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Somerset Veterinary Hospital

1322 Berlin Plank Rd.

Somerset, PA 15501 US

814-443-1323

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  • A Great Tool for Pet Owners

A Great Tool for Pet Owners

  • Created in Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Smart phones and pet ownership
Apps for Smart Phones

Of the 1.3 million apps available, at least a few are related to pets!  
One is the Whistle Activity Monitor which is a device that attaches to a dog's collar, and has an app to monitor the dog's daily activity. It also can chart food and medications, and can be shared with dog sitters.

The HomeAgain Pet Rescuers App streams real time alerts into the app, and an interactive map displays all the lost pets in the area. There are also tips for helping lost pets.

Want to get a great photo of your dog? Use the Bow Cam IPhone app. It gets your dog's attention by emitting barking sounds, so you can get that perfect picture.

Modern veterinary medicine has seen many technological advances:  digital x-ray, color Doppler ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI. There is, however, another great tool that has helped veterinarians and that most people have at their fingertips - their smart phone!  

The photo and video capability of phones has helped communication between pet owners and their pets' doctors. Often, it is hard to describe an unusual behavior, or to determine which leg the dog is limping on, or to tell the difference between a cat's cough or retch. A picture is worth a thousand words!  The veterinarian is really helped by being able to see a photo or watch video of the pet.

There are several common scenarios where these images are helpful:

Seizures are common in dogs and are seen occasionally in cats. Grand mal seizures are pretty obvious, but partial seizures can look just like unusual behavior. They also have to be differentiated from syncope (which is a fainting spell) but dogs in a syncopal episode act differently than when a person faints.  Dogs in a fainting spell will often move their legs and vocalize. Thus it is very helpful to the veterinarian to see video of these episodes to decide whether it is a neurological event (seizure) or is related to their heart (fainting).

Limping and coughing are symptoms that dogs exhibit at home and often do not show during the exam at the veterinary hospital. The excitement of going to the hospital causes an adrenaline release which often makes the signs disappear for a short period of time. Video of these episodes when the pet is at home can help with the proper diagnosis.  

Photos of any suspicious material is helpful to the veterinarian when trying to develop a diagnosis. For instance, bloody vomit usually looks like coffee grounds; photos of the vomitus can identify underlying causes. Photos of feces, sputum, or any other abnormal material should be shown to the doctor during the exam.

Smart phones have provided a great leap forward in communication between pet owners and their veterinarians. Photos and videos can be shown to the doctor during the office visit, or can be emailed to the animal hospital. The more information the doctor has, the faster an accurate diagnosis can be made.

  • We Help Your Pet With
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Digestive and Oral Health
    • Diseases and Viruses
    • Pests and Parasites
    • Orthopedics
  • Today's Veterinarian
  • Choosing Your Pet
    • Birds
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Ferrets
    • Rabbits
    • Reptiles
      • Lizards
      • Turtles
  • Living With Your Pet
    • Bringing Your Pet Home
    • Providing Care
    • Travel
    • Saying Goodbye
  • Finding Your Pet
  • Newsletter Library
    • Tips for Pet Owners
    • Fun with Pets
    • Equine
    • Visiting the Vet
    • Unbelievable Pets
    • Seasonal Topics
    • Pet Dangers
    • Nutrition & Food
    • Recognizing Illness
    • Cats
    • Keeping Pets Healthy
    • Fleas & Parasites
    • Behavior & Training
  • Video Newsroom
    • Health Topics
    • Technology and Science
    • Other Interests
  • Client Survey
  • Pets4Kids
  • Feline

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Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

9:00 am

7:30 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am

5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am

7:30 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am

5:30 pm

Friday:

9:00 am

5:30 pm

Saturday:

9:00 am

12:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Closed

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Testimonials

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "The staff at Somerset Vet Hospital have been taking care of my "Sophie" for 11 years. They are such caring and wonderful people."
    Karen L.
  • "Thanks for providing great care for my little Tortie, Tallie when she was suffering from her skin allergies. You prompt care and tender kindness was wonderful. Being new to the area I feel very fortunate to have found your practice! Thanks!"
    Nancy
  • ""Doctor Robert Henry, We want to thank you for literally - SAVING OUR BEAUTIFUL DOBERMAN'S (Precious) LIFE. Your excellent diagnostic skills accurately diagnosed our Doberman's condition. Your protocol in treating him have made for a healthy, happy, loving and playful dog. We can never forget what you did for our dog. We cannot thank you enough"
    Kathy & Roger
  • "I came here 6 years ago when they were the only ones who would see my sick pup, and they were the best! They helped my girl get better and provided her years of loving service until we lost her to lymphoma last year. They still take care of my other babies and do an excellent job of doing so! We're patients for LIFE! Thank you guys for ALL you do :) With Love, Gina & The Crew Mountain Pride Pits."
    Gina
  • "I just wanted to take a minute to say how very grateful I am for the entire team at Somerset Veterinary Hospital. I recently had a cat and two kittens spayed/neutered, and they all came through the procedure wonderfully. Dr. Penny is THE BEST!! The vet-techs and front desk girls are always super nice and helpful. I feel good knowing that my 'family' is in good hands when being treated. Thank you all for all you do!!"
    Thomas B.

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