By Debbie Robinson

news@joplinglobe.com

MIAMI, Okla. — Veterinarian Rod Hough knew he would have to find a new location for his animal hospital after the devastating July 2007 flood nearly destroyed his building on Steve Owens Boulevard in Miami.

Sunday afternoon, Hough and his seven staff members opened the doors to the new, expanded Miami Animal Hospital on Alternate 69 South, less than three miles north from the Oklahoma Turnpike interchange.

Several hundred people attended Sunday’s event, which featured tours of the new buildings, grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, a petting zoo, horseback rides and an agility demonstration by Blue, a mixed-breed blue heeler.

“We had five feet of water in the main building at 1801 Steve Owens Blvd.,” Hough said. “Despite the help from friends and clients digging a trench and adding sand bags, the water still rose.”

Hough said, at first, he was told by Miami city officials that he would not be allowed to rebuild in the flood plain, so the search began for a new site.

Ground was broken for the new buildings — one for small animals and another for large animals — last September, Hough said.

He treats domestic pets, such as cats and dogs, and large animals, such as cattle and horses.

“I treat anything, unless it crawls on its belly or has feathers,” Hough said.

The main building for small animals is 4,300 square feet, with the large animal hospital topping out at 2,400 square feet on a total of two acres.

Hough, a graduate of Oklahoma State University at Stillwater, said veterinary medicine has changed since he started in 1995.

“It’s gotten a lot more high-tech,” he said.

That was evident during a tour of the new hospital, which features an X-ray machine and a new endoscope used to provide a visual examination of internal organs without invasive surgery.

“We didn’t have this at the old clinic,” he said.