Astoria Animal Hospital Celebrates 10th Anniversary
BY DIANA SANDERS

Dr. Salah Hassan, posing with longtime patient Lucky. Photos Diana Sanders

Pets are not only man's best friends. In many cases, they become more than friends-they are family members. And like all other family members, their health care is of paramount importance.

Queens residents who are pet owners have at their and their pets' service a local animal hospital with state-of-the-art technology and superb treatment. Astoria Animal Hospital at 25-63 Steinway St. celebrates its 10th anniversary this month. For all of those 10 years, Dr. Salah Hassan has been the head practitioner of veterinary medicine at the facility. "I wanted to lift up the standard for animal health care in Astoria because people deserve better service," he said. Hassan has accomplished his goal. Astoria Animal Hospital offers its patients advanced technological services that are available at only a handful of animal clinics in New York.

Astoria Animal Hospital was the first veterinary clinic in Queens to install a CO2 laser system that made animal laser surgery possible. The clinic also provides instant digital x-rays, digital ultrasound, which can instantly diagnose various conditions, and on-screen exams, giving pet owners a digital image of every part of their pets. On order is the soon-to-be-released endoscopic camera capsule, which will painlessly monitor an animal's gastrointestinal condition.

Astoria Animal Hospital, located at 25-63 Steinway St., has served the pets of Queens for the past 10 years.

Technological advances are not the only reason pet owners seek out the services of the Astoria Animal Hospital. Hassan, whose interest in veterinary medicine began at age 10 when his own dog mysteriously died, understands a person's attachment to a pet from the standpoint of a pet owner and freely exercises his knowledge to the betterment of his patients, be they cats, dogs, moneys, snakes or even chinchillas. In practice for 24 years, Hassan remembers a number of the lifealtering surgeries he has performed, many of which have had positive outcomes. "Cases like these give me the value of my work," Hassan said, noting the gratification he feels after saving the life of an innocent animal.

In the hospital's two exam rooms, two treatment rooms and one surgery room hundreds of animals have been treated. The hospital also dispatches its complete mobile clinic, which has all the amenities of the hospital, to patients that cannot be moved. Pet owners can make appointments for the mobile clinic to visit their pets. The clinic's Web site, www.astoriaanimalhospital.com has more information about procedures and services, and www.astoria.myvetonline.com gives step-bystep direction for caring for pets and administering medication, information about diseases and other information that can educate owners and possibly save a trip to the vet. At the hospital's online pet pharmacy, http://shop.astoriaanimalhospital.com, pet owners can order medications, which are delivered in two days' time.

The decade of service at Astoria Animal Hospital provided by Hassan and his staff has established the hospital's reputation and allowed the facility to begin serving patients on a wider scale. The clinic provides its longtime patients with continuity of care while welcoming new ones on a daily basis. Pets and their owners will find a warm welcome and excellent care at Astoria Animal Hospital.