Texas A&M Small Animal Teaching Hospital Earns Elite Veterinary Recognitions 

Story by Courtney Price, VMBS Marketing & Communications

April 23, 2025

The SATH was re-accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association and awarded Gold Standard Cat Friendly Practice certification by the Feline Veterinary Medical Association.

The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ (VMBS) Small Animal Teaching Hospital (SATH) has been recognized with two prestigious honors for excellence in veterinary care. 

The hospital recently earned re-accreditation from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), an organization that promotes excellence and a high standard of care in veterinary hospitals, as well as the Gold Standard Cat Friendly Practice certification from the Feline Veterinary Medical Association (FeVMA), which is awarded to facilities that go above and beyond in considering the distinct needs of cats during veterinary visits.

Putting Patients First

Unlike human hospitals, accreditation is not required for many animal hospitals. The SATH seeks AAHA accreditation to ensure Texas A&M’s facility adheres to high-quality standards in all areas, including pain management, patient care, team training, and medical record keeping.

“I am very proud of the SATH’s faculty and staff for continuing to provide the highest quality care for our patients,” said Dr. Stacy Eckman, the VMBS’ associate dean for hospital operations and chief executive officer at the hospital. “Only 12-15% of small animal practices in the United States and Canada are AAHA-accredited and only 7% of those are referral accredited, which puts us in the top tier of veterinary hospitals in North America.”

The AAHA reviews accreditation every three years, and the SATH has a long history of providing the excellent care required to meet the organization’s high standards. The SATH has been AAHA-accredited as a whole since 1978 and, in 2009, became the first veterinary teaching hospital to receive specialty accreditation in 14 services.

Giving Cats A Paw-sitive Hospital Experience

While trips to the veterinarian can be stressful for any animal, cats are often more stressed by the experience because of the unfamiliar environment, presence of dogs, and accidental escalation of stress from veterinary staff and owners who are unfamiliar with the specific emotional needs of cats.

To achieve Gold Standard Cat Friendly Practice certification, the SATH takes special steps to ensure that cats experience as little stress during their visits as possible. For example, cats have a separate waiting area away from dogs, a cat-specific ICU, feline-only treatment and hospitalization wards, and veterinary staff and students receive special training on handling cats without causing them fear or anxiety.

“The SATH staff and faculty continuously strive to provide a low-stress hospital environment for our feline patients with extra care provided to reduce stress and fear,” said Paula Plummer, a licensed veterinary technician who played a key role in facilitating the certification process. 

“Becoming a Gold Standard Cat Friendly Practice further supports our mission to provide excellent patient care and veterinary education to faculty, staff, and students,” she said.

Uniting Service With Excellence

The SATH has 15 service areas — including primary care and specialty services — and sees more than 21,000 cases annually.

As the state’s only veterinary teaching hospital and Texas A&M’s largest educational laboratory, the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital — which comprises both the small and large animal teaching facilities — is a model of excellence for veterinary healthcare and education across Texas and beyond.

The VMTH is home to more than 80 specialty faculty, 50 residents, and talented support staff who are committed to improving lives through exceptional veterinary education, patient care, service, and research.

It also serves as the capstone learning experience for Aggie veterinary students, with all 180 members of each Doctor of Veterinary Medicine class participating in fourth-year clinical rotations at the VMTH for a full calendar year prior to graduation. 

Additionally, construction has begun on a new, state-of-the-art 135,000-square foot facility, the Linda & Dennis Clark ’68 Small Animal Teaching Hospital, which is anticipated to open in August 2027.

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For more information about the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, please visit our website at vetmed.tamu.edu or join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Contact Information: Jennifer Gauntt, Director of VMBS Communications, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, jgauntt@cvm.tamu.edu, 979-862-4216

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