Veterinary Specialty Centre of Newfoundland & Labrador

06/25/2024

Tuesday June 25th 9am
CURRENT ICU STATUS: YELLOW
Only YELLOW/RED cases accepted at this time
Wait times may apply

06/21/2024

Clarification: Temporary Changes to Our Emergency Hours

We understand the concern our recent post about changes to our Emergency Hours has caused in the community and would like to provide further details on the reason behind this change:

Due to an ongoing shortage of trained veterinary professionals and support staff in our community, we have had to limit our emergency services to our current capacity.

We are actively working to hire additional staff to reinstate our 24/7 emergency coverage. In the meantime, we are collaborating closely with surrounding clinics to ensure patient care remains a top priority.

Effective July 2, 2024: Emergency Walk-In Hours 8 am to 7 pm, Seven Days a Week

· All other services will continue as usual.

· Our ICU will remain staffed with Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs) and Veterinary Assistants (VAs) to provide overnight care for hospitalized patients.

· A veterinarian will always be on call for hospitalized patients.

For after-hours emergency services, we kindly ask you to contact your family veterinarian, who will have a plan in place to manage any emergencies and ensure your pet receives the necessary care.

We deeply appreciate the continued support of our family veterinarians and clients in Newfoundland and Labrador during this transition period.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

06/21/2024

2024 Tely 10 Road Closures.

Please note, the Tely 10 runs right in front of VSCNL, this may cause some delays in getting to the hospital in the event of an emergency.

If needed, you should be able to use the entrance off Blackmarsh Road, and come around the front of the building to the main entrance.

Please call VSCNL at (709) 221-7838 if you're experiencing an emergency and are having trouble getting to the hospital.

2024 TELY 10 ROAD AND LANE CLOSURES Motorists should expect roadblocks throughout the Tely racecourse from 8:00 am to 11:30 am and use alternate routes. To cross the Topsail Rd racecourse (north-south), drivers can use Kings Bridge Rd, Outer Ring Rd, Kenmount Road and Pitts Memorial Drive. Residents...

06/18/2024

For the last 8 years, the Veterinary Specialty Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador has been available 24 hours a day for you and your pets.

Due to staffing shortages, the VSCNL team will be temporarily condensing our hours.

Our 24/7 emergency services will be decreased as of July
2nd, 2024.

VSCNL's Emergency Walk-In Hours will be limited to 8am-7pm, 7 days a week.

We want to thank all of the family veterinarians and clients of Newfoundland and Labrador for your continued support.

The Veterinary Specialty Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador will be closed for emergency services from 7pm until 8am 7 days a week. During this time, your family veterinarian will be responsible for your pets after hours emergency care.

If you are experiencing an emergency with your pet and you need immediate care, please call your family veterinarian.

05/17/2024

Did you know, it takes a minimum of 8 years to become a veterinary specialist?

Dr. Meghan Woodland, our Board Certified Veterinary Radiologist (DACVR), completed 6 additional years post-DVM to become an expert in all aspects of diagnostic imaging of veterinary patients. Dr. Woodland has been a Diplomate of the ACVR since 2013.

Dr. Woodland has spent the last 10 years offering this crucial service to the pet owners of Newfoundland and Labrador, fulfilling her lifelong dream.

Rest assured, when your pet is in the care of our diagnostic imaging department, Dr. Woodland is personally performing all ultrasound studies, thereby able to thoroughly evaluate each patient in real time. Dr. Woodland is also responsible for diagnostic testing recommendations, advanced imaging planning/interpretation, and providing x-ray evaluations for both in-house patients and referring veterinarians.
As always, Dr. Woodland is available to help any pet in need of diagnostic imaging (x-rays, ultrasound, echocardiogram, CT and MRI) - we are just a phone call or referral away!

https://vscnl.ca/services/diagnostics/

05/16/2024

Did you know, it takes a minimum of 8 years to become a veterinary specialist?

Veterinary Surgeons complete an extensive residency program before taking rigorous certification examination(s) to obtain their specialist certification (DACVS).

Veterinary Surgeons are experts in all facets of both soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries, and are often in the forefront of research to develop new procedures to help their veterinary patients.

If your pet is in need of surgical intervention, we are here to help!

https://vscnl.ca/services/surgery/

05/15/2024

Did you know, our Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner can help your pet with post operative pain management, weight loss, and more!

We have Laser Therapy, Underwater Treadmill as well as a multitude of rehabilitation equipment to help your pets get their (s)wag back!

Check out the link below to see how we can help your pet!

https://vscnl.ca/services/rehabilitation/

05/14/2024

Thank you for the nomination!
VSC strives to bring the best quality medicine to the pets of Newfoundland and Labrador, and we thank you for the recognition!

Official 2024 Community Voting Awards Platform for St. John's, NL. Where the community votes for their favourites every year.

05/09/2024

VSC is Urgently Hiring!

Veterinary Specialty Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador is in search of an Emergency Veterinarian to join our team.
Check out the link below!

https://can232.dayforcehcm.com/CandidatePortal/en-US/vetstrategy/Site/VSCNL/Posting/View/33065

05/02/2024

Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control our Emergency Department will be closed until 5pm.

If you have a medical emergency with your pet please contact your family veterinarian.

After 5pm we will be accepting critical emergencies only. If you are unsure if your pet is experiencing a critical emergency please come to the hospital and an emergency technician can triage your pet and determine if immediate assistance is required.

We appreciate your understanding.

03/18/2024

Dr. Timothy Menghini, BSc(Hons), BVM&S, MRCVS, FHEA, Practice Limited To Surgery

Dr. Tim Menghini, a residency trained small animal surgeon, will be with us from March 25th-April 12th.

Tim graduated from The University of Edinburgh with a BSc (Hons) intercalated degree in Neuroscience in 2014 and a BVM&S degree in 2016. He performed translational lab research at the Centre For Neuroregeneration and The Roslin Institute during that time.

Tim then undertook multiple externships in the USA at the Animal Medical Center in New York, Colorado State University and The University of Georgia.

After graduation Tim completed a rotating internship at The University of Prince Edward Island in Canada before moving to the USA to complete a 3-year ACVS approved residency in small animal surgery at The University of Madison-Wisconsin.

Tim then worked for a year as a referral surgeon in a busy private practice in Arizona before beginning a lectureship in soft tissue surgery at The University of Edinburgh in 2022.

Tim is interested in all aspects of soft tissue surgery but has a particular clinical interest in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and surgical oncology for companion animals.

In his spare time Tim enjoys working out, watching sports, and relaxing with his two pet cats.

Welcome Dr. Menghini!

03/11/2024

Dr Galina Hayes, PhD DACVS DACVECC

Dr. Galina Hayes is a small animal surgeon, she will be with us from March 18th-22nd.

Dr Hayes graduated in 1998 from the University of Bristol, England. After working in mixed followed by general small animal and ER practice in England and Canada she completed residencies in small animal emergency medicine and critical care and in small animal surgery at the Ontario Veterinary College, Canada.

She also completed a PhD in epidemiology and a Doctorate in Veterinary Science in pharmacokinetics over her residency periods.

Her primary areas of research are in population based outcome modelling from clinical data, together with interventions targeting the reduction of iatrogenic medical morbidity and mortality in the fields of surgery and critical care.

She is author of several book chapters and over 50 peer reviewed publications in these fields. She is currently a tenured Associate Professor in the field of small animal soft tissue surgery at Cornell University.

Welcome Dr Hayes!

03/08/2024

Even in these weather conditions we’re always open and available for your pets. 🐶🐱🐹🐇

If you have an emergency with your pet, please call (709) 221-7838 to speak with one of our amazing emergency department customer service representatives. 📞🏥☎️
Or head directly to the hospital at 860 Topsail Road.

Please be careful getting yourselves to the hospital. ❄️🥶

03/01/2024

We have a very exciting opportunity to be able to offer the clients and patients of our community an Outpatient Service for Routine Ultrasounds, Echocardiograms and CT's! 🐶🐱🩺🩻

Dr. Julia Bulfon will be the primary veterinarian on this service, to help with continuity of care. Dr. Bulfon will be working very closely with our Board-Certified Radiologist, Dr. Meghan Woodland to provide the best care possible. 🥰

This service will be starting Monday, March 4th. If you are interested in availing in this service, please have your primary care veterinarian submit a referral. 📝🐶🐱

12/17/2023

To make sure we are able to provide the appropriate care to the patients in our hospital, our Emergency Services will be filtering cases based on the current status of our intensive care unit (ICU).
***No patient that requires immediate life saving support will be turned away, but wait times may be prolonged for non-critical patients. ***
The ICU status will be publicly displayed in the reception area as either Green, Yellow, or Red. It will also be updated on this page, and can be obtained at any time by calling ahead (709-221-7838).
Green : Open Admission (there may still be a wait, but all are welcome)
Yellow: Urgent and critical cases accepted. Urgent cases are those that need to be evaluated within hours - if you are not sure if your pet can wait, please call ahead.
Red: Only critical cases will be accepted. Please call ahead if you are not certain if your pet is in a critical condition.
We are making this change to make sure we have the staff and resources available to provide emergency care for the patients that need it most. When our status is RED that means the ICU is at full capacity. We will be assessing the situation frequently throughout every shift and will adjust the status as we are able to.
We encourage pet owners to call ahead when the status is Yellow or Red, and our staff can help you determine if you should come in or wait for our status to change.

12/02/2023

‼️ URGENT | BLOOD DONORS NEEDED ‼️

We are in urgent need of canine blood donors to meet the demand of patients in need… remember: today’s donor could be tomorrow’s recipient!

➕There are lots of donor benefits including over $300 of laboratory testing/health assessments.

🩸 Requirements for Blood Donation:

🐾 Between 1–8 years old with good disposition
🐾 No medical conditions or medications that could be problematic for a recipient
🐾 Up to date with vaccines
🐾 Has never received a blood or plasma transfusion
🐾 Healthy weight - 55 lbs+
🐾 Receive heart worm, internal parasite, and tick prevention medications

If you are interested in being a part of the program, check out the website: https://vscnl.ca/blood-donation/

THANK YOU 🙏🏼

10/20/2023

We at VSC would like to thank our Veterinary Technicians for everything they do, they are the unsung heroes of our clinic and are always here when we need them ,without you all we would be lost you are our back bone. Happy vet tech week

10/10/2023

To make sure we are able to provide the appropriate care to the patients in our hospital, our Emergency Services will be filtering cases based on the current status of our intensive care unit (ICU).

***No patient that requires immediate life saving support will be turned away, but wait times may be prolonged for non-critical patients. ***

The ICU status will be publicly displayed in the reception area as either Green, Yellow, or Red. It will also be updated on this page, and can be obtained at any time by calling ahead (709-221-7838).

Green : Open Admission (there may still be a wait, but all are welcome)

Yellow: Urgent and critical cases accepted. Urgent cases are those that need to be evaluated within hours - if you are not sure if your pet can wait, please call ahead.

Red: Only critical cases will be accepted. Please call ahead if you are not certain if your pet is in a critical condition.

We are making this change to make sure we have the staff and resources available to provide emergency care for the patients that need it most. When our status is RED that means the ICU is at full capacity. We will be assessing the situation frequently throughout every shift and will adjust the status as we are able to.

We encourage pet owners to call ahead when the status is Yellow or Red, and our staff can help you determine if you should come in or wait for our status to change.

08/25/2023

VSC is proud to congratulate Dr. Flavio Freitag on obtaining his board certification with the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (DACVAA). Dr. Freitag has joined our team of Specialists to ensure your pet receives the best possible care.

Dr. Freitag graduated, with honours, from the DVM program at the Pontifical Catholic University of Parana, Brazil in 2016. After graduation, he completed a two year Anesthesia residency at the Federal University of Parana. He then obtained his postgraduate degree, as a Master of Veterinary Science, with a dissertation about ultrasound guided local anesthesia.

Dr. Freitag moved to Canada in 2019, and started a three year residency in Anesthesia, at the Ontario Veterinary College and a postgraduate degree, as a Doctor of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Guelph. Both were completed in 2022. Dr. Freitag then moved to Newfoundland to join the team at VSC and start the Anesthesia Service.

Join us in congratulating Dr. Freitag on this monumental accomplishment!

06/28/2023

Congratulations to the Mount Pearl Intermediate team and all teams participating in the Ultimate Provincial Tournament! 🥏🏆🎉

We are proud to support such an awesome team sport and the Ultimate community. 💙

🏆 Mount Pearl Intermediate is the 2023 Junior High Ultimate Provincials Tournament Champions!!

🙏 Thank you to all The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District Junior High teams, their coaches and volunteers who participated in the tournament at the Techniplex last weekend. It was an action packed weekend of great plays, long throws to get the disc into the end zone, and excited cheering from family and friends watching from the sidelines!

More photos from the tournament to come in the next few weeks!

📷 Photo credit Trevor Wragg Photography
🥏 Tournament sponsor: Veterinary Specialty Centre of Newfoundland & Labrador

06/26/2023

Sending love to the beautiful bunny, Billie! 🐰❤️

06/26/2023

We are so excited to announce our title sponsorship of the SPCA St.John's signature annual event – Paws on the Pond – for the 5th consecutive year! 🐾💧🧡
___

This year's event will run from July 1st–31st (virtually) + event day / group walk at Quidi Vidi on July 15th. Stay tuned to the SPCA's website and social for more info!

Looking to register a team and fundraise for an amazing cause? Visit: bit.ly/potp2023-register

06/21/2023

We are excited to announce an opening for a qualified Veterinary Hospitalist to join our amazing team of emergency and specialty clinicians at the Veterinary Specialty Centre of Newfoundland & Labrador!

🐾 The WHAT

This role is designed to manage the ongoing care of our hospitalized patients in collaboration with our emergency doctors and team of specialists; ensuring comprehensive diagnostic and treatment planning while working closely with clients to support them and their pets. The Hospitalist role is an essential component in our mission to provide the highest level of veterinary care.

We are seeking an enthusiastic, caring, and compassionate individual who is team oriented and motivated to help our clinic continue to build our emergency and critical care services and grow our overall offering to our clients.

Completion of a rotating internship and/or experience is considered a strong asset.

This position will offer the successful candidate:
• A Competitive Salary
• Flexible Scheduling
• A Retirement Matching Program
• Full Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Compensation for Licensing and Professional Membership Dues
• A Continuing Education Stipend
• Paid Vacation
• Compensation for Relocation Expenses* + Signing Bonus

*Note: Candidates must have the ability to become licensed in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Individuals with board certification in emergency critical care are encouraged to apply.

🐾 The WHO

VSCNL is an award-winning, 24-hour Emergency and Specialty Veterinary Hospital.

We are committed to providing a professional and supportive environment for high quality patient care and excellent client experiences.
Currently, we have specialists in: Surgery, Internal Medicine, Anesthesia, Diagnostic Imaging, and Pathology as well as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner.

The VSC is a well-equipped hospital which is continuing to grow into a second extension allowing for the addition of a new 7 day a week diagnostic lab, devoted rehabilitation space, oncology administration room, and conference room.

We strive to obtain a collegial environment with a hands on learning approach through activities such as multidisciplinary journal clubs and onsite RACE approved CE events.

Our dedicated and passionate team work together and support each other like a family…we also aren’t afraid to have a little fun.

To learn more about us and our practice, please visit our website www.vscnl.ca and/or our page at Veterinary Specialty Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador. If you have questions or need more information, feel free to contact us directly at [email protected].

🐾 The WHERE

Our practice is located in the St. John’s region of Newfoundland and Labrador.

St. John’s is at the most eastern point in North America and is a vibrant city with year round indoor and outdoor activities set in a beautiful, natural backdrop. This is a city filled with wonderful people and beautiful scenery to explore.

To learn more about our city and province, please visit www.newfoundlandlabrador.com and www.stjohns.ca.

🐾 The WHEN

This position is available for an immediate start.

🐾 The HOW

For more information or to apply, please contact Terra Dove at [email protected].

We look forward to hearing from you!

___
VSC is an equal opportunities employer.

VSC offers 24/7 emergency care, referral, specialty surgeries, diagnostic imaging, certified rehab services, and a full oncology program.

06/05/2023

🚨 PLEASE NOTE: We are currently having technical difficulties with our phone and email systems due to a service provider issue 📞 📧 .

If your pet is experiencing a medical emergency please bring them straight to the hospital.
___

Thank you for your patience as we diligently work to quickly resolve this issue!

05/31/2023

Please inquire or apply by sending your resume to Terra at [email protected]

We are looking for a Veterinary Receptionist to add to our awesome team!

Our reception team is made up of animal lovers who demonstrate caring and compassionate behaviour with all patients and clients. The right fit for this role is someone who is also open to learning and is a strong team player.

Relevant job experience is an asset. Receptionists perform duties for both referral and emergency services. These duties include (but are not limited to):

• Providing exceptional customer service
• Answering phones/emails
• Checking clients in and out
• Filling prescriptions
• Collecting payments
• Maintaining a clean and orderly reception area

Receptionists are required to be familiar with infectious disease control. Receptionists are also expected to be able to recognize emergency situations, enlisting help from the clinic medical staff as needed. Applicants must be able to lift 50lbs and be able to work overnight and weekend shifts as required.

To inspire long-term, happy employees, we offer a competitive salary and benefits, including:

• Health and dental coverage
• Generous vacation time
• Subsidized pet insurance
• RRSP matching program
• Uniform allowance
• Continued education opportunities

___

The Veterinary Specialty Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador (VSCNL) is the only multi-disciplinary, specialty service and emergency service hospital in Newfoundland and Labrador. Our team includes a board-certified Radiologist and Surgeon, emergency veterinarians, an occupational therapist, veterinary interns, registered veterinary technicians, assistants, receptionists, and administrative staff.

05/17/2023

04/17/2023

Last week we celebrated National Medical Laboratory week! 🔬

With a huge percentage of treatment decisions being based on diagnostic lab work, our lab professionals are a crucial and essential part of our hospital and our patient's care.

THANK YOU to our amazing lab team (not all pictured here) for your hard work, dedication, and passion – we appreciate everything that you do! 🥼👩‍🔬🧫🧪

04/03/2023

A HUGE THANK-YOU to these sweet and caring girls – Charleigh Rey (left) and Reggie (right) who came in last week for emergency blood donations to help save lives! 🥹

Both of these beautiful doggos have donated blood multiple times and love ALL the snuggles from our team ❤️ 🩸

03/17/2023

Join us in congratulating chemotherapy champion — Link! 🎉

This mighty man recently completed his treatment and is an absolute superstar — we LOVE getting visits from Link for rechecks 💙💚💛

Way to go, Link! We are so proud of you!

03/15/2023

A huge congratulations on kicking cancer's butt, Bruin! 🎉💙🥳

Bruin completed his chemotherapy program on March 10th after being the bravest boy through 16 rounds of treatment. He is doing SO well and we're so happy to celebrate him and this huge milestone!

YAY, BRUIN!!!!! 🎉💙🥳