We are happy to offer the following services at Companion Animal Medical Center.

Your pet’s health is very important to us and therefore we strive to offer you and your pet the time and attention you deserve. To limit your wait time, appointments are preferred. Please call to schedule an appointment at 518-213-5633.

Missed Appointment and Cancellation Policy

**EFFECTIVE 4/10/17**
A cancellation fee of $25.00 per patient will be billed when an appointment is cancelled with less than 24 hours notice. In addition, cancellation and no show fees will apply for each scheduled patient. Surgery cancellations and no show fees will be billed at a rate of $50.00 per patient.

Wellness & Sick Exams

Regular wellness exams allow the veterinarian to evaluate your pet's general health and become aware of any health problems before they become serious illnesses. These exams are even more important for your pet because pets age faster than you. Therefore, each annual exam for them is similar to you visiting your doctor every five to seven years. Since your pet cannot tell you, you must rely on regular physical examinations by a veterinarian and your own observations to assess your pet's health.

During the wellness exam, your veterinarian will perform many valuable services, including:

Sick Exams may lead to further testing based on the veterinarian's physical examination of your pet. This may mean diagnostic tests, including blood tests and/or x-rays, to evaluate your pet's health.

Routine blood testing, urinalysis (urine testing) and other tests are recommended for all pets in their senior years.

Do not underestimate the importance of regular wellness examinations. These examinations will help your pet live a longer and healthier life.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are one of the most important preventative measures you can take for the health of your pet. Some include:

During your appointment, our Veterinary Technicians and Veterinarian can discuss how often your pet should be vaccinated based on your pet's unique environment and lifestyle.

In Rotterdam, NY the law requires all pets to be up to date on their rabies vaccination.

Like people, most pets experience a few mild side effects after they have been vaccinated. These side effects are normal and are part of the process of how the immune system develops the immunity. These symptoms typically start within a few hours after vaccination and end in a couple of days.

Laser Therapy *NEW*

Class IV Laser Therapy is an FDA-cleared modality that reduces inflammation and results in pain reduction. Laser Therapy is effective in treating acute pain, chronic conditions, and post-operative pain.

Laser Therapy, or "photobiomodulation", is the use of specific wavelengths of light (red and near-infrared) to create therapeutic effects. These effects include improved healing time, pain reduction, increased circulation and decreased swelling.

This treatment is safe, painless and fast. Treatments to deeper tissues are administered in 5 to 10 minutes. There is no patient sedation or restraint required. Most pets do not require fur clipping and the experience is usually pleasant and comforting to them.

Although improvement is often seen after the first visit, most patients require several treatments for the greatest benefit. The length and frequency of treatments varies with your pet's condition.

Class IV Laser Therapy can help with: osteoarthritis, wounds, post-surgical pain, otitis, pudoerma and other injuries.

Ultrasonography

One of the great advantages of ultrasound imaging is that it is a “non-invasive” way to clearly see the various organs in the abdomen. This technology has allowed us to make a diagnosis in cases that in the past required an exploratory surgery. At CAMC we are excited to be able to offer this in-house service to our clients.

A complete, detailed scan usually takes about 20 to 40 minutes. Your pet's hair will be shaved in the appropriate area, heart or abdomen. Most pets do not require any sedation for this procedure.

Digital Radiography

Radiography (x-ray) is an essential diagnostic tool that allows us to evaluate soft-tissue and bony structures. With our new digital x-ray unit, images can be viewed immediately on a desktop or a personal computer which reduces the turnaround for radiographs. This gives allows for quickly diagnosing problems and a more rapid treatment response.

Not only are better images obtained due to the immediate feedback that is received, but digital technology produces a much clearer, more detailed image. This gives the veterinarian much more information to work with.

Dental Care/Oral Surgery/Digital Dental Radiography

Good oral health is an important part of good general health for your pet. While the principles of good oral hygiene and dental health are the same for dogs and cats as for people, there are some significant differences. Unlike our pets, we understand why the procedure is important, and we typically do not need sedation or restraint.

Another important difference between human and veterinary dental practice is as humans, we are able to tell our dentist when there is discomfort. To ensure that nothing is missed with your pets, our patients require a thorough oral examination as part of a dental scaling procedure. At CAMC, Dr. Ragozzino may recommend dental radiographs. Radiographs (x-rays) may be needed to evaluate the health of the jaw and the tooth roots below the gumline, as this is where most dental disease occurs.

Professional dental cleaning removes dental plaque and tartar that cause periodontal disease. The dental deposits are removed by power (ultrasonic) and hand dental scalers. Following scaling, the teeth are polished to remove residual plaque and to smooth the tooth surface. The mouth is rinsed to remove debris prior to a final inspection by our Veterinarian. Anesthesia is essential for veterinary dental procedures, to ensure that the procedure can be completed successfully.

Signs of oral and dental diseases in dogs and cats:

In House & Reference Laboratory

Our in-house laboratory allows us to perform an array of diagnostic tests that help us care for your pet. In-hospital laboratory enables us to perform screening tests for your pets within a very short period of time. The faster we are able to diagnose your pet’s health issue, the faster we can treat it!

In-house Laboratory includes:

We also partner with IDEXX Reference Laboratories in order to offer advanced testing and complete wellness panels. In addition, we partner with Spectrum Labs for allergy and immunology testing. Like humans, your pet can have allergies too. Spectrum is a great resource for CAMC to assist with your dog or cat’s allergies and help provide a better quality of life.

Nutrition Counseling

Appropriate nutrition plays an important role in a long, healthy, life for your pet. Young animals need proper food to grow up strong and healthy, and older pets often benefit from diets that are targeted to their individual health issues. Research shows that proper nutrition can increase the average lifespan of a pet up to two years.

Here at CAMC, we offer a variety of Prescription Diets that benefit many health conditions. Our Doctor and staff can provide guidance regarding your pet's nutritional needs for each life stage, including dietary requirements for growth, weight maintenance and performance.

Bathing

Recommended bathing frequency varies depending on your pet. Your pet's breed and lifestyle will dictate how often they require bathing and what sort of shampoos work best. Our clinic offers bathing services for your pet. Whether it is a bath needed in between normal groomings, general maintenance, or a medicated shampoo bath. All baths include a nail trim and cleaning of the ears. Please contact us about our bathing services.

Elective & Major Surgery

Surgery is a major part of our practice and something we take extremely seriously at CAMC. We provide both elective surgeries and major surgeries for our patients. Our veterinarian is a skilled and experienced surgeon, and our compassion for animals aids us in providing excellent care. We are constantly striving to make our patients as comfortable as possible before, during, and after their procedures. Whether a routine or critical procedure, all surgical patients are evaluated individually to provide the most ideal outcome. All surgeries receive an intravenous catheter to provide fluids, medications, and an access to the circulatory system should an emergency arise.

Some examples of in-house surgeries are as follows:


Whether because of a bad personal experience with another pet, or lack of information, many pet owners are scared of having their pets put under anesthesia. Surely, there’s always a risk with anesthesia, fortunately, veterinary anesthesia has become very safe thanks to better protocols, safer drugs and sophisticated monitoring.

Pre-surgical physical examination and preoperative testing may detect clinical and subclinical problems. At CAMC our skilled anesthesiologists make sure the anesthetic protocol is specifically tailored to each individual patient.

All patients being placed under general anesthesia receive intravenous fluids. This helps in maintaining blood pressure and replacing lost fluids as well as emergency access in anesthetic crisis. Upon completion of the procedure, intravenous fluid therapy speeds the recovery process by diluting the anesthetic agents circulating in the blood stream. We use state-of-the art electronic monitors on your pet during anesthesia, as well as assign a technician to each procedure to be your pet’s advocate, anesthetist, and recovery nurse. Warming measures, blood pressure support and pain management are always employed, as well as comfort upon recovery.

Pain Management

How can I tell if my pet is in pain? With obvious injuries or after surgical procedures, we can assume that a pet will experience pain. Animals instinctively hide their pain, thereby masking symptoms of a health problem. Our veterinarian and staff are experienced in detecting pet pain and diagnosing the source of the problem. Most pets experiencing pain alter their behavior in some way. A pet may be reluctant to climb stairs, show decreased activity, or resist being handled or picked up. Subtle signs may be our only clue that the pet is hurting.

Other signs of pain include (but are not limited to):

There are many types of medications used to prevent and lessen pain. Here at CAMC, we will evaluate your pet and choose the appropriate medications based on your pet's specific needs. Our complete in-house pharmacy gives you the benefit of starting pet medications immediately, to eliminate pain and treat the source of discomfort. We stock a broad spectrum of veterinary pharmaceuticals, to relieve pain and assist in recovery from illness or surgery. Our trained staff is available to give you instruction on appropriate administration techniques as well as daily recommended doses.

Preventative Medicine

Doctor Ragozzino and the staff at CAMC will be your partners for wellness and preventative care from the time your pet is a puppy/kitten until their senior years.

The saying, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" holds true when it comes to pet health. The cost of prevention is often a fraction of the cost of treating a disease or problem once it has become more advanced. Early diagnosis and treatment of developing problems or diseases can increase the likelihood of successful outcomes.

Preventive healthcare includes veterinary evaluation of your pet's overall health and risks of disease or other health problems. Based on the findings, our veterinarian will provide you with recommendations for your pet's nutrition, dental care, vaccinations and heartworm/flea/tick prevention, as well as recommendations that are specific to your pet's health status and risk factors.

End of Life Services

At Companion Animal Medical Center, we’re here to support you through all the stages of your animal’s life, even the tough ones. End of life care for your pet brings about both difficult and emotional decisions. For many of us, our companion animal is a member of the family, and when the bond we share is broken, the resulting sense of loss and grief is as real and sometimes as overwhelming as when we lose a relative or human friend.

We provide private cremation service for families who wish to keep the remains of their pet. Your pet will receive an individual cremation with its remains carefully packaged. Communal cremation is also available for owners who do not wish to keep the remains of their pet.

Humane euthanasia is an appropriate option for some pets and pet owners, as it allows for the ending of pet suffering in a controlled and peaceful manner. We understand that you may have many questions about euthanasia and whether or not it is right for you and your pet, and we welcome you to contact us with any questions or concerns. We are happy to provide you with information and guidance during this difficult decision making process. We strive to respect your wishes and will treat your pet with dignity and compassion.

The hardest part of loving a pet is knowing when to let go. The staff at CAMC is here to support you and your family during this difficult time.