Pet & Small Animal Services

At Indigo Veterinary Services we offer a wide range of services for pet and small animals.

  • Pet Consultation

    Indigo Veterinary Services offer consultations by appointment for your convenience.

    Our 15-minute scheduled appointments allow us to thoroughly examine your pet and discuss any queries or concerns you may have.

    Unfortunately animals can 't tell us when they are unwell. A thorough clinical examination by a veterinarian can often detect abnormalities or conditions well before they become obvious to even the most experienced of pet owners.

    Early intervention for any problems identified during the routine examination can prevent undue stress for your pet and unnecessary expense for you.

  • Recommended Health Checks

    We recommend health checks on at least an annual basis for all pets, and 6-monthly checks for older patients.

    We recommend health checks on at least an annual basis for all pets, and 6-monthly checks for older patients and those with complex medical conditions or requiring ongoing medications. These visits are far more than just getting a vaccination jab. We take a holistic approach to your pet 's health.

    In addition to performing a thorough clinical examination, we also discuss all areas of preventative health care including:

    • Dental Health Care
    • External parasite control such as flea and tick prevention
    • Internal parasite control, including intestinal and heart worm treatment
    • Nutrition
    • Weight management
    • Discussion of behavioural issues
    • Review your vaccination program and administer any recommended vaccines.
    • Blood, urine or faecal tests for monitoring health status, especially those patients with complex medical conditions or requiring ongoing medications
  • Desexing & Surgical Procedures

    We have a modern surgical facility with excellent equipment and trained staff so that we can offer a range of surgical procedures.

    It 's never a great feeling when your loved pet has to undergo surgery. However, knowing your pet is in experienced, skilled hands, and supported by the best facilities and equipment certainly eases the worry for you.

    Indigo Veterinary Services have a modern surgical facility with excellent equipment and trained staff so that we can offer a range of surgical procedures including desexing of dogs and cats plus soft tissue, dental and orthopaedic surgery. Most of these procedures can be performed as day procedures so that your pet is admitted in the morning, examined and prepared for surgery, with plenty of recovery time, prior to being discharged to go home that afternoon.

    The Indigo Veterinary Services team is supported by a large range of advanced Veterinary imaging, including ultrasound and video otoscopy.

    Whether it 's desexing dogs or treating an injury, you can be sure of Indigo Veterinary Services dedication and skill.

    Services

    Contact us to make an appointment with our veterinarians for any of the following procedures.

    • Desexing - Castrations and overiohysterectomy (spey)
    • Soft tissue surgery
    • Orthopaedic surgery
    • Reconstructive surgery
    • Reproductive surgery
    • Oral and dental surgery
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  • Surgery

    We are well equipped with surgical equipment and do a wide variety of orthopedic and soft tissue procedures.

    At Indigo Veterinary Services we are well equipped with surgical equipment and do a wide variety of orthopedic and soft tissue procedures. Where appropriate, we also draw on the expertise of visiting specialist surgeons for some of the more complex procedures.

    Orthopedic Surgeries including:

    • De Angelis Cruciate Ligament Repair
    • TPLO Cruciate Ligament Repair
    • Femoral head and neck excision
    • Luxating patella correction
    • Fracture Repairs

    Soft Tissue Surgeries including:

    • Caesarian for whelping animals
    • Mass removal (Tumors and Lumps)
    • Intestinal foreign body removal
    • Eye and Ear Surgeries
    • Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV or Bloat)
  • Vaccinations

    Vaccinating your pet is one of the most important things you can do to ensure they lead a healthy life.

    A routine vaccination also includes a thorough health check for your pet. This also gives you the opportunity to discuss any issues or concerns you have with our veterinarian.

    Here are our top reasons for vaccinating your pet:

    • Vaccinations protect against preventable diseases.
    • Vaccinations are substantially less expensive than the cost of vet treatment for the diseases they protect against.
    • Vaccinations protect your pet from transmissible diseases in boarding facilities, at parks and even when they visit the vet. If your pet has to be hospitalised for any illness, their immune system may already be compromised so you want to make sure they are protected.

    Your pet 's health and lifestyle and even geographical location can affect which vaccinations are necessary, so our expert vets will work with you to develop a simple and effective vaccination program for your pet.

    Vaccinating Your Dog

    Vaccinating Your Dog

    A puppy 's first vaccinations are at 6-8 weeks, then 12-14 weeks. During this period we recommend that your puppy has limited contact with other dogs , unless you are certain about their health and vaccination status.

    A third puppy vaccination is often recommended by our veterinarians, after discussion of various risk factors. One week after the completion of the vaccination program your puppy should be fully protected and safe to go out and mix with other dogs in public places.

    An annual health check and vaccination booster is usually recommended, and this will be advised  by your veterinarian.

    Canine vaccinations are known by the codes C3, and C5, and the diseases that are commonly vaccinated against around our region are:

    Parvovirus
    Causes potentially fatal diarrhoea, especially in pups and dogs under 2 years. Parvovirus is still prevalent in many parts of Australia, including our Victorian/NSW border region.

    Distemper
    Coughing, diarrhoea and sometimes twitching, seizures, loss of balance and blindness. Fortunately, this disease is almost disappeared due to widespread vaccination over many decades.

    Hepatitis
    Vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and possibly liver failure. Fortunately, this disease is almost disappeared due to widespread vaccination over many decades.

    Canine Cough
    Also known as Kennel Cough, can be due to either or both of the infectious agents, Parainfluenza virus, and Bordatella bronchiseptica bacteria. It is a risk for all dogs, not just if your dog is in a boarding establishement. This  very infectious disease causes a  harsh, dry cough and lethargy.

    Possible additional vaccines that we may recommend include Leptospirosis and Canine Enteric Coronavirus (not related to human COVID-19 disease)

    Vaccinating Your Cat

    Vaccinating Your Cat

    A kitten 's first vaccinations are at 6-8 weeks, then 12-14 weeks, 16-18 weeks, and annually after that. Only one week after the final kitten vaccination should your kitten be allowed to go outside and socialise with other cats.

    The main feline vaccinations are known by the codes F3 and F4, and common cat vaccinations around suburb are:

    Enteritis (Feline Panleukopenia)
    Enteritis can be very severe especially in unvaccinated kittens less than 12 months of age. It causes fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, liver failure and sudden death.

    Feline Calicivirus
    A common cause of the ‘cat flu '.

    Feline Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpes Virus
    Is another part of cat flu and can lead to permanent nasal and sinus infection.

    Chlamydia
    Is a bacterial disease causing conjunctivitis, respiratory disease, infections, arthritis and even abortion.

    Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV or Feline AIDS)
    Must be vaccinated against if your cat EVER goes outside. It is a potentially fatal disease spread between cats via bites, for which there is no treatment or cure. This virus is widespread in the Australian cat population (both domestic and feral).

  • Microchipping

    An important part of being a responsible pet owner is making sure you have your cat or dog microchipped.

    Microchips for cats and dogs are compulsory in Victoria.

    A microchip is a tiny computer chip, about the same size as a grain of rice. Microchips are injected, by a veterinarian, under the animal 's skin, between the shoulder blades. Each chip has its own number which is linked to your information, including your address and phone number. This means that if your dog or cat is lost, a vet or local laws officer can scan the chip, trace the number and locate you.

    No more lost pets at animal shelters, hoping their owners find them before it 's too late. And best of all, unlike name collars and name tags, microchips can 't be removed or fall off.

    Adopted cats and dogs, and those from reputable breeders, have usually been microchipped, however if your cat or dog hasn 't been done, or if you 're concerned, request an appointment to ask us about microchips for dogs and cats.

    We are able to look after all your pet microchip needs, including microchip insertion and registration.

    Did you need to update your pets details?

    Most of our clients pets are registered in one of the largest pet databases, Central Animal Records, if you need to update your details.

    www.car.com.au

    If you are unsure as to which database your pets details are recorded onto check out Petaddress website to find out which national database they are on.

    www.petaddress.com.au

    Both websites require your pets microchip number. If you are unsure what the number is, contact the clinic for help.

  • Pet Dentistry

    Our vets are trained in both basic care, such as dog teeth cleaning, and in more advanced dental procedures.

    Tooth ache or problems with teeth and gums make you miserable. It 's the same for your pets. In fact, companion animals ' number one disease is dental disease. It makes sense then that you make sure your pet 's vet is able to provide all the cat and dog dental care needed.

    Our vets are trained in both basic care, such as dog teeth cleaning, and in more advanced dental procedures, including:

    • Tooth extractions
    • Oral Surgery and tumour diagnosis and treatment
    • Dental Radiography
    • Peridontal therapy

    While our aim is to preserve teeth wherever possible, we will take the best course of action to ensure your pet has a pain-free mouth, and therefore a better quality of life. As part of our team 's commitment to your pet 's health, all patients who have dental care are included in a dental prevention program to avoid further tooth and gum disease.

    Of course, not many dogs and cat will just let us open their mouth and probe and xray all their teeth. So we need to administer a general anaesthetic in order to perform a complete oral examination and assess the health of each individual tooth. Until we do that, it can be very difficult to give you an accurate estimate of the cost of the dental surgery.

    Some very infected or damaged mouth can require hours of dental surgery. We will always endeavour to inform you of the progress of the dental work that we are doing if we find that it is more complex than anticipated at the time of admission for surgery.

  • Laboratory Services

    We are equipped with an in-house laboratory.

    We are equipped with in-house laboratory enabling us to do comprehensive blood and urine testing, blood coagulation testing, faecal examinations and microscopic examinations including cytology of ear and skin infections and blood cells.

    We also utilise services of external reference laboratories for more complex or specialised testing. Samples for the reference laboratories are usually required to be packaged for courier collection by the middle of the day.

  • X-ray and Diagnostic Imaging

    We are equipped with digital xray and ultrasound systems.

    Indigo Veterinary Services is equipped with digital xray and ultrasound systems to enable us to perform our own diagnostic imaging in-house. We are able to perform imaging for orthopaedic or skeletal problems as well as soft tissue and abdominal imaging.

  • End of Life Care and Euthanasia

    Our veterinarians and vet nurses are able to offer advice to support and guide what is an extremely tough and painful decision.

    Pets are such an important part of our lives and our families, so it 's understandable that parting with them is particularly hard. Our veterinarians, vet nurses and support staff are, like you, pet owners and animal lovers, so we understand the decision to euthanise is an extremely tough one. That 's why we feel it 's important to talk about cat and dog euthanasia, to make sure you understand the decision you are making and what will happen.

    Our veterinarians and vet nurses are able to offer advice to support and guide what is an extremely tough and painful decision. We also offer in-clinic or home visits, and quite understand if you choose to be present, or opt to have our staff comfort your pet. Dog and cat euthanasia is never easy, so please talk to us about your decision. We 're here to help.

    Indigo Veterinary Services can also help with pet 's burial, depending on whether you wish to opt for burial or cremation. We can arrange pet cremations and have your pet 's ashes returned in a receptacle of your choice.

    Every scenario is unique. We provide personalised support in deciding when it is time to let a pet pass, and how that moment is going to be managed.

    We will discuss with you all aspects of planning for and managing the end of your pet 's life, such as when is it time, who will be present, where the procedure will take place, what to expect, and preferred body disposal options.

    We are dedicated to supporting your pet, you and your family through this difficult time.

    For further information on the best options for your family or to arrange an appointment with a Vet or Qualified Pet bereavement counsellor please give us a call on 03 5728 2410.

    Home Euthanasia

    Our compassionate home euthanasia service is one that we have developed with a whole heart and commitment to ensuring a pet can leave this life peacefully, in the comfort of a familiar environment, in the company of family (if this is desired), surrounded by love, and free from stress or pain.

    Please note: At home euthanasia service is subject to availability.

    After Care

    We also provide an after care service through a crematorium

    Cost

    Home euthanasia service costs depends on size of animal.

  • Home Visits for Pets

    We offer a home visit service.

    We offer a home visit service if required for owners that may be unable to bring their pet to the veterinary hospital, or for pets that cannot cope with examinations at the clinic.

  • After Hours Emergency Services

    Outside business hours your call will be forwarded to the veterinarian on call.

    Unfortunately, accidents happen, and they often happen outside business hours.

    Your call will be forwarded to the veterinarian on call. If not immediately answered, then please leave your name and phone number, as the vet may be attending another emergency and will get back to you as soon as they are able to.

    After Hours Emergency

    If your pet is injured or requires emergency attention after hours, contact Indigo Veterinary Services on 03 5728 2410.

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