Frequently Asked Questions

DO I NEED AN APPOINTMENT?

Yes, as we do run by appointments. This minimises the waiting time for both you and other clients, and makes it a more peaceful experience for your pet. You can make an appointment by calling us on (08) 9245 1977. Our staff will schedule a time that best suits you and will inform you if they feel a more urgent appointment is required or if a longer consultation will be needed (e.g. if laboratory tests are likely to be required).

If you have an emergency, please inform the staff and you will be directed to come in straight away.

WHAT ARE YOUR CONSULTING AND OPENING HOURS?

Monday to Friday we’re open from 7.30 am to 7pm, with consults available from 8am to 6.30pm. On Saturdays we’re open from 8.30am to 4pm and schedule consultation appointments between 8.30am and 3.30pm. We are closed on Sunday’s and public holidays; please read below for what you need to do if you need at vet during these hours.

WHAT DO I DO IF MY PET HAS AN EMERGENCY AFTER HOURS?

Firstly, call us on (08) 9245 1977 to see if we’re open, if we’re not then our answer machine will give you the number of Animal Emergency Care (AEC) – that phone number is 9204 0400. AEC is located at Perth Veterinary Specialists – 305 Selby Street North, Osborne Park. They are open every night and public holiday, plus weekends. They will refer you back to us for any follow up treatment and care.

HOW DO I BOOK MY PET IN FOR SURGERY?

You can book your pet in for surgery by calling our reception on (08) 9245 1977. Our staff will inform you of how to prepare your pet for surgery and when to arrive. If we have not seen your pet before or if we have not seen your pet for a particular surgical problem (e.g. a lump has been found), then a consultation before surgery will be required, as we will need to assess your pet and discuss the surgery with you. The nurses will tell you what time to come in but surgery appointments are generally around 8am. If the surgery booking is done well in advance, we will send out information about how to prepare your pet for surgery.

DO I NEED TO DO ANYTHING TO PREPARE MY PET FOR SURGERY?

At the time of booking your pet in for surgery, our staff will go over what needs to do beforehand. The night before surgery, your pet can have food up to about 8pm. Then all food must be taken away but always leave them with free access to water until you get up the next morning. For cats, we recommend you keep them indoors the night before surgery so that they do not get food from other sources.

If possible, please shampoo your dog a few days before surgery, as this makes the preparation of any surgical site faster and reduces the anesthetic time.

If you feel there is something else not right with your pet, we recommend a visit before the surgery to discuss any changes you have seen and to check your pet’s health again.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MY PET COMES IN FOR SURGERY?

We normally admit pets for surgery between 7.30-8am. Before we can begin with the procedure, we will need to re-weigh your pet and we check that they’re up to date with vaccines and heart worm prevention. An admittance form will also need to be completed prior to surgery. This form is a practice formality, which will outline what the surgery entails in detail, so that you know exactly what will be happening.

to your pet. We will also check that your pet has been fasted overnight and whether there is anything that needs to be done to prepare them for surgery.

We recommend that all pets have a pre-anaesthetic blood test to ensure that there is no active organ disease and that they are in good general health, as any abnormality may alter what we recommend for your pet. It also provides a baseline of information about your pet for future reference.

Once they have been admitted to the hospital, they are examined and blood is collected if we are performing a pre-anaesthetic blood test. This test is run in house, and once we have the results, we decide if it is appropriate to go ahead with the surgery. If it is, we will then give your pet a premedication injection, which contains both pain relief and a sedative. This injection will help to reduce any anxiety that may be present, being their pre-emptive pain relief and reduce the amount of anaesthetic agents required, ultimately making the whole experience safer and more pleasant for your pet.

Once surgery has been completed, they will be given further pain relief to help ease any discomfort. We will call you once they are awake to arrange a discharge appointment. When your pet has woken up we will give them food and water, as we prefer that they eat before returning home.

At the discharge appointment, one of our staff will go through what has been done and show you any medications that need to be administered. We will also advise you of when a follow up visit is required and schedule a time for this.

WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND BLOOD TESTS/OTHER TESTS?

There are many reasons why blood tests and other pathology tests are performed. For routine surgery, we recommend a pre-anaesthetic blood profile. This checks things like haematology (red and white blood cells), liver and kidney parameters, and protein levels, all of which are important in making an anaesthetic safer.

If your pet is unwell, we may advise more comprehensive blood screens and/or urine tests, as these can give a comprehensive amount of information about what is occurring inside your pet. At times result are normal even in sick pets but this information is useful as it helps us determine what needs to be done and what other tests or procedures may be required.

We prefer to perform most of the pathology tests in-house, at our fully equipped hospital that utilises the latest equipment. This allows us access to rapid results and enables us to look after your pet faster. This will also allow easy follow up tests when required. We do most of our own cytology and urine exams as well.

Sometimes we will need to send samples to the pathology specialists. This is usually for tests we cannot do in-house (e.g. cultures, histopathology, endocrine tests etc.) or if we want a specialist opinion about results we have obtained. We do this in order to obtain the most amount of knowledge possible from the tests performed, ensuring that we’re looking after your pet the best that we can.

DO YOU USE REFERRAL HOSPITALS OR SPECIALISTS?

The simple answer is “Yes, we do”. However, this is on a case by case basis. Due to our extensive experience and teamwork, we are capable of handling complex medical and surgical cases. We refer patients when we believe a case requires specialist input, this may be when an orthopaedic problem or medical problem requires advanced care or procedures (e.g. complex fractures, advanced cruciate surgery, intradermal skin testing for allergies etc.) or where we feel that investigation by a specialist is in the best interest of your pet.  We have a very good relationship with all of our referral specialists, which means that we can work together as a team when looking after your pet.

HOW DO I TRANSPORT MY PET AND WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I COME INTO THE HOSPITAL?

We recommend that all cats be transported in a proper and secure cat carrier, both for their safety and yours. It is dangerous to have cats loose in a car and scared animals are likely to run away if you try to carry them to or from a car, especially when the car park is not their home environment. In the hospital, we require that all cats be inside a cat carrier, this is to ensure their safety and because they feel secure in a confined space.

Dogs should always be on a secure lead, the best being loop leads. If you’re using a lead that attaches to a collar or harness, please make sure that they cannot slip off the collar if they pull backwards. We require that all dogs in the hospital be on a short lead at all times, both for their safety and the safety of other patients.

COST OF SERVICES?

Cost can vary depending on what is being done. We will provide an estimate for what we are planning on doing, once we have examined your pet and discussed the findings with you.

We can give costs for routine desexing surgeries, vaccinations, consultations and over the counter products (e.g. food, parasite control etc.) over the phone, call us on (08) 9245 1977 to enquire.

The reason we cannot provide over the phone estimates for complex cases, is because so much depends on what is actually found when the pet is examined.

IS PET INSURANCE REQUIRED?

Although pet insurance is not compulsory, we recommend that all pets be covered by insurance. The main reason for insurance is to cover for illnesses and accidents, as these are the things for which treatment can become costly.

There are several pet insurance companies that can provide variable levels of cover. Some policies will cover for routine care (vaccines etc.), however we believe it is the illness and accident cover that is the most important.  You will need to look at what each policy offers to determine what is covered, what is excluded and what excess applies. It is important that you take out insurance before your pet has a problem, as most will not cover pre-existing conditions.

Having insurance makes it easier for you to make decisions about what happens to your pet if they are ever hurt or ill, rather than having to worry about the cost. Although we do not base our advice on cost (we recommend what is best for your pet), we do understand that cost is a genuine client concern and having insurance makes it easier for us to do what is right for your pet.

DO YOU HAVE A DOG GROOMER ON STAFF?

No, we do not perform grooming for dogs.  We do, however, perform hydrobathing, blowdrying and nail clipping.

DO I NEED FLEA CONTROL FOR MY PET? WHAT ABOUT WORMS?

We recommend that all dogs and cats are protected from parasites. This is for both their health and human health as well. There are many modern, safe and effective products available. These products do not harm humans or animal and offer comprehensive parasite control against fleas, worms (roundworm, whipworm, hookworm and tapeworm) and heartworm.

We can offer tailored our recommendations about medications and products to your pet’s needs, as some products are better suited to an individual than others. Call us on (08) 9245 1977 to discuss your pet’s needs with a professional.