AN emergency hospital for pets is to expand allowing it to treat more animals at its site in the west of the city.

Work on adding two new floors is expected to be finished this summer and will result in 10 new jobs being created.

Bosses of the Vets Now hospital on North Street say it treated 5000 out-of-hours emergency cases last year and is now at capacity.

The expansion will result in a custom-built intensive care unit, an entire floor dedicated to emergency and critical care, a specialist oncology treatment area and more theatres to meet demand.

There will also be the opportunity to introduce a service which allows vets to use minimally invasive medical procedures to treat small animals.

Patricia Colville, business development director of Vets Now, said: “We are delighted Glasgow City Council has approved our plans which will allow us to create a truly world-leading emergency centre of excellence here in Glasgow.

Glasgow Times:

“For pet owners we are a bit like the pet equivalent of A&E and our expanded hospital will mean our team of dedicated specialist, referral and emergency vets can continue to provide the highest level of care of your pet in a city, which like others throughout the UK, has a burgeoning pet population.”

The extension will also allow Vets Now the chance to accelerate a three-year programme giving newly qualified vets speciality training under of the supervision of experienced staff.

Glasgow Times:

Amanda Boag, the company’s clinical director, said: “Our Glasgow hospital is already established as the leader in our field and the new additions to the hospital and extended clinical services, enables us to continue offering the high standard of client and patient care which we have become known for.

“Vets Now is committed to remaining at the forefront of emergency and critical veterinary care not only through ongoing development of our services, but also because we strive to employ the best in the profession and because we put continuing professional development and training at the core of our clinical standards.

“This exciting expansion further consolidates our position as Europe’s largest emergency veterinary service and is great news for Glasgow’s 1.4million pets.”