Specialists Network Our network of offices allows us to offer a variety of specialty services, as the needs of the local veterinary community dictate. We currently offer surgery, dermatology, internal medicine and advanced diagnostic imaging services in specific locations. The Relationship Between VSS and the General Practitioner All of us at VSS are respectful of the synergistic roles played by our specialists and our referring veterinarians. This is why we will not see any patient that has not been referred. We recognize that the family veterinarian is the primary health care provider, and is intimately familiar with their patients and their owners needs, while we are here only to assist with a single crisis that our experience and training have prepared us for. Once a patient has been referred, we will diagnose or confirm the diagnosis of the problem, treat the problem, and return the patient to your care. We will keep the referring veterinarian fully informed of the case and whatever adjunctive treatment is indicated. Of course, we are also available for phone consultations. Support Staff The support staff at VSS is dedicated and trained to provide an exceptional level of service to our patients, our clients, and our referring veterinarians. They are an integral part of our practice and of the patient care team. They bring many years of experience in the pet care profession to our practice, with several of them having worked in specialty practices for five years or more. Policies Office hours vary with individual office location and are listed on the insert. Either the client or referring veterinarian can call to schedule an appointment. In the case of an emergency, the referring veterinarian can reach one of our doctors at any time by calling the pager number for the closest VSS office. We ask that the client bring any radiographs and laboratory results to the office visit to keep client costs to a minimum. Payment for our services can be made with cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or by applying to Care Credit at the time of the visit. A 50% deposit is expected when a patient is admitted, with the balance due upon discharge. Surgery Our board-certified surgeons on staff provide a complete range of surgical services at our centers in Charleston, SC, Savannah, GA. We offer all types of orthopedic, neurologic, oncologic, soft tissue, and plastic and reconstructive surgeries. We are certified in performing Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) for cranial cruciate insufficiency. Click (here) for a synopsis and a full implementation of the TPLO procedure. We offer total hip replacements at our Charleston center. We provide 24 hour care by utilizing the same facility as the local emergency clinic in each locations. Dermatology Dermatology is offered at our center in Taylor Mill, KY. A complete range of services is available including allergy testing and hyposensitization, and dermato-histopathology consultation. When referral to a specialist is not possible, allergy consultation and derm-path consulting is available to practitioners by mail. Dr. Breen additionally provides dermatology services in Cincinnati, OH; Lexington, KY, and Louisville, KY. Radiology VSS has a board-certified radiologist who consults on radiographic and CT Scans interpretation within our network. Utilizing this service allows for a more definitive diagnosis and acceptance of treatment suggestions.