About

Alberta Veterinary Center Welcomes You and Your Animals!

Located just outside Red Deer Alberta off HWY 2 and HWY 11, Alberta Veterinary Center is a full-service animal hospital with both small and large animal veterinarians. We’re committed to providing quality veterinary care throughout your animal’s life. Our services and facilities help with routine preventative care for young, healthy animals; early detection and treatment as your animal ages; and complete medical and surgical care as necessary during their lifetime. With both equine and small animal surgical and hospital facilities, we’re equipped to handle a wide variety of cases and provide continuous care for all your pet’s needs.

Meet Our Veterinarians

Dr. Rick Katchuik

Dr. Rick Katchuik has been a practicing veterinarian since his graduation from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. While Rick works with all species, he has a professional interest in bovine and equine reproduction. In 2019 Dr Rick bred more than 150 mares, plus an additional 50-60 embryo transfers. He also has been busy working getting his Equine ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) lab set up. It is a technique for in vitro fertilization in which an individual sperm cell is introduced into an egg cell that has been aspirated from the mare. The embryo is grown then transferred to a recipient mare to carry the foal. Alberta Veterinary Center is excited to be able to offer this service for the 2020 breeding season! Beyond reproduction, Dr Rick also has an interest in surgery, lameness and dentistry.

Dr. Jessica Romanow

Dr Jessica Romanow joined the Alberta Vet Center in the fall of 2018, after spending several years in an equine sports medicine practice. Her practice focus is on the equine athlete, with special interest in rehabilitation, lameness, and racetrack medicine. Jessica travels all over western Canada providing sport medicine services. She is fully equipped to offer endoscopy, shockwave, radiographs, ultrasound, IRAP, PRP, joint injections, and much more on the road. While she loves all breeds of horses, she has a passion for speed horses, especially thoroughbreds!

Our Services

Equine Services

As part of our routine care we provide vaccinations, deworming, Coggins testing, dental care and reproductive services.

Time of Need Care

We offer care for your horse in case of medical and surgical colic, sickness, lameness, injury, metabolic problems, or chronic illness. We are equipped to provide hospitalized care on a 24 hour basis.

Pre-Purchase Examinations

An extensive physical examination, lameness evaluation, musculoskeletal is offered by our veterinarians prior to purchasing a horse. The information gathered is used by the prospective buyer and/or agent to determine whether the horse will be serviceable for it’s intended use. The exam often, but not always, includes laboratory testing, radiographs, endoscopy, and ultrasound examination.

Lameness Examination

Evaluates the locomotion of your horse. Our veterinarians use a variety of techniques to identify the source(s) of lameness including physical examination and palpation, flexion tests, as well as joint and nerve blocks. Digital radiography, ultrasound, and laboratory tests may help further evaluate the source of your horse’s lameness.

Surgery

Standing or recumbent surgery of the horse is performed during a number of procedures. We offer surgical procedures such as colic, fracture repair, and arthroscopy. We also offer laparoscopic surgeries including spays, cryptorchids and biopsies.

Ultrasonography

Uses sound waves to evaluate soft tissues like tendons and ligaments, reproductive organs, lumps, and tumors. It is painless and non-invasive. We have an ultrasound that has the capability to be used on both large and small animal patients. This can aid in imaging some issues which may not be imaged in the ways such as x-ray.

Radiography

We have two portable x-ray units which we can take to the barn. Digital radiography uses x-rays to visualize bone for abnormalities including arthritic changes, fractures, OCD, bone cysts and bone infection. Our equipment is capable of providing digital images within seconds. These images are viewed on a 17″ screen and can be enlarged to see subtle changes often not visible on conventional radiographs.

Endoscopy

Utilizes a fibre optic device for evaluating the upper airway of the horse, including the larynx, sinuses and guttural pouches. The trachea and upper esophagus can also be examined with this flexible device. Useful in pre-purchase examinations, respiratory, or reactive airway disease. Our endoscopic exams can also be utilized for biopsies.

Reproduction

Alberta Veterinary Center offers a full range of reproductive services such as: stallion collection and evaluation, stallion collection and semen freezing, chilled and frozen artificial insemination, as well as embryo transfer.

Small Animal Services

Because of the shorter lifespan of our pets, we stress the importance of an annual physical examination. Thorough check-ups and preventive care can help alleviate serious health problems. We offer a wide range of veterinary services to keep your companions feeling their best. We are always adding to the list of equipment we have and services that we offer. We work with referral veterinarians as well, so if we cannot provide the help at our office, we will refer.

At this point in time, we only offer these services to dogs and cats and are unable to treat your exotic pets, please call our office for some contacts in your area who do deal with exotic pets.

Coming soon…..TPLO Cruciate repairs and Total Hip Replacements.

Bovine Services

Farm Herd Health / Feedlot

We offer many health services for our cattle producers in our area. This includes health protocols, preg testing, semen testing and evaluation as well as emergency services for dystocia and caesarean sections. We are also equipped for collection and semen freezing chute side at the farm for “owner use semen”.