Our Services

West Kootenay Animal Hospital believes that Regular Wellness Exams based on your pet’s life stage are the best way to keep your cherished family member healthy. As in people, early detection and treatment of disease can help improve your pet’s quality of life and increase longevity. The veterinarian will discuss the frequency of wellness exams based on your pet’s age and any ongoing medical conditions

Vaccine recommendations for dogs and cats have changed dramatically in recent years. We at West Kootenay Animal Hospital believe in the need for vaccines and encourage responsible vaccination programs. Vaccine programs are based on current industry experts’ recommendations, diseases common to our area, and your pet’s lifestyle and risk factors.

The doctors at West Kootenay Animal Hospital perform a variety of elective (spay and neuter), soft tissue, ophthalmic and emergency surgery. Maintaining the highest standards of anesthesia safety and instrument sterility are a priority to ensure your pet receives the best care possible. We are happy to offer surgical referrals for specialized procedures such as cataract surgery, TPLO cruciate procedures and joint arthrodesis, to name a few.

Regular dental care is essential to maintaining your pet’s overall health. Untreated dental disease is painful for your pet and can contribute to other health problems, such as bacterial endocarditis (infection of the heart valves) and pyelonephritis (kidney infection). At West Kootenay Animal Hospital, we provide dental radiology, complete dental scaling, polishing, and dental extractions. Advanced dental procedures such as root canals and crowns are referred to a board-certified veterinary dentist.

Both dental and traditional radiology is available at West Kootenay Animal Hospital. On-site radiology provides doctors with immediate information that is needed in emergencies. Radiology referrals to board-certified Veterinary Radiologists are also available.

Our in-house lab provides fast, accurate results the same day, allowing the doctors to make informed decisions quickly regarding your pet’s health and treatment plan. Complete blood cell counts, blood chemistry panels, electrolytes, Thyroxine or T4 levels, parvo testing, feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus testing, urinalysis, stool analysis, parasite detection, skin scrapings, ringworm cultures and giardia testing are all available on site. Specialized blood tests, culture and sensitivity and histology (tissue samples and biopsies) are referred to specialized labs providing complete laboratory services for our hospital.

West Kootenay Animal Hospital has a fully stocked pharmacy for the convenience of our clients. We believe purchasing medications at your veterinarians office offers more personalized service and is also an important way to keep the doctors and staff updated about your pet’s current condition and health. Discussing your concerns and questions during prescription refills keeps us informed and able to make suggestions or medication changes at the first sign of problems. We also work closely with several compounding pharmacies and local pharmacies to provide the most convenient form of medication in dosages that work for some of our smaller patients.

Our facility features three clean, bright, temperature-controlled wards to care for our hospitalized patients. Separate Dog and Cat wards reduce stress levels for our patients. A unique isolation ward ensures that contagious diseases are contained and cannot spread through the hospital. Post-surgical patients are monitored in highly visible recovery kennels where team members dedicated to their care and monitoring during recovery are immediately on hand.

West Kootenay Animal Hospital stocks a variety of high-quality diets to meet your pet’s nutritional needs. Prescription diets are available to treat and support many medical conditions and problems. We also offer high-quality dietary supplements, dental health aids and treats for your pet. Talk to the doctors or staff regarding the best diet for your pet’s unique needs.

Unfortunately, accidents do happen and not always during office hours! In the event of an actual emergency, West Kootenay Animal Hospital provides after-hours services seven days a week for their clients by calling (250) 364-1910. To provide this service, we work closely with our colleagues at Arrow Lakes Vet Hospital and Castlegar Veterinary Hospital to share after-hours calls on weekends and holidays. Please call the Hospitals main line and follow the directions given. Please be advised an emergency fee is applied to after-hours calls.

The availability of specialists and referral centers has increased dramatically in recent years, and we utilize specialists in the Okanagan, Spokane, Washington State University and Vancouver. The West Kootenay Animal Hospital doctors are happy to offer referrals for specialized procedures such as CT scans, MRIs and Ultrasounds. We also provide referrals to specialists in surgery, ophthalmology, dermatology, oncology (cancer treatment), internal medicine, intensive and critical care and rehabilitation medicine.