|
Jimmy Carter was elected president, the first Apple
desktop computer was invented, One Flew Over the
Cuckoo’s Nest and Rocky were box office hits,
and Send In the Clown was heard all over the
country. At the very same time in a small town in
southwest Michigan, a young ambitious veterinarian
opened the doors to a new animal hospital.
---------------The
year was 1976. ---------------
Dr. Thomas Griffiths, DVM saw his first patient at
Mattawan Animal Hospital on December 6, 1976. At that
time, the 1800 square foot practice employed one
veterinarian and one office staff. Computers were not
commonplace so all transactions were performed on paper
and all appointments were made on one rotary corded
telephone. The area was very rural and a majority of
Dr. Griffiths’ workday was spent on Van Buren county
farmland providing medical care to horses, cattle, hogs,
sheep, goats, and poultry.
1976 - Young
Dr. Griffiths with his trusty Farm Call Vehicle
In
1976, food animal and equine practice provided a living
for many Van Buren County folks. Companion animals
consisted of mainly farm dogs and barn cats.
Diseases that are rarely encountered today were seen
commonly in 1976. Mortality of dogs and cats due
to the distemper virus was seen frequently; cattle were
commonly tested for tuberculosis; and Eastern Equine
Encephalitis, also known as “sleeping sickness”, was
causing many horses to die. The human health
concerns were enormous. Today, due to vaccination
programs, these diseases are all but eradicated.
Dr. Griffiths and other veterinarians of that era’s
tedious herd health management and attention to milk
safety kept southwest Michigan (and other areas of the
country) safe from food-borne disease.
The average day as a veterinary practice owner in 1976
involved small animal care and surgeries for a portion
of the day and farm call practice filling the remaining
hours. There were no emergency veterinary clinics at
that time, so emergency calls were seen at any hour of
the day or night and in any weather. Emergency calls
included such procedures as: delivering calves, bloated
cows, treating mastitis in cattle, suturing horses that
had run through fences, dogs and cats hit by cars, and
C-sections on pigs and cows. The number of interesting
and unusual cases that Dr. Griffiths has seen throughout
the years is countless!
Since 1976, Dr. Griffiths has seen a variety of animals
at Mattawan Animal Hospital and in the surrounding
areas. He has cared for horses, cattle, hogs, llamas,
alpacas, sheep, goats, chickens, ostriches, emus, rheas,
dogs, cats, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits,
rats, mice, turtles, raccoons, skunks, hawks, owls,
snakes, and even a wallaby. He has performed excellent
medical and surgical care for any animal presented to
him. There has been no animal or task too great or
small for Dr. Griffiths.
Currently, Mattawan Animal Hospital continues to offer
excellent pet care. Dr. Griffiths’ compassion and love
for animals has transcended through his present staff of
four veterinarians and seven other staff members. The
Mattawan area is rapidly growing and farmland with
food-producing animals is being replaced by homes with
companion animals. An addition to the hospital in 2003
created a total of 2800 square feet in which to provide
quality wellness care or sick animal care. The hospital
now offers: ultrasound, laser surgery, radiology,
in-house laboratory, blood pressure monitoring, and
access to numerous specialists in veterinary care. Our
doctors have special interests in behavioral medicine,
exotic and pocket pet medicine, dermatology,
endocrinology, cardiology, surgery, and orthopedics.
1980 - Dr. Griffiths with patient "Mugs"
Since 1976, Mattawan Animal Hospital and Dr. Griffiths
have become icons for family pet care. Dr. Griffiths
still performs surgery most mornings, as that has always
been a special love of his. Most weekends he is in and
out of the hospital medicating and treating hospitalized
pets. He still sees appointments on a regular basis but
not in the capacity that he did in the hospital’s
earlier days.
Over thirty years later, Dr. Griffiths still offers a
quiet reassurance and mild manner that gives owners
confidence and puts anxious animals at ease. His over
thirty-nine years of veterinary care provides expertise
in surgery and general wellness care. Dr. Griffiths’
hard work, dedication, compassion, integrity, and ethics
throughout the years have made Mattawan Animal Hospital
the wonderful place for companion animal’s care that it
is today.
|
Mattawan Animal Hospital
