Vet service celebrates grand opening

A veterinary and dental practice report on their grand opening Saturday.

The southwest corner of the Vista Del Oro shopping center at Queen Creek Road and Val Vista Drive bustled with activity as Priority Pet Hospital and Vista Dorada Dental joined together to welcome the local community into their practices on April 19.

Practice tours, product giveaways, raffles, and the opportunity to question experts in both pet health and personal dental care drew visitors eager to meet the new professionals in the neighborhood. The joint format of the open house appears to have worked well for both practices, who are already considering making this community gathering an annual event.

Together with their staff, Doctors Karin Burns and Billy Griswold spent the duration of the event meeting members of the community, answering questions related to pet care, and leading tours of Priority Pet Hospital's state-of-the-art facility, which opened in early January.

Guests were treated to views of the surgical theater, in which a simulated patient helped demonstrate proper sterile technique and the extensive monitoring used to ensure the safety of pets undergoing anesthetic procedures.

The hospital's X-ray room showcased digital "films" of a patient recently diagnosed with pneumonia, and a stop in the dental treatment area demonstrated that Priority Pet Hospital is equipped to provide dental care for pets that is on par with the care that Vista Dorada Dental provides for human patients.

As they picked up flying discs, plush toys, pet food samples, and other goodies outside, many visitors remarked that they were impressed to learn that such advanced services are now becoming common in veterinary practices.

Some guests even brought their pets along to "sniff things out."

Gauge and Lil' Rock, a pair of American bulldogs, were clearly a bit apprehensive about the inflatable "noodles" flapping at the edge of the parking lot, but could be seen enthusiastically wagging their tails and greeting the staff once inside.

Smiling, Dr. Griswold said it was nice to see dogs happier inside their veterinarian's office than outside. "I also like to think that it speaks volumes about our staff and doctors," he added.

In addition to the partnership with Vista Dorada Dental, Priority Pet Hospital was joined by In the RAW, a Gilbert-based business providing juice, coffee, and dog smoothies and snacks at the southeast corner of Higley and Elliot Roads. Additional support and promotional items were provided by local veterinary distributors and national animal health care companies.

More information: dr.griswold@prioritypethospital.com

Veterinary technician Natasha Larsen (left) offers an inside look into Priority Pet Hospital's surgery suite at the veterinary practice's recent open house.