Health Care Services
Camino Real Pet Clinic is a full-service, state-of-the-art animal hospital staffed by a skilled and caring veterinary team. Beyond our comprehensive wellness services, we offer treatment for eye disorders, allergy and dermatology treatment, cancer treatment, nutrition counseling and prescription diets, behavior counseling, and more.
Whether your pet is a playful puppy or kitten, active adult dog or cat, or a senior pet entering his or her golden years, we use a personalized approach to high-quality pet care based on your pet's breed and lifestyle and your expectations. At Camino Real Pet Clinic, your pet receives the best care available in a professional and loving environment. As a part of our commitment to you and your pet, we are here to address any concerns you may have.
Internal Medicine for Your Burlingame Pet
Despite the very best preventive care, animals can become sick. When this happens, it is stressful for both you and your pet, especially because you can't simply ask your companion what's wrong. You need a skilled veterinarian whom you can trust to accurately diagnose and effectively treat your pet.
While the focus of our medical practice at Camino Real Pet Clinic is your pet's wellness, an important part of our services is the diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of diseases that can affect your pet's internal organs and body systems.
Allergies and Skin Problems
in Dogs and Cats
Allergies are quite common in dogs of all breeds and backgrounds. In our San Mateo County area, they are typically due to fleas, but can also be the result of food or an inhaled irritant like dust or pollen. The most common symptom associated with allergies is intense itching of the skin or ears, either localized or generalized. Other symptoms include respiratory distress (coughing, sneezing and wheezing) or digestive problems causing vomiting, flatulence or diarrhea.
It is important to be able to identify the first signs and symptoms of allergies and dermatological conditions. These include:
- Scratching, licking, chewing or biting the skin, feet and ears, often leading to hair loss and open sores or scabs
- Red, raised, scaly areas on the skin
- Bumps, crusts or pus filled vesicles on the skin
- Increased skin pigmentation
- Thickened skin
- Loss of hair
- Salivary staining (brown color)
- Head shaking
If your pet exhibits any of these symptoms, please make an appointment to have him or her seen by one of our veterinarians at Camino Real Pet Clinic. We will evaluate your pet, determine the most effective method of treatment, and explain how you can prevent future problems. If left untreated, allergic reactions and skin conditions can become serious medical concerns.
Glaucoma Prevention
Glaucoma is a common condition in which the fluid pressure inside the eye increases, resulting in damage to the optic nerve followed by loss of vision and blindness. There are two types of glaucoma. Primary or chronic glaucoma is hereditary or develops as your pet ages. Secondary or acute glaucoma develops as the result of an injury or illness. Because secondary glaucoma can progress rapidly, it is considered an emergency situation requiring immediate medical attention.
Symptoms of glaucoma to look for include:
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For your pet's comfort and safety, we use a handheld tonometer called a Tonopen to measure the fluid pressure inside his or her eyes. This is a noninvasive, simple procedure that should not cause your pet any discomfort or stress.
Behavior Counseling
Even with the right training and lots of attention and love, your dog or cat can develop bad habits or unwanted behaviors. Please don't make the mistake of believing that you and your family must live with these problems or worse, consider giving up your pet.
Camino Real Pet Clinic offers behavior counseling for many of your pet's problems including inappropriate urination or defecation, urine marking, aggression, nipping and biting, separation anxiety, inappropriate chewing and barking, digging, chewing and introduction of new pets into the household.
Causes of behavior problems can be environmental, such as a schedule change or introduction of a new baby or pet; learned, as a result of unintentional positive reinforcement; or genetic. Furthermore, any painful disease or condition or degenerative changes associated with aging can cause or contribute to behavior problems. For example, a pet that is fearful of children may become more reactive, irritable, and aggressive as conditions such as dental problems, arthritis or an infection make him or her more uncomfortable or less mobile. Addressing the underlying medical problem or providing pain relief, along with behavior modification techniques, can often resolve these problems.
Our assessment begins with your pet's clinical history and a thorough medical examination. Before beginning behavior therapy, any medical problems that have been diagnosed will be treated. If our veterinarians and technical staff members cannot help with your pet's behavior problem, we can refer you to a board-certified animal behavior specialist.
Your Pet's Nutrition
Proper nutrition and a balanced diet, along with fresh, clean water, are essential ingredients for your pet's overall good health. As your pet's caregiver, nutrition is the most significant health variable that you control.
Feeding your pet the highest-quality food you can afford is one of the best ways you can contribute to his or her health and vitality. Making the best nutritional choices for your dog or cat not only effects general health, but will improve the quality and length of your pet's life. Please refer to the following link for an excellent FAQ on choosing a diet:
To support your efforts, the doctors at Camino Real Pet Clinic perform a thorough body condition evaluation during every physical examination, and give recommendations based on what we see. We can also provide you with important information on proper serving size, nutrient needs, and feeding strategies for your individual pet. We will also help you navigate pet food claims so you can make the most informed choices.
Prescription Diets
Some pets have serious nutritional challenges or chronic conditions that benefit from a special diet. When that is the case, we may recommend feeding a special prescription diet. Making this change can have a significant positive impact on your pet's overall health and well-being.
Prescription diets benefit medical conditions such as liver disease, bladder and kidney disease, digestive problems, renal failure, food allergies, diabetes and more. Camino Real Pet Clinic sells the full line of Hill's and Royal Canin prescription foods, as well as a few Purina and Iams prescription products. Due to our limited storage space, we are not able to stock all we sell, but we are happy to order whatever you need.
Urohydropropulsion
Bladder stones are common in dogs and cats. The stones form in the urinary bladder as a result of diet, infection or genetics. The most common signs that your dog or cat has bladder stones are blood in the urine (hematuria) and straining to urinate (dysuria).
For your pet's comfort and safety, and to avoid an invasive surgical procedure, small stones in females may be removed by urohydropropulsion, a nonsurgical method offered at Camino Real Pet Clinic. Urohydropropulsion is performed under sedation by filling the bladder with saline through a catheter, and flushing the stones through the urethra.
Nail Trims & Anal Gland Expression
For your pet's comfort, Camino Real Pet Clinic is happy to offer nail trimming and anal gland expression.
In general, your dog's nails are too long if you can hear him tap-dancing on your floor. For both dogs and cats, long nails can get caught in carpet or cause them to slip. On some pets, nails curve around and grow into the feet, causing pain and infection. Regular trimming is an excellent alternative to declawing — or reupholstering your couch.
Referrals
To best meet all your pet's needs, the Burlingame veterinarians at Camino Real Pet Clinic refer patients to specialists in certain cases including internal medicine, cardiology, oncology, specific surgeries, behavior, dermatology, neurology, dentistry and ophthalmology as needed. We refer to Sage Centers for Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Care, North Peninsula Veterinary Emergency Clinic, VCA San Francisco Veterinary Specialists, Peninsula Animal Dermatology, Animal Dental Clinic, Animal Internal Medicine & Specialty Services, Veterinary Vision and UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
If you would like more information about the San Mateo County veterinary health maintenance services that Camino Real Pet Clinic offers for your pet or to schedule an appointment at our animal hospital in Burlingame, please send us an email or call (650) 344-5711.