Firstly, congratulations! We hope to share this exciting journey with you! Most of the infectious diseases that we have that affect pets are devastating for the young and vulnerable, so we recommend a vaccination course for both puppies and kittens starting at about 6 to 8 weeks of age. Our vets will take the time to discuss the importance of vaccination, sterilisation, microchipping and general wellness with you at the time of your pet’s first visit.

Our routine and non-emergency surgeries and procedures, like sterilisations, castrations, growth removals, dental procedures and x-rays, are done every weekday. Every patient is examined by a veterinarian on admission before their operation. All our vets get time in theatre to look after their own patients — remember to ask when it is your vet of choice’s turn! We also do more advanced procedures, like orthopaedic surgeries (i.e. bones & joints), ultrasonography and abdominal surgeries as they are indicated. We work closely with some of the specialist veterinarians in South Africa to ensure that you and your pet always have the best options available and we are happy to facilitate a referral when needed.

Every year thousands of unwanted dogs and cats, including puppies and kittens, are needlessly destroyed. The good news is that every pet owner can make a difference. By having your dog or cat surgically sterilised, you will do your part to prevent the birth of unwanted puppies and kittens and you will enhance your pet’s health and quality of life.

Although a cat or dog can be surgically sterilised at almost any age, the right time depends on their size. For cats, we generally recommend from 4 months of age. For dogs, it depends on breed size: small breeds from around 6 months, medium breeds from 6–9 months, large breeds from 12–18 months, and giant breeds up to 24 months. It’s also worth knowing that waiting too long carries its own risks — unspayed female dogs are at risk of pyometra, a serious and potentially life-threatening uterine infection — so it’s best to discuss the right timing for your specific pet with one of our vets.

Dogs and cats live much longer on average these days than in the past. Broken or rotten teeth can severely impact their quality of life and it is therefore important to look after their dental health from a young age. Dental care starts with daily tooth brushing at home and our staff are happy to discuss products that can aid in getting your pet to accept them. When our pets’ teeth are dirty, they may need a professional cleaning – just like us! Unfortunately, they don’t accept the dental chair as easily as we do, so the procedure involves a full general anaesthetic. Our patients are often elderly and we always take the greatest care to ensure their safety. Once they are asleep, we commonly find major issues that were not evident on the conscious clinical examination – teeth that may need extraction or specific treatment. This unfortunately adds to the price of the procedure, which is why routine dental treatment for your pet is sometimes more expensive than expected.

This is something many pet owners understandably find frustrating, because in most areas of life you can get a quote before work begins — dentistry is different. It’s a bit like calling a mechanic and asking for a quote to repair a car engine without opening the bonnet.

At the consultation we can often spot obvious tartar, gingivitis, fractured or loose teeth, or oral masses. But much of the disease lies hidden below the gumline, where it can’t be properly assessed in a conscious patient. A thorough exam needs general anaesthesia, probing around every tooth, checking tooth mobility, examining the back surfaces of the teeth, and often dental X-rays — only once that’s done can we say which teeth can be saved, which need extraction, and whether extractions will be simple or surgical. Two pets can look almost identical from the outside and need very different treatment once we’re actually in there, which is why the cost can vary so much.

Before the procedure we can usually give you a consultation assessment, an estimated range based on what’s visible, and a call during the procedure if what we find differs significantly from that estimate — but we can’t ethically promise a fixed final price before we know exactly what treatment is needed. Our goal is never to do unnecessary treatment; we’d always rather save a healthy tooth than remove it.

We can only dispense or refill prescription medication for patients under our current care, which means your pet needs to have had a full clinical examination with one of our vets within the last 6 months. It’s not just a formality — it lets us catch any changes in your pet’s condition, adjust dosages if needed, and make sure the medication is still the right one for them. If it’s been longer than 6 months since their last exam, we’ll ask you to book a consultation before we can issue a repeat prescription.

As veterinarians, we have a duty to ensure that our patients are always looked after, so when our vets get their well-deserved break from their busy workdays, we recommend the 24 hour service provided by Panorama Veterinary Clinic & Specialist Centre. They have dedicated emergency veterinarians on duty all through the night. If you get a chance, call them in advance so they can be ready for your arrival; their telephone number is 021 930 6632. We are open on weekends, please take note of our hours and remember that surcharges are applicable on Sundays and public holidays.

We understand the urge to google for answers first, but please be careful medicating your beloved pets at home. Many medications that we use can indeed be used on animals, but the doses are often vastly different than what we as humans use. Dogs and cats react in very different ways to human medications and we always take their relative small size into account as well. If you are really stuck, rather phone your nearest vet or emergency clinic for advice!

As we are not a registered financial services provider, we do not offer an account service. However, we have partnered with Mediwallet, a medical credit account that can cover your pet’s medical expenses. We also accept all major credit and debit cards.

Several companies provide short term insurance options for pets, with cover ranging from accident-only right up to more comprehensive plans that include illness and general wellness. Locally, providers like MediPet and Kidopet are worth comparing, since plans, exclusions and waiting periods differ between insurers. We recommend getting pet insurance when your pet is young and healthy and before there are any pre-existing conditions that may be excluded from cover when you may need it — the earlier you take out cover, the fewer exclusions you’re likely to run into.