Ettrick Expands

Erick Expands

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After years of fighting for electrical the new building will have upgraded outlet space, having to down ventilation systems and sound proofing, tools when an X-ray took place, and all the floors have been designed with and using rooms for multiple purposes, hygiene in mind: “All the tile is porcelain, Ettrick Animal Hospital is expanding to which is non absorptive, with epoxy grout, create a modern, high-quality animal care which is also non absorptive,” he says. “If facility for the benefit of patients, their an animal urinates, none of that can be owners and the staff. absorbed into the grout.

“We are adding on two brand new “In our medical areas we have hospital extensions, then joining and gutting the grade vinyl flooring, which again has whole existing building,” explains Ettrick’s sealed seams and covering at the walls,” he owner, Dr. Andrew Madeiros. “At the end continues. This means the vinyl bends at we’ll have a whole new facility.” the walls creating an easy to clean curve,

The renovated building will have three instead of difficult to clean right angles. exam rooms, a treatment room, surgery The new ventilation system has been and dental room, main surgery, X-ray engineered to reduce the transmission of room, grooming room, separated dog and aerosolised disease, such as upper respiratory cat recovery rooms, as well as runs and tract diseases, which can be spread through considerable utility, storage and office animals coughing and sneezing. space. There is also improved security He explains that cats in particular are and flow throughout the building and more prone to upper respiratory disease. it’s outdoor areas because “you need to “We have special cat cages,” he says. “The avoid two rottweilers meeting each other cages have a built-in exhaust system that unexpectedly,” he points out. pulls air through the cage. Fresh air enters

Building an animal hospital is a the cage and dirty air exits the cage. Dirty particular challenge explains Madeiros, air goes through the vent system and because “animal hospital grade” is higher outside, which reduces the spread from than just “hospital grade” due to the cat to cat in the same room.” There is a “nature of the animals and contamination. similar system in the dog housing area. Things like air conditioning, flooring, and A lot of research has gone into how sound proofing become very important to make the animals comfortable and when you have animals housed.” relaxed, especially if they are recovering

To meet the needs of their patients, from surgery, including subdued colours, dimmable lighting and heated flooring in all the recovery cages and dog recovery runs.

The dog and cat cages have glass fronted doors, but the cats also have horizontal slats because research shows they don’t like vertical bars.

“We’ve focused on disease control and animal comfort,” he says.

Upgrading the Ettrick Animal Hospital has been a 15-year project for Madeiros who has taken courses and attended lectures at veterinary conferences about laboratories and buildings: “you talk about all of the interior workings, fits, finishes, paint – things that cause less stress for animals. I’ve taken all of that and am trying to incorporate it in this, and tried to budget so we can afford this.”

Madeiros received advice from Scott Learned of The Design Learned, Inc. group, which is a Norwich, Connecticut based engineering firm specialising in veterinarian practices and animal care facilities. “I had a lot of advice from him on plumbing, electrical, engineering and sound proofing.” He adds that Heather Lewis of Animal Arts Architecture in Boulder, Colorado also offered helpful advice.

Locally, Madeiros used Ocean Interiors Ltd., and engaged CTX Design Group who he says have “done a great job understanding what we’re doing and incorporating that.”

“We require a massive amount of electrical outlets,” he says. “We use a lot of equipment now. We are constantly fighting for outlets. In our surgical room we have 10 outlets now. You need somebody who understands that.”

In addition to electrical needs, other specialised design considerations included wider corridors to accommodate large animals or owners carrying a cage; separate entrances and routes to keep the boarding animals away from the sick ones therefore preventing contamination; a door at the side, with direct access to the parking lot for more temperamental animals or if an owner is upset, especially after a euthanasia: “it gives a little extra privacy and flexibility,” he explains.

There is even a new ‘pass through’ for surgical instruments so they can go directly from the preparation room, where they are cleaned and sterilised, to the main surgery without having to go in and out of the rooms, and the X-ray room is windowless, has concrete walls and a lead door. “Safety is huge for us,” he says.

“The building is designed with three things in mind – clients, staff and patients,” adds Madeiros. “When it is finished, it will probably be the most engineered specific vet building around.” Q

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