We are the place your pet has been looking for
Whether it’s staying constantly up-to-date with the latest research and treatments, making our clients know we are giving them the best possible care, or treating the pets that come through our doors with kindness and respect, we never miss an opportunity to make Elizabeth Animal Hospital the place your pet has been look for to supply their health care needs.
Elizabeth Animal Hospital was started in the spring of 1998 in a small, leased space just north of the current location. Dr. Chris Morris and his wife, Kathy, started the practice as a satellite to Parker Center Animal Clinic. Dr. Leon Anderson was hired as the first and primary doctor of the new practice. In addition to his doctor responsibilities, Dr. Anderson also managed the practice, bringing with him large and small animal health care expertise. The practice grew rapidly, providing exceptional health care to dogs, cats, horses, camelids, and small ruminants, as well as the occasional exotic pet.
The Practice Changes Hands
In January 2002, Dr. Anderson and his wife, Trisha, bought Elizabeth Animal Hospital. In response to the demands for the high level of small animal pet care provided by Elizabeth Animal Hospital, a new full-service, state-of-the-art small animal hospital was designed and constructed. The animal hospital was moved across Highway 86 to the current location in August of 2004.
Dr. Anderson, Trisha, and their associate veterinarians and staff, all share the knowledge that pets are important members of your family. They have a constant goal of providing the highest standard of pet care available.
Injury Limits Dr. Anderson's Practice
Shortly after moving into the new hospital facility, Dr. Anderson had back surgery and his ability to care for horses and large ruminants was restricted. As difficult as it was for him to give up his passion for equine medicine, Dr. Anderson began limiting his veterinary practice to small animals, camelids, and small ruminant health care.
Most Recent Evolution
In the winter of 2013, the decision was made to lease out the under-utilized large animal portion of the hospital facility. As a result, the north end of the building was closed off and leased to Dr. Tammy Sorley and her business Iron Horse. Although this change further limits Elizabeth Animal Hospital's ability to help camelids and small ruminants, Dr. Anderson is pleased to see it being used for horses as it was originally intended.
Elizabeth Animal Hospital is conveniently located on the main road through Elizabeth at 330 W Kiowa Ave. (Hwy 86). Turn into the parking area just east of our sign. There are several spaces in which to park in front of the hospital, including two handicapped spaces. Nudge your car into a space and and come on in! We built and moved into this building in August 2004. It is filled with state-of-the-art equipment and a top-notch staff.
The Reception Area and Weigh In
On you arrival, one of our receptionists will greet you and get you checked in. We always keep a jar of doggie treats on the counter for all our favorite clients (which is everybody, well except for a particular dog - we aren't naming names, but you know who you are, Killer). 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, helping to fill out the paperwork so the dogs can get in to see the doctor, which all dogs and cats are very excited and happy to do.
Next comes the weigh-in. 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. For some reason, the larger breeds of dogs are the ones that take the most exception to being weighed, but Jesse (right), 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. Some adult cats find being weighed an unpleasant experience and will try to slink away as soon as they touch the scale. First-time kittens don't mind at all. While a cat (or dog) might not enjoy the experience, weighing is very important as a way to both monitor a 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. We have four exam rooms; one is oversized for big dogs, such as these two Newfoundlands, Albert and Tugboat Annie, or for multi-pet families. Not all Newfoundlands are black. These two are called Landseers because of their black and white markings.
One of our veterinarians will come in after a certified technician or veterinary assistant gets the pet's history. Here Dr. Leon Anderson is making friends with a somewhat wary Nigel, a wire-haired fox terrier, before opening his mouth for a dental exam. Nigel is actually a friendly little chap, but he's wary because he remembers all too well that he has had a regular series of shots at this very place. Because of the extensive knowledge and experience of all our vets, exams are always thorough and problems are usually caught while 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, two of our techs were prepping a dog so one of our CVTs could insert a catheter. This is also where we consult with some patients if their pet has been checked-in to the hospital or where we apply restraints, such as E-collars, on pets that might otherwise remove their bandages or further damage their injuries.
Patient Wards
The cat and dog hospital wards are separate and located off of the treatment area for easy monitoring of patients. For cats that have been through surgery, heaters help to keep them warm. 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, we have separate dog runs. All kennels are scrubbed and disinfected after each use and a tag is placed on it to ensure that only clean cages are used.
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 ensure your pet's safety while they are under anesthesia. Dr. Kim Allyn is performing a spay while a tech monitors the dog's vital signs. On a different day, Dr. Chris Morris is also performing a spay on the second table, 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. To ensure that the core temperature of some anesthetized pets does not drop too low during treatment, in addition, above each table is a heat lamp to help keep them warm. Because the dental procedure on the Pomeranian the 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.
X-Ray
The X-ray room is off of the dental area. This long-haired dachshund, Bumble Bee, is being prepared for her X-ray (left). The tech's gentle hands and soothing manner will help keep her calm during the process.
Laboratory
Many times we need answers to lab work the same day. Our in-house lab is well equipped and allows us to obtain results for certain blood panels, fecal analysis, urinalysis, and evaluation of cells from tumors almost immediately. For other routine tests that don't require immediate results, 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.
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.