The History of Oakhurst Veterinary Hospital
Oakhurst Veterinary Hospital has a long tradition of medical and surgical excellence. The hospital was founded in 1926 by Dr. Harry Millar and his son, Dr. Joseph Millar. The Millars were leaders of the veterinary profession, and were among the first veterinarians to practice exclusively on dogs and cats. Dr. Harry Millar Sr. was a president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and Dr Joe later became one of the founding members and presidents of the American Animal Hospital Association. The Millars were innovators and practiced medicine and surgery to the highest standards of the day. They were among the first veterinarians to use X-rays for diagnosis, and to accept cats as patients. Dr. Joe was greatly loved by his clients and practiced until his death in 1980. His son, Dr. Harry Millar, Jr., a third generation veterinary practitioner in the family, became a notable orthopedic surgeon and was one of the first "surgical specialists." Dr. Harry retired in 1986 and sold the practice to Dr. Delaney and Dr. Wefer. The Millar Animal Hospital was renamed the Oakhurst Veterinary Hospital to represent the community that has loved and supported the practice.
Dr. Delaney and Dr. Wefer met in 1984 while practicing together at a veterinary hospital in East Brunswick, NJ. Their partnership was established with a commitment to excellence and a dedication to quality care. Most of all, the two agreed that the practice should be an environment where veterinarians and support staff could grow, learn, and have pride in the care they provided for their patients. A love for people and the bond they have with their pets is the foundation on which the practice has grown and thrived. Today our commitment to client service and medical excellence is stronger than ever. With a devoted and enthusiastic staff, OVH enjoys one of the best reputations in the area for providing pets and pet owners the very best in compassionate pet health care.
The Hospital:
The building on 225 Monmouth Road is a landmark in the area. It was built in 1926 as a veterinary hospital exclusively for small animals. It has never been used for any other purpose. The Millars were knowledgeable about contagion in animals and designed the structure to prevent the spread of disease, and control noise and odor. So much thought was put into the original design that the kennel floor-plan and overall layout is still ahead of the times. The Millars upgraded and added to the building several times over the years.
In 1998, Drs. Delaney and Wefer completely renovated and modernized the structure. The 7000 square foot building contains ten kennel wards that can house about 70 dogs, and 18 cats. There are 30 large outdoor, fenced-in exercise runs for dogs. There is a designated area for treatment of exotic pets with separate wards for reptiles, birds, and small mammals. The surgery is a sterile, isolated room, with specialized, heated surgical tables, high intensity surgical lamps, surgical suction, and active exhaust system for anesthetic gases. A state of the art treatment room contains a specialized dental area with digital dental x-ray, and air driven oral surgery equipment. The radiology room contains digital x-ray and ultrasound equipment. There are four exam rooms, pharmacy area, laboratory with high powered microscopes, and microbiology area. The computer network has fourteen workstations with veterinary software that performs scheduling, medical records, prescriptions and invoicing.
The best is yet to come... In 2007, we will begin a 12,000 square foot expansion of the building. The planning and design started in 2002. The new hospital will contain five additional examination rooms, expanded treatment area, new entrance and reception area, retail food and pet product area, pharmacy, and a luxury dog and cat hotel with covered, climate controlled outdoor exercise area. The architectural design of the façade will be an updated version of the traditional and classic brick, Jersey Shore style. Our goal is to maintain the small, friendly, and comfortable atmosphere that has built the practice while improving efficiency and client service.
