Imaging techniques such as x-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRIs are important tools for veterinarians in the diagnosis of medical conditions in pets.
A 2-year-old Labrador Retriever mix had been battling anxiety issues and unfortunately was unable to be given any prescription sedatives. One day when her owners were at work, the pup ripped up some carpet in their home. The pup had been vomiting, so her owner rushed her into the veterinarian for radiographs and found a stomach full of carpet and 2 staples.
These imaging techniques provide detailed images of the inside of the body, which can help veterinarians to identify problems that may not be visible using other methods. It looked like nothing had passed into her GI tract, so they opted to try to have her vomit. They had success and she threw up lots of carpet and both staples!! The owner took the staples home to remind them that things could've been much worse. Now she is a happy and healthy dog who goes into a safe kennel when the owners leave!
Exciting News! Our ER is Officially Open!
We are now Puget Sound Veterinary Specialty & Emergency (PSVSE)! Our new facility is located at 6565 Kimball Drive in Gig Harbor. As a reminder, we will initially offer 24/7 Emergency and Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Neurology, and Diagnostic Imaging. All other specialty services (Surgery, Ophthalmology, Dentistry and Oral Surgery) will remain at the Port Orchard location (1730 Pottery Ave) until our move is completed in early 2023.
Having an Emergency? Mobile check-in available for PSVSE clients at the Kimball location. Check In Now: bit.ly/PSVSERexpress
Coming Soon! We are launching ER Services on 12/1! The new facility, located at 6565 Kimball Drive, will initially offer 24/7 Emergency and Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Neurology, and Diagnostic Imaging. All other specialty services (Surgery, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, and Oral Surgery) will remain at the Port Orchard location until the move is completed in early 2023. We are excited to be expanding our services to serve more patients in our community. Stay tuned next week for more updates!
Puget Sound Veterinary Specialists is launching emergency services in early December! We will be opening the doors at our brand-new space for ER patients located at 6565 Kimball Drive, Gig Harbor, WA. We are excited soon offer 24-hour emergency care to the Gig Harbor community and beyond!
PSVS is thrilled to welcome Dr. Amanda Brenna to the team!
Originally hailing from Kirkland, Washington, Dr. Brenna is overjoyed to return to the Pacific Northwest and call the Kitsap Peninsula her home. Throughout her childhood, she accumulated a menagerie of rescued pets and injured wildlife and settled on a career as a veterinarian by the age of ten.
Dr. Brenna obtained her veterinary degree at Washington State University (GO COUGS!!!) where she quickly developed a reputation as “the neuro girl” amongst her classmates. After receiving her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2013, she moved home to Seattle to complete a small animal rotating internship, and then to Dallas to complete a specialty internship in neurology at Center for Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Care. Her three-year residency in neurology and neurosurgery then took her to Auburn University in Alabama, where she got to spend every day honing her neuro diagnostic and neurosurgical skills and sharing her love of neurology with the veterinary students she taught. She then returned to Dallas, spending four years at the Center for Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Care as an associate neurologist. We are happy to welcome her back to the PNW as the newest Doctor on the PSVS team! Learn more on our website: https://bit.ly/PSVSDrBrenna
Seal pup season is in full swing in the Pacific Northwest, and we had the pleasure to help our friends at World Vets by being available to lend a hand with advanced imaging diagnostics to seal pups in need. Our partnership with World Vets allows their team to access advanced medical equipment when needed. By having access to advanced imaging, the World Vets team can evaluate injuries and gain a complete picture of a pup’s health which can help with rehabilitation efforts. We are so thankful for the opportunity to work with them and be of service to the local wildlife!
Delivering Happiness!
Our journey in creating a culture that is centered around well-being is off to a great start! The PSVS team recently got an opportunity to participate in a “Delivering Happiness” initiative. During this Delivering Happiness session, our entire team was able to share and collaborate on personal and professional values, goals, and the stressors and rewards of working in the veterinary industry. The program is designed to strengthen connectedness, resilience, well-being, and share tools to actively engage in enhancing overall happiness. We are thrilled to have a team that is committed to change, sustainability and that truly exemplifies resiliency.
#findyourhappy
Coming Soon!
Coming Soon!
We have made huge strides toward bringing multi-specialty and 24-Hour Emergency services to Gig Harbor and beyond! Our construction teams are working diligently to bring our new space to life as we aim to open this fall! Stay tuned for more updates!
Prevent Heat Stroke!
Prevent Heatstroke this summer! Warm temperatures can be hard on our four-legged family members due to the risk of heat-related illness, such as heat stroke. Dogs like to have fun and keep active (chasing tennis balls) even when conditions are dangerous. Here are some tips for keeping your pet cool:
- Take walks early in the morning or at night when it is cooler.
- Provide plenty of fresh, cool water.
- Consider boarding your pet if you can’t provide a cool, safe spot when it is especially hot.
- NEVER leave your pet in a parked car.
- Due to their conformation bulldogs, frenchies, and pugs are a great example of breeds that need extra special care in warm temperatures.
-Common signs of heatstroke include lethargy, weakness, decreased responsiveness, brick-red gums and diarrhea.
- If you believe your pet is overheated and experiencing signs of heat stroke contact your local emergency veterinarian.
Puget Sound’s own Nicole Pambianchi, VTS Anesthesia, will be speaking at the annual AVMA Convention!
She will be presenting the following on Monday, August 1st:
"Is That Normal? Common Adverse Effects of Anesthetic Drugs" at 9 am and "Understanding Capnography" at 10 am.
PSVS values their technicians and para-professional staff which is why they prioritize offering opportunities for Technician Advancement as well as resources to help them get exposure at a national level.
We are thrilled to have her represent PSVS at AVMA as a VTS in Anesthesia!
For more information on the convention visit the AVMA website here!
Maritime Gig Festival!
We had an absolute blast participating in the annual Maritime Gig Festival!
We want to thank all those who came to our booth. We are excited to provide emergency and specialty medicine to the pets of Gig Harbor. We can’t wait to open our new hospital doors and meet your furry family members this fall!
“It was a privilege to help make a dent in trying to preserve the wildlife population and help the people of the community who can’t afford basic healthcare for their pets.”
Dr. Knapp-Hoch and the Puget Sound Veterinary Specialists team strive to be an industry leader in veterinary medicine. In partnership with World Vets, they launched a year-round, free-of-charge veterinary clinic in the Galapagos. With limited supplies and equipment, the team performed over 270 spays and neuters in just three days.
Giving back is at the core of who we are. So join our team and make a difference today!
Now Offering CT Imaging!
We are now offering CT Imaging!
Have you ever seen a CT scan of a snake? When our CT machine first arrived, we decided to test it out with different animals. Our Dentistry LVT, Rachel volunteered her female snake named Monty Python for a scan.
Snakes have very subtle personalities, but Monty Python really enjoys being held and being outside on sunny days. Here is our very own Dr. Knapp-Hoch's daughter comforting the snake after the scan!
🐾 🐢 As a medically driven hospital, Puget Sound Veterinary Specialists strives to be an industry leader in veterinary medicine. Our dedication to pet care transcends borders.
In partnership with World Vets, we opened a free veterinary clinic to support the domestic animal population on the Galapagos Islands. With a limited number of supplies and equipment, our team was able to perform over 270 spays and neuters in just three days. This goodwill initiative pushed us out of our comfort zones and served as a reminder as to why we entered this incredible veterinary profession.
Giving back is at the core of who we are – join our team and make a difference today! Visit - https://pugetsoundvetspecialists.com #worldvets
The day has arrived! Our CT Imaging Machine is officially ready for patients! If your pet has advanced imaging needs or a veterinary referral, please call our Veterinary Specialists Care Team ahead of time to ask about availability @ 360-871-9651.
What is a CT machine, and what can it do? CT stands for Computed Tomography. This is an advanced imaging technique that uses a series of x-rays and a computer to produce a 3-dimensional image of soft tissue or bone to detect diseases, injuries, and complex surgery planning.
Get Excited! In TWO weeks, our CT Imaging Machine will be ready to start seeing patients with advanced imaging needs in GIG HARBOR! We are excited to add these services to Puget Sound Veterinary Specialists and provide more comprehensive care for our pets!
CT Imaging is an extremely valuable tool in veterinary medicine for advanced soft tissue imaging, detecting disease, and bone imaging. It offers advanced surgical planning and injury detection deep within the body.
*By Appointment Only* If your pet has advanced imaging needs or a veterinary referral, please call our Veterinary Specialists Care Team to get you scheduled @ 360-871-9651.
Meet The Team!
Meet our fantastic Support Team! They are the heart and soul and the backbone of our multi-specialty practice. Our team provides support to our doctors across Surgery, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Internal Medicine, Recovery, and General Specialty Care services. But, more importantly, they deliver empathy, compassion, and emotional support to our patients and their caregivers who come through our doors.
Did you know we are hiring?! Yes, not only are we expanding into a 21,000 sq. ft. space in Gig Harbor, but we are also expanding our services to include Advanced Imaging, Neurology, Critical Care, and 24 HR Emergency. As a result, we will need more amazing team members to join the Puget Sound Veterinary Specialists family! Apply for one of our multi-specialty support positions today. Visit our website to learn more!
Construction Update!
🛠️ Construction Update 🛠️ Every week, we are making progress toward bringing multi-specialty and 24-Hour Emergency services to Gig Harbor and beyond. In the past few weeks, we have seen walls torn down, new ones go up, insulation and floors installed, electrical wiring go in, and the arrival of our new CT Imaging machine! The framework of our space is slowly coming together piece by piece and will become a reality in the fall of this year. We hope you are as excited as we are!
Big Announcement! It’s here!
🚨Big Announcement! It’s here!🚨
Our CT Imaging Machine has arrived, and this spring, we will start seeing patients with advanced imaging needs.
What is a CT machine, and what can it do? CT stands for Computed Tomography. This is an advanced imaging technique that uses a series of x -rays and a computer to produce a 3-dimensional image of soft tissue or bone. It has become a valuable diagnostic tool in veterinary medicine for detecting diseases and injuries deep within the body and a tool for surgical planning in more complex cases.
If your pet has advanced imaging needs or a veterinary referral, please call our Veterinary Specialists Care Team to get you scheduled this spring @ 360-871-9651.
Meet Hazel 🐶
This cute little four-month-old French Bulldog came in for a fracture after falling off a bed in the middle of the night (not those late-night scaries, we’ve all been there!). After a visit to her regular veterinarian for x-rays and bloodwork, it was determined that she would have to visit the surgery team at Puget Sound Veterinary Specialists to repair her fractured leg.
Hazel was diagnosed with a Salter-Harris type 2 fracture to her right proximal tibia. Salter-Harris fractures are fractures that involve the growth plate in young growing animals. Dr. Knapp-Hoch and her surgery team were able to repair her leg with pins plus lots of puppy kisses! At her four-week check-in, Dr. Knapp-Hoch was delighted to see that she was healing well and displaying excellent mobility. No stopping her now!
