Our services

General Veterinary Services

Our healthcare team can assist you with education, advice and care to ensure your pet has the happiest and healthiest life possible. We provide a full range of medical facilities for the diagnosis and treatment of dogs and cats as well as birds and other small pets. In order to keep informed on current therapies and procedures our veterinary staff and nursing team regularly attend relevant seminars and education programs.

One of the most important services our practice offers are routine checkups. Annual checkups are important to identify any potential health problems and are a great time to make sure all vaccinations and parasite control treatment is up to date. In general vaccinations are due every year, if you own a dog you may also want to check that their heartworm control is also up to date.

Surgery

Our hospital is equipped to perform most types of surgery with modern anaesthetic machines, respiratory monitors and more. Our surgical area is completely sterile and we use the safest and modern anaesthetics very similiar to an operating theatre in a human hospital. Our veterinarians perform a vast range of operations such as desexing, exploratory surgery, caesarians, tumor and lump removals, wound stitches, intestinal obstructions, and more.

As with human surgery, our veterinarians scrub up, wear surgical gowns and safety protection as well as using autoclaved instruments throughout the procedure. The surgical bed is heated for the comfort and wellness of our patients who are continually monitored. A fully trained veterinary nurse assists the veterinarian throughout the procedure.

Hospital Care

There are various reasons why our patients are hospitalised including treatment recovery from illness, treatment, pre operative care and more. We have hospital cages for cats and dogs as well as isolation areas. Our hospital cages are supplied with fresh bedding that is made from a special material that stays warm, dry and fluffy!

Dentistry

When your four-legged furry friend lunges for a big hug, does the smell of their breath knock you flat on your back? If this is true it's time for a dental checkup. A dental check up may highlight the need for cleaning, polishing, tooth extraction or even just a change in diet. Remember, your pet will look and function better and also live longer with healthy teeth and gums.

It's true that a high percentage of aging pets suffer from some degree of periodontal disease. This is a condition in which bacteria attack the gum tissue causing a foul odour, yellowish brown crusts of tartar around the gum line and even pain and bleeding when your pet eats or you touch its gums.

Desexing

Surgical desexing involves removal of part of the reproductive system of pets whilst under a general anaesthetic. Find out more about desexing in our pet library.

Preventative pet health care at our hospital

Vaccinations, parasite control and health checkups play an important role in the long term wellness of our patients. Dogs should be vaccinated against Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza and Kennel cough. Whilst cats need to be vaccinated against Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus (Cat Flu), Chlamydia, Feline Infectious Enteritis and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). A thorough health check is undertaken at the time of your pet's annual vaccination. Sometimes we can detect a problem of which you might not be aware. This is also an opportunity to discuss your pet's diet, weight and behaviour or any other questions that may concern you. You will also receive advice on the control and eradication of fleas, worms, heartworm, ticks and various other creepy crawlies.

General Pet Care Advice

Our nurses are trained animal health advisors. If you require pet care advice without wishing to see a Veterinarian, please feel free to ask one of our nurses.

Pathology Services

We are able to perform various pathology tests such as blood tests within the hospital, thus giving faster diagnosis and treatment. For more detailed testing we engage the services of a specialist laboratory.

Pharmacy

It is often necessary to medicate pets with drugs and specific medicines. Similar to human medications, some drugs have legal restrictions on their use and can only be dispensed under certain conditions. We keep our pharmacy fully stocked not only for your convenience but also for emergencies where special medicines such as anti-venoms are required.
If your pet has an ongoing condition and requires a repeat medication we recommend that you ring us first so that we can ensure that the prescription is approved and ready to go when you arrive. In some instances pets may need to be examined, where necessary we will let you know.

Puppy School

Do you want to own a healthy, well behaved dog? Has your puppy received his/her latest vaccinations? Then why not join us at our puppy pre-school to learn some important facts about brining up your new canine friend. Visit our dedicated Puppy School page for more information.

Behavioural Consulting

Is your dog jumping, barking, chewing, pulling, or biting? Well no breed is untrainable or too old to learn new tricks. We offer a behaviour consultations that will assist you in training your pet to be a more obedient and pleasant pet. Just some of the things we can assist you with include:-

• Walking your pet happily on a lead without tugging,
• Teaching your pet to sit or stay on command
• Coming to you when called.
• Solving the problem of aggression towards people or other animals.
• Stop the irritation of behaviours like barking, jumping up, scratching/whining at the back door.

Cat Adoption Centre

The Cat Adoption Centre allows us to provide a non-profit community service by housing, caring and rehoming cat 'orphans'. This allows us to prevent the unnecessary destruction of homeless cats and kittens and provide healthy happy pets to our clients. To find out more about our Cat Adoption Centre and see cats and kittens available for adoption view our dedicated adoption page.

Microchip implantation and scanning

Microchips help avoid the heartache of losing your best friend. A microchip contains a code that is linked to a national registry. This means if your pet is ever lost, a ranger or vet can scan your pet for the microchip and access your contact details from the National Registry. We have the scanning technology to be able to easily identify your pet if they are brought to our practice. Each year we successfully reunite many lost pets with their owners with the assistance of microchip technology. There is now a new microchip available called Lifechip Bio Therm. The first and only microchip that provides instant identification plus non invasive temperature measurements in seconds. Ask us for more information about this.

Radiology

Our x-ray facilities allow us to investigate animal injuries and health problems. Having the equipment on hand means we are able to quickly diagnose injuries particularly in emergency situations. This is convenient for you as your pet can have all treatment done at the hospital and also means our patients are given the best opportunity for recovery.

Ultrasound

This is a technique that provides us with a non evasive way of scanning your pet's body system without surgery. This equipment is used for the diagnosis and treatment of pets by using high frequency sound waves. Similar to an ultrasound that is used to monitor a human pregnancy a probe is placed against the body. Sound waves are converted into an image that represents a slice through the tissue, and this is displayed on a small TV screen so we can gain a better understanding of what is going on in your pet's body. For example we can investigate the liver, kidneys, intestines, gall bladder, bladder, uterus, heart, blood vessels, and so on. The types of things that can be diagnosed with ultrasound range from pregnancy to blockages of the intestine to bladder stones. It is very useful in patients with heart disease as we can measure the thickness of the walls of the heart and see the heart valves in action and it can be done while the patient is awake or sedated with minimal stress.

ECG Tracing

The ECG (electrocardiograph) machine is used to obtain a tracing which tells us how a patient's heart is performing. A series of leads are attached to the limbs and the machine maps out the trace. We compare the animal's trace to normal and can tell from this if there is heart enlargement, irregular heart beats and so on. Like an ultrasound, it is done with the patient wide awake and with minimal stress.

Endoscopy

The endoscope is very helpful as it enables us to look down into the oesophagus and stomach of a patient. We can also use it to look down into the trachea and inside the bronchi of the lungs. Using the endoscope we can take biopsies, which are small samples of tissue, from the lining of the trachea, oesophagus and stomach. At the other end of the patient, the endoscope can also be used to look into and take biopsies of the colon. The patient needs to be under general anaesthetic for endoscopy.

Blood Donor Program

Like humans, animals that suffer from trauma, anaemia or bleeding disorders can also require life-saving transfusions. We are always looking for new recruits to join our blood donor program. To ensure all blood products used are of the optimum quality, we recommend donors to be a larger breed dog, aged one to six years of age with current vaccinations including heartworm prevention, and have a friendly and calm demeanour. Donors should not be on any form of medication and should live relatively close to the hospital.

Cats can also be donors and again must be in good physical condition and weigh at least 4kg and be between the ages of one and seven.

An admission into hospital is required where we will do a physical examination and a small blood test to assess your pet's health status.

The procedure is very similar to that for people, except that the jugular vein (the one in the neck) is used rather than the vein in the arm. A patch of hair over this area must be clipped and cleaned (the hair will grow back). Your dog must sit quietly for about 15 minutes while the pack of blood is collected. Blood donors can safely donate every 4 weeks, however we normally leave at least 6-8 weeks between donations (often longer depending on demand).

The procedure is very safe, and the blood cells donated will be replaced by the bone marrow over the next few days. Nevertheless, we recommend that your furry companion be given a few days rest from strenuous exercise after donating blood.

We are very grateful to all our donors and as a thank you will provide complimentary six monthly wellness examinations, Idexx blood tests, annual vaccinations and a Proheart injection after giving blood.

If you are interested in your pet helping others in an emergency please contact our Client Relations staff who will provide you with all the necessary details.

After Hours Service

As a full pet healthcare service provider we offer after hours emergency servies every night of the year until midnight. The hospital is staffed during this time to ensure that your pet is monitored by our trained nursing staff and to assist the Veterinarian with emergency cases.

Cat Boarding Facilities

At Adelaide Animal Hospital our cat boarding facilities include four large cat runs. These are available throughout the year. For your convenience, during peak times (school holidays, long weekends & December to January) our boarding facilities can accommodate a further 14 cats. Burnside Veterinary Centre also has additional boarding facilities for 12 cats available at anytime throughout the year.

Hydrobath

Pew - is that the dog that smells? A hydrobath is an easy way for your dog to be thoroughly washed and dried with no effort required by you! So when your dog takes a bath you don't need too. Our hydrobathing facilities help to keep your pet smelling fresh and their coat looking clean, shiny and healthy. Just ring us today to make a booking.

Pet Cage Hire

Because your pet is one of the family, you can rest assured the comfort and safety of your pet is our priority. Moving your pet between point A and B can be a stressful time for you and your pet and that is why we provide pet cage hire. Just ask our receptionists for more information.

Care Credit

Care Credit is a flexible payment plan, specifically designed for healthcare expenses, that makes it easier for you and your family to get the treatment or procedures you want and need. There are different plans available including interest free and extended payment plans. Various fees and conditions may apply so just give us a call to find out more.

Pet Insurance

It is hard to have to say goodbye to a loved pet, especially if the decision is based on financial considerations. New innovations in veterinary medicine have allowed more advanced treatment for your pet but this has also increased the cost of these procedures. Why risk the dilemma of expensive treatment or euthanasia of a loved pet when insurance is available. Our team are happy to provide you with information on insurance providers just phone or drop in to see us.

Home Visits

Home visits can be arranged for the comfort of you and your pet. There is however an additional fee for this service due to the extra time and costs of travel. For some illnesses diagnosis and treatment is best done at the hospital where full veterinary facilities are available. Just phone to ask us about our fees and availability.

Petshop

We offer a range pet care products including premium foods, shampoos, parasite control products such as flea, and heartworm prevention. Plus general pet shop merchandise including special behavioural toys, leads and more. If you have any special needs we can also arrange for products to be ordered, simply ask our receptionists.

Monthly Pet Health Information Newsletter

Our monthly newsletter provides interesting and up to date information on pet health and care as well as information about our hospital and services. Next time you are at the clinic, make sure you leave your e-mail address with us or send us an email so we can include you on our database.

Computerised Information Systems

We are able to provide detailed histories to other Veterinary Hospitals with ease should you relocate. You will also receive automatic reminders on all preventative health care.

Weight Clinics

Feeding the correct diet to your pet is a must for a long and healthy life. Our nurses are trained to give expert advice regarding nutrition. Obesity can cause many health problems for dogs and cats. If you feel your pet may be overweight, feel free to come into our hospital and one of our nurses can assess your pet and recommend a weight loss program to suit your pets' needs.

Hospital Tours

Ever wondered what it is like behind the doors of a veterinary hospital? If your pet is staying overnight would you like to see where they will be cared for? We encourage clients to tour our hospital. If you would like to organise a guided hospital tour, please contact us at your convenience.

Pet Education in Schools

As part of our role in the community we regularly visit local schools to educate the younger members of our community on pet care. Tips on grooming, nutrition, general health, safety around strange animals and much more is provided. To make enquiries or to book a visit for your school or community group, please contact us.