Our
Services

A common reason that people bring their pets to the veterinarian in the West Monroe area is skin conditions. Dr. Harper is experienced in diagnosing and treating skin issues ranging from flea and food allergies, as well as contact allergens such as dust and grass. There are many advances in veterinary dermatology in the last few years, and Dr. Harper is ready to help your pet with the latest treatments.

In the past, skin conditions in pets were treated almost exclusively with steroids. While this is still the best option at times, there are alternatives available from Dr. Harper at All Creatures. When you have your pet’s skin condition evaluated, ask Dr. Harper if your pet is a candidate for steroid alternatives such as apoquel, cytopoint, immunotherapy, and allergy testing.

Dr. Harper has successfully treated many animals for dermatological issues. She and her staff will bring this same knowledge and expertise to you and your pet at All Creatures Animal Care.

Radiographs (X rays) are one of the most important diagnostic tools for any veterinarian. All Creatures Animal Care offers one of the most advanced X ray units available in veterinary medicine with our digital radiography system.

Digital radiography is much improved over traditional films processed with chemicals in dip tanks. With a digital system, the images are clear and precise, meaning fewer retakes are necessary. The digital images can be enhanced with a computer, also meaning fewer retakes for an animal. Fewer retakes means your pet is exposed to fewer X ray exposures and does not go through the stress of additional time on the X ray table. Other advantages of a digital system include the ability to email an X ray image to a specialist in the event more expertise is needed. This means pets can be treated must faster, as images can be viewed quickly by a veterinary radiologist.

The digital X ray system at All Creatures helps Dr. Harper diagnose many common issues ranging from broken bones, to enlarged or abnormal organs. If your pet has an issue requiring an X ray, you can count on the expertise of Dr. Harper and the technology at All Creatures Animal Care for the health of your pet.

Coming soon.

Small Animal Emergency Services

Many times, pet emergencies do not occur during normal business hours. Dr. Harper refers all after-hours emergency cases to the Animal Emergency Center of West Monroe, located at 2005 N Seventh St, West Monroe, LA 71291. If your pet has an issue when All Creatures Animal Care Center is closed, please call the Animal Emergency Center at 318.410.0555.

All Creatures Animal Care offers grooming services to keep your pet looking their best! We offer baths, (including medicated baths) brush outs, nail trims, and ear cleaning.

We can help you with some maintenance tips on keeping your animal from getting tangles and mats in their hair in between appointments as well. If you would like to have your pet groomed, please call us to set up an appointment.

Heartworms are deadly parasites that are very common in Louisiana, which infect both dogs and cats. Heartworms are transmitted when a mosquito bites an animal infected with heartworms, and then bites an uninfected animal, passing the parasite along to them. Heartworms can be treated in canines, but there is no treatment available for felines.

Dr. Harper at All Creatures follows the recommendations of the American Heartworm Society, and conducts annual heartworm testing for dogs, as well as cats. Our practice has the most accurate heartworm tests available, and our experienced staff can complete a test on your pet while you wait. A blood sample is taken for analysis under a microscope, as well as the heartworm test itself. Dr. Harper can determine your pet’s heartworm status at the conclusion of your visit.

Heartworm prevention is always less expensive and more effective than treatment, and preventative medications are available at All Creatures. If you suspect your pet may have heartworms or wish to begin your dog or cat on heartworm prevention, please call the caring staff at All Creatures Animal Care today.

Regardless of how well we take care of our pets, their time with us will one day come to an end. When your pet’s time is getting short, the caring doctor and staff at All Creatures are here for you and your pet.

Hospice service is available when your pet can still have a quality of life, but needs medication and monitoring. All Creatures has a state-of-the-art laboratory in the practice to monitor the blood work of sick pets. We also have a complete in house and online pharmacy for your pet’s medication needs.

All Creatures Animal Care is pleased to offer treatment for those animals who suffer from moderate to severe allergies that cause discomfort and pain to the pet. If you notice that your pet constantly bites itself, scratches and whimpers while scratching then you should call our hospital to set up an appointment. It is most likely that your pet is suffering from an allergy. There are several types of allergies our pets have including: flea allergies, food allergies and environmental allergies. Our doctors are well versed in treating these issues using not only medicine but also appropriate food choices and even medicated baths.

All Creatures Animal Care takes their treatment options one step further by offering allergen specific immunotherapy. This is a treatment program where your pet is injected with small doses of the allergen they are having issues with and it is given over time in larger doses to keep the allergen from affecting the pet everyday. This is not a cure but rather an ongoing treatment program.

If you are interested in immunotherapy options for your pet please call All Creatures Animal Care to schedule an appointment with a veterinarian.

All Creatures Animal Hospital is pleased to offer the most comprehensive diagnostic lab available in veterinary medicine to our clients. In the past, blood work had to be sent to an outside diagnostic laboratory for analysis, but our instruments provide our doctors results typically within an hour so treatment can begin immediately if needed for your pet.

Complete Blood Count (C.B.C.)

One of the analyzers at our hospital is a complete blood count (or “C.B.C.”) unit. This instrument can give our doctors an accurate red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet count for your pet. An increase in red cells can indicate dehydration or a disease associated with increases in red blood cells; decreases may indicate anemia. An increase in white cells can indicate stress or leukemia, while decreases may mean inflammation or bone marrow failure. Finally, platelets can indicate how well your pet’s blood may be able to clot in the event of surgery.

Blood Chemistries

The blood chemistry analyzer at All Creatures gives our doctors valuable information regarding the organ function of pets. Liver, kidney and pancreas functionality can quickly be determined in our laboratory. These functions are extremely important prior to surgery to determine how well your pet may process anesthesia through their body. Also, pets that may have issues that cannot be determined on a physical exam can benefit through blood chemistry testing. Finally, electrolyte levels can be evaluated to determine if your pet may need fluid administration due to an accident or during a surgical procedure.

Blood diagnostics are extremely important in veterinary medicine, since pets cannot tell us where they may be hurting. Blood work can point the doctors at All Creatures in the right direction so they can begin care and treatment of your furry family member right away. Our staff will also recommend blood work prior to any surgical procedure to ensure the animal’s organs can process the anesthesia associated with surgery. If your pet is not feeling themselves or is in need of a surgical procedure, call the team at All Creatures Animal Care to have your pet’s blood work done today!

We are all familiar with the term Intensive Care Unit or “ICU.” We associate these terms with life balancing care and severe trauma. This is not necessarily the case, especially with animals. All Creatures Animal Care uses an intensive care approach to animals who are especially sick or are recovering from surgery. Intensive care means constant monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rates and oxygen levels. Pain levels are consistently assessed to keep your pet comfortable as well. In our unit, your pet will receive direct veterinarian supervision as well as staying warm and possibly sedated until deemed well enough to recover at home. Home is always best for sick pets, as they respond better to familiar environments. We also offer ICU incubators for exotics and wildlife.

Some reasons your pet may be admitted to our hospital for intensive care treatment:

• Renal Failure
• Sepsis
• Trauma
• Snake Bites
• Respiratory failure
• Congestive Heart Disease
• Recovery from Major Surgery

At All Creatures Animal Care, we understand that not all animal needs are small. Our clinic is pleased to offer large animal services to the northeast Louisiana area; and manage most surgical, dental, herd health, and reproductive services needs. For our clients with larger animals that need help on site, farm calls are available. Dr. Harper is also proud to offer power teeth floating for our equine clients to help with their dental needs. If you have cattle or equine needs, call the experienced staff at All Creatures Animal Care. We are also a haul-in facility with socks and a hospital stall.

All too often we hear of those sad stories of a lost beloved pet on the news or in social media. If these pets had been in possession of a microchip then the reunion would take place much sooner than usual! What is a microchip? A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and like a computer chip contains a wealth of information about your pet. It holds not only the owner’s information but also the veterinarian who placed the chip. This little device is inserted painlessly under your pet’s skin. If your pet is found it is becoming more and more common for a Good Samaritan to bring the animal into their local animal clinic for identification. The doctor will scan over where the chip is placed and if a chip is present, the data is displayed and contact is made immediately with the pet’s owner. If you are interested in microchipping please call the staff at All Creatures Animal Care to set up an appointment for your beloved animal companion. We have had many animals brought in with microchips and found their owners all across the United States.

At All Creatures Animal Care we make it very evident that keeping your pet as healthy as possible is our primary mission. Our pets very easily become a part of the family and in some instances are just like our “children.” Spoiling a beloved pet is not uncommon and is great in some situations. However, one of the ways we can negatively spoil our pets is by feeding them too much food or food that is not optimal for their bodies. Human food tastes so yummy to our dogs and cats, but they do not have the same digestive enzymes and systems as we do, therefore some food such as grapes, chocolate, raw dough, and even onions. Another issue that we see in pets with suboptimal health is obesity. Remember that a 50 pound dog should not eat as much as a 150 pound human eats! Our doctors can recommend proper nutritious food as well as portion control for your pet. They will also map out an exercise program for your pet to help shed those unnecessary pounds as quickly as possible. If you suspect that your pet is suffering from obesity please call All Creatures Animal Care for an appointment with our doctors.

If you suspect your pet may be in pain, you should bring them in to see the doctor at All Creatures Animal Care for an examination. Pain is a subjective, not objective symptom of a problem and it takes a skilled eye and observative mind to identify exactly what is going on with your pet. Animals have a natural instinct to hide pain due to a trait to keep predators from getting near them. Some signs of pain are:

• Loss of Appetite
• Whimpering
• Limping
• Sleepiness
• Aggressiveness

Pain can be classified in two ways: acute and chronic. Acute pain is usually due to an injury, trauma or surgery. Higher doses of pain medication and even sedation are given to help the pet heal peacefully and fully. Chronic pain is usually due to arthritis, illness, degenerative joint disease and possibly orthopedic issues that are unable to be helped with surgery. In cases such as these, low doses of pain medication are usually given to give a good quality of life to your pet.

All Creatures Animal Care takes its goal of providing the best standard of care by providing a pharmacy right inside our clinic. Advantages to having a pharmacy on-site are not only having the medication ready for your pet before you leave our clinic, but also having the best medicines available directly from the manufacturer. Online pharmacies and pet stores that carry certain medicines cannot guarantee the quality of the products they are selling. ACAC works directly with representatives from the pharmaceutical companies and any issues we may have with quantity or quality are quickly resolved. Our pharmacy carries antibiotics, flea preventatives, heartworm preventatives, steroids and pain medicine. We also offer an online store to our customers that is the exact same medications we keep in house. Get our recommended medications, diets and supplies delivered. With scheduling options and free shipping on most orders, our store offers the convenience of shopping online, while keeping sales in our community.

All Creatures Animal Care is a full service hospital in the area of reproduction. Our doctors work with breeders to ensure safe, healthy and profitable litters. We can provide semen collection from males and laparoscopic insemination for females whether it is through surgery or insertion. Our staff will monitor the health of the mother throughout her pregnancy and address any issues that may arise from carrying a litter. Once it is time to deliver our doctors will either perform the delivery in-house or make sure that you as the owner have all the information needed to ensure a safe delivery process. In some cases, cesarean sections (also known as c-sections) are needed and those are done within our surgical suite. Once your pet has delivered her babies a full checkup will be done as well as shots and deworming medicines given. If you are interested in breeding or have a pregnant pet please call All Creatures Animal Care to set up an appointment. Progesterone testing is also available.

An often overlooked service by most veterinary practices, All Creatures Animal Care lives up to its name by providing care for exotic pets including reptile animals. Snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs, parrots, hedgehogs, and ferrets are all cared for at our clinic. Our doctors know that special care and attention must be given to these “unusual” pets and we not only boast the knowledge but also the experience in treating these animals. If you are the proud owner of a pet that is a little different from normal, do not hesitate to choose All Creatures Animal Care for your pet’s needs.

All Creatures Animal Care is equipped with a state-of-the-art surgical suite located within our clinic. Our doctors are highly trained in all types of surgery including:

• Spay and Neuters
• Declawing
• Eye and eyelid surgeries
• Oral surgery
• Lump or tumor removals
• Orthopedics
• IM pins
• Tail docks
• abdominal exploratory
• TPLO
• Cruciate repair
• Ear Trims

Before your pet has surgery our veterinarian will do a complete physical exam and any pre-op blood work and lab studies will be completed at this time. On the day of surgery a baseline of vital signs will be taken and anesthesia will be administered in a safe manner to your pet. During surgery a member of our staff will monitor your pet while the doctor is operating. If necessary, x-rays will be taken during surgery to guide the doctor in healing your pet. Once the surgery is completed, your pet will be brought out of anesthesia and kept warm and comfortable and pain will be kept at bay with pain medications. Some surgeries require an overnight stay with our facility in order to ensure the stability of your pet. Once surgery is complete a member of the staff at ACAC will call you to let you know the status of your loved animal companion.

All Creatures Animal Care strives to provide quick and effective diagnosis when it comes to finding out what illness or injury is affecting your pet. Therefore, we use ultrasound technology to enhance and fully complete the diagnostic experience your pet will have at ACAC. Ultrasound is a harmless, virtually radiation free test that is done by our veterinarian on the soft tissues and organs in the body. We are able to tell heart function and size, organ texture and size, musculoskeletal injury and even pregnancy surveillance. Ultrasound is a great tool when pinpointing tumors, organ function and of course how many babies are coming in a litter! Our Butterfly Ultrasound can even send images to your email!

All Creatures Animal Care strives to care for your pet from the beginning to the end of their lives. We offer several ways to provide this care depending on your preference as an owner. For young animals we have programs for vaccination and spay/neuter procedures. As your pet grows to become an adult we have a program for vaccines and yearly check-ups of muscles, joints, teeth and mouth and heart. Senior pets require yearly blood work to monitor diabetes and kidney/liver functions, physical exams to check for masses, oral examinations, and mobility observation to check for arthritis. It has been shown that the best medical care is preventative care for quality of life.