General Information For Vets
- We are available 5 days a week for same-day urgent appointments, regardless of our schedule.
- Patients with suspected respiratory compromise due pulmonary oedema/ pleural effusion or serious arrhythmias will be seen without delay. The only requirement for an urgent referral is a call to VSS reception and let them know the client is about to leave your clinic so that we can prepare for their arrival.
- Due to more advanced hardware and software options, state-of-the-art non-mobile ultrasound systems provide a more advanced imaging capability than all currently availably mobile systems
- The client is guaranteed direct face-to-face consultations with the cardiologist at time of admission and discharge of their pet.
- We provide the only multi-cardiologist team in Australia. This allows collaboration and exchange of perspectives to optimise patient outcomes.
- We provide the only interventional surgery service in Queensland for correction of congenital defects and for pacemaker implantation
- Direct access to and collaboration with the ICU (PICU) and emergency services (AES) at Veterinary Specialist Services (VSS)
- Same-day collaboration with a wide range of other specialists within the VSS team to provide a complete solution if required to improve your client’s level of satisfaction that all relevant co-morbidities have been assessed. Same-day interim reports and/or phone discussions are available on request to keep you updated with case diagnosis and management
No. However if you have performed any tests prior to referral, please make them available to us for review prior to the appointment time.
After obtaining a history and performing a physical examination, we will discuss with your client which diagnostics tests we recommend. These tests can all be performed on the day of their referral appointment with VCA.
Please call Veterinary Specialist Services and make our reception staff aware of the urgency of the referral and the expected arrival time of your patient at VSS . We accept all emergency referrals 5 days per week.
Often our appointment schedule is booked several weeks in advance. At VCA, we are happy to review your medical records and diagnostics to determine the urgency of a referral if you would like our input into the decision-making for your patient. Please make our reception staff at Veterinary Specialist Services aware of your enquiry at the time of booking the appointment. Patients requiring urgent referral will always be accommodated.
For most patients, sedation or anti-anxiety medication for travel will be safe. However, if you are unsure about which sedation protocol may be suitable for your patient, please contact us to discuss. For most cardiac patients, gabapentin or butorphanol are safe to prescribe.
Pimobendan provides long-term benefits for patients with advanced myxomatous mitral valve disease and dilated cardiomyopathy. For patients with preclinical disease, there is little short-term gain to commencement of this therapy prior to referral for a definitive diagnosis.
If requested, a same day interim report can be emailed to your clinic. However, a comprehensive visit summary of your patient’s examination will be emailed to you as soon as possible in the week following the VCA appointment and prior to any follow-up appointments scheduled at your clinic the next week, particularly for patients requiring further assessment and blood tests. Our reports often include additional long term management advice including diet, exercise and anaesthesia protocols and therefore take several days to be finalised and sent. More urgent updates are also available via phone.
At VCA, we strive to provide ongoing support for your patients and for the primary care veterinarians at your clinic. For most patients, regular rechecks for renal function testing etc.. at your clinic will be advised. Our visit summary will provide guidance on what tests
have been recommended and how the results of these tests may be interpreted to optimise patient care. Should anything change or should you have questions, please call to discuss.
Please don’t hesitate to email or call us for advice regarding cases, regardless of their likelihood of referral. We answer many emails and phone calls every day that enable us to provide free advice regarding radiograph and ECG interpretation or to assist with treatment decision-making and drug doses.
The images in this link are not the typical views obtained during an echo assessment. The images will require ECG-gating (ie an ECG attached during the echo) and will require a veterinary cardiologist or a highly trained sonographer/radiologist to obtain suitable images. The left apical parasternal 5-chamber view is the most important for device-sizing and suitability assessment. Please send in DICOM format.