The Kansas State University Veterinary Health Center has renovated its Livestock Services' handling and treatment area and is now open to patients.

According to Matt Miesner, section head and clinical professor in Livestock Services at the Veterinary Health Center, improvements came from a need for not only structural repair but also to ensure the standards of modern, safe, efficient and low-stress animal handling methods. He said these changes will benefit clients, clinicians and veterinary students.

"We will be able to process more patients more safely and efficiently, and students will have the opportunity to see more cases safely and experience multiple handling methods recommended by leading experts in the cattle industry," Miesner said. "Clients should see an efficient, safe and modern service for their animals."

Upgrades include:

• A new drive-thru unloading feature to improve patient drop-off and pickup;

• Holding pens, alleyways, sweep and bud tub handling of cattle to improve output and safer movement of patients;

• A new tilt chute to provide increased versatility in examining a variety of large animal patients that present for lameness, and

• An upgraded obstetrics handling area to improve services provided for pregnancy-related disorders.

"It is our mission to meet the highest accreditation compliance standards," Veterinary Health Center interim director Elizabeth Davis said. "With this aim in mind, we planned for structural and equipment upgrades to provide optimal patient care and teaching space. We are pleased to have these upgrades complete, which will allow us to provide high-quality large animal patient care in a contemporary facility."

The team began brainstorming ideas a few years ago and, through careful design, developed plans that would be ideally suited for Veterinary Health Center clientele and their livestock. The project broke ground in February and was finished in just six months. During this time, clients delivered patients to an alternate receiving area.

The renovations were made possible by Merck Animal Health and the Veterinary Health Center.