Animal Specialty Hospital Open in Huntingtown

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md., -- February 19, 2003 -- The Calvert County Department of Economic Development announced today a new referral veterinary hospital, Mid-Atlantic Animal Specialty Hospital (M.A.S.H) is now open in Huntingtown, Maryland. M.A.S.H. is a state-of-the-art facility featuring the only veterinary hospital in the Southern Maryland Tri-County area that has board certified surgeons on staff. "We are pleased to welcome Dr. Nwadike, Dr. Oakley and staff to Calvert County. Their facility offers a much needed service to the Southern Maryland region," said Linda Vassallo, Calvert County director of economic development.

M.A.S.H. specializes in orthopedics, surgical oncology, neurology/neurosurgery, oral surgery/advanced dentistry, and general and reconstructive surgery. In addition, M.A.S.H. houses The Westcoast Water Walker underwater treadmill used for physical rehabilitation. This treadmill is used either wet or dry and offers a safe transition from surgery, orthopedic or neurologic injury, to land-based exercise and returns the patients to usual activities. The physical rehabilitation program at M.A.S.H. also includes joint mobilization, therapeutic exercise, functional facilitation, aquatics and hydrotherapy and neuromuscular electrical stimulation.

The newly constructed 2,500 square foot hospital is located in northern Calvert County. The facility boasts a fully equipped surgical suite, in-house laboratory, and physical rehabilitation center offering a full complement of referral surgery and rehabilitation services. M.A.S.H. is presently staffed with two board-certified surgeons, a licensed physical therapist, and veterinary technicians with several years of practice experience in surgery and anesthesia.

Dr. Bruce Nwadike is a board certified veterinary surgeon with a special interest in orthopedics, surgical oncology, general and reconstructive surgery. He moved to the Southern Maryland area from North Carolina where he was a faculty surgeon at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He has published clinical and original research articles in peer-reviewed journals and presently serves on the editorial review board of the Veterinary Surgery journal.

Dr. Rodney Oakley is board certified in veterinary surgery and also completed a two year postdoctoral fellowship in medical neurology and neurosurgery. He was a faculty surgeon in

Neurology and surgery at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine before moving to North Carolina where he was in private referral practice for two years. He relocated to Southern Maryland in 2000, joining Dr. Nwadike and forming their referral surgical practice. Dr. Oakley has lectured at national and local scientific meetings and is notably published in veterinary literature.

The hospital prides itself on its rehabilitationist, Amie Lamoreaux Hesbach. Mrs. Hesbach is a graduate of the Medical College of Virginia, holding a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy. She has been working closely with Dr. Nwadike and Dr. Oakley since February 2001 and has adapted her knowledge, skills and techniques to veterinary patients. Ms. Hesbach will finish her certification early this year in Canine Rehabilitation from the University of Tennessee and Northeast Seminars.

For more information on the many services offered by the Mid-Atlantic Animal Specialty Hospital please contact their office at 301.843.8290 or 410.414.8250. For information on the Calvert County Department of Economic Development please contact 410.535.4583 or 301.1880, via email cced@co.cal.md.us.

For more information on the Calvert County, Maryland Department of Economic Development, our visitor sites and attractions and the services available to assist County businesses, call 410.535.4583, 800.331.9771 or 301.855.1880; or send an e-mail to info@ecalvert.com