Veterinary Teaching Hospital earns reaccreditation through American Animal Hospital Association
BLACKSBURG — The Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine’sVeterinary Teaching Hospital has achieved the highest level of veterinary excellence following a thorough evaluation by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). The teaching hospital’s small animal services recently earned AAHA reaccreditation after a rigorous review of its practice protocols, medical equipment, facility, and client service.
Unlike hospitals for humans, not all animal hospitals are required to be accredited. The veterinary college has voluntarily submitted itself to the AAHA Standards of Accreditation since 1988.
“We are committed to providing top-quality veterinary care to our small animal patients,” said William S. “Terry” Swecker, director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. “As a teaching hospital, we not only offer the latest services and technology to our patients, but also provide veterinary students with valuable, hands-on learning experiences.”
Located on Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus, the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s small animal services provides primary, specialty, and emergency patient care to small animal clients within a 35-mile radius of Blacksburg and referral service to practitioners in the mid-Atlantic region.
Accredited hospitals are the only hospitals that choose to be evaluated on approximately 900 quality standards that go above and beyond basic state regulations, ranging from patient care and pain management to staff training and advanced diagnostic services. AAHA-accredited hospitals are recognized among the finest in the industry, and are consistently at the forefront of advanced veterinary medicine. AAHA standards are continuously reviewed and updated to keep accredited practices at the cutting edge of veterinary excellence.
Only the top small animal hospitals in the United States and Canada have achieved AAHA accreditation. To maintain accredited status, the Veterinary Teaching Hospital must continue to be evaluated regularly by the AAHA.
