The emergency service at Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists provides emergency treatment, walk-in urgent care, intensive care, and overnight patient monitoring 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As ER/ICU Director and criticalist, Dr. Ayla Preston oversees the Four Seasons emergency department and intensive care unit and is available for critical care consultations. Our other talented criticalist, Dr. Lauren Sullivan, is also available for critical care consultations.

An experienced emergency veterinarian is always onsite, teamed up with our expert veterinary technicians. Our team of ER doctors includes Meredith Burket, Jenna Dinstell, Shira Feinstein, Laura Halpin, Jessica Hinrichs, and Nina Garbino Pappert. Emergency surgeries are performed by our board-certified surgeon, Dr. Tara Britt. Emergency ultrasounds are available by our board-certified radiologists, Dr. Jennifer Lowry and Dr. Amy Felumlee. 

Our ER Supervisor leads our talented Emergency technicians, Reve. Many of our technicians are Certified Veterinary Technicians, and multiple are Fear Free Certified. At Four Seasons Vet Specialists, we tap into the expertise of our whole team to provide the best care for our patients. Our specialists in critical care, surgery, internal medicine, oncology, cardiology, and diagnostic imaging are available for consultations.  

Our skilled emergency veterinarians are trained to handle all emergencies. Experienced veterinary technicians are an integral part of our team that helps ensure your pet receives the highest quality nursing care. Our hospital offers state-of-the-art equipment to facilitate the best care for your pets. We have a full onsite laboratory, diagnostic imaging (digital radiography, ultrasound, vimago 3-D scanner, and 64-slice CT), additional advanced diagnostics, surgical facilities, blood products, oxygen cages, and ICU.

We all know that our pets don’t keep a schedule, so we are here to help at any time of the day or night. Our team will keep our clients — and their family veterinarians, informed of their pet’s progress throughout their hospitalization, and families are welcome to call or visit.

It is vitally important to us that we create a cohesive team with your family veterinarian. As a result, we maintain continual communication with referring veterinarians and keep them informed of any visits, diagnostics, and procedures performed at Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists. In addition, we are available to support and advise referring veterinarians on their emergency cases, and our mission is to provide comprehensive and integrated care for your pets.

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No appointment is needed, but please call ahead:  (970) 800-1106

Some common veterinary emergencies include:

• severe weakness, collapse, or inability to walk
• trouble breathing, excessive panting, pale or bluish gums
• vomiting and other gastrointestinal disturbances, including bloat and abdominal pain
• acute injuries and trauma, such as bite wounds, lacerations, broken bones, being hit by a car, snake bites, etc.
• seizures, stroke, and other neurological disturbances
• heat exhaustion
• animals who are unable to urinate or defecate
• uncontrolled bleeding
• allergic reactions
• toxin ingestion, including many everyday items such as xylitol (sweetener), grapes and raisins, chocolate, onions, garlic, certain plants like lilies and poinsettias, rat bait, or prescription medications. IF YOUR PET CONSUMES SOMETHING TOXIC, PLEASE BRING THE PACKAGING OR CONTAINER IN WITH YOU! It can be beneficial in diagnosis and treatment. In addition, you can reach -the Pet Poison Hotline at:  1-855-764-7661 or visit their website at Pet Poison Helpline.
• any unusual symptoms that in your pet cause you concern

If you are unsure if your pet is experiencing an emergency, please call us at (970) 800-1106, and we will help you determine if your pet should be seen. Please bring your pet’s records and current medications to the hospital if they are available.

Referring veterinarians, please get in touch with us at (970) 800-1106.

The radiology department at Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists provides experienced, thoughtful, and complete diagnostic imaging studies, procedures, and interpretations.

At Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists, our board-certified veterinary radiologists, Drs. Jennifer Lowry and Amy Felumlee provide expert radiographic interpretations and ultrasound services, which can be critical tools for correctly diagnosing your pet. Dr. Lowry is one the most well-respected veterinary radiologists in the region, with more than 25 years of experience in her field of expertise. Dr. Felumlee has extensive imaging experience and has been a board-certified radiologist since  2015. 

RADIOGRAPHY, ULTRASONOGRAPHY, COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY (CT)

Our imaging services include radiographs, ultrasound, and CT capabilities. Radiographs, or x-rays, provide doctors with a two-dimensional view of the body’s internal structures, i.e., bones, lungs, or certain swallowed foreign bodies. Special view radiographs and contrast studies are available at Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists. Ultrasounds are a non-invasive way to take a three-dimensional look at the internal organs to view any abnormalities in structure or function. We provide in-house abdominal, thoracic, cardiac, musculoskeletal, and other ultrasound studies. For referring veterinarians, we provide abdominal ultrasounds on an outpatient basis for their clients. During the ultrasound, our radiologists evaluate the liver, spleen, stomach, kidneys, intestines, urinary bladder, and smaller structures such as lymph nodes, adrenals, and the pancreas. Echocardiograms, or heart ultrasounds, can also be performed at our hospital by our board-certified cardiologist, Dr. Christina Bove.

In addition to viewing internal organs, our doctors can perform ultrasound-guided tissue aspirates of the liver, spleen, enlarged lymph nodes, and visible masses. These samples are then sent to an outside laboratory for analysis to help obtain a diagnosis. Limited ultrasound exams (known as FAST scans) are used by our emergency veterinarians to diagnose fluid accumulation and to assist in obtaining fluid and urine samples in pets.

Ultrasounds are available through our specialty departments and the ER. Ultrasounds through ER or another specialty are never guaranteed. Any ultrasounds performed after 3 pm on weekdays or Saturdays and Sundays are performed only at the discretion of the attending ER veterinarian and will have an additional emergency fee. Outpatient ultrasounds are available for stable patients during limited hours throughout the week. Please call ahead to discuss the possibility of an ultrasound.

Pregnancy exams can be performed via radiographs 45-50 days post-breeding and on ultrasound 30 days post-breeding. Please call us to discuss which option would work best for your pet. 

CT scans can be performed in-house only through our Internal Medicine, Oncology, and Surgery departments. Four Seasons does not offer CTs on an outpatient basis. Most often, pets are under general anesthesia for the scan. CT is used for many reasons, including but not limited to surgical planning, cancer screening, and evaluation for nasal disease.

DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING CAPABILITY

• Digital radiography
• 64-slice helical CT
• Vimago, High Definition Volumetric Imaging (HDVI) technology 
• Ultrasonography
• Echocardiography
• Contrast studies

FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT

For your ultrasound appointment, your pet must be fasted for 12 hours before the ultrasound. Water is ok, and your pet should always have access to clean water. An empty stomach and gastrointestinal tract allow us to better visualize the liver, stomach, and pancreas to determine intestinal changes. If your pet is diabetic or on medication, please get in touch with us for special instructions for feeding and medication administration. 

Please do not allow your pet to urinate within an hour of their ultrasound. This allows for enough urine to be in the bladder to fully visualize the bladder and any changes. 

We ask that you, as the owner, stay in the lobby, on the patio, or in your car for the ultrasound appointment. Ultrasounds take approximately  20-30 minutes. Afterward, the radiologist will briefly discuss significant imaging findings with you and answer any imaging-related questions you may have. A full written report will be emailed to your family veterinarian by the end of the day. Your family veterinarian will review imaging findings in detail with you and recommend further steps or treatment options. The radiologist will not suggest further diagnostics or treatments. 

Oral sedation is preferred for these appointments to help eliminate your pet’s stress and ensure a good quality study. If your pet may need more extensive sedation, please call us so we can schedule an appointment through our ER or another specialty service to facilitate sedation administration. 

Internal Medicine, hand in hand with Critical Care, is the heart of our hospital. Internal Medicine encompasses the diagnosis, management, and treatment of many ailments commonly faced by our dogs and cats: liver disease, diabetes, chronic stomach and intestinal issues, chronic kidney and bladder disease, cancer, and heart and lung problems, to name just a few. Our team can perform multiple advanced diagnostics to aid in diagnosing illness, including endoscopy, rhinoscopy, ultrasound, and ultrasound-guided biopsies and aspirates.

Four Seasons is committed to providing the absolute best care for our patients. The keys to providing the best care include compassion, education, and open communication. We strive to help clients understand their pet’s condition so we can enable them to make good decisions on their pet’s quality of life. Our specialists offer hour-long appointments that provide ample time for getting to know their clients, carefully reviewing complete patient history, and thoroughly examining the patient. Once the history-taking and exam are comprehensive, diagnostic and treatment plans are tailored to the patient and client’s needs. Appointments can be made anytime by calling (970) 800-1106.

Because of the complexity of some disease processes, internal medicine patients may also be seen by other specialists at Four Seasons to evaluate multiple issues of concern. For example, one may receive an ultrasound exam by our radiologist or a consultation with our surgeon as part of their diagnostic and treatment plan. With these specialties in-house, these consultations are often done seamlessly during one visit to the hospital. We feel strongly that this approach, utilizing the expertise of our whole team, allows us to provide the best care available to each of our patients.

FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT:

Typically, we recommend you bring your pet fasted to appointments with our internal medicine specialists. This is because many tests are adversely affected by recent feedings. To ensure the best use of your dollars, our vets recommend pets fast for a minimum of eight hours before their appointment unless otherwise advised. If your pet is diabetic or takes medications with food, please discuss specific feeding and medication instructions with us before your appointment.

Our internal medicine specialists find it helpful to have complete medical records on each patient. These records are vital to understanding your pet’s condition, so we ask that you provide us with a complete list of all your veterinary providers, past and present, so that we can collect these records before your appointment. Our internal medicine team loves to study records to find the clues that will lead to a diagnosis for your pet!

Whether planned or an emergency, surgical services at Four Seasons are provided by an exceptional team of specialists led by Dr. Tara Britt, an ACVS-certified surgeon specializing in orthopedic, soft tissue, and oncologic surgery. Our state-of-the-art technology gives our team the tools to provide the highest surgical care available today, including less invasive laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, and arthroscopy.  

The credentials of our surgical team are a cut above the typical veterinary hospital. Dr. Tara Britt completed a three-year surgery residency after vet school and passed rigorous exams to become an American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) Diplomate. Above and beyond this certification, Dr. Britt dedicated an additional year of training in surgical oncology at Colorado State University, becoming an ACVS Founding Fellow in Surgical Oncology. Her oncology fellowship provided a multi-disciplinary approach to cancer patients’ prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.  

Dr. Britt diagnoses and treats many surgical cases, including orthopedic, abdominal, oncologic, oral, soft tissue, thoracic procedures, multi-modal wound management, regenerative therapies, and minimally invasive procedures. Regenerative therapies include stem cell therapy and platelet enhancement therapy for orthopedic injuries. They also provide mobile surgical services to the surrounding area.

Our surgical technicians are Certified Veterinary Technicians. In addition, Rona has earned an additional Veterinary Technician Specialist credential in anesthesia and analgesia, and Roxane is currently pursuing her certification in rehabilitation. The title “Veterinary Anesthetist” refers to a veterinary technician who has been certified or licensed (CVT or LVT) for at least three years and has pursued further anesthesia training. Veterinary anesthetists have a minimum of 4500 hours of anesthesia care, at least 40 hours of continuing education in anesthesia and pain management every five years, documentation of mastery in advanced anesthesia skills, and have passed rigorous exams. There are only a handful of veterinary technician specialists in anesthesia in Colorado, and we are proud to have one of them, Rona, at Four Seasons.

Consultations with clients include a thorough examination, patient history, lifestyle review, and further diagnostics when necessary. Our treatment plan will consider the unique needs of the patient and client. Pain management therapies are prescribed to ensure your pet’s comfort through recovery. Our team of specialty and emergency veterinarians and technicians provide post-operatively care for our surgical patients, who provide round-the-clock care in our ICU. We will provide detailed discharge instructions for your pet, including information about the procedure, medications, diet, activity restrictions, and follow-up care. In addition, we work with many alternative medicine clinicians in the area who can provide massage, acupuncture, laser, electrical stimulation (E-stim), and underwater treadmill therapies to aid your pet’s rehabilitation. 

Call our office at (970) 800-1106 to schedule a consultation with our surgery team to discuss your pet’s needs. Elective surgeries are scheduled on weekdays, and emergency surgery is available 24/7. Services and surgeries available at Four Seasons include, but are not limited to:

DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES

• Joint taps/arthrocentesis
• Lameness evaluation
• Medical treatment of osteoarthritis
• Diagnosis of biceps tenosynovitis
• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) radiographs/certification

MULTI-MODAL WOUND MANAGEMENT

ABDOMINAL PROCEDURES

• Adrenal gland removal/ adrenalectomy
• Bladder stone removal/ cystolithotomy
• Bloat surgery/gastric dilation volvulous (GDV)
• Intestinal and gastric foreign body removal
• Gall bladder removal/cholecystectomy
• Intestinal mass removal
• Liver mass removal/liver lobectomy
• Pancreatic mass removal
• Portosystemic shunt ligation
• Splenic (spleen) mass removal/splenectomy
• Stomach mass removal/partial gastrectomy
• Cesarean section
• Cystotomy
• Blocked tomcat repair/Perineal urethrostomy
• Removal of bladder/Cystectomy (partial)
• Diaphragmatic hernial repair

MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL PROCEDURES

• Arthroscopy of stifle, elbow, shoulder, torsus
  • Fragmented coronoid process (FCP)
  • Un-united anconeal process (UAP)
• Thoracoscopy
• Laparoscopic surgery
  • Liver biopsy
  • Intestinal biopsy
  • Gastropexy
  • Ovariohysterectomy

ONCOLOGIC SURGERY

• Anal sac mass removal/anal sacculectomy
• Hemi-pelvectomy
• Limb amputation (tumor-associated)
• Limb-sparing techniques
• Lung mass removal/lung lobectomy
• Lymph node excision
• Tumor biopsy/removal
• Maxillectomy/mandibulectomy

ORAL SURGERY

• Brachycephalic airway syndrome correction
  • Elongated soft palate
  • Everted saccules
  • Stenotic nares
• Cleft palate repair
• Jaw fracture
• Mandibulectomy/maxillectomy

ORTHOPEDIC PROCEDURES

• Joint fusion/arthrodesis
• Corrective osteotomies for limb deformities
• Stifle stabilization
  • Extra-capsular cruciate repair
  • Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO)
• Fracture repairs
  • Bone plating and pinning
• Femoral head and neck ostectomy (FHO)
• Juvenile pubic symphysiodesis
• Double pelvic osteotomy (DPO)
• Patellar luxations
• Traumatic injury
• Limb amputation

SOFT TISSUE PROCEDURES

• Anal sac removal/sacculectomy
• Arytenoid lateralization for laryngeal paralysis
• Total ear canal ablation and bulla osteotomy (TECA)
• Ear polyp removal
• Thyroid gland removal/thyroidectomy
• Parathyroid gland removal/parathyroidectomy
• Lipoma removal
• Diaphragmatic hernia repair

THORACIC SURGERY

• Pulmonary
  • Lung mass removal/lobectomy
• Cardiac
  • Pacemaker placement
  • Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation
  • Thoracoscopic assisted subphrenic pericardectomy
  • Persistent right aortic arch repair and division
  • Thoracic duct ligation for chylous effusion

REGENERATIVE THERAPY

• Bone marrow-derived stem cell therapy
• Canine platelet enhancement therapy

Is cancer more widespread in animals these days, or are veterinarians becoming more adept at diagnosing it in pets? The answer to both questions is yes. Dogs and cats get similar types of cancer as people, and their treatment is similar. However, pets tolerate chemotherapy much better, with fewer side effects than humans.

Dr. Erica Faulhaber completed a rigorous, three-year medical oncology residency at the world-renowned Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University. 

Four Season Veterinary Specialists’ oncological services include consultations, advanced diagnostic imaging, chemotherapy, surgery, immunotherapy, and supportive and palliative care. The oncology service is integrated with the other departments in the hospital, where patients benefit from the expertise of the entire team of specialists. For example, a patient presenting to the hospital through either the emergency or internal medicine departments with vague symptoms of lethargy, loss of appetite, or weight loss, may receive diagnostic tests such as x-rays and ultrasound by a radiologist. Should these tests confirm a cancer diagnosis, the patient may have a surgical procedure followed by chemotherapy treatment with the oncology department.

Developing solid client relationships is at the heart of Dr. Faulhaber’s and Dr. Britt’s philosophy. Listening to clients and supporting their concerns is paramount to their practice while prioritizing the quality of life for their patients.

Once a cancer diagnosis is made, the doctors at Four Seasons help clients navigate the options available for their pets so they can make informed, critical decisions. Each case requires an individual approach, including advanced diagnostic testing, chemotherapy, surgery, or supportive care. Most importantly, Drs. Faulhaber and Britt believe in taking time to explain the diagnosis carefully, answer questions and offer hope. Treatment options, including palliative care or euthanasia, allow owners to make a loving gesture for their pets. They provide guidance to help clients choose the best choice for them. Just because some treatment options are available does not mean it is the right decision for their pet and family.

Four Seasons’ service prides itself on providing efficient, high-quality, individual-based cancer treatment for our patients, focusing on patient quality of life. Empathy and compassion are the foundation of our approach toward pets and their people. A vital part of the team includes the patient’s family veterinarian, providing an integrated, comprehensive approach to ensure each pet has the best veterinary medicine has to offer.

Unlike in human medicine, veterinary oncologists do not always look to cure cancer in their patients. Instead, they work to provide a good quality of life while keeping symptoms at bay. While few pets are cured of cancer, our team strives to provide patients with a good quality of life and hope for clients, buying them more time with their pets.