratory work beyond our scope. For those cases -- for parvovirus in dogs, for instance -- we are happy to send blood work or other testing to an outside lab that will send results back to us.

For more information on our in-house lab services or to schedule your pet for testing, call us at 717-633-3603.

Early detection is key when it comes to treating your pet, and Little Paws Animal Clinic offers complete in-house diagnostics including cutting-edge equipment and an on-site laboratory. This saves time, money, and most importantly, you don’t have to wait overnight for results—meaning your pet gets a diagnosis and needed treatment sooner.

In-House Laboratory

Little Paws Animal Clinic has the capability to perform various blood screens, pre-anesthetic bloodwork, urinalysis and other types of testing on site instead of sending samples to an outside lab.

Testing provided in the clinic includes:

• Liver enzyme screening
• Pancreatic evaluation
• Renal (Kidney) profiles
• Complete blood counts
• General chemistries
• FelV, FIV in cats

While we do offer an extensive range of on-site testing, it is possible that your pet may need laboratory work beyond our scope. For those cases, we are happy to send blood work or other testing to an outside lab that will send results back to us.

Radiology (X-Rays)

Radiographs, or X-rays, use electromagnetic radiation directed towards the body to highlight objects within. They can detect abnormalities including skeletal fractures, soft tissue damage, foreign bodies, and dental disease.

Orthopedic radiographs and contrast studies require the patient remain completely still to work correctly, necessitating sedation in most cases. Some specialized procedures may require anesthesia. The duration of sedation or anesthesia is usually short and patient recovery is swift.

We're proud to offer traditional X-ray technology. Digital radiology is coming soon.

To schedule a diagnostic consultation for your pet, call us at 717-633-3603.

Young animals are like kids--it’s a never-ending job to keep them safe and happy. Vaccinating your pet is a relatively inexpensive but very important way to protect his or her health. In addition to preventing many life-threatening illnesses, vaccinations can prevent diseases prevalent in wildlife and those that can be passed to humans. It's important to administer vaccinations when pets are puppies and kittens because their young immune systems are still developing and need protection to stay healthy.

While any medical treatment involves some degree of risk, in the case of vaccinations, the benefits far outweigh any potential side effects. Adverse reactions are rare and usually mild and short-term when they do occur.

Which vaccines should your pet have? “Core” vaccines are those recommended—and possibly mandated by law—for most pets. Core vaccines include:

• Rabies (dogs and cats)
• DA2PPV - Distemper, Hepatitis, Adenovirus 2, Parvo and Parainfluenza (dogs)
• FVRCP - Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia (cats)

Another non-core but highly suggested vaccination for cats who go outdoors or have regular contact with cats who go outdoors is FeLV to protect against feline leukemia. For dogs, bordetella and canine influenza shots are recommended if they frequent dog parks, boarding kennels, or any place where they’re socializing with other canines. We also suggest you have your dog vaccinated against Lyme and Leptospirosis, conditions very common in our area.

It’s also important to note that even pets who live primarily indoors should be vaccinated, as they can still be exposed to a disease. Your Little Paws Animal Clinic veterinarian can advise you which vaccinations are required or recommended for your pet based on age, health, and lifestyle. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us at 717-633-3603.

It can be hard to admit when we see the signs of old age in our animal companions, but the fact is that most dogs are considered seniors when they hit seven, cats around nine. Pets age much more rapidly than humans, which means diseases and illness progress quicker as well.

To ensure that your pet has the longest, healthiest, most comfortable life possible, Little Paws Animal Clinic encourages you to bring your senior pet for exams and blood tests twice each year. This way, we can track how your pet is aging, and we’ll be more likely to catch any developing diseases before they’re big problems.

Blood tests are one of the most important parts of a senior exam. These blood screenings—often referred to as a “senior panel”— monitor red and white blood cell counts and reveal how well the kidney, liver, pancreas, and thyroid are functioning. Your vet may recommend a chest x-ray to ensure that the heart is a normal size and that there are no masses in the lungs.

Periodontal disease is always a threat to our pets’ health and comfort, and it’s particularly tough on older pets. That’s why a dental exam is always part of any senior pet screening as well.

Finally, make sure to let your vet know about any behavior changes in your pet. Once dogs and cats get to the geriatric stage, monitoring for signs of cognitive dysfunction—such as losing housebreaking, getting lost or wandering aimlessly—is very important.

To schedule a wellness exam for your senior pet, call us at 717-633-3603.

Every country has unique requirements when it comes to both national and international travel health certificates for pets. All relevant certificates need to be completed according to the laws and regulations of the country you’re traveling to. You will also need to research the time frame in which the country requires the certificates to be completed. Many countries ask that you have the certificates ready to file 5-10 days prior to your travel date, so you'll need to do a lot of advanced planning in those cases. Other countries are more flexible.

Little Paws Animal Clinic is accredited with the USDA, meaning we're able to conduct relevant exams and write and sign U.S. and international health certificates for your pets prior to travel.

Bottom line: do your homework and take care to adhere to the rules each country has put in place.

You will need an appointment to be issued a health certificate for your pet. Call us at (717) 633-3603 or click the above link to book your appointment.