News and Events

Holly visited Western Branch Intermediate for Career Day! She amazed students with all the cool things you learn in veterinary medicine – like how many teeth a cat has! (Hint: it’s more than you think). 

On April 18th, team members Leanne, Holly, and Dr. Kimbrel spent the night at the Chesapeake Humane Society Shelter to raise funds for pets in need! A huge thank you to everyone who helped us exceed our fundraising goals and support this local organization. 

The Vital Vet team spent an entire week at VMX in Orlando, FL! 

VMX is one of the largest annual veterinary conferences in the world. By attending in person, we were able to learn about newly available medications, innovations in treatments and therapies, and get hands-on experience in new surgical, dental, and radiography techniques. 

Annual continuing education credits are required for veterinarians and licensed veterinary technicians, but our entire team is dedicated to continual growth - that's why our entire team attended. 

Now we're back in Hampton Roads - inspired and excited to pass all of our knowledge on to our patient care. In fact, we're so excited, we still share pearls of genius we learned at VMX in our weekly staff meetings! 

Vital Vet hosted high school students across Chesapeake for behind-the-scenes observation! Team member Sarah led students through a day of routine vaccinations, dentistry, surgery, and even the unique requirements of exotic pet care.

Samantha, Sara, and Dani took a field trip to Oscar Smith High School to talk about career opportunities. They shared their personal experiences and passion for animal care to inspire future vet professionals! 

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) was confirmed in January 2026 in Dare County, North Carolina, bringing this serious and highly contagious disease closer to home.

RHDV affects both wild and domestic rabbits and is often fatal. While some rabbits may show mild signs like lethargy or decreased appetite, the disease most often progresses rapidly, with sudden death as the only symptom.

The virus spreads through direct contact and contaminated surfaces, putting even indoor-only rabbits at risk. It can be carried into your home on shoes, clothing, and hands, which makes prevention essential.

The best protection against RHDV is vaccination. The RHDV vaccine is safe and effective, given as an initial injection followed by a booster, with ongoing boosters recommended every 6 months.

Concerned about stress? Fear Free care is our specialty. We take extra steps to keep your rabbit calm, comfortable, and safe during their visit.

Call 757.956.1110 or book online at https://petportal.vet/vvc to schedule your rabbit’s RHDV vaccine today.

We are thrilled to announce that Vital Vet Animal Hospital has officially achieved AAHA accreditation—and we’re celebrating this major milestone just one year after opening our doors!

Becoming AAHA-accredited within our first year of operation is a huge accomplishment, and it’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team.

What Does AAHA Accreditation Mean?

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is the leading organization that sets the gold standard for veterinary care in North America. In fact, only about 15% of veterinary hospitals in North America achieve this accreditation! It’s a voluntary process that requires hospitals to meet or exceed standards across all aspects of veterinary care—from pain management and anesthesia to dentistry and patient care.

AAHA accreditation shows our dedication to consistently high-quality care every single time you bring your pet in for a visit. It's not just a one-time achievement—it’s a continuous commitment to excellence, and we’re proud to uphold these high standards in every aspect of our practice.

And we could not have done this without you! We know how important your furry, feathered, and scaly family members are to you, and we want you to feel confident that we are doing everything possible to ensure they receive the highest level of care.

Thank you for trusting us with your pet’s care! We look forward to welcoming you through our doors again as an official AAHA Accredited facility!

Calling All Cat Lovers!

September is for the kitties! We're excited to launch our Feline Giveaway at here at Vital Vet?

This month’s purr-fect prize pack includes:

• A Purina Smart Litter Box Monitor
• Plus other kitty-themed goodies!

Want to enter? It’s easy:

• Schedule your cat’s wellness appointment in September
• Request preventative Wellie Labwork

Your feline friend gets the care they deserve—and you could win some awesome goodies too! Just give us a call or book online today!

We are thrilled to announce that Vital Vet has added laser therapy into our practice. Why is this exciting? Because keeping pets comfortable is what we aim for, and laser therapy is a game changer.

Pain is one of the most common problems we tackle when caring for our pets. Whether it’s an ear infection, arthritis, or inflamed skin, pain is challenging to manage. Why? Because medications have limitations - and potential side effects. Long term pain medications can challenge liver and kidney function, and that’s for patients who have the benefit of taking them. Some species (like cats, birds, reptiles, and small mammals) have extremely limited options for pain control.

That’s where laser therapy comes in.

Laser therapy is clinically proven to help keep pets more comfortable (and speed the healing process!) without medications - and without side effects.

Here’s how it works:

A near-infrared laser stimulates circulation and cell activity, which decreases inflammation (and associated pain) while also promoting accelerated healing. Each session is performed in a matter of minutes, providing non-invasive pain control and enhancing tissue healing without medications or side-effects.

It’s a great option for patients who cannot take medications, or for those who are still showing signs of discomfort while on medication.

What do we use it for? The list is extensive, but here are the most common applications:

• Arthritis
• Ear infections
• Skin allergies
• Soft tissue injuries
• Fractures
• Surgical recovery

Want to know more? Call us at 757-956-1110 to see how laser therapy can help keep your pet more comfortable.

At Vital Vet Animal Hospital, we’re kicking off a month-long celebration of outdoor adventures by sharing tips and tricks on how to keep your pets happy, healthy, and safe while enjoying nature's beauty. Follow us on social media for helpful advice, fun ideas, and all the essentials for outdoor fun with your four-legged companions!

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We’re celebrating our first six months of collaborative care for every pet - and everyone’s invited!

Time flies when you’re having fun, and our first six months have been paw-sitively amazing. Want to know what we’ve been up to? Since our grand opening in October of 2024, we’ve treated 84 ear infections and administered 169 rabies vaccines. Within our surgical and dental suites we’ve completed 84 anesthetic procedures, including spays and neuters, emergency surgeries (like splenectomies and foreign bodies), and dental cleanings complete with full dental radiographs!

The best part? This is only the beginning. We look forward to taking our fully Fear Free Certified staff to the next level with hospital accreditation, while simultaneously upholding standards of excellence with American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) accreditation. But, more than anything, we’re honored by the opportunity to partner with you in providing collaborative care for your furry, feathered, and scaly family members.

So let’s celebrate with an Open House! On Saturday, May 17th, join us at Vital Vet Animal Hospital from 10 AM to 2 PM. This event will be kid and pet friendly, featuring fun crafts to complete on-site or take home, meeting some surprise animal guests, face painting, and even prizes! Enjoy light refreshments as you converse with our highly skilled team, and adventure behind the scenes to explore our treatment area, surgical and dental suites, and exam rooms.

This event is FREE and open to all, and we cannot wait to see you there!