History

The Warby St Veterinary Hospital is a rural mixed practice that employs 5 veterinarians. There are also 9 multi skilled veterinary nurses and a Practice Manager who keep things running smoothly from the front desk and behind the scenes. From within these staff and through a few extras we also a pet groomer, an accounts manager and two Puppy Preschool teachers.

We provide care and services for both small and large animal species and are especially involved in the equine industry that is prevalent in the Wangaratta region. We have grown over the years from a small practice to now be a fairly large practice for a rural city. This has allowed us to expand our facilities over time and also to attain new technologies to better serve our patients. It also means that among the practicing veterinarians there is a wealth of varied skills and knowledge that can be applied and shared to provide the best possible care for your animals. Our staff are continually undergoing further study and attaining further qualifications to improve their skills and knowledge that little bit more. Above all else our staff is our greatest asset and we pride ourselves on our friendliness, professionalism and compassion towards our clients and patients.

Facilities

Reception

You will be greeted in reception by one of our friendly staff. There is a waiting area and also an extensive selection of products for pets and livestock. We stock pet shampoos, leads, collars, harnesses and pet beds. We also have a selection of dog and cat foods from Advance, Hills and Royal Canin as well as treats like pigs' ears. There is a selection of worm and flea treatments, such as Advantage©, Bravecto and Nexguard Spectra, as well as worming pastes for horses. We are able to order products in for clients so please feel free to ask us about anything you may require.

Consulting Room

We have 3 consulting rooms at the hospital. Each room has chairs for the clients and a table on which your animal will be examined. The tables have rubber mats to prevent slipping, which makes the experience more pleasant for the animal. Each room is also equipped with many commonly used instruments and diagnostic aids, such that we can effectively and efficiently perform our examinations. There are also a variety of brochures in each room that you can peruse and which may prompt you to ask about some of our other services.

Surgery

We have a dedicated surgical suite with 2 operating tables. It has been built with only one entry/exit point to isolate it from the rest of the hospital. This prevents any through traffic that would potentially bring in germs during operations. The result is a much more sterile area to work in and greatly reduced post operative complications. The surgery is also air conditioned to keep the temperature at a comfortable level for both the vet and the anaesthetised animal.

Anasthesia

It is necessary to anaesthetise animals for many of the procedures that we perform. In many cases it is the key to keeping an animal still enough to perform a thorough examination and arrive at a diagnosis.
We have 2 anaesthetic machines that run on the anaesthetic Isoflurane. This anaesthetic is safer and has fewer side effects than some of the older anaesthetics used in veterinary practice.
We tailor every anaesthetic to the animal involved to make the procedure as safe as we possibly can. This may involve the use of special anaesthetic drugs, as well as intravenous fluids or pre-anaesthetic blood tests. Every animal is monitored by both electronic equipment and a veterinary nurse during every anaesthetic.

Diagnostic Imaging

We are lucky enough to have one fixed and one mobile xray machine, which allows us to take xrays in the hospital as well as in the field. In addition to this we have the option of normal processing or digital processing. The use of digital processing in the veterinary industry is a fairly new technology and we are pleased to offer its advantages to our clients. Digital processing allows us to view the xray images on the computer, manipulate and magnify them as well as easily email them for specialist opinions. The practice also stocks barium and iodine making contrast radiography of the bladder and gastrointestinal tract possible.

We also have 2 portable ultrasound machines. In large animals these are mostly used for pregnancy diagnosis and the management of breeding in horses. We also use the ultrasound machines for small animal diagnostics, especially looking at bladders and hearts.

Laboratory

Along with all the normal laboratory equipment we also have an in house Idexx blood chemistry lab. In many rural veterinary hospitals blood samples need to be sent away to labs in Melbourne for testing. This means that the results are not available until the following day. Our system allows us to perform these tests on the spot with results within half an hour. This easy access to blood testing and quick turnaround time allows better clinical decision making due to more complete information.
For more specialist blood and laboratory testing we also have access to the services of several veterinary laboratories in Victoria.

Prep Room

The Prep Room is often the hub of activity during the day. It is the room that vets refer to when they say they are going to take your animal "out the back for a minute". It is where we have the assistance of the nurses to handle animals for procedures like collecting blood or placing them on a drip.
It is also where we prepare animals for anaesthesia prior to their surgery and perform other procedures that are not sterile, such as dealing with abscesses and dentistry. There is also a specialised sink where we can wash dogs when it is too cold outside to use our hydrobath.

Kennel Room

We have a large Kennel Room with spacious and clean kennels and runs for animals of all shapes and sizes. Each cage is lined with a fleecy rug, towels and blankets to ensure your animal is warm and comfortable during its stay. Our vet nurses constantly check all our inpatients to ensure they are recovering well from their operations or illnesses. The Kennel Room is centrally heated and cooled for added comfort in the Summer and Winter months.
We also have an isolation ward to house any animals with infectious diseases to prevent their spread to other animals.

Hydrobath

We have a hydrobath that we use when grooming animals, but that is also available for our clients to wash their dogs in too. The hydrobath is specially designed to accommodate dogs of all sizes and keep them under control while they are being washed. The bath is also elevated from the ground which saves the stress on your back that comes from bending down to wash dogs in a tub. The hydrobath uses a special high pressure system that deeply cleans the dog's coat and also removes any loose hair. Shampoo and towels are available for a small additional fee.