Practice offers variety of pet services, care

When Dr. Kent Julius was 11 years old, he said he and his father wandered into the woods during a snowstorm to look for a cow that was supposed to give birth. They found the cow, but the calf was left buried in the snow with only its nose exposed to breathe.

Julius and his father took the calf back to their house to warm and nurse it. Frostbite caused the calf's tail, ears and tip of its nose to fall off. But six months later, the calf weighed a few hundred pounds and was returned to the herd.

Julius said many of his employees at Legacy Veterinary Hospital have similar stories, whether they raised a litter of puppies or saved some kittens.

"From the time we were [children], we actually decided we love being able to help an animal that can't help themselves," he said.

Julius opened Legacy Veterinary Hospital in 2009 with the mission to provide high quality pet care.

The facility offers three main services: veterinary care, grooming and pet lodging.

While those services are not often seen in the same facility, Julius said the three can overlap and make pet care convenient for pet owners.

For example, groomers may notice injuries or changes in weight on an animal that the owner did not see, or an animal may become ill while being lodged.

"We have a staff for each individual area, but we all work together," he said.

Three veterinarians, including Julius, provide medical care to most types of pets. The hospital does not treat large animals, such as horses or cattle, and will often not treat exotic animals. However, Julius said he has treated monkeys at the hospital.

The hospital also has an app for owners to see their pet's vaccination history, request medication refills and schedule appointments.

"The convenience factor is so much quicker," Julius said. "You can call us and get meds, get an appointment, request boarding and request grooming—all these things can be done through the app."

Down the hall from the surgery and examination rooms is the pet lodging.

Pets can be lodged for a few hours or several days and will receive their own private space. Some spaces come with a raised bed, a TV and a webcam.

The back of the hospital has small fenced yards for pets to have off-leash time outside, Julius said.

"It's kind of like staying at home," he said.

Whatever the reason may be that an animal comes to the hospital, Julius said he wants to ensure every pet is given quality care.

"We want to become a partner with the client to make sure the pet gets the best medical care as opposed to us just dictating what should be done or dictating what we think is right," he said.

• 5399 Warren Parkway
• 972-335-9292
• www.legacyvet.com