WestVet’s new animal medical center, opening late 2016 on 50th and Chinden, will be one of the largest and most progressive veterinary centers in the Northwest.

Garden City, Idaho – Construction is now fully underway on WestVet’s new two-story specialty veterinary center. The 32,000 sq. feet hospital—three times the size of the current space—will be one of the largest and most progressive animal care centers in the Northwest. WestVet serves pets from Idaho, Eastern Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah.

(Pictured above, groundbreaking for the new facility in Garden City, Idaho on March 17, 2016; left to right; WestVet owners, Dr. Jeff Brourman, Dr. Carrie Breaux, Dr. John Chandler, and Ann Selander, Hospital Administrator.)

“Our new hospital was carefully designed to enable our specialty team to better serve our patients, clients, and area veterinarians,” says Dr. Jeff Brourman, a board-certified surgeon, part owner, and WestVet Chief of Staff.

WestVet’s services will rival that of some human hospitals; design elements of the ultra-modern specialty center include:

• An advanced intensive care unit for critically sick patients.
• 5 state-of-the-art surgery suites, along with a designated anesthesia recovery area.
• Cutting-edge imaging services such as CT and MRI.
• A full physiotherapy suite equipped with electronic hoists for large dogs.
• On-site comprehensive diagnostic laboratory led by veterinary pathologists.

In addition to treatment advancements, the new hospital comprises multiple means for owner-pet interaction. The ICU visitation area enables owners to privately visit critically sick or injured pets when they receive medical care. A family comfort room, complete with a home-living environment and outdoor sanctuary, affords families a more natural environment for visitation and peaceful euthanasia.

“I have no doubt that an owner’s interaction with a hospitalized pet improves its attitude, speed of recovery, and the ultimate outcome. Therefore, we focused design components on areas where we could help foster the human-animal bond during hospitalization.” 

As a referral center, WestVet maintains a close working relationship with family practice veterinarians. The specialist team offers monthly continuing education lectures on cutting-edge veterinary medicine practices. The new facility includes a large auditorium-style classroom for these presentations that will enable veterinary professionals to meet licensure requirements.

The site of the new facility is the 1-acre lot located at 50th and Chinden Blvd. in Garden City. Formerly the home of Cars USA, the property is adjacent to, and just south of WestVet’s current location.

The hospital design was a two-year undertaking. Brourman consulted with veterinary professionals and architects in the development of the progressive and innovative facility. The new state-of-the-art care center will allow WestVet specialists to better serve Idaho pets and area family veterinarians that utilize its services.

The present-day 11,000 sq. foot hospital, located on Sawyer Ave., in Garden City, was built in 2001 and expanded in 2007. However, as the need for veterinary specialty care has grown, WestVet’s veterinary team and support staff has expanded—making the current facility insufficient to serve the growing caseload. In addition to serving Northwest pets and owners, the state-of-the-art hospital will serve as a notable factor in recruiting veterinary students, interns, and residents to the Gem state.

Construction began last week and is expected to be completed in late 2016. During construction, WestVet remains open and will continue to provide 24-hour emergency care and the full spectrum of specialty services. As the new hospital is completed, Ann Selander, WestVet Hospital Administrator, is coordinating the logistics to ensure no disruption in emergency services and a minimal interruption in specialty care.

WestVet is locally owned by Dr. Brourman, Dr. John Chandler, and Dr. Carrie Breaux. It is Idaho’s only multi-specialty, 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital. In October 2015, WestVet achieved Level 1 certification from the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Society (VECCS). This distinction places the WestVet among the top 1% of veterinary hospitals in the country; only 18 veterinary emergency centers have earned that honor.

Current veterinary specialties provided at WestVet include surgery, internal medicine, emergency/critical care, ophthalmology, radiology, oncology, cardiology, dentistry, dermatology, physiotherapy, pathology, and feline behavior. WestVet is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and all holidays.

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