Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/588468
38 When you bring a pet into your life, you instantly feel that they become part of your family. You love them. You care for them. You want the best for them. When something happens to them, at any part of their life, you want to know that you can always get the best care that they require. Thankfully, the VCA South Shore (Weymouth) Animal Hospital feels the same way about your pets. For over 40 years, the hospital has provided complete veterinary care for all of your pet's life stages. As a full-service veterinary facility, VCA South Shore provides emergency care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and can attend to any and all of your pet's needs. That is what sets them apart from so many other facilities. "No matter how simple or how complicated your pet's issue is, it can get taken care of right here," says Veterinary Criticalist Dr. Amanda Duffy. "With our emergency walk-in service, no appointment is necessary. Our emergency service also serves as a gateway to the many different specialties within the hospital. Since most other veterinary facilities are not open 24 hours a day, many sick pets that would normally be cared for at those hospitals are transferred to our hospital, as we are staffed with ER doctors and ICU nurses 24/7. A big part of our service is working with and supporting many of the primary care veterinarians in the area to provide care for those referrals. If needed, we can immediately contact any one of the many specialists on our staff, allowing us to provide the best medical care at all times." With the VCA South Shore Animal Hospital providing so many specialty services, ranging from neurology to oncology to surgery and more, it is safe to assume that every day and every case is different. I asked Dr. Duffy if there was any such thing as a typical or routine day. Laughing, she replied, "No, and that is what I love so much about my job. Every day is completely different. You never know what is going to come through the door. We see all sorts of cases with dogs and cats and, starting in November, we are going to have an exotic animal specialist on our staff as well." With such a dedicated team of ER doctors, specialists, nurses and staff, Dr. Duffy said what makes working at VCA South Shore so special is that "Everyone who is here really wants to be here, which creates a great work environment. It can be really stressful. The ER can be really busy. We all work really long hours, but it can be so rewarding. It is not just about seeing the animals get better, it is also about making their owners feel comfortable and confident when their pet's life is in our hands, and you truly see how much people really do consider their pets as a member of their family. It makes all of the hard work worth it!" The VCA South Shore Animal Hospital is equipped to provide the highest standard in veterinary emergency and critical care services. The staff is trained and the hospital is equipped to perform a wide variety of emergency diagnostics, procedures and surgeries. Whenever the ER doctors need to consult with a veterinary specialist, they always know that they have every resource available at any time. Dr. Duffy said that she cannot think of one instance where a patient has required involvement from a particular specialist when she has not been able to offer that service, which has to serve as a great reassurance for those of us with pets. This is just another example of what allows them to offer the best care possible to any patient. With a Total Team Effort, There Is No Emergency That VCA South Shore Cannot Handle by Rob Kelley