Surgery and Diagnostics
General and Specialist Surgery
Our large hospital has a dedicated sterile surgical theatre and separate area for non-sterile procedures. Our experienced vets provide general surgical services including desexings, soft tissue and dental. We utilise mobile Veterinary Specialist Surgeons to provide more advanced surgical procedures in-house, including orthopaedics, TPLO cruciate repair and more advanced soft tissue procedures. This allows us to cover all procedures in the one familiar location, without the need for referrals and travel or unfamiliar hospitals and teams.
See our page Our Surgical Care Approach for more details on the differences we provide when your pet undergoes a surgical procedure.
All surgical patients need to have had a consultation within the four months leading into surgery. If you are a new client considering surgery with us then call to arrange a consultation with the veterinarian.
We provide detailed estimates for all or procedures, and complete paperwork and discussions prior to the day allowing a smooth fast admission on the morning of procedure. Prepayment or pre-approval with credit facility such as vetpay is required, as well as your pet being up to date with vaccinations. All cats not vaccinated against FIV will be tested on the day, to prevent us inadvertently spreading this blood and saliva borne disease.
Desexings / Neutering
Desexing is a surgical procedure involving the removal of the reproductive organs while your pet is under general anaesthesia. Deciding to desex your dog or cat is an important choice with numerous benefits for both your pet and the wider community. There are different factors to consider, including the timing of the procedure, as different breeds will have different recommendations. We will discuss this in more detail with you during consultation. It is not a one-size-fits all decision.
Spey (female) and Castration (male) procedures are routine and performed most weekdays. We cannot ignore thought that this is a significant procedure in your pet’s life, including what is often their first General Anaesthetic, and for females it involves internal abdominal surgery. We will not gloss over the significance of factors such as safety, comfort, stress reduction and a smooth speedy recovery.
There are many differences in the desexing procedures performed at Dandenong Veterinary Hospital compared with cheaper alternatives offered elsewhere, and the page Our Surgical Care Approach details a few of these. We look forward to speaking with you further about considering desexing for your pet. For new clients considering having surgery with us we provide a free initial consultation to get to know your pet and you, including a full examination and discussions on what to expect and aftercare. Call to book in now.
Diagnostic Imaging – Xrays, Ultrasound, Endoscopy
We provide a broad array of Diagnostics in-house, utilising both our experienced vets and Mobile Veterinary Specialists for more advanced imaging. Some diagnostics are able to be performed on the spot or the same-day, such as an urgent Xray, while others are booked in advance for admission as a day procedure.
Our large modern Xray allows us to produce digital images, which can be attached to patient files and emailed to specialists if required. We also have a smaller Xray machine for accurate detail in small areas, including Dental images.
We offer Ultrasound in-house using our own machine, and via a Mobile Veterinary Specialist, depending on the scans required.
Endoscopy uses a small flexible camera to visualise areas such as the stomach, throat and larger airways. It can be used for imaging, biopsy collection and removal of some foreign bodies from the stomach before they enter the intestines and cause a blockage.
Diagnostics – Blood Testing, Urine and Faecal tests, Cytology, Blood Pressure Assessments
Blood testing is performed in an external laboratory, allowing us to offer a full range of tests. These tests are often more comprehensive than in-house profiles, and turn-around times are still very fast. For most of our blood tests we often get results returned within 1-2 days, and can arrange faster results for urgent cases.
Most Urine and Faecal Tests are completed in our in-house lab, allowing us to get results quickly and institute treatment sooner. We are often taking samples during consultation for on-the-spot Cytology (examination of the cells under the microscope), such as for ear infections or needle aspirates of lumps. We can then make decisions quickly regarding treatments or next steps required.
Blood pressure assessments can be completed during consultation. It is very important to monitor blood pressure in pets with some disease conditions such as kidney disease, and old cats are also higher risk for elevated blood pressure. If not detected, the consequences can be significant including blindness and shortened life span.
General Anaesthesia
We are particularly proud of the anaesthetic regime performed here at Dandenong Veterinary Hospital. All anaesthesia comes with some (albeit very low) risks, so we take multiple measures to ensure this risk is as low as possible for all our patients. Pets are much loved family members, and we know how daunting it can be when they need a procedure, especially if a general anaesthetic is involved.
Anaesthetic risk is reduced in many ways for our patients. The page Our Surgical Approach details the ways we reduce risk and provide exceptional care for all our surgical patients. This approach means we can deliver the safest, smoothest anaesthesia and recovery, reduce pain and stress experienced dramatically, and care for your pets as though they were our own. We know our general anaesthetics will not be the cheapest available, but the benefits are clear to us each time we perform a procedure and a patient goes home bright and comfortable. We cannot remove all risks, and extremely rarely complications and reactions to anaesthetics can still occur, however we do all we can to ensure their procedure runs as smoothly as possible.