Bannock Animal Medical Center provides the residents of Chubbuck and surrounding areas the veterinary medical care of a full service hospital. In addition to all other routine services, we hold a free geriatric health fair every six months, provide digital x-ray services, and radioactive iodine treatment for overactive thyroid disease.
The last Saturday of every January and June, our hospital holds an all day geriatric health fair. Full exams of any dog or cat 7 years of age or older are free, on a walk-in basis. We have educational stations set up focusing on dental health, arthritis, special dietary needs, weight control, and grooming care of the aging pet. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends annual exams of middle aged pets, and twice yearly exams of older pets. As part of the health fair, we offer free nail trims and discounted ‘early warning’ blood tests.
BAMC’s all-digital x-ray system was the first of its kind in Idaho. This allows us to obtain the highest quality x-rays in a matter of seconds, rather than the 5 minutes film-based systems usually take, without the environmentally damaging chemicals required to develop film. Digital x-rays can be easily copied to a CD or can be e-mailed to you for your records, and can be sent electronically to a board certified radiologist for in-depth interpretation if needed.
The second most common metabolic ailment of aging cats is an overactive thyroid gland. Traditionally, this disease has been treated with medications or surgery. Although the gold standard treatment for over 30 years has been short-acting radioactive iodine. This treatment is still rarely available in most parts of the country. Since 2009 BAMC has offered this safer, more effective treatment. All that is required for a complete cure is a simple shot and a three day stay in the hospital. Radioactive iodine can also be used to treat malignant thyroid cancer of dogs far more effectively than surgery and chemotherapy.