No dogs allowed!
This is the mantra of Dundas West Animal Hospital’s new cat-only veterinary clinic, which is set to open in Toronto’s west end next month.
Located next door to the hospital’s current location at 2160 Dundas St. W., the 214-m2 (2,300-sf) feline-friendly facility will have six exam rooms, along with a full surgical and dental suite. The clinic will have two to three veterinarians on staff (including a feline medicine specialist), with the capacity to expand to four to five DVMS daily.
In addition to its “no dogs” policy, the clinic offers several other feline-friendly features, including calming music, private waiting rooms, hideaway areas, and stress-reducing pheromone diffusers in each room.
“There is a growing understanding in the veterinary community that the environment plays an essential role in patient care, particularly with cats,” the hospital’s owner, Scott Bainbridge, DVM, tells Veterinary Practice News Canada. “It’s a fact that our feline patients visit the vet in disproportionately lower numbers than their canine counterparts. Our goal is to elevate the experience for our patients and clients to encourage regular veterinary check-ups to help them stay as healthy as possible throughout their life.”
Wards will also be feline friendly, with cat-specific-sized furniture and equipment, along with individual treatment nooks. Individual kennels will be spacious, with private hiding areas, individual climate control, and lit to mimic natural light to ensure the most comfortable space possible.
“Successful feline patient care can be influenced by several factors that may have been historically overlooked, such as hospital layout, lighting, temperature, smells, and sounds,” Dr Bainbridge says. “Our new cat-only space allows us to utilize current research, in combination with input from our large experienced veterinary staff, to design a space based on progressive ideas that will make the overall feline veterinary experience less stressful.”
