The Ellerslie Vet Clinic is a full-service clinic and utilise in-house blood chemistry and blood cell analysis, urine analysis, digital radiography, ultrasonography, ultrasonic dental scaling and polishing and dental radiography, blood pressure measuring, ECG, microscopy, cytology and other services.
Driving a Ferrari doesn’t mean that you’ll win the next Formula 1. – At Ellerslie Vets we believe that the state-of-the-art equipment one has is only as good as the user behind it! Advanced ultrasonography, for example, requires certain technical and anatomical knowledge but more so years of guided and supervised scanning to gain true expertise.
“I pride myself on being one of those very fortunate people in life who looks forward to coming to work each day because I literally get to do something I really love. Whether it’s just giving a health exam or getting to play with a gorgeous kitten or puppy, performing a challenging surgery or helping return a sick pet to health. I’m blessed to have the opportunity to make a difference and working as a vet gives me a daily sense of fulfilment.” Dr Kathrin Brinker, PhD
Diagnostic & Therapeutic
Diagnostic & Therapeutic
Complex Diagnosis need competent Vets. At Ellerslie Vet Clinic we strive to create an overall experience for you and your pet that is filled with warmth and first class care. Our veterinarians are experienced in, and knowledgeable about the full spectrum of injuries and diseases. The conditions we treat include skin and ear disorders; food intolerance; infections; hormonal disorders such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease; heart, lung, liver and blood diseases; tumors; fractured bones; muscle and joint conditions; fleas, ticks, mites and other parasites; obesity; and more. If your pet requires additional expertise we will consult and work closely with local, board-certified specialists or specialists from overseas, with whom we have established working relationships.
We offer a Drop-Off Service if you are unable to stay for an appointment. Simply download and fill in our Drop-Off Form at home, bring it with you and we will call you after completing the physical exam, make our Diagnosis in order to discuss your pet’s needs.
For your cat’s comfort, we have a separate cat waiting room which leads to our cat only consultation room, a room reserved and designed exclusively for our feline patients. We use a soothing pheromone to help your cat feel more relaxed during the visit.
Each of our exam rooms features a large picture window to incorporate natural light.
When you visit your hospitalized pet or have lengthy waits during surgery or other treatments/diagnostics, our calm and comfortable Tranquillity Room allows you to rest or to spend quality time with your pet.
Our consultations are by appointment only, and we try to keep to time. This can be a challenge sometimes, particularly with emergencies. Our nurses are trained in assessing which clients need to take priority, but please let us know if you feel your furry friend needs more urgent attention.
Preventive Wellness Care:
Many conditions that can negatively affect your pet can be prevented by working with your veterinarian to decide what care is needed and when. Your pet’s health needs will change as he/she grows. Ellerslie Veterinary Clinic staff is committed to providing exceptional preventative care through all of your pet’s ages and stages.
Just like people, pets need to see their doctor on a regular basis, even when they are well.
We recommend that you bring your pet in once a year for a Wellness exam.
During a Wellness exam, we examine your pet from nose to tail to be sure that everything feels, looks and sounds normal.
Wellness exams also give us the opportunity to get to know you and your furry family member. We want to learn all about your pet and encourage you to share information about anything that distinguishes your furry friend as the individual they are. During your visit, we will also talk about any changes that have taken place in your pet’s life and we can answer any questions you have about your pet’s species-, breed-, gender- and age-specific health needs.
With the information you bring and a good physical exam, we can make a plan that meets the needs of your pet and the family.
Ellerslie Veterinary Clinic’s diagnostic services include:
- On-site veterinary laboratory services
- Imaging Diagnosis
- ECG (Electrocardiogram)
- Blood pressure measurement
- Ophthalmological (eye) tests including measurement of intraocular pressure
Surgery & Emergency Care
Surgery & Emergency Care
With expertise gained from years of advanced training Ellerslie Vet Clinic tackles some of the toughest surgical and emergency conditions. We use innovative procedures in combination with traditional, proven methods, high-tech equipment and the latest medicines and therapies to diagnose and treat your pet’s condition.Among our areas of expertise are routine soft tissue surgeries including spays and neuters, mass/tumor removals, abdominal surgeries like bladder stones and orthopedic surgeries. We have meticulous protocols in place to ensure your pet’s safety and to minimize discomfort before, during and after surgery.
For your pet – Safety First!
- Perform pre-anesthetic blood tests to be sure your pet’s organs and systems are healthy enough for surgery and recovery and that they are fit enough to metabolize any medication which is used in relation to the anesthesia and procedure
- Use intravenous catheters to keep your pet well hydrated, maintain a normal blood pressure, administer additional medications when needed, and flush anesthetic medicines out of your pet’s system when the procedure is complete
- Utilise advanced monitoring equipment throughout the procedure to continuously monitor your pet’s heart rate, respiration and blood oxygen level, blood pressure and body temperature
Appropriate Pain Management
Ellerslie Vet Clinic is alive to the importance of Pain Management as the assessment of pain and, if appropriate, treatments in order to assure the needs of pain medication for your pet. When it comes to pain control, Ellerslie Vets staff imagine themselves in their patients paws and take every possible measure to ensure your pet is comfortable at each point of his/her way.
We adjust the pain management plan to your pets’ specific needs, taking into account your pets’ species, age, breed, size, weight, disposition and the procedure he/she is having. We may choose to employ multiple medications at the same time; this is known to be a more effective way to manage pain and also decreases the risk of medication side effects.
We are sure your furry friend will benefit from pain medication as he/she recovers from surgery at home, too. Customized pain management plans will be provided to all patients to facilitate this.
Dentistry & Physiotherapy
DENTISTRY & PHYSIOTHERAPY
Periodontal disease in cats and dogs develops in stages. When diagnosed and treated in the earliest stages, permanent damage to your pet’s teeth and gums can be minimised or avoided. In later stages, periodontal disease may lead to bone and tissue loss, as well as infection.
The dental services at Ellerslie Vet Clinic include Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment & Treatment (COHAT), commonly known as a “dental” or “dental cleaning”. COHAT is performed under anaesthesia for your pets’ comfort and safety. We use the same strict safety and pain-management protocols for COHAT that we insist to use for all surgical procedures.
COHAT at Ellerslie Vets involves:
- a complete pre-anaesthetic exam
- presurgical blood test (if recent lab results are not available)
- a pre-anaesthetic sedation and once this is taking effect, an intravenous catheter will be placed for iv fluid therapy to maintain a normal blood pressure and to keep your pet well hydrated
- thereafter the patient is anaesthetised and a tube is placed in the airway and a gas anaesthesia is given via the breathing tube; your pet is continuously monitored during the whole anaesthesia
- a complete oral exam is performed and every tooth is evaluated thoroughly
- in cats, we routinely obtain full mouth radiographs and in dogs, dental radiographs are performed if there are any concerns during the oral exam
- a professional cleaning will be performed including scaling and polishing to help prevent new plaque and tartar from forming (this includes removing plaque and tartar from under the gum line)
- after reviewing the dental x-rays and results from the oral exam, work may need to be performed, such as extractions
- medications will be used tailored to your pet’s needs before, during and after the procedure
- we will contact you when the procedure is finished to discuss when your pet can be discharged from the hospital
Physiotherapy
What Can Physiotherapy Do For My Pet?
Animal physiotherapy (physical therapy) is a complementary therapy which is a rapidly growing veterinary sector, as both vets and owners realise the benefits of physiotherapy for musculoskeletal, neurological and age related changes in pets.
In optimum conditions, the body will heal an injury in a particular time span. For various reasons, these conditions are not always readily available. In these circumstances, the injury will take longer to heal than nature intended or the injury may not heal at all. The aim of physiotherapy is to optimise these conditions so that the body can heal the injury in its natural time span.
Pet physiotherapy effectively provides pain relief immediately after surgery and during the rehabilitation process. Post-surgical rehabilitation can help in numerous ways, e.g. by rebuilding strength, mobility, or re-educating correct gait patterns.
Pre-surgical treatments can also help, e.g. to lengthen and strengthen soft tissues which become contracted with underuse of a limb.
Neurological patients benefit from physiotherapy techniques to support their muscles and joints whilst the patient is unable to actively move these. The application of sensory stimuli can be used to reawaken neurological pathways and assist in regaining proprioceptive capability.
Senior patients with degenerative conditions such as arthritis can have improved quality of life through physiotherapy as it helps to slow down degeneration and treats compensatory muscle spasms.
Some of the conditions that can be helped by physiotherapy are:
- Back pain
- Tendon and ligament injury
- Arthritis
- Muscle spasms and muscle strains
- Soft tissue injuries
- Neurological disorders
- Rehabilitation after surgery, e.g. after Cruciate Ligament Surgery
X-Ray & Ultrasound & Laboratory
X-Ray & Ultrasound & Laboratory
Digital X-Ray / radiology assesses bones, muscles, joints and internal organs and structures. Digital x-ray is computerized, which provides a high level of detail and allows us to share the images and discuss your pet’s condition with you immediately.
Ellerslie Veterinary Clinic also performs dental x-ray on a regular basis for cats, dogs and even rodents.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is one of the most important tools in vet medicine diagnostics. It is a completely non-invasive, painless technology which uses high-frequency sound waves to produce real-time images. It allows veterinarians to assess inner organs of the abdominal cavity, the heart, the thyroid gland and even structures on the body surface.
Ultrasound shows the inner structure of organs including blood supply via colour flow Doppler. It also enables us to evaluate cardiac function and cardiac disease.
If any changes are detected, it may be useful to take samples via Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) or to take ultrasound guided biopsies. This often makes surgery unnecessary or helps with pre-operative decision making and planning.
As a diagnostic medical sonographer, you are the one answering a host of life-changing medical questions with the help of ultrasound technology and you play a vital role in ensuring a proper diagnosis. This means it is crucial that the sonographer not only has the knowledge and technical skills to produce the best sonographic images and to carry out diagnostic procedures but furthermore has the experience to interpret the ultrasound images. This particularly applies for echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart) in a Vet Clinic.
The quality of an ultrasound exam stands and falls with the theoretical training, laboratory practice and extensive clinical experience of the ultrasonographer.
Dr Kathrin Brinker is an advanced, very experienced and skillful ultrasonographer with over 20 years’ experience in ultrasonography. Dr Kathrin has been trained by well-known ultrasonographer’s overseas and she enjoys training her colleagues in the clinic to build up or improve their ultrasound skills.
+ ER
(09) 281 3 481
In the event of an emergency during clinic hours, please call on above contact and proceed directly to Ellerslie Veterinary Clinic & Cattery.
(09) 281 3 481
For after hour emergencies, please call the VS A&E Emergency Veterinary Care on