Metzger Animal Hospital - Hospital Tour

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	Metzger Animal Hospital is a 6,000 square foot full service 24 hour veterinary hospital located in beautiful State College Pennsylvania. We specialize in routine care and vaccinations, second opinions and senior pets. Our entire staff owns over 100 pets ourselves so we understand and appreciate people who love their pets!
When you arrive, you are greeted by our cheerful front office staff.
	Nutrition is key in maintaining good health and may be an important part of your pets prescribed treatment. We carry a large selection of veterinary diets including: Eukanuba and Eukanuba Veterinary Diets, Science Diet and Science Diet Prescription Foods, Royal Canin, Purina CNM Diets, Innovative Veterinary Diets and more! Most of the diets can be delivered to your home using our Vetcentric on-line pharmacy.
Examinations are performed in one of our 5 spacious examination rooms. Feel free to take a treat-they’re always on the counter!
	We have one of the best equipped in-hospital laboratories in the United States and we’re not kidding. Our laboratory performs CBC’s (complete blood counts), biochemical profiling (organ function tests), electrolyte and blood gas analysis, urinalysis, coagulation tests and thyroid cortisol and bile acid profiling all in clinic while you wait. We need our results now so we can accurately diagnose problems so you and your animal friend and get back home as soon as possible.
Here’s an example printout from our in-clinic laboratory. These important tests allow us to evaluate internal organs so we can make an accurate diagnosis and treat immediately if needed. We personally review laboratory tests with you so we can make the best decisions about your best friend’s care!
	This is what blood looks like under the microscope. These 3 cells circled are white blood cells, which help fight infection. The other smaller, more numerous cells are red blood cells which carry oxygen in the body. Cool stuff!
Our well-stocked pharmacy has almost any medication your pet might require. If we don’t have it, we can get it within 24 hours using Vetcentric, our on-line pharmacy.
	The treatment area is the geographic and medical care center of Metzger Animal Hospital. We perform treatments and prepare our surgical patients for anesthesia.
This is our Intensive Care Unit. The ICU unit allows us to provide heat and oxygen to patients with special needs.
	Dental disease is a common and potentially dangerous problem in our animal friends. Annual routine dental cleaning is the best way to insure healthy teeth and gums.
Our brand new dental procedures cart contains a digital dental Xray unit, Sevoflurane anesthesia system, anesthesia ventilator and the Cardell 5 Max monitoring unit-nothing but the best for our patients!
	This patient had severe dental disease that was not visible to the naked eye. The latest x-ray equipment can really help. This patent had no signs on pain, but had a severe root abscess. He felt much better after treatment!
Here dental X-rays show both roots have horizontal fractures requiring tooth removal but the dog will be just fine! We recommend only soft chews and not the hard bones -- sorry Charlie!
	Metzger Animal Hospital takes many, many X-rays each day! We are the only hospital in the area and one of a few in Pennsylvania to have computerized radiology (CR). CR is a new technology that allows us to use less radiation and computer enhancement, which improves safety and image quality. We can see things we never saw in the past! We can also send the X-ray images over the Internet to a board certified radiologist within minutes.
Drs. Metzger and Griffiths review the X-rays of a “bloated dog”. The official term for this emergency condition is GDV (Gastric Dilatation Volulus).
	X-rays of a patient with GDV (gastric dilatation volvulus). Note the gourd shape of the distended gas filled stomach. This patient recovered nicely after emergency surgery.
This really neat Xray is actually a specialized procedure called a myelogram. We perform myelograms to help us better visualize the spinal cord and disk spaces in patients with paralysis or back pain. Myelograms are performed by injecting a special dye into the area around the spinal cord. This procedure allows us to determine if surgery is indicated and which disks are involved. Dr. Rider performs back surgeries called hemilaminectomy for lumbar disk disease.
	This is an Xray of a cat that would not eat. What we are looking at is a hairball in the cats stomach. Using the computer, we can enhance the Xray and make measurements. The hairball passed and the kitty is fine.
With computerized radiology, we can take a closer look. That isn't supposed to be there! What could it be? To find out, click here .
	Sometimes dogs can eat the strangest things. What did Ruka eat now? Let's use the endoscope and see if we can figure it out. We have the coolest tools at here at the hospital.
Endoscopy utilizes a scope, which allows us to see the inside of the intestinal (stomach, small and large intestine) and the respiratory tracts (trachea, bronchi). We can take bacterial cultures and small biopsies through the scope, which helps diagnose many important diseases.
	Murphy's owner brought him to us because he was shaking his head much more than normal. He also was pawing at his ears. So we used our videootoscope to look in his ears. Yuk! Looks like an ear infection with lots of debris.
It looks much better after we flush out Murphy's ears. After a few more shakes of the head, we take another look. Much better, but it looks like there is a slight infection. It should get better on its own, but if it doesn't and Murphy keeps shaking his head, his owner will bring him in for a followup visit.
	Here we are looking with the endoscope inside the stomach at what we saw in the previous xray. Whatever it is, it has sharp edges. It would be really painful to let nature take its course. So we will have to go in and get it.
Dr. Griffiths went in to Ruka's stomach and look what he found. Ruka, no more watching those beer commercials on television! Ruka recovered from the surgery just fine. To see a picture of Ruka, click here .
	Our surgical suite has an impressive array of high tech instrumentation. All surgical patients are continually monitored by our trained staff using the Cardell 5 surgical monitor (ECG, blood pressure,pulse oximetry,end tidal CO2). We maximize safety by providing preanesthetic blood profiling (including spays and neuters) before all surgeries and use only Sevoflurane as our inhalant anesthesia. All surgical patients receive an intravenous catheter with IV fluids and customized pain management protocols tailored to their individual needs. Pets are no different than us so why should they receive less! WE ARE THE ONLY PRACTICE IN CENTRAL PA WITH THIS LEVEL OF MEDICINE.
Dr. Rider performs many advanced surgical procedures including: hemilaminectomy (disk surgery), complicated fracture management (interlocking nail, bone plating, external fixation) and advanced knee surgery techniques(TPLO and TTA procedures for anterior cruciate rupture)
	The Cardell Max 5 anesthetic monitor is truly state of the art! This system allows us to monitor the ECG, blood pressure, pulse oximtery and end tidal carbon dioxide-all important anesthetic monitoring parameters. ALL of our anesthetized patients are monitored with the Cardell!
Metzger Animal Hospital loves ultrasound! Ultrasound allows us to look inside the body without actually looking inside the body. Ultrasonography is especially helpful in evaluating the heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder, and intestines. We can do color flow Doppler ultrasound which allows us to evaluate blood flow through the body, especially the heart. Ultrasound is a very important technology and allows us to avoid surgical exploratory many times
	This is an ultrasound of a normal kidney. It even looks kidney bean shaped doesn't it?
This ultraound image shows a normal healthy liver-note the darker looking object labeled (gb) which is the gall bladder.
	With laparoscopy we use a fiber optic scope to visualize internal organs like the liver, kidney, pancreas and intestines. Laparoscopy allow us to avoid a large incision and the ability to biopsy organs without the pain associated with exploratory sugery. Dr. Rider is trained to perform ovariohysterectomy (spay surgery) if you elect this procedure. Large breed dogs can receive the “stomach tacking” procedure with the laparoscope to prevent the serious medical emergency called GDV (bloat).
Our spacious kennel is designed for our patient’s comfort. PLUS our 24 hour technician makes sure our hospitalized pooches and kitties are NEVER left alone!
	Thanks for taking the tour of Metzger Animal Hospital. Come on down and we will give you a personal tour!