U.S. Army veterinary service: Caring for service members pets Published Nov. 19, 2010 By Army Sgt. Timothy Hair U.S. Army veterinary treatment facility F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, WYO. -- The United States Army Veterinary Service is the only veterinary service for the Department of Defense. The mission of the veterinary service is to provide food safety and defense, comprehensive medical care to ensure deployment readiness of military working dogs, preventive medical care for privately owned animals, oversee programs directed at the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases, soldier training and development, and supporting the war fighter. Veterinary service personnel can be stationed virtually anywhere, and that includes right here at Air Force Global Strike Command's F. E. Warren Air Force Base. The staff consists of an Army animal care specialist, a civilian veterinarian and a civilian receptionist. Active-duty service members and retirees who have medical privileges to on-base military medical facilities are authorized to have their animals treated at Army veterinary treatment facilities. The services provided to dogs and cats include vaccinations, heartworm and parasite tests, microchip implantation, health certificates, minor sick calls, and flea and tick preventives. Unfortunately, the staff is not large enough to provide emergency services to pets. It is the goal of the veterinary treatment facility to provide efficient, effective and appropriate preventive medicine services at a lower cost than those available in the local community. In order to dispense any prescription medications, one's pet must be a current patient which requires the pet being seen within the past 12 months at a veterinary treatment facility. According to base regulations, all dogs, cats and horses residing on base are required to be registered with the veterinary treatment facility within seven days. If living on base, pets must be vaccinated annually; if living off base, pets should be vaccinated in accordance with local policy and inputs from a veterinarian. If a pet has been treated by an off-base veterinarian, proof of vaccines must be provided to the veterinary treatment facility. The veterinary treatment facility is located in Building 288 on the corner of Frontier and 5th Cavalry Ave., in the same parking lot as Independence Gym. The hours of operation are Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The clinic is closed on weekends, federal holidays and the last duty day of the month. All pets are seen by appointment only, which are available Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. To schedule an appointment, or for more information, call 773-3354.