The vet school at Virginia Tech is expanding its small animal hospital, and pets from Northern Virginia will feel the difference. In Episode 3 of The Vet School in Our Backyard, Dean Dan Givens of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine walks the site of the new addition with our owner, Dr. Reed Hall, a 1996 graduate of the college.
Columbia Pike made the series together with the college. Episode 3, Building What’s Next, is the final episode.
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Call us at (703) 256-8414.
What is Virginia Tech adding to its small animal hospital?
A new addition and a renovation of the Small Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital, a $63 million project Virginia Tech approved in August 2026. The first floor of the addition will hold emergency services and community practice, the college’s name for primary care. Cars will pull through a covered drop-off, and the hospital will have the equipment to do dialysis.
“We’re not excited about a building because of bricks and mortar,” the Dean says. “We’re excited about a building because of what it does for people.”
How will the expansion help pets from Northern Virginia?
Some pets need a specialist, and the Dean says the path can lead to Blacksburg. Your veterinarian in Fairfax, Alexandria or Fredericksburg may recommend it. “Your dog or cat is referred to Blacksburg,” he says. “It would come in through this new addition into newly renovated space to see an ophthalmologist or cardiologist or neurologist.”
He also tells the story of a dog that got into moldy garbage and began to have seizures. Its veterinarian stopped the seizures and referred the dog to the college, where, he says, “Our team provided great care.” In the new hospital, “we will have the equipment to be able to do dialysis.”
Why does the college need a bigger hospital?
Because the college has grown and its building has not. “We’ve grown that class size, we’ve grown the caseload, we’ve grown the complexity of cases,” the Dean says, “but we haven’t grown the facility.” The hospital was designed for a class half the size of today’s and for five small animal specialty services, and the college has been talking about an addition since 2009.
When will the new hospital open?
The college plans to break ground in March 2027 with a horse and plow, which the Dean says “symbolizes the amazing collaboration between animals and people.” Construction will take about two years, so students can train in the new space by March 2029. The teaching hospital stays open the entire time.
How is Columbia Pike connected to Virginia Tech?
Through our owner. Dr. Reed Hall graduated from the college, the only vet school in Virginia, in 1996. “The support for Virginia-Maryland is so important,” he says in Episode 3. “It gave us so much. It gave us our careers and our livelihoods.” He joins Dean Givens on the panel for the college’s October 14 webinar.
Columbia Pike is also home to Vet Ready, our internship that carries the training of new veterinarians past graduation, and we are open 24 hours a day, every day, with no additional emergency fee. If your pet ever needs a specialist, your Columbia Pike veterinarian will explain why and what comes next.
What comes next after Episode 3?
Virginia Tech’s free live webinar, Expanding Into Tomorrow: Approved and In Motion, is on Wednesday, October 14, from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern on Zoom. Dean Givens and members of the college, including the lead architect, will share the plans and take questions, and Dr. Hall is on the panel. You can register free on the official event page.
Episode 3 is the last episode of the series. If you missed the start, watch Episode 1, There’s a Vet School in Your Backyard, and Episode 2, Why It Matters to You and Your Pet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will the Virginia Tech expansion cost?
Virginia Tech approved a $63 million project to renovate and expand the Small Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
Will the teaching hospital stay open during construction?
Yes. The Dean says it will stay open the entire time.
Is Columbia Pike open 24/7?
Yes. Columbia Pike is open 24 hours a day, every day, with no additional emergency fee. Call (703) 256-8414.
Does Columbia Pike offer wellness plans?
Yes. See what our wellness plans include.
How do you schedule an appointment at Columbia Pike?
Schedule online at columbiapikeanimalh.com/schedule-appointment, or call (703) 256-8414. If your pet needs care now, come in any hour.
Register for the free October 14 webinarSchedule an Appointment
Call us at (703) 256-8414.
Columbia Pike Animal Hospital & Emergency Center, 4205 Evergreen Ln, Annandale, VA 22003. Love People. Love Pets.