Welcome to
San Francisco Pet Hospital

Our goal is to help your pet live the longest, healthiest life possible. That starts with the basics:  quality nutrition, adequate exercise, excellent grooming, and yes, regular veterinary check-ups. San Francisco Pet Hospital’s comprehensive approach to preventative wellness care includes the following areas of focus:   

• Annual or bi-annual complete physical examinations
• Vaccinations based on age and lifestyle
• Dental and oral health assessment and care  
• Parasite control and prevention including for fleas, ticks, intestinal worms, and heartworm
• Nutrition and weight management recommendations
• Exercise and activity assessment
• Behavioral evaluation and proactive intervention when behavioral issues arise
• Wellness laboratory testing including regular screening for heartworm, tick borne disease,  intestinal parasites and internal organ health.

Senior Pets: At San Francisco Pet Hospital we love our elder pets! We also know that preventative care is even more significant for them and can have a major positive impact on their quality of life and longevity. In addition to annual or bi-annual physical examinations we also recommend regular blood and urine screening to assess for underlying diseases that often develop quietly and insidiously.  This allows for earlier intervention to keep your senior pet as happy and healthy as possible.

Vaccinating your pet helps to protect them against preventable, life-threatening disease.  They also help to protect people from infections that can be passed from your pet to you.  

We tailor our vaccination recommendations specifically for your pet, based on their age, overall health and lifestyle. In general, vaccinations start with puppies and kittens when they are 6 to 8 weeks of age and continue until they are four to five months of age to ensure they are fully protected during this vulnerable part of their development.  Adults receive booster vaccinations every 1 to 3 years depending on the vaccinations that are important for their environment and lifestyle.  

Which vaccines should my pet receive? 

“Core” vaccines are those recommended for most dogs and cats. Core vaccines include:

• Rabies (dogs and cats) – protects against Rabies.  This vaccine is legally required in all dogs living in California.  
• DA2PP – protects against the viruses that cause Distemper, Hepatitis, Adenovirus 2, Parvo and Parainfluenza (dogs)
• FVRCP – protects against the viruses that cause Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia (cats)

Other non-core vaccines are given depending on your pet’s lifestyle and potential exposure.  Common non-core vaccines we recommend include:

Dogs: 

• Bordetella-protects against the upper respiratory infection known as “Kennel Cough”; recommended for dogs that have regular contact with other dogs in dog parks, daycare, boarding or grooming.  
• Canine Influenza-protects against two of the viral strains that cause Canine Flu, a severe upper respiratory infection that has affected dogs throughout the Bay Area in recent years.  Similar recommendations to Bordetella.  
• Letpospirosis-protects against this water borne, wildlife transmitted bacterial infection that is found throughout Northern California; recommended for dogs having regular outdoor exposure in areas frequented by wildlife.  

Cats:

Feline Leukemia Virus-protects against this cat virus that is transmitted from cat to cat through close contact, mutual grooming or fighting; recommended for cats that live an indoor/outdoor lifestyle. 

Dental disease is one of the most common problems our pets face throughout their lives.  Chronic dental disease not only causes pain and discomfort in the mouth, but the chronic inflammation and infection can affect other vital organs such the heart, lungs and kidneys. San Francisco Pet Hospital focuses on your pet’s dental health as a vital part of your pet’s health, wellness and quality of life.  

How do I know if my pet has dental disease?

Bad breath, red or swollen gums, discolored or loose teeth, reluctance to play with chew toys, or pain when eating can all be signs of dental disease. However, often in the earlier stages you won’t notice anything amiss, which is why regular, annual physical examinations help us identify dental disease early.  

How is dental disease treated? 

We take a comprehensive approach to assessing and treating your pet’s dental health.  Under general anesthesia we perform a complete oral examination and take full mouth X-rays to determine if any teeth are compromised enough to warrant extraction.  If extractions are necessary, then the affected teeth are removed and a flap of gum tissue is sutured over the extraction site.  Local “numbing” anesthesia is used to ensure pain management during and after the procedure.  All healthy teeth have the tartar removed and are polished to smooth out the tooth surface which helps to prevent the tartar from coming back.   

I’m worried about the risks of anesthesia for my pet.

We take every precaution to ensure the safest anesthetic procedure possible and the result is that anesthetic complications are extremely rare.  Pre-anesthetic blood testing helps us ensure your pet is healthy to undergo anesthesia and allows us to tailor the anesthetic protocol to best fit your pet’s overall health. Intravenous fluids are given to support blood pressure and careful monitoring of vital parameters such as EKG, blood pressure and pulse oximetry during the procedure ensures a safer experience.  Although there is always a very small risk of complications with any anesthetic procedure, leaving dental disease untreated leads to greater risk to your pet’s overall health.  

What can I do to keep my pet’s mouth healthy?

The two best ways to prevent plaque and tartar build up are 1) Feeding a high-quality diet, and 2) brushing your pet’s teeth several times per week.  Interested in learning how to brush your pet’s teeth? Our veterinarians will be happy to help you get started. If your pet won’t tolerate brushing, our veterinarians can also recommend products that will help keep your pet’s mouth healthy in between cleanings.

At San Francisco Pet Hospital we utilize a variety of diagnostic tools to help us assess your pet when they are having a medical condition, illness or injury.  These services include: 

• Ultrasound
• Digital radiology (x-rays)
• Laboratory diagnostic testing through both our outside veterinary reference lab and our in-hospital lab including:
  • Blood and urine testing 
  • Internal parasite screening (fecal and heartworm testing)
  • Skin and ear infection screening, including fungal cultures
  • Diabetic monitoring (glucose curves, fructosamine)
  • Hormonal disease testing and monitoring
  • Biopsy services 
  • Infectious disease testing
• Blood pressure monitoring
• EKG
• Ocular Pressure
• Radiologist-reviewed radiographs

Surgery is sometimes the most effective way to treat many injuries and disorders, and San Francisco Pet Hospital provides a full range of surgical services ranging from routine spaying and neutering to more complicated soft tissue and orthopedic surgical procedures. 

Common surgeries we perform include:  

• Spay and neuter services
• Tumor and lump removal
• Laceration repair
• Intestinal or stomach foreign body removal
• Bladder stone removal
• Specialty orthopedic surgery utilizing a surgical specialist for things like patella luxation and cruciate ligament rupture

Our priority is patient safety and comfort before, during and after any surgery we perform.  Pre-anesthetic blood testing helps us ensure your pet is healthy to undergo anesthesia and allows us to tailor the anesthetic protocol to best fit your pet’s overall health. Intravenous fluids are given to support blood pressure and careful monitoring of vital parameters such as EKG, blood pressure and pulse oximetry during the procedure ensures a safer experience. We provide comprehensive pain management during and after all surgical procedures, ensuring your pet recovers quickly and with minimal discomfort.

If your pet needs surgery we will walk you through the entire process, giving you the information you need to make the best decision regarding your pet’s care. We understand surgery is a stressful time for any owner, and we are available every step of the way to answer your questions, support you, and ensure a successful outcome.