Companion animals

Dogs and cats

Paws and Claws Medical Center is a full-service dog and cat hospital in Miami at 3858 SW 137 Avenue. Wellness, dentistry, surgery, ultrasound, in-house CT, and laparoscopic options are in this building. Ramon de Armas, DVM, PGCert(EAS), GPCert(EAP), practices companion-animal medicine at AAHA hospital standard. We are not a 24/7 emergency room. During open hours call (786) 361-9344.

Who we see

Paws & Claws Medical Center is a full-service dog and cat hospital in Miami, not an exotics clinic that “also does dogs.” Wellness, dentistry, surgery, CT, ultrasound, in-house diagnostics, and in-hours urgent care are here for companion animals with the same fear-free standard we use for birds and rabbits. If you want a practice that will not mock you for also owning a dragon or a parrot, you are in the right building. If you only have a dog or a cat, you are also in the right building.

Dr. Ramon de Armas, DVM, PGCert(EAS), GPCert(EAP), is a general practitioner with exotic training — which, for dogs and cats, means the medicine is still dog and cat medicine, done carefully, with anesthesia and imaging that meet hospital standards rather than a high-volume mill pace.

The first visit

Bring your vaccine history if you have it, a current medication list, and an honest diet history including chews and table food. Tell us what you are actually worried about, not what you think a veterinarian wants to hear. We will do a real exam. We will not sell a twelve-item panel before we have put hands on the animal. Fear-free here means towels, time, and no “just hold them down.” Some dogs and cats still need pre-visit pharmaceuticals. We would rather you ask than have a bite, a panic, or a skipped exam.

If your dog or cat is in trouble during hospital hours — collapse, unproductive straining, toxin, trauma, difficulty breathing, a blocked cat — call (786) 361-9344 now. That is in-hours urgent care. It is not an invitation to wait until the end of the workday.

Common problems

Dental disease that has been called “normal for their age.” Otitis. Skin and ear disease. Gastrointestinal upsets. Heart murmurs found on a wellness exam. Cruciate and other lameness. Urinary disease in cats. Masses that need a plan, not a shrug. We have CT in the building for nasal disease, ears, lungs, and surgical planning. We have ultrasound. We have a surgical suite. Laparoscopy and other minimally invasive options are on the table when a smaller incision is the safer plan, including laparoscopic spay when it is the right patient.

Anesthesia is monitored. Dentistry includes radiographs when indicated, not a scale-and-polish theater that leaves pain under the gumline. We will tell you when a tooth needs to come out. We will tell you when it does not.

Husbandry we will not ignore

We will not ignore an all-treats diet, a cat with a chronically empty water bowl, a brachycephalic dog in Miami heat without a plan, or dental disease that has been “watched” for three years. We will not ignore a cat who has been urinating outside the box as a behavior story when the first question is medical. You will get a short list. You will not get a guilt sermon.

Boarding is for existing patients, by appointment. We do not pretend to be a 24/7 emergency room. After we close, go to a local ER. During open hours, call. Hablamos español. (786) 361-9344.

Questions owners actually ask

Are you only an exotic clinic?

No. This is a full dog and cat hospital that also treats birds, rabbits, reptiles, and small mammals.

Do you offer laparoscopic spay?

Yes, for appropriate patients when a smaller incision is the safer plan.

Do you have CT on site?

Yes.

Can I board my dog?

Boarding is for existing patients, by appointment, when space exists.

What do I do if my cat is blocked after you close?

Go to a local emergency hospital. We are not a 24/7 ER.