Services We Provide

Our Services ~ What Makes Us Different

The Examination

Consider the following scenario. You get a new puppy or kitten. Being a responsible pet owner, you dutifully take your precious new family member into the vet for its first examination and set of vaccinations. From your pet’s perspective, this is a frightening and traumatic event.

Imagine being handled by strangers, having your mouth pried open, every orifice inspected, a rectal temperature taken and a fecal sample obtained. Further imagine being subjected to several vaccine injections and perhaps another puncture to draw a blood sample. Is it any wonder that when the next visit is due, your pet puts the brakes on when it hits the door, has to be drug into the exam room, dives under the bench and cowers when approached, or worse yet, becomes overtly aggressive?

At Veterinary Specialties, appointments are scheduled to allow time for your pet to become to comfortable with the examination room and technicians. Staff members have been instructed to allow your pet to approach them when they are ready. We ask that fecal samples be brought in so that the discomfort associated with obtaining a sample in the office can be eliminated. Whenever possible, we try to limit the number of injections given in a single visit. Petting, praise and plenty of treats are interspersed throughout the visit. Our goal is to have your pet leave on a happy note.

Happy Visits

We strongly encourage our clients to bring their pet in for “Happy Visits.” When your pet comes in for a Happy Visit, it enters an exam room, receives petting, praise and treats, and then leaves without a single “doctor thing” being done to it. We recommend several Happy Visits for each real visit your pet has to the hospital. Our goal with Happy Visits is to not have your pet associate our hospital with scary or painful events. We want the tail wagging on the way in and on the way out. There is no fee for a Happy Visit.

Our Hospital Facility

Our hospital has been designed in keeping with our mission to provide a pet-friendly environment. Outside dogs or pets with arthritis often find tile or linoleum floors slippery and difficult to negotiate. Our textured floors offer secure footing but are still able to withstand the rigors of hospital sanitation requirements. Attention has been paid to noise reduction. To further reduce the stress of a hospital stay, we have separate dog and cat wards. Both wards have visibility to the outdoors for environmental enrichment.

Saying Goodbye

Your decision to have your pet euthanatized is a serious one, and is seldom easy to make. When the time has come, Veterinary Specialties is here to assist you in providing a peaceful passing for your beloved small animal companion, whether it be in the hospital, in your home or any other setting where your pet feels safe and comfortable. Our Bereavement Room offers the family comfort and privacy, and has it’s own exit door from the hospital.