What should I do to prepare my pet for Surgery?
Why can't I have medication without an appointment?
What are your opening hours?
Do I need an appointment?
Why does my cat have to be in a basket? She hates it!
Can I see a particular Vet?
Do you offer accounts?
Why does my pet need a blood test before an Anaesthetic?

If you have any further questions about our clinic or policies, please feel free to contact the clinic and speak to one of our helpful nurses.

What should I do to prepare my pet for Surgery?
What should you do in preparation for your pets stay in hospital? Whether he or she is coming in for a general anaesthetic or just a sedation, the following advice contains our standard presurgical recommendations. For unusual or specific issues you may need to speak in person to one of our staff.

Bathing- We recommend bathing your pet one or two days before the surgery is scheduled as after the procedure your pet may have sutures in the wound for 10-14 days and will not be allowed to have a bath or swim during this time. Even though the surgical site is clipped and scrubbed with special antibacterial scrub, infection can still occur afterwards if the rest of your pet is dirty.

Medication- If your pet is currently receiving medications other than routine heartworm and worming preventative treatments, please contact the surgery to check whether or not we need the pet to be medicated before arrival on the morning of the surgery. We also need to consider the actions of these in the light of the surgical procedure we are undertaking.

Flea treatment- We recommend for you to apply a flea product to your pet before surgery as this will help maintain our flea free environment and the sterility of the procedure.

Feeding-Please feed your pet before 6pm the night before surgery and then remove all traces of food. If a full general anaesthetic or sedation is scheduled, we need your pet to arrive at the clinic fasted on the day of the surgery. This will help prevent any pre and post operative vomiting, as this can cause serious health risks to your pet.

Water- Water can be left down overnight but needs to be removed first thing in the morning – leave yourself a note!

Exercise & Toileting- Please do not take your pet for a long walk on the morning of the procedure remember, they are not allowed to have water! Just walk far enough to allow for toileting. This can usually be achieved without leaving your garden.

Arrival time- Please arrange a time to drop off and pick up your pet from the surgery.  We generally admit early in the day, surgery is usually completed by mid afternoon and your pet should be fine to be discharged after 4.30pm.  Some complicated procedures do require a night or two in hospital so please call to discuss this if you are unsure.

Pre-anaesthetic Testing- We offer preanaesthetic blood testing to all animals who are undergoing a General Anaesthetic.  All animals have a check up at admission, but a blood test gives us more detailed information about any underlying disease processes that may be present but not obvious.  We are predominately looking at kidney and liver function as these are the two main organs that process the anaesthetic drugs.  Any hidden problems can therefore be detected before surgery. If any abnormalities are detected, we might put the animal on a drip to help flush the drugs through the system, change the anaesthetic drugs or in some rare instances, postpone surgery for another day.  Blood testing also gives us a baseline reading so if there are any future problems with your pet, we have information with which to compare current results. This service is available to any pet having surgery, but is particularly recommended for any pet over 7 years of age, or those who have been recently unwell. The test requires a very small amount of blood to be taken and we usually perform this test on the morning of the surgery.

Feel free to bring in a favourite blanket or toy for your pet to help them relax.

Why can't I have medication without an appointment?
Many drugs have legal restrictions on their supply and a consultation may be required by law before they can be dispensed. More importantly, our primary concern is the welfare of your pets and it is usually important to examine an animal before deciding on a course of treatment. To save yourself time and to prevent misunderstandings please phone with your request before coming to the clinic.

Flea control, heartworm  and intestinal worming medications, as well as medicated shampoos, some ear cleaning products and disinfectants are all able to be supplied without prescription or consultation.

What are your opening hours?
We are open seven days a week for your convenience.

8am to 8pm on Monday

8am to 6pm from Tuesday to Friday

8am to 12pm on Saturday

9am to 11am on Sunday

Do I need an appointment?
We prefer that you make an appointment to ensure that you are not kept waiting when you arrive and to keep the day running smoothly for you and the Vet.  We book appointments between 8am and 11am and between 3pm and closing on weekdays. The middle of the day is always kept free to conduct surgery and treat in clinic patients. We do not book surgery on weekends so the entire opening hours are kept for appointments.  Genuine emergencies do not need appointments, although if you do call us first  we can be prepared for you when you arrive.

Why does my cat have to be in a basket? She hates it!
All pets (Cats and Dogs) need to be adequately restrained when you transport them in a vehicle and when you bring them into the Vet clinic. Not only is our clinic situated on a busy main road (not fun if your kitty jumps from your arms as you try to open the door) but we also see a variety of dogs in all shapes and sizes. Seeing a large dog in the waiting room is often more than a cat can tolerate and they can become very stressed and may try to escape - injuring you or themselves in the process. Being in a cage or covered basket actually makes your cat feel more secure and protected - and no one gets hurt! If you don't have a cage, a pillowcase or a sports bag can work just as well at protecting and restraining kitty. We also have very inexpensive cat boxes for sale if you want to come in and collect one before your appointment.

Can I see a particular Vet?
If you have been seeing a particular Veterinary Surgeon with your pet and you would prefer to see them each time just let us know when you book your appointment. Our Vets work a regular roster so your favourite vet should almost always be available on specific days and at defined times.  If you have an emergency or need to be seen at a time that doesn't coincide with your Vets roster - rest assured that your pets full history is available to the alternate Vet and your regular clinician will be made aware of your visit.

Do you offer accounts?
Veterinary service fees are discussed in full before treatment of major illness or injury is started. We endeavour to provide excellent care and service to all of our valued clients at a fair price. To maintain our reasonable fee structure, we are unable to offer account facilities. Our usual practice is that fees are settled at the time of consultation or discharge of your pet. We accept payment by cash, personal cheque, Eftpos and major credit cards including VISA, Mastercard, Bankcard, and American Express. Please feel welcome to request an estimate prior to services being carried out for your pet.

Why does my pet need a blood test before an Anaesthetic?
We offer preanaesthetic blood testing to all animals who are undergoing a General Anaesthetic.  All animals have a check up at admission, but a blood test gives us more detailed information about any underlying disease processes that may be present but not obvious.  We are predominately looking at kidney and liver function as these are the two main organs that process the anaesthetic drugs.  Any hidden problems can therefore be detected before surgery. If any abnormalities are detected, we might put the animal on a drip to help flush the drugs through the system, change the anaesthetic drugs or in some rare instances, postpone surgery for another day.  Blood testing also gives us a baseline reading so if there are any future problems with your pet, we have information with which to compare current results. This service is available to any pet having surgery, but is particularly recommended for any pet over 7 years of age, or those who have been recently unwell. The test requires a very small amount of blood to be taken and we usually perform this test on the morning of the surgery.