Health Checks:
Annual health checks are the most important preventative health procedure and diagnostic aid available to your pet. Because pets age so rapidly, major health changes can occur in a short period of time. Just like us, the risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, heart disease and other serious conditions all increase with age. Early detection of problems can allow for prompt treatment.

Auscultation of the heart using a stethoscope Otoscopic examination of the external ear canal
	Using a direct opththalmoscope to examine the retina.

Vaccinations:
One of the most effective ways of protecting your pet’s health  is by providing vaccination against serious infectious diseases.  We strongly recommend vaccinating dogs against Parvovirus, Distemper, Infectious Hepatitis and Kennel Cough (Canine Cough).

All cats should be vaccinated against Feline Respiratory Disease (“cat flu”), feline enteritis, and Chlamydia. We strongly recommend vaccinating all outdoor cats against Feline AIDS, which has an incidence in Australian cats of around 15-20%.

Pet rabbits should be vaccinated against Calicivirus, the cause of viral hemorrhagic enteritis in rabbits. This disease was released into the wild rabbit population in Australia to control the numbers of wild rabbits and can infect any pet rabbit, resulting in sudden death.
               
Other Medical Services:

Hospitalisation:
If your pet happens to become ill enough to require hospitalisation, we aim to make that process as comfortable as possible for you and your pet. The hospital is air-conditioned during the hotter months and heated during winter to provide optimum comfort for patients. You, the owner, are encouraged to visit your animal while in hospital. This allows you to see the level of care and attention that your pet receives, as well as allowing us to discuss your pet’s condition with you.

Intravenous fluid therapy.

Chemotherapy:
As cancer is just as common in animals as it is in humans, chemotherapy is frequently a treatment option when caring for these patients. The protocols used in veterinary medicine are aimed at achieving remission of clinical signs whilst avoiding most of the side-effects associated with cytotoxic drugs. In particular, chemotherapy protocols for the treatment of lymphosarcoma (one of the most common cancers of dogs and cats) are now highly successful in inducing remission and providing excellent quality of life. Our protocols generally involve weekly day-visits, during which the treatments are carried out with the utmost care, and the patient is observed closely for any ill-effects.

Artificial insemination:
A technique we perform at the hospital if natural breeding is unsuccessful. The success rate is very high, generally achieving pregnancy is greater than 75% cases.

Nutrition:
At Port Macquarie Veterinary Hospital, we feed and recommend Hill’s Science canine and feline diets as the ideal diet for all animals at all stages in life. Individual diets are available for puppies, adults, aged pets, overweight pets and pets with specific diseases which can be managed with dietary therapy.
Please ask our staff about the benefits of feeding this top quality food to your pet.

Our Product Range

Weight Loss Programmes:
Due to the very high incidence of obesity in our domestic pets, we are more than happy to devise a personalised weight loss programme for every patient. Commonly we utilise a combination of exercise and the highly successful Hills r/d prescription food (reducing diet). This scientifically designed diet is very low in calories and high in fibre, allowing your pet to still ingest a reasonable volume of food which is completely balanced nutritionally, but ensures steady and safe weight loss.
The health benefits for your pet are immeasurable - all you need is a little discipline and to ask us today to start your pet on the road to a healthier and more active life!