- Dental CareWhen problems with your pet’s oral health arise, we have what you need to repair the damage and get your canine or feline companion back on track.
- VaccinationVaccinating your pets against disease is one of the most important aspects of preventative pet health care. At Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital, our vaccination protocols are based on the latest scientific research, and are always customized to your pet’s individual needs.
- Veterinary OphthalmologyAt Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital, we offer a variety of effective treatments for common eye issues and maintain state-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical equipment to treat more serious conditions. Our doctors can treat a wide range of eye diseases including...
- Nutritional CounselingDr. Larry Hawk brings nearly forty years of experience in veterinary practice and veterinary management to Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Hawk began his career at Michigan State University, where he received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 1978. After graduation, he joined a small animal practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he helped to design and build an award winning animal hospital. He further developed his medical and management skills as he continued his career at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, PetSmart, the ASPCA in New York and finally the MSPCA-Angell here in Boston. Dr. Hawk had to stay at the top of his “medical game” while working to develop new nutritional products at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and while supervising the veterinary staff at PetSmart, the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, the ASPCA Poison Control Center and the Angell Animal Medical Center. At these organizations, some of the top veterinarians in their fields constantly challenged the existing body of veterinary knowledge and developed leading edge treatment options. In 2007, Dr. Hawk brought all of his unique skills and career history to bear as the new owner of Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital, and has worked hard to assemble the extremely qualified and compassionate team that we have here today.
- Comprehensive ExaminationWe believe that the best approach to your pet's health care is to prevent problems before they start, so we recommend a complete physical exam for your pet once a year. Because our pets aren’t able to warn us when they feel an illness coming on, annual check ups are the easiest and best way to keep them happy and healthy. At Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital, we provide a 'nose to toes' exam for all of our patients that allows us to identify and treat problems before they become severe.
- Parasites Treatment and ControlWhether you’re planning to travel within the United States or are planning an international trip with your pet, our veterinarians are able to provide you with the health certification that your pet needs to travel with you. If you’re planning to travel internationally, we encourage you to plan as far in advance as possible. International health certificates require that your pet be microchipped and up to date on vaccines, and have strict timelines to for certain vaccine updates, deworming, and form approval through the USDA office in Albany. Call us anytime and let us know where you’re planning to travel to and what date you plan to fly, and we’ll talk you through everything you need to know to travel with your pet!
- Pain ManagementCold Laser Therapy, also known as infrared laser therapy or photobioimmodulation, has been shown to reduce pain and aid in healing many conditions. It is often used in conjunction with oral pain medication, or when your pet cannot tolerate traditional medications. Our doctors may recommend Cold Laser Therapy for the following conditions...
- Vomiting Treatment
- Diarrhea Treatment
- Skin Condition and Allergy TreatmentSkin infections come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can develop rapidly, causing uncomfortable symptoms like itching, hair loss, or painful lesions. The physical symptoms that you see are often only a small part of the problem, as many skin infections are actually caused by things we cannot see, such as environmental allergies, food allergies, or autoimmune disease. As a result, skin conditions can be difficult to diagnose and treat, but at Commonwealth Vet, our staff works hard to ensure that we stay up to date with all of the current research, diagnostic tools, and therapies to treat these conditions. We will address the visible infection, as well as find and treat its underlying cause, in order to keep your pet comfortable in the long run.
- Injury Treatment
- Intestinal Foreign Object Removal
- Ear Infection TreatmentThe symptoms of allergies in our canine and feline companions can be numerous and include frequent ear infections, chronically itchy skin, and uncomfortable intestinal issues. We know how frustrating these chronic conditions can be, both for you and for your pet, but we’re here to help you determine what allergens affect your pet and come up with the best management strategy for their allergies. Advances in veterinary medicine have made available a wide range of treatments to help control our pets’ allergies and treat their symptoms. We will work with you to form a treatment plan that might include topical treatments, oral medications, diet changes, or allergy shots (immunotherapy) to help your pet overcome his or her allergies and lead a happy, comfortable life.
- Anal Gland Infection Treatment
- Urinary Tract Infection TreatmentUrine: Urine screenings help diagnose a variety of conditions, but are especially useful in checking for the signs of urinary tract infections, kidney failure and diabetes.
- Diabetes Treatment
- Thyroid Disease Treatment
- Heart Disease TreatmentAt Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital, we take great care to make sure your pet is anesthetized safely and for the minimum amount of time necessary to undergo surgery. Our doctors’ advanced anesthesia training, and our hospital’s broad spectrum of anesthetic medications, allow us to tailor an anesthetic protocol to your pet’s specific needs based on their age and any preexisting medical conditions. In addition, your pet will be assigned a highly trained veterinary technician to monitor anesthesia throughout their procedure. We are equipped with EKG, pulse oximetry and blood pressure monitoring to keep your pet safe during surgery.
- Kidney Disease TreatmentJust like their human companions, our pets sometimes need a special diet to help them lose weight or manage a specific medical condition. Advances in veterinary medicine have made available a wide variety of nutritional therapies that include everything from joint supplements to special diets to help manage chronic conditions like diabetes or kidney disease. No matter what your pet’s needs, our veterinarians are here to help you sort through the many nutritional options that are available to you, and create a nutritional plan that is right for your pet.
- Periodontal Disease TreatmentA: Like people, pets develop plaque and tartar on their teeth that can lead to severe periodontal disease later in life, and daily tooth brushing is the best way to reduce the formation of that plaque and tartar. While daily brushing is a great idea, some pets don’t agree! For these pets, we recommend brushing as often as possible and supplementing with products tested and approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council, including dental diets, dental treats, and water additives. Please don’t hesitate to call our office for advice about your pet’s oral healthcare routine, or for suggestions on how to make brushing easier.
- Cancer TreatmentWhen you fear the worst, we are here to help. CVH is equipped with all the necessary technology and skill to diagnose a variety of cancers, and can help you with the difficult series of decisions needed after a diagnosis has been made. Whether you choose to maintain simple, palliative care for your pet, or choose to begin chemotherapy, our veterinarians are here to make a treatment plan that is right for you and your pet. If more advanced or urgent treatment is needed, we also maintain relationships with local oncologists who can assist in developing treatment plans or performing additional advanced testing.
- Wound and Fracture Care
- Dental SurgeryOur team of doctors and technicians have taken numerous courses in advanced dentistry, which allows us to provide safe, effective and thorough treatment of dental and periodontal disease. At Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital, we take a full set of digital dental radiographs at during every dental cleaning in order to provide your pet with the very best care that veterinary medicine has to offer. When problems arise that threaten your pet’s oral health, we are able perform a variety of advanced oral surgeries, including...
- Ophthalmic Surgery
- Veterinary SurgeryDr. Wissel spend the first part of her career as an emergency veterinarian and on-call surgeon at the Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital, where she received advanced training in soft tissue surgery, anesthesia and critical care. During this time, she also continued to travel as a veterinarian with the Humane Society, providing much-needed services to underserved communities around the world.
- Laser SurgeryCommonwealth Veterinary Hospital also offers CO2 laser surgery for certain procedures, which has been shown to cause less swelling, faster healing and reduced pain during recovery.
- Small Animal SurgeryDr. Kate Wissel joined the team at Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital in 2012. Originally from New York, Dr. Wissel decided she wanted to become a veterinarian in the first grade, shortly after abandoning her dream of becoming an olympic dolphin rider. She spent many of her early years working on a family farm in Vermont, riding horses, and working as a veterinary assistant. Dr. Wissel earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology with honors at Colgate University. After graduation, Dr. Wissel worked on wildlife research projects in South America and Africa. She then earned her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, where she developed a special interest in soft tissue surgery and anesthesia and spent countless hours volunteering for low-cost clinics on Native Nations and in Central America. Dr. Wissel then completed an internship in small animal surgery and emergency medicine, where she focused on soft tissue surgery and high-risk anesthesia.
- Spaying and NeuteringIn 2018, Dr. Wissel and Abby took their first trip to rural Mexico to work with the Palmarito Sea Turtle Rescue. During their trip, they traveled to remote beach communities to spay and neuter dogs and cats in order to reduce predation on sea turtle nests and improve the quality of life of the dogs and cats in these communities. Dr. Wissel and Abby enjoyed this work so much that they are currently preparing to travel to Mexico for the 2019 field season.
- Laboratory ServicesWe offer a variety of in-house laboratory services to help diagnose your pet's health issues as quickly and precisely as possible. These services include...
- X-RayThese facility enhancements made valuable new diagnostic and treatment tools available, including laser surgery, digital radiography, endoscopy, rhinoscopy, digital dental radiography and oral surgery. The hospital also expanded from two doctors to four, and added to its staff of qualified technicians in order to better serve our patients.
- Dental RadiologyDigital Dental Radiology: Our digital radiology suite includes handheld equipment for use in dentistry. This means that all the advantages of digital x-rays are available when your veterinarian evaluates your pet’s dental health.
- MicrochippingPet microchips are small, electronic chips that serve as a form of identification for your pet. These chips are approximately the size of a grain of rice, and in the event that your pet is lost, they can be scanned by any rescue organization, animal control officer, or veterinary hospital in order to obtain your pet’s identification number. This number is then used to obtain your contact information so you can be reunited with your pet. Because of its small size, a microchip can be implanted under your pet’s skin using a hypodermic needle, so no surgery or anesthesia is needed for implantation. This means that a microchip can be placed at any time in your pet’s life, including at routine vet visits. This technology is responsible for the return of thousands of lost pets to their owners every year, which makes it a minimally invasive way to improve your chances of being reunited with your pet if he or she is lost. It also allows your pet to travel internationally if the need arises.
- Grooming
- Senior Pet CareA: For young, healthy pets, we recommend yearly wellness checkups. Should there be any other issue with your pet you are concerned about in between these visits, it is always good to call and we can advise you as to whether or not an additional visit is necessary for that issue. For some senior pets, we may recommend twice yearly visits, as they help us to keep track your pet’s medical conditions and notice changes before they threaten your pet’s health.