Our Services
Our Services
Our Veterinary Services in Lake Macquarie
Diagnostics
History taking
- You know your pet best and so a vital part of investigating is listening to your account of what is out of the ordinary and concerning you. We will probably ask you questions to try to get a better understanding of what has been happening. You can assist by taking photos or videos of altered behaviour or lameness, collecting urine or faeces for example and bringing that with you.
Physical examination
– During the examination we will gently poke and prod your pet and use aids such as stethescopes and otoscopes to have a good listen and look. It is often helpful if you gently restrain your pet and quietly reassure them during this process.
Sometimes additional testing is necessary or useful to assist in the process of making an accurate diagnosis, and thereby providing a prognosis and appropriate treatment plan.
Pathology
– At TVC we have an in house laboratory and can look at ear swabs, skin samples, poo samples, urine samples and can perform some blood tests. We also have an efficient pathology service that collects samples multiple times a day and provides results rapidly. The results are reviewed by specialist veterinary pathologists.
Radiography – TVC has digital radiography enabling us to investigate orthopaedic and medical cases efficiently. We have access to Specialist Radiologists to assess any radiographs further for us. Additionally we can send radiographs we have taken to Specialist Referral Hospitals for assessment, prior to decisions about sending the patient need to be made.
Ultrasound – TVC has an ultrasound machine that can be used to non-invasively look at internal organs. Scott has a particular interest in ultrasound. We also have a great relationship with Newcastle Ultrasound who provide an ambulatory service, bringing their expertise and advanced machines directly to our clinic.
Surgery
Elective Surgery
– A large part of our day is spent performing elective surgeries in our surgical theatre. Speys, castrations, dental procedures, lump removals, hernia repairs, correction of luxating patellas and cruciate ligament repair are just some of the elective procedures we routinely perform.
Non-elective procedures or emergencies
– We are also ready to perform surgery when emergencies arise, such as caesarean sections, foreign body removal from the gut or wounds, aural haematomas, trauma and orthopaedic problems such as fracture repair. We also offer and organise referral to specialists for the more complicated cases.
Laser Surgery
- Is performed by Dr Scott Doyle using VetScalpel Surgical Laser.
Benefits for patients
Minimized Bleeding:
As it cuts, the laser beam seals small blood vessels. This drastic reduction in bleeding enables a number of new surgical procedures that are not practical or even possible with a scalpel, such as tumors and lesions inside the throat, nose and oral cavity, some types of eye surgery, nasal hyperkeratosis treatment, and many more. Better visualization of the surgical site allows the veterinarian to cut more precisely, avoiding unnecessary trauma to healthy surrounding tissues. In addition, some procedures do not require sutures, when done with the laser (e.g., stenotic nares repair, spaying, and others). Excellent visibility provides another huge advantage of CO2 laser surgery, i.e. the veterinarian completes the surgery faster. Shorter procedures shorten anesthesia time, reducing the risks of anesthesia. In addition, some laser-assisted procedures can be performed in conjunction with others to save the patient time under anesthesia (for instance, stenotic nares repair may be combined with spaying or neutering, etc.) Finally, better visibility ensures a better esthetic result.
Less Pain:
The CO2 laser beam seals nerve endings and lymphatics, resulting in less post-operative swelling and pain. The patient experiences a far more comfortable post-operative recovery.
Reduced risk of infection:
Sanitizing effect is one of the unique features of the CO2 laser beam. It efficiently destroys bacteria in its path (sanitizing effect). Also, CO2 laser surgery is performed in a non-contact mode – the laser tip does not touch the target tissue during surgery, which minimizes the risk of infection even more.
Faster recovery time:
Reduced risk of infection, less bleeding, pain and swelling, less time under anesthesia, often allow the patient a speedy recovery after the surgery and pets walk, eat, drink, or play much sooner than after conventional scalpel surgery.
Medicine
Medical cases
– our clinic manages medical cases in hospital and on an out-patient basis depending on needs. Referral can also be arranged for complex cases and we work closely with specialists to provide ongoing care for our patients, once they have been discharged from referral hospitals.
Preventative medicine
– prevention is always better than cure! With this in mind a large part of what we do is aimed at preventing disease. Vaccinations, worming, heartworm control, flea control and tick control are all vital preventatives. TVC can provide all these things and will discuss the options available and help you make the right choice for your pet.
Nutrition
Nutrition
– just like us, our pets will be happier and healthier with a balanced good quality diet. At TVC we can advise on an appropriate diet for your pet, taking into account their breed, temperament, activity level and any medical conditions they may have. We have in stock a range of premium quality foods as well as prescription diets. We can also order in diets that we don’t routinely stock.
Other Services
Puppy Preschool
– it is an exciting time welcoming a new puppy to the family. As well as providing all the veterinary care for your new family member, we offer a Puppy Preschool. Puppy Preschool is a fantastic experience for both puppy and owners, with socialisation being an essential component. Whilst your puppy learns to interact with other puppies in a polite and friendly way, you will learn the latest on flea, tick, heartworm and tummy worming preventatives as well as having some great discussions on nutrition and dental care. At the conclusion of the four classes you and your puppy will have mastered some basic obedience tasks such as sit, drop, stay, and you will leave with the confidence and know how to continue caring, training and enjoying your new pup.
Palliative Care
Palliative care
– caring for a pet of advanced age, or with a terminal condition and making decisions about ongoing care and when to end it is challenging for everyone. We are here to assist in any way we can, giving advice regarding treatment and management plans. When the time has come to say farewell we will be there to support you and make the process as peaceful as possible, explaining what will happen and helping you make some choices regarding cremation or burial. We understand that sometimes you would prefer to say goodbye in the familiarity of your own home, and where possible we will endeavour to carry out your wishes.