Behind the scenes at Whyte Ridge Vet Hospital

Whyte Ridge

During a recent visit to Whyte Ridge Veterinary Hospital, I thought it might be interesting to find out about some of the history of the facility and its staff, including Dr. Andrew Davidson, who helped establish the clinic.

Dr. Davidson said veterinary medicine had been his goal since junior high school, likely inspired by growing up in a family with pets that included fish, turtles, a hamster, Guinea pigs and “a wonderful dog for 16 years.” His goal was achieved after he graduated in 1992 from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.

He said the idea of opening a clinic began through discussions with Dr. Val Dirdala, who took over Davidson’s practice at a previous clinic while Davidson was enjoying wild animals on a safari and touring South Africa. Dirdala joined the clinic permanently shortly after Davidson returned from his trip. Over the next few years, they discussed how they wanted to deliver client-focused, high-quality medicine and surgery, incorporating preventative health care and wellness. They targeted Whyte Ridge, as they both live nearby.

The clinic at 151 Scurfield Blvd. is part of Whyte Ridge Shopping Centre, built in the late 1990s to serve the growing community. The first tenant of the space was a video rental store, which closed in the mid 2000s, and the Whyte Ridge Veterinary Hospital officially opened in November 2011.

Over the past 15 years, the clinic has grown from two to four veterinarians, with Dr. Toni Moritz joining in 2020 and Dr. Julia Joshi joining in 2025. They’re supported by receptionists Jessie, Adrianna and Sera and several registered veterinary technicians, including Rachel, Sam, Mel, Rebecca, Faith, and Anna, a veterinary assistant who moved to Canada from Ukraine in 2022, where she was a practising veterinarian.

The animal hospital’s services include preventative health care, exotic animal medicine, surgical procedures and urgent care, supported by in-house digital radiography, electrocardiograms, ultrasound, and a laboratory.

Davidson said it’s been wonderful to walk alongside clients over the years, watching their rambunctious puppies and playful kittens grow into loving adults and greying seniors, and to be there with them in their pets’ final days. He said they have many clients whose parents initially brought their pets to the clinic and who are now bring their own pets.

Davidson’s volunteer work in wildlife care and rehabilitation for the past 30 years demonstrates his love of animals and his chosen profession.

According to him, the clinic’s goal is to remain locally and family-owned and to continue to provide high-quality surgical, medical and preventive health care to a wide range of animals. He quoted James Herriot’s words from All Creatures Great and Small – they “all are wonderful and make our lives richer with their unconditional love.”

Find out more at whyteridgevet.ca