Consultations are by appointment. Please contact us in 94973003 to book your pet in. Whilst we do cater for walk-in appointments, there may be a short wait. Emergencies will be given priority. If you have an emergency, please try and call us when you are on your way / before you leave so we can prepare for your arrival.
House calls are available by pre-arranged appointment only- this is preferred if you are unable to travel or your pet suffers severe anxiety coming to the vet clinic.
Our normal hours of operation are:
Monday to Friday
9.00 am to 7.00 pm
Saturday
9.00 am to 3.00 pm
Sunday
10.00am to 12.00pm
Surgery
The Ivanhoe East Vet Hospital has a dedicated surgical theatre designed to minimize contamination from the rest of the hospital. We perform routine (desexings, lump removals, biopsies) and advanced surgeries (cruciate repair, patella, fractures, axial pattern flaps, total ear canal ablation etc). We are not cat and dog specific, and perform an array of surgeries on rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, chickens etc.
Our vets can also perform advanced cruciate repairs called Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA) which provides a very similar outcome to that achieved by specialist centres. We also perform the traditional DeAngelis repair.
Dental Procedures:
We have a dedicated table for performing dental procedures which reduces cross contamination to the surgical theatre and the latest equipment to remove tartar from your pet’s teeth. We have a specialised dental x-ray machine so your pet receives the best care. We always follow up with methods to keep your pet's teeth clean at home to minimise further dental procedures.
Anaesthetic Safety:
We strive to make all surgical procedures as safe as possible for your pet.
Many owners are worried about putting their animal under an anaesthetic. Whilst all anaesthetics carry a risk (even in humans), newer anaesthetics have significantly lower risk of complications even for sick or elderly patients.
The Ivanhoe East Vet Clinic uses the safest medications and the latest monitoring equipment available. Our patients recover in the main staff area so that they are continuously monitored. We use a capnograph to monitor our patients which is considered by academics to be the gold standard monitoring device as it picks up complications much earlier than other commonly used devices. Furthermore, all patients receive an intravenous catheter and intravenous fluids mandatory as this reduces anaesthetic risk further allows us to intervene quickly should anything untoward happen.
All out patients on an intravenous drip which helps maintain blood pressure during the anaesthetic and improves recovery times.
Optional (but strongly recommended) for all pets is a blood test run before the procedure to ensure no undetected illness is present that may affect the outcome of the anaesthetic or surgery.
Cruciate repair at the Ivanhoe East Vet Hospital:
Like humans, dogs can rupture cruciate ligaments in their knee.
Rather than a twist of the knee, canine cruciate ligaments can break down gradually over months/years. Fifty percent of dogs will rupture the cruciate in their other leg within 12 months of the first.
Specialists and academics agree that surgery is recommended in all cases of knee ligament rupture to achieve the best long term outcome. If left untreated, arthritis is inevitable and the knee will become crippled with age. It is essential that ALL dogs over 15kg be offered an advanced surgery, most commonly performed at a specialist facility, that has been proven to be superior to any of the older methods (such as De Angelis and internal graft techniques). It is however more expensive at a specialist and may not be affordable to everyone.
At Ivanhoe East Vet Hospital we perform a technique called the tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) which has pros and cons compared to other advanced techniques but is the surgery of choice for many specialists.
We have experienced better outcomes in cats and dogs and patients of all weights with this technique. If cost is prohibitive, the original DeAngelis method can give good outcomes in patients < 10kg. In dogs > 10kg there will be a higher level of ongoing arthritis and longer recovery times but the result can still be satisfactory.
Referral and Emergencies
The Ivanhoe East Vet Hospital offers and Emergency after hours vet on call service up to midnight, 7 days a week. If you need to see a vet outside of normal hours please contact (03) 94973003 to speak to a vet straight away.
It is not always possible for a vet to be available on call at all hours but we strive to provide as much service as possible.
The Ivanhoe East Vet Hospital would love to be able to diagnose and treat every illness, but this is not always possible. We have excellent communication with local specialists in medicine, surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology and more. If your pet has a very rare, difficult or complicated condition we will always offer a referral to the most experienced specialists in their department.
Preventative Health
At the Ivanhoe East Veterinary Hospital we believe that the best form of treatment is prevention.
Viral Protection:
Vaccinations are the main prevention for viral infections and are required to prevent the spread of diseases in the community. We also required cats to have up to date vaccinations when boarding at our facility. We recommend the following:
We recommend the triennial or 1 in 3 year vaccination for parvo, distemper and hepatitis in dogs.
Heartworm Protection:
Heartworm is one of the most dangerous parasites for dogs and cats in Australia. It is spread by mosquitoes so your pet doesn’t need contact with other animals to become infected. In Melbourne, it is not common, but becoming more prevalent with the warming weather and recent mosquito plagues. As heartworm is considered a life threatening condition, we recommend you protect your dog and cat against it. Most monthly parasite products will include heartworm in their treatment. If you don’t use these products or if you are forgetful in applying them, we have a yearly injection that would be a better option.
Fleas:
Fleas are the most "successful" parasite in Melbourne and the main cause of severe skin allergies in cats and dogs. Each flea can lay up to 300 eggs and each egg can remain dormant for up to 5 months. Unless the animal is severely allergic, most owners won’t realise if their pet is infested. We stock the best flea products to ensure your pet is flea-free.
Intestinal Worms:
Worms live in the intestine of your pet and may cause diarrhoea and weight loss. Rarely some will spread to humans and their larvae can migrate throughout the body affecting organs such as the liver, skin and eyes. Young children are most commonly affected. Many monthly parasite products will control most intestinal worms. Your pet will require an all-wormer OR a tapeworm tablet every 3 months depending on what other parasite products are used. Worming products are available from our clinic. Please come in to discuss the best and most convenient option for your pet.
Diets:
We have researched and made available what we believe to be the best food available for your pet. We do not sell large company premium foods just because they market to us. We are particularly passionate about feline diets. This is because cats are obligate carnivores (compared to dogs who are omnivores) and only effectively process protein. Most, if not all, dry foods are very high in carbohydrates (including "grain-free" diets), which is not "natural" for a cat. It can predispose your cat to weight gain, urinary tract disease, diabetes and other conditions. Cats require a high moisture, high protein diet and we have attempted to stock the best foods available that fit this category. For further information on feline diets follow this link www.catinfo.org
Weight Management:
More dogs and cats are getting overweight. Giving a small dog one potato chip is equivalent to a human eating a whole hamburger. Overweight pets are predisposed to the same diseases that overweight humans are: diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease etc. We will show you the best and most convenient methods to keep your pet a healthy weight. If you are concerned, make an appointment to see us today.
Dental Health:
80% of all cats and dogs have dental disease by 2 years of age. But then, so would we if we didn't brush or floss for 2 years! We like to make sure you are informed of the different ways to keep your pet's teeth healthy. This involves showing you how to brush your pet's teeth and presenting a range of the most effective self-cleaning products. We also offer specialist dental services and suggest you bring your pet in for a free annual dental check if they have smelly breath or related issues.
Arthritis:
All animals will develop arthritis as they get older. This is a painful and depressing condition for your pet and commonly mistaken for your pet "slowing down” in their old age. Many larger dogs are euthanased because of its debilitating effects end stage. This is very hard on owners (and vets) as the pet is often alert and of sound mind. There is no way to completely prevent arthritis, but there are ways of minimizing its impact. We like to educate our clients about this debilitating condition and we offer the best ways to manage and treat this condition to keep your pet as active, healthy and long-lived as possible. If you think your pet may be suffering from arthritis make sure to come and see us so we can decide on the best plan to manage it. We offer synovan/ cartrophen injections without revisit fees to encourage owners to be proactive about their pet's arthritis.
Desexing:
Desexings are performed between 4-6 months of age in puppies and kittens. This will help prevent unwanted behaviours such as roaming, urine marking, inter dog aggression, fights leading to cat abscesses, mounting etc. It will also help reduce the incidence of health problems such as breast cancer, infected uterus, prostate enlargement, testicular cancer etc. It is a simple day procedure and your puppy/kitten will be back home with you that night. We place hidden sutures so there is no sutures on the outside for your pet to pull out- this results in reduced irritation and discomfort. Our prices are very competitive and always include intravenous fluids and 3 days of pain relief after the procedure.
Indicative Prices for some of our services
Consultation:
Weekday $59
Saturday $69
Sunday $85
Afterhours $120
Housecalls $95
Vaccinations (price includes consultation):
Dogs: C5 annual $87
Cats: F4 annual $74
De-sexings (includes IV fluids and pain relief):
Dogs: Castration $260-$360 based on weight Spay $340-$420 based on weight
Cats: Castration $110 Spay $275
Dentals: Basic clean, scale, polish with anaesthetic & IV fluids
Cats $250
Dogs under 20kg $290
Dogs above 20kg $350
Dental checks Free
For other services please contact us on (03) 9497-3003 or email management@ivanhoeeastvet.com.au for an estimate.
Microchipping
It is a council requirement that all pets be microchipped. This has saved thousands of lives. Without a microchip, lost pets are often euthanased at the pound if unclaimed. A pet is identified within minutes of its microchip being scanned and quickly reunited with its owner.
Every pet should therefore be microchipped. The procedure is quick and relatively painless, so make sure you book your pet in to get microchipped now!
Pathology and Diagnostics
Pathology and diagnostic procedures help identify the cause of your pet’s ailment. At the Ivanhoe East Vet Hospital we have advanced diagnostics available in house, which allows us to diagnose and treat conditions rapidly. The faster we find out what is wrong, the faster we can treat your pet and return to them to optimal health (or manage ongoing issues).
Our diagnostic equipment includes:
Microscopy:
Used to diagnose many conditions particularly relating to skin and ear infections as well as skin lumps.
Pathology:
We have an in-house blood machine that is able to process a blood test within minutes. We also have external pathologists on call for more complicated conditions.
X-rays:
Our clinic has a state of the art digital X-ray machine which allows us to take high quality X-rays which are developed instantaneously.
Ultrasound:
We have a state of the art ultrasound machine which provides an immediate picture of the heart or organs in the abdomen. It is very concise but its usefulness is limited to the experience of the vet using the machine. Our vet, Dr Robert Gropel, is currently completing an advanced 12 month ultrasonography course through the University of Sydney which significantly advances his abilities to diagnose from ultrasound.
Cat Boarding
Ivanhoe East Vet Hospital offers cat boarding every day of the year. This is ideal especially for owners who have older cats or cats on medication as a vet is onsite to monitor your pet and deal with any emergencies immediately should they arise.
All cats require up to date vaccinations and flea control to stay in the main cat boarding facility. If your cat is not up to date we can board them in isolation until such a time that their vaccinations become effective.
Our facility hosts custom built boarding cages with swing door access to adjacent cages when we are not fully booked. Cats are fed twice daily and played with often.
Bookings are essential. Please get in early before school holidays as our facility can fill up very quickly.
Cat Grooming
Whether your cat is unable to groom properly due to age / has very long fur / gets too hot in summer / is just too lazy to clean him or herself- we can help!
The Ivanhoe East Vet Hospital can help your special feline friend out whether it's a brush-out, removal of any knots or to give them the popular lion clip. We endeavour to do any short procedures without sedation but longer more delicate procedures may require sedation (with owner consent).
Overnight Hospitalisation
Whilst our hospital is not staffed 24 hours a day, we do frequently check on patients staying overnight. We have installed webcams which allow us to monitor patients at all times throughout the night remotely allowing us to come into the clinic when needed.
