It’s the holidays! Many things that are essential to celebrations for people are a hazard for pets –like chocolate, mistletoe and pointsettias.
It’s a good idea to take precautions to keep these away from pets and vice-versa, but anyone with a pet knows to expect the unexpected. So it’s also a good idea to know where to find a 24/7 veterinarian clinic before there’s an emergency.
When emergency strikes and your pet is unexpectedly in need of care, look no further than the Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) at their new location on H Street. They’re open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Pansy Suzuki, medical director for the H St location, has worked in a variety of veterinary medicine settings across the country and previously helped open the VEG West End location. She expressed excitement about the opportunity to build VEG and community in the H Street corridor and surrounding neighborhoods.
“My hospital manager and I have just created this environment at our hospital where we really want to serve our community,” Suzuki said. “Since the West End is kind of taken care of by Georgetown, and people over there can access that hospital more easily, we’re kind of focusing on this side of town: Southeast, Northeast and parts of Maryland.”
The VEG company has a variety of locations across the country and features a variety of emergency medical services for pets including digital x-ray, surgery, ultrasound, endoscopy, oxygen therapy and treatment for various diseases.
The VEG Approach to Care
Keeping both owners and their pets happy and comfortable, Suzuki said, is at the forefront of VEG’s mission. The clinic structure and layout is unique in that it features an open floor plan and that people are not separated from their pets in an effort to make the experience less stressful for both the owners and their furry friends.
“It’s such a natural thing at VEG that it doesn’t feel abnormal for us to do all these things and be very transparent with people because there’s nothing to hide,” Suzuki said.
Suzuki said that their dedication to transparency allows pet owners to be present for all of their pet’s care, including watching procedures.
“I’ve had people watch me do surgery from outside the surgery suite, I’ve had people watch me scope their pets –that’s the beauty of VEG,” Suzuki said of their approach. “I think people in the community just love that.”
In addition to their unique approach to cases, the veterinarians at VEG also answer the phones, anytime of the day or night, to give advice and help pet owners create a care plan.
Community Collaboration
Despite the fact that the clinic has been open for a little over two months, Suzuki said she already feels like part of the H Street community.
“I love it,” Suzuki said of the neighborhood. “I love running into people that have come to the hospital, and now their dogs are doing great or their cat’s doing great. It’s very rewarding for me to hear that, and I really feel that we’re getting entrenched into the street and the neighborhood.”
In addition to getting to know their neighbors, Suzuki emphasized the importance of VEG staff relationships with other local primary care veterinary offices and emphasized VEG’s role as a supplement to the other veterinary clinics in the area.
“We pride ourselves in maintaining a good relationship with our general practice veterinarians just to be of service,” she said. “We want to be an extension of their practice so that when they’re closed, we can help their customers, even if it’s just a phone call.”
The VEG is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is located at 925 H St NE #5. You can learn more about the clinic and their services here.
Sarah Payne is a general assignment reporter for Capital Community News. She can be reached at sarahp@hillrag.com.
