Hospital Tour

Our reception area is designed to be open and inviting, with colours that are calm and soothing. Our veterinary medical records are computerized and we have access to them from any area of the hospital.This area is wheelchair accessible, and barrier free. Our clients can make themselves comfortable as they discuss their pet’s issues with us.

At Westbridge Veterinary Hospital we routinely give each patient a 30 minute appointment. We feel the extra time better serves you and gives you and your pets more one on one contact. Regular yearly examinations can then include discussions such as; pet nutrition, behaviour, preventative care and alternative vaccine protocols. We believe that better communication promotes results in improved patient care.

A wide range of pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements are available on site for most of your pet’s needs. Also available is a wide range of unique formulations that can be compounded through specialized pharmacies. Some of these solutions can prepare so that they can be applied topically, especially for cats. These medications are absorbed through the skin, and remove the stress of giving pills to your pet.

Our hospital is designed to have all our services rotate around a central Treatment Area. From this location, we carry out such procedures as placing intravenous catheters, doing treatments, drawing blood samples and prepping for surgery. Most materials are within easy reach for minor procedures.

A 300 MA high frequency X-ray machine allows for short exposure time, and high resolution imaging. Radiographs help us diagnose many conditions. We have recently converted to digital radiology, for which we are very excited!

Part of the beauty of digital radiology is the ability to manipulate the x-rays after they have been taken. This increases the veterinarians ability to make a diagnosis. While they may not mean a whole lot to you looking at them here on the screen, below are the menu bars for our image manipulation software – you can get an idea of just how much we can do from the amount of icons on each bar!

In the last photo, our clinic mascot “Willie” lies in a comfy foam trough. These are used when needed, to position pets for radiographs. Sedation may be recommended for accurate radiographs.

Our surgical facility allow us to perform a wide range of procedures. Laser surgery is also available on site and we feel that it has added much in terms of our patients post op comfort level and recovery.

With every anesthesia each of our patients have the following parameters continuously monitored with a fully dedicated veterinary technician by its side at all times;

• Heart Rate
• Respiration
• SPO2
• CO2
• Blood pressure
• EKG
• Core Temperature (patient warming systems)

We feel that the service of Ultrasonography provides crucial information for the proper diagnosis in many of our cases. We have specially designed our practice to provide a centre solely for the purpose of diagnostic imaging. Both Abdominal and Cardiac Ultrasonography studies are done on site. Two of our veterinarians are able to provide advanced ultrasound services. One is a current consultant for other veterinarians on the Veterinary Information Network and offer interpretative advice to other clinicians around the globe.

Ultrasound is a non invasive diagnostic tool that enables the veterinarian to look into the body and obtain detailed information about different organ systems with amazing clarity. The last photo demonstrates how the ultrasound image (left) correlates closely with the kidney tumour (right) as it was detected during an ultrasound examination. The affected organ was then removed through surgery.

Dental disease in our pets causes pain, infection and illness. Dental cleaning and polishing removes tartar before the teeth are lost. Dental X-rays identify teeth that are infected or damaged and help in determining whether they require removal or can be treated. We offer these services because we believe they are integral to your pet’s health and well being. There is evidence that dental health can actually prolong your pet’s life.

A full dental procedure is always done under general anesthesia. If extractions are required, regional nerve blocks are used to reduce post operative pain. Dentistry involves a thorough cleaning, scaling and polishing of each tooth, and then charting and examining for damage, pockets, or root lesions. Some teeth are beyond repair, and may require removal to prevent infection and pain. Most owners are surprised by how much better a pet feels after a serious dental problem is treated.

An owner may not be aware of serious dental disease in their pet. A physical examination is the beginning of the discovery. Once recommended, dentistry involves a day stay in our hospital. Full mouth radiographs are recommended for all cats since tooth defects can be very well hidden. In dogs radiographs are usually done on individual teeth of concern.

The laboratory areas of the hospital allow us to perform some of our diagnostic tests with more accuracy. Case in point when we are collecting ultrasound guided biopsies. After collecting the samples, we can do a preliminary analysis of the tissues obtained in order to ensure that we have diagnostic samples. These are then sent out to an outside lab facility for further interpretation. This reduces the need for repeat sampling keeping in mind that pets are often under the influence of a general anesthetic while collecting their biopsies. This helps reduce costs and stress for our clients.

Our in-house ability to get Stat blood biochemistry results can be indispensable when working up a critically ill patient. Keeping in line with our focus on client communication we have installed a digital system to our microscope in order that we can review cellular findings with the owners. This direct hand on approach has proven itself invaluable when explaining a pet’s ailment.

Our Intensive Care Unit is a separate ward where animals can recover from surgery, or be monitored when critically ill. Here, a hospitalized pet can receive an oxygen rich environment, a heated kennel and daily continuous observation.

Intravenous fluids help in treating surgical patients; as well as sick patients. Every animal has different requirements in terms of types of fluids and rates of flow. Medications may be given along with intravenous fluids, and are closely monitored by our technicians.

Large, clean runs include thermostatically controlled heated floors for your pet’s comfort. Dimmer lighting lets us control the illumination at night time, and during recovery from surgery. Separate ward areas assist with noise reduction through sound insulation for sick and recovering animals.

Our runs have clear tempered glass doors. This gives large dogs a good view around them and feels less confined whether you are big or small. Cleaning protocols provide consistent cleanliness. Blankets and kennel pads are used for every animal. Raised beds are provided where needed.

At Westbridge Veterinary Hospital, our cat ward is insulated for external sounds. Large, cozy, padded bedding and extra comforts are provided to all patients. Warming bags help if kitties are sick. All this provides a soothing setting for cats that require hospitalization. A large glass window from the doctor’s office keeps our feline friends in sight and provides interest for recovering animals.

Our Isolation Ward provides separation of contagious animals from other hospitalized pets. If required, our trained personnel don gowns and gloves to care for pets in this location. We provide the same cozy bedding and warming bags for comfort.

One kennel is recessed through the wall and has a glass backing, allowing us to monitor smaller pets from other wards. A ceramic dog run with a tempered glass door is available in isolation for larger breed dogs. A fold down table is used when treating smaller infectious animals. All bedding and contaminated items are kept separate from other hospital linens. After discharge, the area is thoroughly decontaminated using accepted disinfection methods.