Emergency and after-hours calls 

Our team of Vets and nurses are equipped to handle a wide case of emergencies. We also have someone at the clinic 24 hours, 7 days a week to monitor any inpatients. Furthermore, we offer an after-hours service should your pet become ill or injured outside of normal clinic hours.

West Coast Veterinary Hospital has saved the lives of thousands of pets since opening it's doors. Snake bites and vehicle trauma are treated right here by our experienced team of vets and nurses no matter what hour of the day. If you have an emergency and are concerned your pet may require  urgent care please phone us!

  

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Surgery

From routine surgeries such as desexing through to emergency exploratory laparotomies, we’re equipped to handle a wide range of surgical cases. Our veterinarians have years of experience performing a wide range of surgical procedures with many of them completing further education and courses in this area. Your pet’s wellbeing is of the utmost importance which is why we have a dedicated
surgery nurse responsible for monitoring your pet’s anaesthesia.

 

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Orthopaedic Surgery
The advancements in small animal orthopaedics is a keen interest for many of our veterinarians here at West Coast Veterinary Clinic including Dr Stefan Gouws and Dr Aaron Raney. They frequently perform a large variety of orthopaedic surgeries including cruciate ligament repairs and fracture repairs. Both Dr Raney and Go Gouws are regular attendees of courses and further education centred around orthopaedic surgeries.

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Digital Radiography
Radiographs are a non-invasive way for our vets to examine tissues, bones and organs. Having this equipment readily available means we can quickly diagnose injuries. We use a digital x-ray machine which provides us with results almost immediately.

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In house blood tests
West Coast Veterinary Hospital is equipped to run a large variety of diagnostic blood tests. Simple blood tests can confirm if your pet’s organs are functioning properly and to find hidden health conditions that could put your pet at risk.

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Ultrasonography 

Ultrasound scanning is a painless procedure that utilises high-frequency sound waves to produce images of structures within the body. Ultrasound scans are ideal for looking at soft or fluid-filled organs like the heart, liver, bladder and kidneys.

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MRI

MRI is the gold standard diagnostic tool for imaging soft tissues including tendons, ligaments, joint capsule and articular cartilage. For more details regarding MRI for small animals please contact the clinic. 

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HIP SCREENING

What is PennHIP?

The PennHIP (Pennsylvania Hip Improvement) Scheme is the gold standard for assessing hip laxity and predicting future risk of hip dysplasia. It consists of 3 views of the hips taken under general anaesthetic, with the “distraction” view being the key differentiator from other hip scoring schemes - this view looks at hip laxity, which can not be accurately assessed with standard x-ray views. 

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Why is PennHIP the gold standard?

While most hip scoring schemes assess the degree of arthritic/degenerative change already present within a joint, PennHIP also predicts the risk of degenerative change occuring in the future by assessing hip laxity. It also compares the radiographs to thousands of others submitted to the scheme and provides a comparison to the breed average, allowing breeders to select for better hips over time. 

Another benefit to PennHIP is the minimum age - the images can be taken from as young as 16 weeks, allowing early screening and intervention if required in at-risk dogs (e.g. JPS surgery which must be performed before 5 months of age). 

 

At WCVH, Dr Kate and Dr Helen have both undergone further training to become certified to take PennHIP radiographs so that we can continue to provide our clients and patients with gold standard care. If you have any questions or to book in, please contact us on 9393 3373.