Back in 1950, Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital was a tiny practice in a house just down the driveway from its first veterinarian’s home. Founder L. Curtis Morley and his son Bruce each spent their entire careers there.

They might be surprised by what they see there now: cats watching LCD television displays, “kitty condos,” a CAT scan machine, a dedicated dental suite.

Those are just a few of the amenities that the Laurel-based hospital now offers after the grand opening of its new, state-of-the-art facility. The 18,000-square-foot hospital is done in the style of a Western lodge and includes a lavish boarding facility.

“I think we’re pretty unique to have all, in one spot, our veterinarians and the luxury lodging,” said Jen Trujillo, chief of operations.

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The new facility was designed by current owner Steven Wolchinsky, who has been with the practice for 18 years.

The rooms for the pets feature lowered windows and webcams so that owners can monitor them, as well as different music playing in eight zones. A large dog park is treated with special artificial grass that is automatically sanitized. The staff runs a “doggy day camp” and is planning summer movie nights for pets with pepperoni-flavored popcorn. The hospital also hopes to transition into a 24-hour facility within the next few years.

“D.C. is an area with a highly educated population, and for a lot of households, pets are really a luxury item,” Trujillo said. In Laurel, the place also attracts a large blue-collar population where pets are a major priority, she added.

Rocky Gorge has maintained a number of loyal customers over its nearly 60 years in business — according to Trujillo, clients come from as far as Georgia and Pennsylvania to visit the facility.

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, individuals spend more than $9 billion a year on vet care alone.

Bob Vetere, president of the association, said veterinary services have expanded to include surgeries never before performed on pets, such as for cancer or hip replacements.

“Pretty much anything you can perform on a human, someone somewhere is figuring out a way to adapt it to take care of Fluffy or Spike,” Vetere said.

melissa.frederick@dcexaminer.com