 |
|
| The Reception Area and Weigh In |
| Meet one of the receptionists and check in (left). We always keep a jar of doggie treats on the counter for all our favorite clients (which is everybody). We also have a carabiner clip attached to the front of the reception desk on both sides to help secure your dog so they don't wander off. Here Dana Barclay is greeting a client and her two Labs, filling out the paperwork so they can see the doctor. Next comes the weigh-in (right). Dogs are weighed in the reception area. Most dogs don't care for stepping on the raised platform of the scale and it can be difficult (and often funny to watch) to get them onto the scale or to keep them there (to see two dogs convinced this was some form of sneaky torture, view our weigh-in video). But Jesse, a peek-a-pooh, was an old pro and happily sat on the scale. Cats are weighed on a baby scale in the exam rooms. Weighing is very important as a way to both monitor appropriate healthy weight and to calculate the correct dosage of certain medications. |
 |
 |
 |
|
| The Exam Rooms and the Doctor Examination |
| Once in an exam room, we will ask you for a history on the animal scheduled to be examined (left). We have four exam rooms; one is oversized for big dogs or multi-pet families such as these two Newfoundlands, Albert and Tugboat Annie. Not all Newfoundlands are black. These two are called Landseers because of their black and white markings. Fortunately for Babette "Bunni" Crawford, who is taking the dogs' history, Newfoundlands are generally sweet tempered, if a trifle slobbery. One of our veterinarians will come in after a certified technician or veterinary assistant gets the pet's history (right). Here Dr. Leon Anderson is making friends with Nigel, a wire-haired fox terrier, before opening his mouth for a dental exam. Because of the extensive knowledge and experiences of all our vets, exams are always thorough and problems usually caught when they are still minor. |
 |
 |
|
|
| The Treatment Area |
| The treatment area is just beyond the exam rooms. This is used as a prep area for upcoming surgeries and treatment for outpatient procedures. The treatment area is a busy place. On this day, Bob Hansen and Tanya, one of our tech interns, were prepping a dog so one of our CVTs could insert a catheter (left). Carrie Weaver (CVT) and Andrea "Andi" Smith (CVT) were attaching an E-collar on a dog with a painful, injured leg. In the background Dr. Anderson was consulting with a client who had hospitalized her diabetic cat (right). |
 |
 |
|
|
| Patient Wards |
| Separate cat and dog wards are off of the treatment area for easy monitoring of patients. For cats that have been through surgery, heat lamps help to keep them warm (left). We have cages in the dog ward similar to the cages in the cat ward, but for larger dogs having outpatient procedures or those that are staying with us while their owners are away, there are dog runs. Bob is checking on a patient in the dog run (right). |
 |
 |
|
|
| Our Surgery Suite |
| In order to maintain a clean environment, we keep our surgery suite separate from our treatment and ward areas. We have two surgery tables and extensive monitoring equipment to maintain safety while your pet is under anesthesia. Dr. Kim Allyn is performing a spay while Tanya, a tech intern, monitors the dog's vital signs. Dr. Chris Morris is also performing a spay, but this time on a cat, while Andi (CVT) monitors the cat's vital signs. |
 |
 |
|
|
| The Dental Area |
| In a separate room next to the surgery is the large dental procedure area. We have two procedure tables with monitoring equipment, an ultrasonic scaler and a dental X-ray machine. Because anesthesia makes an animal's core temperature drop, we place hot water bottles underneath and around all patients. Above each table is a heat lamp to ensure that certain anesthetized pets being treated are kept warm if their core temperature begins to drop. Because the dental procedure on the Pomeranian Andi (CVT) was working on was short (left), the hot water bottles were deemed sufficient, but the dental x-rays and cleaning for the cat Dr. Allyn was working on (right) required a much longer procedure, so it was draped with towels to help maintain its body temperature. |
 |
|
|
| The X-Ray Room and Laboratory |
| The X-ray room is off of the dental area. Gary Romano (CVT) is preparing Bumble Bee, a long-haired dachshund for her X-ray (left). Gary's gentle hands and soothing manner will help to keep her calm during the process. In the laboratory, Andi (CVT) is checking a sample (right). Our in-house lab is well equipped and allows us to obtain results for certain tests immediately. For other routine tests, we use the services of an outside lab because the results they provide are much more extensive and include thyroid tests. If anything abnormal is found in outside lab work results, a clinical pathologist automatically reviews the results and contacts us. |
 |
 |
|
|
| The Large-Animal Area and Equine Dental |
| We keep our large-animal area separate on the north end of the hospital to ensure that nobody gets too excited about seeing each other; dogs tend to get a little emotional at seeing alpacas and most alpacas aren't that fond of dogs. When people bring in their camelids and small ruminants to see the veterinarians, they are left outside and after their owners check them in, they are ushered into the stall area. This alpaca cria was weak and not doing well, so it was brought into the hospital for immunoglobulin testing and also to be given assistance in learning how to nurse (left). Dr. Scott Marx also sees his equine patients in this area for dental cleanings (right). Here he and Carl Koop (hands) are gently coaxing a sedated Bally into the large-animal chute to perform a dental procedure. Working with large animals in our indoor facility under controlled conditions makes treatment easier and much warmer and drier for doctor and patient. |
 |
 |
|
|
| Check Out |
| Once exams and treatment are done, it's back to the reception area. Thank you for coming in. We look forward to your next visit. |
| |
|
