Frequently Asked Questions

Great advancements have been made in veterinary medicine over the last couple of decades. Combinations of preventative healthcare, treatment for conditions common among aged animals, and improved quality of life are all contributing to longer lifespans for our beloved pets.

While pet care knowledge and expectations have indeed become more complex, it is not without reward. By going the extra mile and providing our animals with the best care we can access for them, we get to enjoy their company for longer than ever before!

A lot of pets are fearful of vet clinics. This is not unusual as they’re not the most pleasant places for them to visit! You can work on building positive associations with the vet clinic by taking them for enriching walks nearby, or even dropping in to the reception to make them more familiar with the experience. With plenty of treats and praise, and some basic activities like getting their weight on the scales or greeting the reception staff they can start to make positive connections with the clinic environment.

If your pet suffers from severe anxiety which is not able to be improved with behavioural training, it may be worth discussing the use of common sedatives with your vet. There are many different varieties available, some of which can be purchased over the counter and some medications which will require dispensing by a veterinarian.

“Pack Theory” was developed by a behaviouralist in 1947 by studying wild wolves placed in an enclosure, and has since been debunked. Between a misunderstanding of pack hierarchy, roles, and limited resources, the results from the study were distorted. The theory behind the training approach is misguided and outdated, and as we have developed a much more in-depth knowledge of our canine friends, we understand that they are further removed from their wild counterparts than pack theory suggests.

We now know that a more positive, force-free approach to training is significantly more effective, and that setting up your puppy/dog for success and working within their comfort threshold leads to happy, healthy associations with their surroundings and interactions.

Medical care costs a lot more money than we see, with Medicare often covering a large portion of the cost for us humans. Unfortunately pets don’t have the same cover, so we have to pay the full cost for medicine and treatments.

On top of that, vet clinics are businesses with huge overhead costs such as a team of staff to pay, expensive equipment to maintain, constant professional development for veterinarians, and insurance coverage, just to name a few. As inflation causes these costs to rise, clinics need to regularly review their fees to reflect these expenses.

Vaccinations are recommended for all pets, even indoor-only. Some diseases can be spread via airborne particles, or on surfaces which may be shared between the outside and indoors, such as dirt on the soles of your shoes. Speak with your veterinarian to find out what course of vaccinations best suit your pet and their lifestyle.

You’re not alone, lots of pet owners have been in the unfortunate situation of not being able to afford vet bills. Thankfully Canberra has some fantastic services available to help! Head to our page on Financial Assistance to find information on all avenues of financing available.