AVC Emergency aiming to keep costs down


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Deb Kelloway, medical director and owner of AVC Concord, checks out an X-ray in her x-ray room. We’re not sure what is on the screen, but we’re guessing it’s either a leg, back or some other animal body part that Kelloway is just discovering.
Deb Kelloway, medical director and owner of AVC Concord, checks out an X-ray in her x-ray room. We’re not sure what is on the screen, but we’re guessing it’s either a leg, back or some other animal body part that Kelloway is just discovering.
It’s hard not to tell what this decked out Mini Cooper is used for with all its medical signs and the colorful pooch on the roof, but in case you need a little help figuring it out, it’s like an ambulance for animals and a way to transport patients between the two AVC centers.
It’s hard not to tell what this decked out Mini Cooper is used for with all its medical signs and the colorful pooch on the roof, but in case you need a little help figuring it out, it’s like an ambulance for animals and a way to transport patients between the two AVC centers.
Who wants a treat? Well judging by the actions of Chi Chi it’s quite clear that she certainly does, or that’s she’s trying to become more human by only using two of her legs.
Who wants a treat? Well judging by the actions of Chi Chi it’s quite clear that she certainly does, or that’s she’s trying to become more human by only using two of her legs.
Deb Kelloway uses a fancy ultrasound machine to take a look at the heart of Duke, a 1 year old boxer.
Deb Kelloway uses a fancy ultrasound machine to take a look at the heart of Duke, a 1 year old boxer.

Deb Kelloway knows how much your pets mean to you.

As a long time veterinarian and animal lover herself, Kelloway sees on a daily basis why the connection between human and companion is so strong. It’s hard not to get attached when you look at your little (or sometimes quite large) ball of fur.

But Kelloway also understands how stressful the cost associated with caring for a pet can be, especially when it comes to an emergency situation. That why she opened her AVC (Advanced Veterinary Care) Emergency & Referral Veterinary Center in Manchester seven years ago.

“I felt like care had gotten out of reach for most people,” Kelloway said. “So when I decided to open in Manchester, I wanted a place where I had some control over pricing.”

And in June, Kelloway opened her second location at 22 Bridge St. in Concord for the very same reason. As a resident of Contoocook, Kelloway saw a need for her business in the area and felt comfortable enough financially to give it a shot. While her Manchester location is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Kelloway hasn’t committed to that kind of time frame yet in Concord.

As of now, AVC is open from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. each night, Monday through Thursday, and from 5 p.m. on Friday to 8 a.m. Monday morning. But the plan is to eventually move to a ‘round the clock care facility.

“If we find we have the support and enough of a demand, we’ll stay open 24 hours,” Kelloway said.

Between the two offices, there are eight veterinarians on staff, and they have to be prepared for anything because, as Kelloway puts it, you never know what is going to walk through the door on any given night. Currently, AVC only sees dogs and cats, but the list of issues they treat is quite lengthy. We’re talking about anything from swallowed foreign objects to porcupine quills, animals hit by cars to twisted intestines. Some can be treated with medications, while others require emergency surgery. Since most vet offices close by early evening, there aren’t many options for pet owners, and to be honest, sometimes things can’t wait until the next morning.

“Our whole philosophy has been providing affordable care,” Kelloway said. “People are afraid to go to the veterinarian because it can be really expensive.”

And just like when you go to an emergency room for people, a quick visit can turn into a rather large bill. But the care is the most important thing for Kelloway and her staff. Sometimes it’s a simple conversation to see what people can afford and setting a limit, while during one recent visit she even had a couple surrender their five-month old puppy to her so she could perform the surgery and they could figure out how to pay.

“I don’t want to send a dog out the door that’s just going to die,” Kelloway said. “I don’t want people to feel like they have no options.”

But like with any medical facility, there are good days and bad days.

“When we have our really good cases, we feel good about it, but there are some sad cases out there that we fought for and it didn’t work out,” Kelloway said.

As far as the facility goes, Kelloway had to make sure it was prepared to handle just about any situation. There are three exam areas, a sterile surgery room and a place for X-rays. Holding cages are in two different spots, along with a spot to do all the blood work in house and a refrigerator that holds extra blood because it’s needed on many occasions.

“If people have dogs they want to be donors, we’re always looking for donors,” Kelloway said.

AVC has its own pharmacy, and there’s even a doctor’s sleeping area. Sure wish we had a sleeping area besides going all Costanza style under our desk.

But the spot in AVC that gets the most use – outside of maybe the surgery table – is the ultrasound room. It’s where most of the diagnosis work takes place, especially when an animal is showing signs of illness, but the blood work and physical exams don’t really show anything.

“Ultrasounds get it 99 percent of the time,” Kelloway said.

The ultrasounds are what Kelloway calls the backbone of the business. Prior to opening AVC, she operated a mobile ultrasound unit that traveled around many of the New England states and realized how important the service is. That’s why she has kept the same price for all seven years.

“It means instead of hiring five people, you hire three and they work really hard,” Kelloway said.

And you can’t argue with the decor. The furniture is all stain resistant, which is a must for an animal office, and the art work on the wall is done by local dog painting guru Gloria Najecki. They even have a decked out Mini Cooper to transport animals and help take care of the feral cat colony nearby.

For more on AVC, visit the website at avcnh.com.

“If people make a financial commitment to me, I have to give them everything I’ve got,” Kelloway said.

Author: Tim Goodwin

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2 Comments

  1. AVC is the worst place you could ever take your pet DR.kelloway could care less . About what happen in her Manchester location. I wouldn’t go to concord either. I trusted them with my dogs life. I brought my beautiful healthy dog to AVC for a very minor procedure. To have one tooth removed. I asked for only one certain DR. to do it. I was assured by the receptions and the vet tech that she was there and would take good care of hi well they let DR Herr do it instead. My dog died from her mistake. AVC sent me an apology letter.. wow they also said that next time I should use a board certified DR. What is wrong with these people. How does this happen. My dog was running around and playing with his toys 3 hours later he is dead. DR. Kelloway could care less. Not even an offer to pay foe his cremation. My sweet boy has been with me sense he was 3 months old he was part of my family. The sweetest most gentle loving dog you could ever have his name was Chester. I will miss you forever. Rip my little angel. I am so sorry I trusted AVC

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  2. I felt they were very unprofessional and very inexperienced. Made us feel very uncomfortable. Not sure how they can call themselves advanced care. There is nothing advanced about this place. I do not recommend them at all

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