We are a high volume low cost spay neuter clinic. We also do wellness and preventative medicine and minor health issues.
No emergencies, chronically or injured animals.
We average 25 plus surgeries a day. We see a great deal of wellness every day as well.
I try to give students all the hands on experience we can give them. My staff is excellent with students. We work with a couple RVT programs helping them teach surgery assistance, in house labs, blood draws, surgery prep and recovery plsu day to day operations from check in to check out.
It is rare that student ever leaves here without having learned something unless we feel student is incapable or incompetent...that is rare but it has happened. If I feel a students knowledge level or ability levels is sub par and detrimental to animals or humans here, I will dismiss them. I have done this twice.
We have even worked with local hospital to teach pediattric residents to intubate cats for surgery. If they can tube a cat, a baby is easy..and if it saves a childs life, it is worth it. We had one resident who was pediatric plastic surgeon..who knew..beautiful skin closures all day long! He even assisted me on leg amputation and I let him close it. He even came back to take out the stitches!
We work with rescues and shelters on a daily basis. We do humane cases as needed and able. We are the primary spay neuter veterinrarian for at least 3 shelters.
We have been particularly busy this year. We will pass 4000 or more by Thanksgiving. We have already vaccinated over 4000 animals for rabies this year as I had to re order tags!!!!
My philosophy is something my mentor Dr Beckett once said to me, you got to start somewhere.
We are fast paced. We do like have fun, we do laugh, poke fun at silly things, there is an occaisional prank, but at the end of the day the animals are priority and things are taken care of.
We have 2 well maintained LEI Medical isoflorane anesthesia machines, Pulse OX per each table. We run tandem tables.
I have 2 RVTs, 3 veterinary assistants, 2 have over 10 years experience, one has euthanisia certificate, a front desk person and another veterinary assistant currently on maternity leave, who went to RVT school but never sat her boards, over 15 years experience.
We have Abaxis CBC and Profile machines. Microscope, centrifuge, autoclave, otoscope, a dental table and machine.
Every cat that crosses my surgery table has to be tested for FELV/FIV. We have rescues that have every dog tested for HW. Every animal that has surgery has to be current on rabies vaccine.
I have higher standards of care and protocols than even some of our local full service veterinarians.
WE DO NOT HAVE xray or US.
We are not AAHA.
We are practical, no fancy stuff. We are a work horse.
I am still a horse vet at heart. I do a few horses for my trainer and at the barn where my horse is kept. So occaisionally we get drive by horse stuff in our parking lot. Mostly drawing coggins or vaccines. There is a race track 5 minutes from here.
I expect students to show up! I expect students not to be attached to their phones or paying attention to social media.
We have a drug free, drama free work place. I have zero tolerance for people treating animals, my staff or other people poorly.
Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday 7 am to 5 pm. Surgery starts about 8 to 830 am and goes until we finish. NO weekends. No holidays. If we finish early and all patients are discharged we leave.
I expect students to do what they are comfortable doing yet don't want someone who just sits like a lump on a log. We are more than willing to let students be hands on. I have let veterinary students do surgery on shelter animals under my supervison. I have let them go in and do wellness with a veterinary assistant to guide them through.
I expect them to be neat and clean in appearance. No controversial clothing, masks, badges, pins, hats, shoes or such.
I expect them to treat the animals as if they were their own. It is beneath no one to clean a cage or mess here.
I expect everyone to treat each other with dignity, respect and common courtesy.
Not a fan of smoking or vaping.
I can make an arrangement for them to stay at local hotel that is near many food places. It is about 7 minutes tops from here.
It is an extended stay, so they have a kitchenette if the student wishes to bring own food or has strict dietary needs. I have paid for the students to stay there.
I believe they are pet friendly for a fee.
I often buy lunch for the staff. I can make a stipend for food.
Cost of living is very reasonable in our area