People who tour our hospital are often surprised by the behind-the-scenes areas. People equate veterinary offices with their own doctor's office, which has a waiting area, receptionist and examination rooms. Veterinary hospitals have all of this and much more. In a human doctor's office, when you need x-rays, blood tests, a prescription, ultrasound or surgery, you go somewhere else to have the procedure done. A veterinary hospital has the entire human hospital behind the examination rooms, on a small scale. Treatments, prescriptions, x-rays, surgery and other special procedures are done under one roof.

A warm and friendly welcome awaits our patients and their people in our reception area. Patient files are quickly accessed and prepared on our computer system.

Clients and their owners can enjoy our spacious waiting room, if they arrive early for their appointment. Our "Kid's Corner" with its toys, books, and child-sized furniture is popular with smaller family members. Our reception area also contains our small "store" that supplies our patients with equipment, nutritional supplements and specialty foods.

When an examination room is ready, a nurse escorts the patient into one of the two available exam rooms. one designed for dogs and the other for cats and other small animals. These rooms provide a quiet, private environment for our patients' examinations. Here our veterinarians and technicians obtain the patient's health history and vital statistics.

Exam rooms also provide the facilities for minor treatments and medication administration. At the completion of the examination, any necessary prescriptions are obtained and dispensed to the client. Clients then return to the reception area for the completion of any needed paper work and payment.

The hub of veterinary hospitals is the main treatment room. Here is where the animals that require hospitalization get the special care and treatment they need. Our fully-equipped treatment stations allow several doctors and nurses to work on animals at the same time. The intensive care unit is also located here. This is for animals that require continuous observation during normal hospital hours.

The doctors' office is down the hall from the main treatment room so the doctors can closely observe and monitor all procedures. Our three doctors work shifts starting at 9 A.M. and ending at 8 P.M. One doctor is always on call for emergency calls through the remaining late night hours.

We have our own medical laboratory at Otterkill Animal Hospital. Here we analyze blood, urine and fecal samples. With our technologically advanced equipment, a pre-surgical blood test can be analyzed and results reported in less than 20 minutes. During emergency situations, this speed can save lives. Samples that need further testing can be sent out to other labs for advanced testing.

If an animal must stay in the hospital due to illness or needed treatments, we offer comfortable medical wards. These wards keep our patients comfortable while separating medical cases so surgery patients are not exposed to contagious animals. We have wards equipped with large cages as well as spacious run areas.

Our sterile, surgical suite is where our doctors perform major surgeries, including spays, neuters, advanced orthopedic, and exploratory procedures. This special room is equipped with modern monitoring, life support, anesthesia and respiration equipment. During all surgeries, our veterinary technicians support the doctor and closely monitor the patient.

X-rays may be needed to make an accurate diagnosis of a patient's condition. We have a full-service radiology department just off the main treatment room. Here, x-rays can be taken and developed in less than 5 minutes to help diagnose internal ailments. We also have ultrasounds regularly available through a mobile service that enables us to accurately diagnose many diseases, as well as pregnancies.

In addition to our superb medical staff and facilities, Otterkill Animal Hospital is filled with features that make every visit enjoyable. While here, you can watch our goats and miniature donkeys, or have a quiet moment beside our waterfall and fish pond.

This is just a brief introduction to our beautiful facility. We look forward to showing it to you in person.