Alto Tiburon Veterinary Hospital

Exotics and pocket pets might be small, but they are also mighty and they deserve – like humans and more conventional pet companions – the best of care.

At Alto Tiburon Veterinary Hospital, we are happy to see a wide array of exotic pets, reptiles, and small mammals, including turtles, tortoises, snakes, geckos, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds, backyard chickens, goats, and more.

We recognize that coming to the vet can be a stressful experience for any pet, particularly our small ones. Our staff and doctors are very sensitive to this fact and do whatever we can to limit this stress.

Your pet may be more relaxed if brought in its regular enclosure if possible. It is also best not to clean the enclosure prior to bringing your pet in. This will allow your pet to be surrounded by familiar, comfortable smells, and will also retain samples for diagnostic testing if needed to better evaluate your pet.

We also conduct physical examinations and can offer nutritional and environmental enrichment counseling tailored to the unique needs of your little one.

To schedule an appointment for your favorite furry, feathered, shelled, or scaly friend, give us a call at (415) 383-7700 today!

Senior pets are a lot like senior humans – they require more frequent checkups and tender loving care to keep them happy and healthy. There is a difference between aging animals and older people, however. Your pet ages much faster than you do, so disease and illness progress faster as well.

At Alto Tiburon Veterinary Hospital, we know all the work that goes into keeping an animal healthy over the course of a lifetime, and we understand very well just how important your senior pet is to you. Your furry friend has reached these precious golden years because you’ve done your job as a pet parent, feeding them nourishing food, getting them plenty of exercise and socialization, and showering them with love.

The rest, of course, is up to us, and we have made senior wellness one of our main missions. A large part of that mission is preventative care. Beginning when your pet is seven years old, we recommend twice-yearly exams, as well as a comprehensive geriatric blood panel that can check for issues like anemia, liver disease, hypothyroidism, and kidney problems.  It is also recommended to perform an ultrasound to get a visualization of any potential issues within the abdominal cavity.  Our goal is to use these diagnostic tools to detect and prevent any medical issues that might arise in the future for your pet.  We might also suggest X-rays if we suspect any orthopedic abnormalities or other concerns.  These senior preventative packages are discounted for you and your pet's convenience.  Please call if you would like to learn more information about these packages.

Your senior pet’s routine wellness examination gives you an opportunity to discuss concerns and includes specialized lab work to detect early signs of disease processes. Our veterinarians tailor these exams and tests to your pet’s age, breed, lifestyle, and physical condition in order to best meet his or her health needs. We also include information regarding nutrition, pain and arthritis management, and preserving your pet's quality of life.

Speaking of quality of life, you’ve probably heard that your pet will tell you when he or she is ready to be put down, but the truth is, it’s not always easy to know when the time is right. We can help you with this decision. A few things to consider in the meantime:

• Is your pet clearly in pain?
• Has your pet lost interest in her favorite activities?
• Has your pet stopped being able to perform basic functions like eating, drinking, eliminating outdoors/in the litterbox?

If you decide that it’s time to put your pet to sleep, we will give him or her a gentle sedative so that he or she will feel no pain. After that, we’ll administer another drug that effectively renders them unconscious and shuts down heart and brain function. The process is short and humane, and we will be with you every step of the way, explaining what’s happening and giving you whatever time and privacy you need to say goodbye and to grieve.

We understand completely the excitement – and the worry – that comes with adopting a new pet. That’s why Alto Tiburon Veterinary Hospital offers Pre-Purchase Exams as part of our comprehensive suite of services.

What is a Pre-Purchase Exam exactly? It’s an opportunity for you to discuss with a trusted animal care provider any concerns you might have about your potential new furry family member.

These exams typically include:

• Breed education
• Bloodwork
• Screenings for parasites and kennel cough
• An ECG
• Optional COVID testing
• Examination of parentage if available

You and your veterinarian might also discuss the ins and outs of pet insurance, as well as dietary recommendations.

The main reason we conduct Pre-Purchase Exams is that we believe, before you take the leap of adopting a new pet, you should be as informed as possible. To schedule one, give us a call at (415) 383-7700.

If you’re traveling internationally or across state lines and plan to take your pet with you, it’s important to be aware of exactly what will be required for your animal companion to make the trip. It’s also a good idea to make sure your pet is physically healthy enough for travel.

The veterinarians at Alto Tiburon Veterinary Hospital are USDA-accredited. We can assist you in getting your pet ready for your trip, including assessing whether they’re healthy enough for travel—especially the rigors of an airline flight.

Steps to take before your trip:

• Please take the time to research what documentation you will need before your trip. (You will find the certificate and other information about what’s required for your pet to travel at the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS page listed below.)
• Be sure you know what the requirements are for the place you are visiting, as each individual country establishes the criteria for entry.
• International travel for pets requires international health certificates—and some countries require proof of additional vaccinations and testing.
• Once you know what documentation is needed, you can request that your veterinarian complete the health certificate. You, the owner, are responsible for these documents, so please be mindful of the timing of your travel. Contact us if you are waiting on a response, to ensure you have the certificates in time.
• Once completed, completed documentation will need to be submitted for endorsement by mail or in person at your local USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services Export Service Office. There is an endorsement fee based on destination requirements.
• The USDA suggests a minimum 10-day time frame for completing health certificates; however, many airlines require that health certificates be completed no more than 10 days prior to travel. You’ll need to contact your specific airline to find out their policy.
• There may be some health and documentation requirements if you’re traveling with your pet from state to state.  Your first step should be checking the USDA-APHIS page for interstate travel (see below).

We are here to help and are happy to administer any necessary vaccinations and sign off on the travel. It should be noted that it is your responsibility to follow up with us and get the completed health certificate before traveling. As the owner, it is your role to send, gather, and ensure all information is correct.

If you have further questions or want to schedule an appointment for your pet prior to travel, call us at (415) 383-7700. Bon voyage!

USDA travel certificate resources:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel

Ever heard the expression that “you are what you eat”? Well, the same is true for our pets. A nutrition-rich diet is your pet’s first line of defense and a cornerstone of preventive care. Proper daily nutrition will go a long way in keeping your pet healthy by bolstering the immune system and supporting normal development in younger animals.

Every pet’s nutritional needs are different, based on age, breed, health conditions and lifestyle factors—which can make choosing the right pet food complicated. For example, larger breed dogs have different nutritional needs than smaller breeds, and puppies and kittens should eat much differently than most adult dogs.

At Alto Tiburon Veterinary Hospital, our veterinarians and staff can take the guesswork out of feeding your pets by advising you about what’s right for your animal.

Have questions or concerns about what your pet is eating? Call us at (415) 383-7700.

There’s no doubt that one of the most frightening things a pet owner can hear is that their animal companion has cancer. Alto Tiburon Veterinary Hospital is prepared and equipped to accurately diagnose and treat cancer in pets. We offer the following veterinary oncology services: 

• Diagnostics
• Surgery
• Standard Chemotherapy
• Targeted Chemotherapy
• Radiation Therapy

Chemotherapy can be effective in decreasing tumor sizes and prolonging the lifespan of pets. The specific type of chemotherapy treatment will depend on your pet and the type of cancer he or she has.

You should be aware before choosing chemotherapy for your pet that this treatment will not completely cure your pet of cancer. It also may have some side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea and bone marrow suppression. However, chemotherapy may enable your pet to be more comfortable.

It’s important to know that should your pet contract cancer, it is not automatically a terminal diagnosis. You can count on us as a compassionate resource with the power to offer hope and healing in many cases.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, please call us at (415) 383-7700.

Our in-house laboratory facilities provide for serum chemistry, clinical pathology, cytology, and urinalysis, including sediment analysis and parasite testing. We also utilize commercial veterinary laboratories for specialized diagnostics and consultations.

Our on-the-spot veterinary laboratory includes the following:

• CBC (Complete Blood Counts)
• Blood chemistry panels
• FELV/FIV testing
• Electrolyte evaluation
• Cytology of skin and ear samples
• Heartworm and tick disease screening

For more information about our diagnostic offerings, give us a call at (415) 383-7700. We’ll be happy to answer any question you might have.

We’re proud to offer Class IV Medical Laser treatment to our pet patients for the treatment of a wide array of conditions.

The Class IV Laser is not a surgical (cutting) laser.  It stimulates the mitochondria in cells to speed healing and decrease inflammation & pain.  It can be used as an ancillary treatment for degenerative joint disease, tendon injuries, intervertebral disc disease, hot spots, lick granulomas, ear hematomas, chronic ear infections, bladder inflammation, etc., and can reduce the healing time of surgical incisions by 50%. 

As with other lasers, your pet’s eyes need to be protected from the beam, but it is an extremely safe treatment modality.  There are very few contraindications to its use, but it generally cannot be used on tumors of any kind.  Please ask our staff whether the laser would be appropriate in the treatment of your pet.

If you think your pet is a good candidate for laser therapy, give us a call at (415) 383-7700. We’re here to help!

We've got your pet's mouth covered!

At Alto Tiburon Veterinary Hospital, we take great pride in providing the highest standard of care to your pet at all stages of life. One of the many services we’re able to offer is pet dental care. If your pet is over 3, and hasn’t had a dental cleaning and exam within the past year, we highly recommend that you schedule one at your earliest convenience.

Many pet owners don’t realize it, but dental disease is the most common disease in dogs and cats. Unfortunately, when your pet has poor oral health, this could lead to other issues later on. We strongly believe in dental care for pets because we’ve seen firsthand how terrible it can be for dogs and cats when they don’t get it. Dental disease can significantly impact a pet’s quality of life at advanced stages, making eating difficult due to mouth pain. Plus, bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream and cause heart, liver, and kidney complications. Keeping up with the cleanliness of your pet’s mouth and their overall dental health can prevent years of discomfort, disease, and lost teeth.

Our animal hospital offers a wide range of dental services to suit your pet’s needs, including routine dental exams and cleanings to protect your pet’s oral health. In our routine dental cleaning, we focus on overall oral hygiene, which includes offering full mouth dental cleaning, polishing of the teeth, and removal of plaque, tartar & stains.

At Alto Tiburon Veterinary Hospital, we perform non-anesthetic dentistry (NAD), where a specialist comes into the office to perform these for our clients. Non-anesthetic dentistry may appeal to pet owners who are nervous about having their dog anesthetized or own elderly or large breed pets. Looking for more info? Give us a call at (415) 383-7700.

An Update To Our Pricing
Our team has received a lot of feedback concerning the price of our dental care procedures, and after careful consideration, we have adjusted our services in order to offer a lower base price for dental cleanings.

To make this procedure more accessible and lower costs for you, we no longer include extractions, radiographs, ECG, or a full blood panel prior to the cleaning- unless approved by the owner for an additional cost. These elements of our services can be some of the most costly for the pet owner. In order to reduce additional costs, we also have adjusted our pre-op medication protocol and will send owners home with medications to be used the night before the procedure.

By forgoing these services, you benefit from significant cost savings, but it also means that we won’t have a complete picture of the pet’s health before undergoing the procedure. Because of this, performing a standard cleaning will be at the doctor’s discretion if the pet is a good candidate for the routine dental based on the annual exam. In addition to our routine exams and cleanings, we offer extraction services, x-rays, tooth fillings, and minor oral surgery for an additional cost.

If you’re interested in finding out more about dental cleanings or our other dental services, contact us today at (415) 383-7700!

Our comprehensive, on-site diagnostic capabilities allow us to come up with an accurate diagnosis and individually tailored treatment plan for your pet very quickly. In fact, bloodwork and urinalysis is often completed within minutes, and our cytology machine guarantees us results 24 hours, 7 days a week with results delivered in less than 2 hours. We’re likewise able to provide Full ECG services in our facility, as well as consultations with cardiology specialists.

X-rays likewise play a large part in helping us diagnose your pet without costly delay. The science of x-rays, or radiology, can be used to evaluate almost any organ in the body, including the heart, lungs, and abdominal organs, as well as the bones.

It is a painless, safe, and completely non-invasive technology and uses only very low doses of radiation. Because the level of radiation exposure needed to perform radiography is very low, even pregnant females and very young pets can undergo radiography.

Our state-of-the-art digital X-ray equipment provides exquisite, high-quality radiographs to aid in the rapid detection and diagnosis of disease. Our close affiliation with a board-certified radiologist allows for on-site ultrasound exams, and review of all radiographs by a professional specialist. Have questions about how our diagnostic suite might benefit your pet? Give us a call at (415) 383-7700 today!

Surgery is often the most effective way to treat many serious injuries and disorders, and Alto Tiburon Veterinary Hospital is proud to offer skilled surgical care and advanced equipment. Our hospital provides most routine soft-tissue surgeries including:

• Spay/Neuter
• Dental
• Foreign body removal
• Tumor removal
• Bladder stone removal 

We utilize the safest available anesthetics to provide an extra margin of safety during safety, especially for our older or high-risk patients. Using the most modern equipment, the patient’s vital signs (including EKG, pulse oximetry, respiration, blood pressure and temperature) are monitored throughout all anesthetic procedures.

Today’s modern anesthetic monitors have made surgery much safer than in the past. We do a thorough physical exam on your pet before administering anesthetics, to ensure that a fever or other illness won’t cause complications. We also adjust the amount and type of anesthetic used depending on the health of your pet. During surgical procedures, we continuously monitor your pet’s EKG, oxygenation (pulse oximetry), respiration (end-tidal CO2), blood pressure, and temperature.

Preanesthetic blood testing is an important measure in reducing the risk of anesthesia. Some pets need blood testing before surgery to ensure that the liver and kidneys can handle the anesthetic. If your pet needs blood testing, our doctors will discuss it with you after the initial physical evaluation. Even apparently healthy animals can have serious organ system problems that cannot be detected without blood testing. If there is a problem, it is much better to find it before it causes anesthetic or surgical complications. Animals that have minor dysfunction will handle the anesthetic better if they receive IV fluids during surgery. If serious problems are detected, surgery can be postponed until the problem is corrected.

It is important that surgery be done on an empty stomach to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia. You will need to withhold food for at least 8 to 12 hours before surgery. Water can be left down for the pet until the morning of surgery.

Will my pet have stitches?

For some surgeries, we use absorbable sutures underneath the skin. These will dissolve on their own, and do not need to be removed. Many surgeries, especially tumor removals, do require skin stitches or staples. With sutures, you will need to keep an eye on the incision for swelling or discharge. Most dogs and cats do not lick excessively or chew at the incision, but this is an occasional problem you will also need to watch for. If there are skin sutures, these will usually be removed 10 to 14 days after surgery. You will also need to limit your pet’s activity level for a time and no baths are allowed for the first 10 days after surgery.

Will my pet be in pain?

Anything that causes pain in people can be expected to cause pain in animals. Pets may not show the same symptoms of pain as people do; they usually don’t whine or cry, but you can be sure they feel it. Pain medications needed will depend on the surgery performed. Major procedures require more pain relief than things like minor lacerations.

For dogs, we may recommend an oral anti-inflammatory the day after surgery and several days following to lessen the risk of discomfort and swelling. We use newer medications, which are less likely to cause stomach upset and can be given even the morning of surgery. 

Because cats do not tolerate standard pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol, we are limited in what we can give them. Recent advances in pain medications have allowed for better pain control in cats than ever before. We may administer a pain injection prior to surgery. After surgery, pain medication is given on a case-by-case basis. Any animal that appears painful will receive additional pain medication.

Injectable pain medications may also be used after surgery on both dogs and cats. Providing whatever pain relief is appropriate is a humane and caring thing to do for your pet.

What other decisions do I need to make?

While your pet is under anesthesia, it may be appropriate to perform other minor procedures, such as nail trims, microchipping, dentistry, ear cleaning, or minor growth removal. If you would like an estimate for these extra services, please call ahead of time. This is especially important if the person dropping the pet off for surgery is not the primary decision maker for the pet’s care.

We will call you the night before your scheduled surgery appointment, to confirm the time you will be dropping your pet off and to answer any questions you might have. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to call us at (415) 383-7700 with any questions about your pet’s health or surgery.

Your pet can benefit greatly from regular wellness examinations or checkups. Whether your pet is a youngster, a “senior citizen,” or any age in between, wellness examinations provide an excellent opportunity for us to conduct a thorough physical examination and develop a health profile for your pet. This information will help us identify medical problems and any other issues that can affect your pet’s health and quality of life.

A wellness examination includes an evaluation of all of your pet’s major organ systems. We’ll use the wellness visit to ask you questions about your pet’s behavior, appetite, exercise habits, and regular activities at home. This is also an excellent time for us to discuss any routine diagnostic testing that may benefit your pet or to recommend any vaccinations that may be due.

Vaccinations play a crucial role in effective wellness care. They protect your pet against a wide array of preventative and deadly disease and your Alto Tiburon vet can advise you what shots your best friend needs and when. Vaccines are typically divided into “core” and “non-core.” Core vaccines for dogs include those that guard against parvovirus, distemper virus, adenovirus-2, and rabies. Core vaccines for cats include herpesvirus-1, feline calicivirus, feline panleukopenia virus, feline leukemia, and rabies.

Non-core vaccinations are given to dogs and cats that live in areas of the country where certain diseases may be prevalent or those that have special exposures. They include bordetella and leptospirosis for dogs and those that protect against immunodeficiency virus, chlamydia felis, and feline infectious peritonitis in cats.

Parasite prevention is another important part of preventative care. Contrary to popular opinion, pests like fleas, ticks, and heartworm aren’t just annoying—they can also pose serious dangers to your pet’s health. Heartworm is particularly deadly. Sadly, many pets don’t show symptoms until the disease is advanced, if at all. While there is treatment for canines, it is expensive and can be very hard on your pet. (There is no heartworm cure for cats.)

We can advise you on the form of prevention that best suits your pet’s age, breed, and lifestyle.

Has it been more than a year since your pet came to see us or had a thorough physical exam? Call (415) 383-7700 today!