Wellness Care

Annual / Bi-annual Pet Wellness Exam

At Shaffer Veterinary Hospital, we firmly believe that the most important part of your pet's healthcare is an annual or bi-annual wellness exam.  In a wellness exam, Dr. Shaffer is able to assess your pet's overall health, look at all the major organ systems, and quite possibly prevent disease before it can become a health risk for your pet. We know that our pets age much faster than we do, but with a strong veterinary partner by your side we hope to help you with the care of your pet from puppy or kitten-hood all the way to senior years and... Read The Rest

Vaccinations

Pet Vaccinations in Crowley, Texas

Vaccinations against preventable infectious diseases help your pet live a long, healthy life. Your puppy or kitten will need a series of vaccinations in order to boost their immune system and become fully protected against diseases such as distemper, parvovirus, leukemia, and rabies. After the initial puppy or kitten series, these vaccines should be boosted one year later. After that, some vaccines can provide protection for up to 3 years. Crowley veterinarian Dr. Dehna Shaffer will take your pet's lifestyle and risk into consideration when developing a vaccination schedule so that your pet does not receive any vaccinations that he... Read The Rest

Deworming / Internal Parasites

Tapeworms, Roundworms, Hookworms, Whipworms, Oh My!

There are several types of intestinal parasites that infect virtually all puppies and kittens and can commonly infect adult animals. These include tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. Giardia and coccidia are also common intestinal parasites in dogs and cats. Although these parasites live inside the pet, they produce eggs too small to be seen with the naked eye. These eggs are passed in the pet's feces. It is impossible to conclude that your pet does not have internal parasites on visual examination of the stool, so we use a microscope to analyze your pet's fecal sample to identify any intestinal... Read The Rest

Flea Prevention

Prevent These Nasty Parasites From Causing Problems

If your dog or cat is itching or scratching, fleas are a likely culprit. We often think of flea season beginning in early spring and lasting into the fall, but fleas can survive year-round. Fleas that live on your pet can easily spread to your house or yard, and vice versa, so it's important to treat both your pet and your pet's environment. Adult fleas jump on your pet when they sense heat or vibration telling them that a host is near. A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. The eggs fall off of your pet and... Read The Rest

Tick Prevention

Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Ticks can be a major problem in many areas of Texas.  Ticks are often unnoticed initially. They attach themselves to your pet's skin and feed on blood until they are engorged. They may feel like a bump when you run your hands through your pet's hair. Ticks thrive in high humidity and moderate temperatures, but can be found all over the country. Ticks may carry and transmit diseases, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (which can both cause serious health problems in pets and people), ehrlichiosis, and babesiosis. The best way to find ticks on your pet is to... Read The Rest

Heartworm Testing and Prevention

Helping Protect Against Heartworm Disease

Shaffer Veterinary Services in Crowley, Texas provides Heartworm Testing and Prevention services. Heartworms are large, spaghetti-like worms that live in the hearts of infected dogs and occasionally cats. They can be anywhere from 6-10 inches in length. Heartworm larvae are transferred to pet when that pet is bitten by an infected mosquito. This means that even indoor dogs and dogs that don't have contact with other animals are still susceptible. The larvae mature to adult worms, which can clog the heart and arteries in an infected dog, eventually leading to heart failure. We follow the recommendations of the American Heartworm... Read The Rest

FeLV and FIV

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus / Feline Leukemia Virus

Shaffer Veterinary Services in Crowley, Texas can help with FeLV and FIV. Both feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) can be transmitted from cat to cat through breeding and fighting, and from a mother cat to her kittens. Cats can be infected with either of these viruses for long periods of time before they show any signs, but both viruses can be fatal. Any new cat or kitten should be tested before bringing him/her into a household with other cats. We also recommend testing any cat that has been fighting. After being transmitted via a bite wound, FeLV... Read The Rest

Microchipping (Permanent ID)

Helping Owners To Reunite With Lost Pets

Shaffer Veterinary Services in Crowley, Texas can implant identification microchips just under the skin, usually right between the shoulder blades. To protect their pets, many owners turn to technology, in the form of identification microchips implanted in their pets. Microchips are tiny transponders, about the size of a grain of rice, that can be implanted in your pet's skin by many veterinarians and animal shelters; some shelters implant one in all pets they place. We believe very strongly that microchipping helps owners to reunite with lost pets. Although tags and collars are important, they can tear or slip off. With microchipping, on... Read The Rest

Weight Management

Manage Your Pet’s Weight and Diet

With all the ingredients that pet foods are made of nowadays and the uncertainties about the ideal body weight, it can be difficult to manage a pet’s weight and diet. That’s why Shaffer Veterinary Services in Crowley offers weight management and nutrition services. Crowley veterinarian Dr. Dehna Shaffer and technicians can discuss your pet’s specific needs during the standard wellness exam. During the exam, we conduct a weight check and compare it to your pet’s recommended Body Condition Score (BCS), which takes into account species and age. If we find your pet to be overweight, we can discuss their diet and... Read The Rest

In-House Laboratory

Quick and Reliable Lab Test Results

Shaffer Veterinary Services in Crowley, Texas is equipped with the latest complete laboratory equipment and technology to better provide our patients and clients with quick and reliable lab test results. This reduces the amount of time for acquiring information and data to obtain a diagnosis for an ailment, condition, pre-surgical or pre-anesthesia information, or just their general status of health. The lab is capable of doing the more routine tests like CBC, blood chemistry for organ function, urinalysis, checking for intestinal parasites, and heartworm testing. We can also perform more specialized tests as well: thyroid screening liver function adrenal function pancreatic function coagulation function and test... Read The Rest

Disease Management

Effective Chronic Disease Management Plan

Chronic veterinary diseases can be caused by a number of medical and environmental factors and often are not easily cured. As a result, they may require long-term professional treatment that is tailored to the needs of your pet. Shaffer Veterinary Services is experienced in treating chronic veterinary diseases. Crowley veterinarian Dr. Dehna Shaffer works closely with her clients to develop an individualized, effective chronic disease management plan. If needed, she will work with your pet’s primary oncology, internal medicine, or other specialist to develop a plan of care. Developing Your Pet’s Disease Management Plan with Shaffer Veterinary Services When developing a management... Read The Rest

Surgery

Veterinary Surgery in Crowley

Shaffer Veterinary Services has expertise in many soft tissue procedures as well as routine surgical procedures such as spays, neuters, and declaws. Crowley veterinarian Dr. Dehna Shaffer offers the most advanced surgical techniques and technology. All patients are carefully screened for safety, and anesthetics are specifically tailored to your pet. It is highly recommended that each surgery patient have pre-surgical lab tests done as an aid to reduce surgical and anesthetic risk.  Some procedures may require these preliminary tests as well as radiographs before surgery can be performed.  Our experienced veterinary and technical staff is there to assist in surgery... Read The Rest

Dental Care

Big Smiles and Fresh Breath

Did you know that periodontal disease afflicts more pets than any other disease? While this may not seem like cause for alarm, if left untreated, it can lead to infections that spread into the bloodstream and result in major damage to the heart, kidneys, and liver. That’s why we make cat and dog dental care an important part of our overall pet wellness plans at Shaffer Veterinary Services in Crowley, Texas. Pet Dental Symptoms Since pets are unable to tell us when they are in pain, here are some signs that could indicate they are experiencing an oral problem: The pet is hesitant... Read The Rest

Radiology

Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging in Crowley, Texas

Advances in imaging technology have dramatically improved the diagnosis and treatment of serious diseases in veterinary medicine here at Shaffer Veterinary Services. The ability to “see” inside our patients without surgery offers many advantages in the safe treatment of your pet’s condition and your peace of mind. Diagnostic imaging offers numerous specialized imaging services to obtain an accurate diagnoses, which will optimize their medical treatment from Crowley veterinarian Dr. Dehna Shaffer. Digital Radiography Radiology – or X-rays – help our veterinarian evaluate muscular-skeletal, cardiovascular (cardiopulmonary), gastrointestinal, reproductive and urinary systems. The hospital is equipped with digital radiography for general x-ray. Digital radiographs... Read The Rest

Pharmacy

In-House Pet Pharmacy

At Shaffer Veterinary Services in Crowley, we offer all of our clients the convenience of a fully-stocked in-house pet pharmacy in Crowley, Texas. The Shaffer Veterinary Services pharmacy carries the safest, high quality medications, pet food and supplements, and flea, tick, and heart worm preventatives. When you visit our pharmacy, you can rest assured that your pet is being treated with the highest of standards and receiving the very best medications to get them on the road to recovery. You can also order your pet meds online! Friendly, Convenient Pet Pharmacy Service in Crowley, Texas Convenience is not the only perk of having... Read The Rest

Pet Boarding

Pet Boarding Facilities in Crowley, Texas

We know how you feel about your pet, because we feel the same way. We know that you can only enjoy your day away, if you know that your pet is also enjoying theirs! At Shaffer Veterinary Services they will be so busy having fun they won't even have time to miss you (much). They also may not notice that their health and safety is our priority, but we want you to know that. Shaffer Veterinary Services provides boarding for your pets if you should need to be away. The pets are kept in a clean and happy environment where they... Read The Rest

Hospitalization and Critical Care

Emergency / Critical Care For Your Pets

Dr. Shaffer has extensive experience and expertise in emergency and critical care medicine. The hospital is prepared to take care of your pet in times where there is significant illness and intensive care and monitoring is needed. If the need arises we can provide 24-hour (around-the-clock) critical care and monitoring. While most general practice veterinarians can diagnose and treat many health problems and handle many routine emergencies, certain situations require the care of a doctor who has had specialized, intensive training in handling emergency and critical care for your pet. Shaffer Veterinary Services works in tandem with any other needed specialists,... Read The Rest

Laser Therapy

Non-Invasive Treatment That Alleviates Pain & Inflammation

Shaffer Veterinary Services provides extensive laser therapy services for your pets in Crowley, Texas. Laser therapy provides a non-invasive, pain-free, surgery-free, drug-free treatment which is used to treat a variety of conditions and can be performed in conjunction with existing treatment protocols at our Crowley Veterinary Hospital. It is often recommended and can be used alongside both conventional western therapies and acupuncture and traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM). Relief and/or improvement can be noticed within hours or can take a few sessions depending on the condition and your pet’s response. Whether your pet is rehabilitating from trauma or injury, healing from... Read The Rest