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Despite Brain Tumor, Clancy Recaptures Quality of Life

Three years ago, Vicki and Lawrence Houghton were stunned by the news that Clancy, their beloved Corgi, had an inoperable brain tumor. The Meningioma on Clancy’s brain stem was causing atrophy on his face. He could not blink his right eye. Later Clancy developed Degenerative Myelopathy, causing the Corgi’s rear leg to collapse. Eventually, the Houghtons had to support Clancy walking and carry him up and down the stairs.

Despite these challenges, Clancy was vibrant and sweet as ever. The family was determined to save Clancy and give him the best possible quality of life. Neurologist Dr. Robin Levitski-Osgood, who diagnosed the tumor with an MRI, recommended radiation treatments to shrink it. She also diagnosed Clancy’s Degenerative Myelopathy and started treatments. Dr. Levitski-Osgood’s focus was not just keeping Clancy alive but restoring the Corgi’s ability to use his face and to walk.

After persistent treatments over several months, Clancy enjoyed remarkable improvements. He can now blink both eyes. His facial muscles are no longer atrophied. Most importantly, Clancy is alive to spend precious time with his family.

The Houghtons feel that none of these improvements would have happened without the help of Dr. Levitski-Osgood, a board-certified specialist in Neurology and Neurosurgery. They describe VSH as “wonderful.”

According to the Houghtons, what’s most remarkable about Clancy is the little dog’s attitude. They describe Clancy as “a joy.” For example, the family had to drive several hours for radiation treatments three times a week. Clancy handled the trips well and always remains upbeat through every trial.

Why Choose Veterinary Specialty Hospital?

Over 40,000 patients have been treated by the doctors at Veterinary Specialty Hospital in recent years.

We at VSH understand that you have options in the marketplace when choosing your veterinary healthcare specialist. We know that unless we are always focused the special needs of you and the pet that you care about, you wouldn’t have any particular reason to choose our hospital. That’s why we are dedicated to maintaining the pre-eminent world-class veterinary specialty center in San Diego. We want our clients to be assured that their pets receive the best veterinary care possible.

Why do we consider the Veterinary Specialty Hospital a world-class center? More importantly, what are the benefits to you and your pet? We say a world-class veterinary center must excel in five areas:

Top Specialists
Exceptional Service and Care
State-of-the-art Technology
Advanced Procedures for Diagnosis and Treatment
Comprehensive Care and Client Choice

While we are always working hard to get better as individuals and as an organization, we believe we excel in each of these five areas.

Top Specialists

Our doctors rank among the most skilled and distinguished in the nation. Over 15 of our veterinarians are board-certified specialists in their fields. This means not only have they earned their Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, but also they have completed three additional years of education and training, an internship, and a residency in the area of their specialty. (One doctor is board-certified in both surgery and ophthalmology, the only practicing veterinarian in the country with this distinction.) Several specialists now teach, or have taught previously, at major schools of veterinary medicine. Most of our doctors periodically lead seminars educating other veterinary professionals. Many regularly publish professional papers or are active in research.

The VSH team of specialists practices what is called “collaborative medicine.” The team combines their veterinary expertise and skill in each specialty in order to deliver the best diagnosis and treatment to your pet.

Exceptional Service and Care

In addition to medical skill, our veterinarians are deeply committed to attentive service to their clients and compassionate care for their patients.

Like our doctors, our team of certified veterinary technicians and assistants are skilled, experienced, and, in many cases, specialized in certain practice areas. Most of our staff are pet owners too. So we have great empathy for the connection you have with your pet. This is reflected in the dedication, compassion, and skill they bring to all their work.

We believe a key to exceptional service is communication. Our staff receives intensive training on how to provide world-class service and communication. While your pet is with us, you will be kept up to date on your pet's status, diagnosis and treatment. We’ll make sure you’re informed about your options for care. We’ll make sure that you have the personal space and time to weigh your choices thoughtfully.

Also, for your covenience and comfort, we offer free valet parking and coffee in the reception areas.

State-of-the-art Technology

Powerful advanced technology gives our doctors the necessary tools to provide the best possible care. Our Imaging Department uses advanced digital imaging and high-resolution systems so that doctors can detect and evaluate a wide range of conditions. Because of our commitment to stay on the leading edge of technology, we recently upgraded our MRI and spiral CT scanner.

Another example of our commitment is that Veterinary Specialty Hospital is the only facility in greater San Diego with an in-house linear accelerator for radiation therapy. The radiation therapy is computer-controlled so that the minimum effective dose of radiation is precisely delivered to cancer cells, eliminating damage to healthy tissue and reducing side effects.

Our Stat Laboratory is an in-house commercial-quality medical lab containing high-grade equipment. The lab enables fast accurate turnaround of tests. The Critical Care and Emergency service has advanced systems such as telemetry for cardiac monitoring.

Advanced Treatments & Procedures

Veterinary Specialty Hospital is committed to staying on the leading edge of innovated treatments and procedures. These innovative, sometimes complex treatments and procedures aim to increase longevity and improve the quality of life for your pet.

Comprehensive Services

Veterinary Specialty Hospital has developed into a major veterinary center where our clients have a “one stop shop” for a broad array of specialty services, operating 24-hours 7 days a week. Our 15 Specialists from our six core areas, operating as a team and supported with our in-house diagnostic and treatment capabilities, are able to offer a wide range of options for care, including the most advanced.

In addition, we have a close relationship with UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center, which is co-located in our facility.

Finally, we recognize that the best, most comprehensive care comes from a strong partnership between you, your veterinarian, and our medical team. Our aim is to provide that for every client, all the time.

North County

2055 Montiel Road San Marcos CA 92069

San Diego

10435 Sorrento Valley Road San Diego CA 92121

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Disclaimer: The information contained on this web site is meant to be used as a general guide for the services at Veterinary Specialty Hospital. Veterinary Specialty Hospital reserves the right to change services, staff and information represented on this web site without notice. In case of an emergency involving your pet, consult a veterinary professional for recommendations specific to your pet’s condition immediately.

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