It is the knowledge and care we provide which makes all the difference.

Dr Liz : Bachelor of Veterinary Science ( Uni of Sydney) (BVSc)
Chartered Member of the Australian Veterinary Association (CMAVA)
Registered and Licenced Veterinary Surgeon with the Veterinary Practitioners Board (NSW)
Superintendent of an AVA Certified Practice.

We are proud members of the Veterinary Information Network

 

Services
 

Because our pets do not live as long as we do, we stress the importance of an annual physical examination. Thorough check-ups and preventive care can help alleviate serious health problems. We offer a wide range of veterinary services to keep your companions feeling their best:


Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services:  Our hospital is equipped to provide diagnostic and therapeutic services to care for your pets' complete health care needs.  
      
Surgical Services:  Our state-of-the-art surgical suite provides for the performance of a wide variety of surgical procedures. Our surgical suite is State of the Art, with central oxygen supply and negative pressure waste anesthetic gas scavenging. Our operating table is heated for your pet's comfort.  It the same type of gear you would see in an advanced surgical suite in a human hospital.  Your pet is anaesthetised and prepared for the procedure in the preparation room, and is then transported safely to the operating theatre.  Having an independant surgical suite is expensive, as it cannot serve multiple purposes, but it is essential in control of infections.  

The majority of our sutures we use are individually packed, with swaged on needles (designed to minimise trauma to your pet, and maximise sterility).  I could buy cheap sutures at one-quarter of the price, but they are most likely to cause irritation (and thus pain), and usually require you torevisit to have external sutures removed.  The sutures we use, allows us to bury them, causing less chance of infection or of sutures pulling out.  In most cases, no suture removal is necessary as there are no external sutures visible.

Our surgical instruments are top of the line.  I could buy cheaper instruments, but they can potentially slip, and cause unnecessary blood loss.  They could also cause more trauma at the time of surgery. Put it this way, we all know that good quality tools aren't cheap. We have a top of the range Surgical Autoclave, which is regularly serviced to ensure continued sterility.  All materials used are either autoclavable or single use.
   


Anesthesia & Monitoring:   Yup, we have the equipment that whistles, goes bling and beeps.  This is our Advisor multiparameter monitoring unit (pictured above), which measures pulse oxygenation, End tidal C02, Heart rate, breathing rate and rhythm, Blood pressure, core body temperature, as well as ECG's.  We use most of the features of our Advisor monitor for most of our patients. It is also capable of recording all of this information, which is often given to you as a record  of your pet's procedure.  Believe it or not, such equipment is a luxury in many veterinary hospitals (and very few in the Illawarra have one), but it is standard in ours.   But, we also have a stand alone Pulse oximeter, as well as Doppler Blood pressure monitor. But, the most important monitor is a human being... all of our anesthetics are monitored, from the point of sedation, to the point where they are standing and walking after the procedure.  No pet is kept unmonitored during this crucial time.

Every patient is individually assessed, and an individual anaesthetic protocol is developed.  It is not a "one-size-fits-all" situation. We use a combination of injectable and inhalational anaesthesia, to ensure a smooth successful anesthetic, and obviously, a pain free, relaxing recovery for your pet. Every pet has an intravenous catheter placed, and majority also go onto intravenous fluids throughout the entire procedure.
   
Dentistry:  Our dental services include teeth cleaning and polishing, dental X-rays (the first in the Illawarra), tooth extractions (simple and surgical) and minor oral surgery. We abide with the Australian Veterinary Dental Society Guidelines.  More detailed information on this will be on a seperate page. Our dentistry is at a standard higher than most General Veterinary Practitioners, and we pride ourselves on continuing to improve what we do, as well as expand the range of dental services we provide.

Electrocardiography Services:  We provide ECG services on-site as well as consultations with cardiology specialists.  ECGS's are useful in identifying abnormal heart rhythms, electrolyte disturbances, enlarge heart, as well as are vital to be monitored during  routine anaesthetic procedures.  Cardiac services also include blood testing, as well as Echocardiography (heart ultrasound) plus radiographs.



   

Laboratory:  Our in-house laboratory facilities provide for serum chemistry, hematology, serology, urinalysis and parasite testing.   Some of the in- house tests available include Giardia, Heartworm, Feline Leukemia, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, Canine pancreatic specific lipase, intestinal parasites, urinary crystals, just to name a few.   We also utilize commercial veterinary laboratories for specialized diagnostics and consultations. This may also include Vaccine titre testing (the newer alternative to vaccinations).
    
Permanent identification: We offer microchip identification as an AVA Accredited Microchip Implant Centre. This means that we abide by a Code of Conduct, as well as place your pet's details onto the NSW Companion Animal Register (Legal requirement for NSW) via the internet, as well as on the Australasian Animal Register (AVA approved).
    
Pharmacy:  We maintain a complete inventory of pharmaceuticals,  shampoos, flea and tick control products and heartworm preventatives to meet the needs of your pet. We also carry a full line of prescription diets. We also keep a supply of the most advanced emergency drugs available, ad keep our knowledge current on management of emergencies. 
   
Individualized Flea Control Programs:  We develop programs for the specific needs of your pet and your own particular environmental situation. We will review with you the best ways to control fleas in your house, in your yard and on your pet.

Dietary Counseling:  We will provide guidance regarding your pet's nutritional needs for each life stage, including dietary requirements for growth, weight maintenance and performance.
    
Behavioural Counseling:  We can provide advice regarding the correction of problems such as excessive barking, chewing, spraying, scratching, digging, house soiling and aggression.

Emergency Care:  Please call our main telephone number for instructions for after-hour emergencies..

 

 
Our intensive care cages are clean, and in an area where your pet can be monitored. 
There is easy access to oxygen, and also, natural sunlight (it's always nice to curl up on a blanket, and watch the world walk past) 
 


  

Ultrasonography: In March 2009, Dr Liz attended an advanced Ultrasound course in Melbourne.  This has allowed us to improve the quality of our ultrasonography service.  We are capable of diagnosing pregnancy, as well as more routine examinations of the kidneys, spleen, liver, bladder, ovaries and uterus (very useful in the diagnosis of pyometron).  We have used it in animals as small as a guinea pig (to identify ovarian cysts), and as large as a Great Dane (closed pyometron).
 

   
Radiology Services:  Our on-site, modern digital X-ray equipment provides high quality radiographs (including intra-oral dental radiographs) to aid in the quick diagnosis of many disorders.   We will send you home with a copy of the radiographs on CD, and we are able to forward these radiographs for a specialists opinion.  We have also performed contrast radiography (eg checking for abnormal position of the ureters in an incontinent dog, or double contrast study looking for bladder stones).