More 'Homey' Veterinary Hospital Close To Opening

With construction continuing, and making headway, Bruce Levinston, of the , is preparing to open his new facility toward the end of June.

The will open on Route 202/206 and Foothill Road.

"This has been my dream since I was 4 years old, I have wanted to design my own hospital with the layout I wanted," Levinston said.

The new facility will provide digital radiography; stem cell regeneration facilities; puppy and adult training classes; separate dog and cat wards; a separate state-of-the-art intensive care unit; five examination rooms; a children's play area; a separate isolation room for improved infection control; expanded pharmacy and laboratory; private family room for special moments; and a complete Health and Wellness Center.

"The Health and Wellness Center will have acupuncture and more," Levinston said. "Everything that happens to humans happens to animals too."

With just weeks until the planned opening of the new facility, everything is beginning to fall into place, with walls being painted, equipment being installed and more.

Levinston said he is trying to stay away from stainless steel and other similar looks, opting instead for earth tones, tile flooring and a rustic appearance inside the facility.

"We are trying to give it a homey and warm feel," he said.

Every room of the facility will have natural lighting inside, plus many of the rooms have poured concrete into cinderblock to increase the sound proofing.

"From the center of the laboratory, you can access all the rooms," Levinston said. "And we will have the cats not be seen by the dogs."

Levinston said there will be isolation rooms for animals with infections, bathing rooms and more. In addition, he said, there will be a full dental suite, which is unlike any other similar facility.

"And the surgical prep room will have a glass pass-through to keep the surgery area clean and sterile," he said. "There will be a separate air conditioning unit for surgery, and two tables equipped for surgeons to come in."

"There will be a screen for x-rays," he added.

Levinston said there will be two tub tables with a column for surgery lights, central vacuuming and more.

"The ICU recovery will have glass windows so families can observe," he said. "That's my favorite room because they don't usually have those in general practice."

In the basement of the facility, Levinston said, there will be training sessions and rehabilitation, plus client education options.

"There is a separate entrance in the basement and there will be a conference room," he said.

A family room in the facility will be laid out like the den of a house with a separate space for discussion with those whose pets are enduring some sort of emergency.

"There is great work-flow, and there will be no crossing paths so the animals don't get scared," Levinston said. "We are trying to make this homey."

The facility is expected to open around the third week of June, with only two days of the practice being closed to move staff and equipment. Levinston said the staff is still working out of the current building on Route 202/206 until the new facility is ready.

And from there, Levinston said, they will have an open house Sept. 30 from about 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Levinston said that as the facility is preparing to open, with more work being done every day, he is pleased with the progress and the next steps.

"I wanted this all my life, so I wanted to do this right," he said. "We are making this more comfortable for the pets, clients, staff and everyone."