Pet owners are a discerning bunch, and rightly so! You want your beloved companion to receive the very best care the veterinary industry can offer. And we couldn’t agree more. That’s why we became an AAHA-accredited hospital. Hills and Dales Veterinary Clinic is one of the only clinics in Kettering and the surrounding areas to meet AAHA’s standards of excellence. With accreditation, you can trust that we only perform to the highest standards in every facet of our practice. We believe that each pet deserves exceptional veterinary care, and we aim to provide just that.
Becoming AAHA-Accredited
In 2007, we decided to showcase our dedication to your pet’s health by voluntarily seeking AAHA accreditation. Unlike human hospitals, veterinary hospitals are not required to be accredited, meaning the standards of care can vary greatly between practices. In fact, only about 15% of all animal hospitals in the US and Canada are accredited! At Hills and Dales, our goal is to continually strive for excellence, so accreditation was a natural step. To remain AAHA-accredited, our hospital undergoes rigorous evaluations every three years, and we’ve passed each one with flying colors. We were even nominated multiple times for the American Animal Hospital Accredited Practice of the Year Award by our veterinary colleagues at AAHA!
What Are AAHA’s Standards?
You may be thinking that all of this accreditation sounds great and all, but how exactly do you achieve it? AAHA outlines some 900 or so standards that they use to evaluate each hospital. These standards include every part of our practice including:
- Surgical procedures and equipment
- Cleanliness and organization
- Anesthetic protocol
- Dentistry
- Emergency and critical care
- Lab testing
- Pain management
- Patient care
- And much more!
Interested in learning more about being an AAHA-accredited practice? Contact our knowledgeable staff today, and we’ll be happy to answer your questions!