Services
Consultations and general medicine
We’re always available to see you and your pets for either healthy check-ups or whenever you’re concerned.
In many cases of illness or injury it’s usually self evident when you need to see us. But dogs and cats are creatures of habit and any change in behaviour or normal demeanor can be an indicator of a medical or behavioural problem.
Dogs and cats do adapt to the spaces they are kept in, however city life can be stressful for them and anxiety related illnesses and behaviours can be more effectively managed now than in the past. Ask us for more information concerning lifestyle management for your pets and how we can help.
Annual health check and vaccination
Once a year health checks for healthy adults are a good opportunity for us to physically assess your pet, and for you to ask any questions you may have about nutrition, weight management, behaviour and lifestyle. We can update you of new developments in veterinary medicine and preventative health as they become available. Parasite control for fleas, heartworm, intestinal worms and ticks needs to be regularly reviewed and risk factors for families with children, the elderly and immune compromised individuals monitored.
Vaccination programs for dogs and cats need regular checks as new protocols become available because each pet has a different vaccination risk assessment depending on lifestyle and contacts. Pets who are kenneled regularly at boarding facilities need to maintain annual vaccination currency.
Because our pets can’t tell us how they feel, illness, disease and age related changes to metabolism can develop without obvious outward signs. Our pets age more rapidly then we do: most pets are adults at age two, many are in middle age at four and some larger breeds are seniors at seven! Today’s pets live longer than ever because of good nutrition, exercise, lifestyle and TLC, but because of this, some of our pets will experience illness during their lifetime. Annual health checks help us to minimise the impact of this and to detect subtle, early indicators of disease that can be managed or prevented when diagnosed early.
Wellness profiles
Wellness profiles are a blood test which sample targeted body enzymes that reflect the functional status of the liver, kidney and other metabolic systems. They are essentially a “snapshot” of metabolic health and give us the peace of mind that all is well on the inside. They are a natural complement to the external physical examination that we always perform as part of a regular health examination. Because pets cannot tell us how they feel and because nature has designed them [particularly cats] not to show outward signs of illness as an effective way of dissuading predators, the early phases of some diseases such as diabetes, kidney and liver disease and thyroid problems can easily be missed. Symptoms for these diseases are often subtle initially and our busy, fast paced lives do not always give us opportunities to observe our pets at length. Some of these problems can be well controlled if diagnosed early, so the value of a regular wellness profile can never be underestimated.
We recommend annual wellness profiles for the peace of mind of knowing your pet is healthy on the inside as well as the outside.
Senior profiles
Senior profiles are blood tests similar to wellness profiles, but a more comprehensive sampling of enzymes to give a more detailed interpretation of body function.
Senior profiles include urine analysis and thyroid function, and should be performed at least annually in pets over eight years of age. In elderly pets with diagnosed problems such as kidney or thyroid compromise, monitoring may need to be more frequent for optimal management.
Desexing
Our desexing service is available Monday-Friday. Desexing is performed under general anaesthesia and is a surgical day procedure: most pets are able to go home the same evening providing they can be confined and supervised.
We desex dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs and rats!
Desexing is recommended for all pets for both medical and behavioural reasons.
Female dogs and cats are susceptible to breast cancers [mammary tumours], infections [pyometron] and cancers of the reproductive tract if they remain entire, even when the risk of pregnancy is controlled by solitary lifestyle. They do not go through a menopause in old age but their reproductive cycle can become erratic and sub-clinical, leading to infection risks. Female dogs do not need to experience puberty or motherhood to ensure emotional wellbeing so our recommended age for desexing is six months of age.
Desexing male dogs avoids the risks of prostate problems, testicular cancer and testosterone related skin conditions and hernias that can occur with maturity. Desexing inner city male dogs also allows them to lead a more settled, less frustrated life. The way we keep, socialise and interact our dogs in small spaces mean entire males become the focus of unwarranted attention. Dominance and territory issues change constantly and cannot be adequately interpreted or predicted by us. Injury, recrimination and liability can be avoided by responsible management of our pets’ reproductive status.
Medical, rather than surgical desexing is another option now available for male dogs. A testosterone suppressing implant can be injected every six or twelve months to provide the same benefits of surgical desexing while retaining the anatomy! The implant gradually desolves and must be reinjected regularly to maintain the effect, so is reversible where necessary.
All cats should be desexed to avoid the risks of two viruses spread through reproduction and fighting: feline leukemia and the feline immune deficiency virus.
Microchipping
Microchipping for identification of dogs and cats is compulsory in NSW under the Companion Animal Act. Dogs and cats also need to be registered with local councils by six months of age. Registration is once only and discounted fees apply to desexed pets. Detailed information is available from your local council.
We can scan your pets to advise you of the microchip number, implant a microchip if required or certify the presence of an existing microchip.
Always remember to notify your local council of updated contact details if you move or change your phone numbers.
Soft tissue surgery
Most surgeries are day procedures that enable pets to be back home in their familiar environment the same day. We provide you with recovery instructions and will contact you to ensure recovery is comfortable.
Our anaesthesic machine is a best practice unit supplied by Australia’s leading specialist veterinary anesthetist ensuring safety and efficiency. All our anaesthetics are tailored with pulse oximetry and respiratory monitoring. Anaesthetic protocols are individually formulated for all patients, including geriatrics and those with special needs.
We recommend pre-anaesthetic blood testing for all patients but especially those over six years of age. This gives us a metabolic “snapshot” of your pet, particularly of liver and kidney function, the two organ systems that allow the body to manage and eliminate anaesthetic medication. Pre-anaesthetic blood testing provides good peace of mind and can also identify underlying problems or susceptibilities in younger pets that are not evident on an external physical examination.
Most surgeries require a follow up visit to remove the sutures and to allow us to check your pet’s recovery. Because some pets will lick and groom their surgery sites, most stitches we use externally don’t dissolve. We’ll let you know when to come back.
In house pathology
Our in-house pathology machines ensure same day results for pre-anaesthetic blood testing, wellness and senior blood profiles, and general biochemistry/electrolyte monitoring for medical and surgical cases. Screening tests for canine heartworm and parvo virus, feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus, as well as standard parasitology screening and giardia screening are also available.
Most results for tests sent to external pathology services are available within 24 hours.
Dentistry
Because we want our family pets to live a long and healthy life with us, dental hygiene is a continual challenge, particularly for pets on soft food diets. Bacteria entering the blood stream from infected gums due to dental tartar/calculus accumulation can affect cardiac and kidney function, particularly in older pets.
Teeth cleaning at home is often difficult and many pets do not tolerate brushing.
At Woollahra vets we have a new, state of the art IM3 dental unit to provide optimum dental care for your pet. Ultrasonic cleaning, polishing and extractions can be confidently performed with minimum anaesthesia time and faster recovery. Our clients receive a written, mapped dental report following dental procedures or cleaning plus a nutritional recommendation to maintain that smile!
Premium dry food diets in most situations will provide abrasive dental exercise with none of the risks associated with feeding bones. Hills, our recommended diets, provides several options.
Puppy preschool
Our puppy preschool service is provided by Dogtech, a local company founded by John Richardson, an accredited trainer with over thirty years experience and whose training method focuses on positive reinforcement. Dogtech provides training and behavioural services Australia wide and internationally. John’s colleague, Olga Hromow, a behavioural therapist with many years experience, has run our puppy preschool for several years. Classes are held each Wednesday evening from 7pm to 8.30pm in a three week cycle. They are a wonderful opportunity to learn how to understand and train your puppy, interpret its behaviour, and meet like minded puppy owners/families in a safe, friendly and fun environment.
In inner city environments which are heavily populated and contain limited exercise space, it is essential to have a well socialised dog which can be confidently exercised and controlled in public. Puppy preschool provides an admirable grounding for this. Dogtech also provides individual training programs and house visits to ensure your confidence in understanding and positively reinforcing your dog’s behaviour.
We can advise you of the availability of the next puppy preschool course. See our useful links page.
Premium nutrition and prescription diets
Everyone is aware of the nutritional benefits of a healthy diet. Nutritional science and evidence-based medicine reveal that many diseases can best be managed over the long term when therapeutic nutrition is included as a cornerstone of care.Obesity, periodontal disease, arthritis, kidney and liver compromise, feline diabetes and allergic skin conditions are examples of diseases which can be effectively controlled long term through therapeutic diets, reducing reliance on pharmaceutical treatments and other medical intervention.
The use of neutraceuticals and the science of neutrogenomics [using diet to modify genetic expressions of disease] is growing in veterinary medicine. Please feel free to contact us to discuss their application to your pet’s health management.
Cat boarding
Cat boarding is available. We suggest booking early for holiday periods. Cats do need to be currently vaccinated and on a flea control program to be accepted for boarding.
Dog boarding
We recommend Hanrob, the Ultimate Pet Destination for dog boarding. A free air-conditioned pet taxi picks up and delivers dogs from the hospital Monday to Friday and accommodation can be tailored to your pet’s needs. Seniors and special needs are catered for individually; the indoor environments are climate controlled and specifically engineered for your pet’s comfort; grooming and training are also available. There’s even a beach!! Veterinary care is available as is one-on-one playtime sessions for those active dogs who need more than average exercising.
Enquiries and bookings can be made direct with Hanrob on 8508 3222.