Veterinary Consultations
Belgrave South Veterinary Clinic offers consultations by appointment for your convenience. This works well to keep your waiting to a minimum and allows us to allocate enough time to thoroughly examine your pet and discuss any queries or concerns you may have about their health or behaviour.
All of our veterinarians regularly participate in continuing education activities to stay up to date with the latest developments in veterinary medicine.
Behavioural Consultations
Did you know that we provide a targeted behavioural consultation service so that we can help strengthen the bond between pets and their owners?
Dr. Peter Van Orsouw is our veterinarian with a interest in behavioural medicine. If necessary, Dr. Peter can work in conjunction with Lorraine Van Orsouw (KPA CTP-DELTA Cert Level IV Canine Behavioural Trainer) to come up with a behaviour modification plan to suit your pet.
Dr. Peter is able to discuss and investigate any potential medical causes for behavioural issues. Lorraine is able to come out to your home and offer private dog training for you and your family if needed.
Our behaviour service deals with common canine and feline behavioural concerns, including anxiety disorders, OCD behaviours, phobias/fears (including thunder & fireworks), inappropriate urination/defecation disorders & cognitive dysfunction in elderly pets .
We specialise in using positive science based behavioural modification techniques, environmental management and enrichment, and adjunctive medication to manage and treat these disorders.
Please call the clinic on (03) 97542316 to make an appointment. We will email you a pre-consult behaviour questionnaire that you will need to complete prior to the first consultation.
Surgery
Our sterile operating room is equipped to perform a wide range of surgeries – from routine desexings, to more complex orthopaedic procedures, such as cruciate ligament stabilisations and fracture repairs.
At Belgrave South Veterinary Clinic we use the latest anaesthetic drugs and gaseous anaesthetic machines and have invested in the latest monitoring equipment to ensure the safest possible anaesthesia for your pets. Modern advances in anaesthetic agents give us much more control and greatly reduced anaesthetic risks.
Your pets are closely monitored throughout their anaesthetic and during recovery, by their own designated surgical nurse, in order to further reduce the anaesthetic risks.
All of our veterinarians regularly participate in continuing education activities to stay up to date with the latest developments in veterinary medicine.
Diagnostic Imaging
We can offer the diagnostic imaging modalities of digital radiography and ultrasonography to assist us in getting a diagnosis on your unwell pet.
Our high definition digital radiography unit takes x-rays that can help us assess your pet’s skeletal system for things such as fractures of bones, joint disease and other causes of limping or lameness. It can also assist us in diagnosing heart or lung diseases, diseases of the abdominal organs such as the liver, spleen, kidneys as well as the gastro-intestinal tract and urinary tract. Radiology is generally painless, but sometimes we will sedate your pet to reduce the stress of being positioned for the x-ray.
We can also offer ultrasound exams including abdominal exams, urinary tract exams as well as pregnancy exams on your pets. Ultrasound provides a more detailed assessment of the abdominal organs and complements radiography to give us the full picture. Ultrasound procedures are normally done under a light sedation to keep your pet relaxed throughout the exam.
If we feel your pet requires more advanced imaging such as CT exams or endoscopy, we work closely with our local specialists and can readily refer patients to receive these services.
Dentistry
It might surprise you to know that dental disease is one of the most frequently diagnosed health problems in cats and dogs. Dental disease is a common cause of pain, bad breath, loss of appetite and infection in pets.
We are also equipped with a dental x-ray unit. This equipment enables us to view what is happening beneath the gum line, and have a much clearer indication for issues such as tooth root abscesses, fractured teeth, tumours and broken roots.
Your cat or dog might be one of the 4 in 5 animals that will have some form of dental disease by the age of 4! As always, your team of vets and vet nurses at Belgrave South Veterinary Clinic are here to help.
From a thorough clean and polish, to tooth extractions, we are well equipped to take care of your pet’s dental health.
Microchipping
No one likes the thought of losing a pet and everyone wants to get their lost pet back as quickly as possible! While collars and tags are a great way to identify a pet, a permanent microchip is much better.
The microchips used to permanently identify pets are about the size of a grain of rice. They are implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades at the back of the pet’s neck. Each microchip has a unique 15 digit code that can be detected by passing a special microchip scanner over the area. This microchip number, along with your pet’s details and your contact details are kept on a secure microchip database registry.
When a pet is lost and presented to a vet clinic, animal shelter or local council pound, the animal is scanned for a microchip. With the microchip number identified, staff at these places can log onto the registry database and retrieve the pet’s details.
Acupuncture
Veterinary Acupuncture is one of a variety of services we offer at Belgrave South Vet Clinic. Dr. Joanne Simon is trained in veterinary acupuncture and can use this method to help treat a range of medical conditions.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture can be defined as the insertion of needles into specific points on the body to restore balance and encourage the body to heal itself. It is an ancient form of Chinese Medicine that has been practised and refined for thousands of years. More recently clinical research has support the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating a number of health complaints.
How does it work?
Traditional Chinese Acupuncture is based on the principle of Qi (pronounced chee), or energy/life force, which flows through the body. When in balance a person enjoys good health, but when the flow is disrupted it results in imbalance or ill health. By stimulating certain acupuncture points the flow of Qi and balance can be restored.
In modern times advanced imaging techniques have been used to show that acupuncture points correspond to areas of concentrated nerve bundles, lymphatics and blood vessels. Stimulation of these point results in the release of neurotransmitters and hormones which in turn regulate blood flow and relieve pain and muscle spasm. Stimulation of nerves can also promote nerve regeneration and stimulate the immune system. In essence Acupuncture is stimulating the body to heal itself.
Is it painful?
In small animals acupuncture is virtually painless. There may be a small reaction to the needle penetrating the skin but once placed, the animal should be comfortable and may even become increasingly relaxed and sleepy. Nonetheless, sometimes an animal will be uncomfortable with the placement of a needle. In these cases, from our experience with human acupuncture, it is presumed that the needle is causing tingling, cramping or numbness. This is not harmful but is uncomfortable and in these cases the needle may be removed without harm.
Is Acupuncture safe for animals?
Acupuncture is a very safe treatment option for animals when administered by a properly trained Veterinarian. Adverse effects are not common but do exist. Following an acupuncture session you may feel your companion is sleepier or that symptoms are worse for up to 48 hours, but after this they should show significant improvement.
It should be noted that, before choosing acupuncture for your pet, it is important that an accurate Veterinary diagnosis has been made and that ongoing assessments are complied with. This is important because once initiated, Acupuncture may mask the signs and symptoms of underlying conditions that may require treatment other than acupuncture.
What conditions can be treated with Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is beneficial for the management of musculoskeletal conditions such as traumatic injuries, osteoarthritis and intervertebral disc disease. It can also be beneficial in cases of chronic pain, non-infectious inflammation, chronic skin complaints and gastrointestinal upset. If you would like to discuss whether acupuncture may be suitable for your companion animal please don’t hesitate to contact us on 97542316.
Puppy Preschool
Belgrave South Puppy Preschool is a great way to start your puppy on the right path to becoming a happy, well mannered and well-adjusted member of your family.
Between four and sixteen weeks of age, puppies develop very quickly - this is the perfect time for them to learn all about people, other dogs and the rest of the world. Puppy Preschool is designed to take advantage of this critical learning period, in a supervised environment that is clean and safe for young puppies.
Belgrave South Puppy Preschool is a fun and interactive course of five classes, run over four weeks, that covers normal canine behaviours, what to expect when welcoming a new puppy into the family, with an emphasis on socialisation, and basic training. Our aim is to teach you positive ways to train your puppy in basic skills such as ‘sit’, ‘drop’, ‘stay’, and how to walk well on a lead, but also how to handle your puppy’s not so desirable behaviours, like toileting inside, biting, mouthing and separation anxiety.
Puppy Information Night-
Have you recently adopted a new puppy? Want to make sure you have all the information to get off on the right 'paw' in welcoming them into the household?
Classes will cover toileting, biting, socialisation and everything else you need to know including Q & A time at the end.
They will be held on Monday evening between 7-8pm and are $35 per class. Depending on weather, these will be either held outside in our garden or inside the clinic adhering to social distancing rules.
Call the clinic on 97542316 to book in for our puppy information night today!
Fear Free - Taking the “Pet” out of “Petrified”
We are proud to announce that we are officially a team full of Fear Free Certified Professionals who are committed to caring for your pet’s emotional well-being as well as their physical well-being.
Fear Free Certified Professionals are a cut above the rest when it comes to caring for your furry friends. Our staff have completed 9 hours of veterinary education with stringent testing and annual continued education requirements.
The Fear Free initiative aims to “take the ‘pet’ out of ‘petrified’” by preventing and alleviating fear, anxiety and stress in pets. It helps to get pets back for veterinary visits by promoting considerate approach and gentle control techniques used in calming environments.
Utilisation of Fear Free methods and protocols in our clinic lead to reduction or removal of anxiety triggers, which helps create an experience that is rewarding and safer for all involved including pets, owners, and veterinary health care teams.
As Fear Free Certified Professionals, we strive to:
• Reduce or remove anxiety triggers that can cause pets to become fearful at home, in transport, and at the veterinary hospital
• Help owners deliver calm pets to the clinic
• Enhance the quality of care
• Increase compliance
• Improve safety for pets, owners and staff
Is your pet showing signs of stress and anxiety before arriving at the vet clinic? Ask us if pre-visit sedation or supplements might take the edge off and keep your pet happy and relaxed.
Would your pet be more comfortable waiting in the car rather than the waiting room? Just let us know if there is anything that triggers your pet’s anxiety and we are more than happy to tailor our approach to suit your pets individual needs.
Feel free to call and chat to one of our Fear Free Certified staff members on 97542316 if you would like more information on the Fear Free initiative, advice on getting your pet to the vet clinic or anything we can do to make your pet’s visit as stress free as possible.
For more information, visit www.fearfreepets.com.
Feline Friendly
At Belgrave South Vet clinic we pride ourselves on high standards of cat friendliness and therefore now offer a separate cat waiting area, cat only consultation room & cat only hospital ward! We are all about developing our ‘cattitute’ and implementing techniques to minimise stress in our feline patients during clinic visits.
Our staff undergo additional training to ensure cats are treated in a manner that suits their specific needs and to ensure cats are treated with gentleness and respect.
Dr. Sasha Van Deventer & nurse Olivia Hardwick are our clinic Cat Advocate’s and are happy to discuss any specific needs you may have for your cat at anytime. Contact our friendly staff on 97542316 if you would like any tips on reducing the stress of getting your cat to the practice as this pre-visit period can be critical to the success of the visit.