As we only see unusual and exotic pets at our practice, we have equipment and protocols that are specially designed to meet the needs of all the species we see. Providing a high standard of care is of paramount importance to us, and our facilities allow us to provide this care on a day to day basis.
What makes our practices unique?
Anaesthesia
Exotic species often have a higher anaesthetic risk than dogs and cats. We minimize the risks of anaesthesia as much as possible to ensure a comfortable, safe, and smooth procedure for your pet.
We have state-of-the-art anaesthetic monitoring equipment that allows us to monitor your pet’s heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, respiratory effort, expired carbon dioxide level, blood oxygenation level and temperature. We have specialised fluid pumps to ensure that your pet’s vascular system is supported while undergoing any procedure.
In addition to the above, both all of our practices have specialised exotic animal ventilators that can breathe for animals as small as twenty grams! This is especially important for rabbits and reptiles as these species often go through periods of apnoea (not breathing on their own) while under anaesthesia. Our ventilator can customize both the volume of breath and length of breath to best suit the patient. There are very few practices in Australia with this technology.
To ensure that we have control of the airway, we have several sizes and shapes of specialized endotracheal tubes to fit different species, and we are able to endoscopically place ET tubes as well. We also were the first practice in Western Australia to start using advanced laryngeal masks for our rabbit patients.
Laboratory Testing and Diagnostic Imaging
We have access to a range of state-of-the-art laboratory testing equipment and diagnostic imaging modalities at both of our locations. Our clinics have access to the computed tomography (CT) machine, as well as the talented radiologists that acquire and interpret the images. Because of our access to these facilities, we are able to offer diagnosis and treatment for several diseases that are traditionally difficult to manage in exotic species. We are also able to do rapid in-house blood testing, and we collaborate with several laboratories throughout Australia for more specialized testing. In addition to the above, we have the state-of-the-art endoscopy equipment that allows us to examine the internal organs of your pet if needed, we are lucky to be one of the very few practices with such advanced technology.
Medications
We stock a wide range of medications, some of which we get specially compounded and formulated to ensure that we get the best results. We also provide several methods of administration, as we know that some exotic species can be difficult to medicate!
Surgical and Dental Equipment
We perform a whole myriad of surgeries here at The Unusual Pet Vets. From routine sterilisations (neutering) to advanced orthopaedic repair of fractured bones – we have you covered. The patients we see are unique and having the right equipment is important. We have state-of-the-art dental machines suitable for producing the low speeds required for small rabbit and guinea pig dental procedures, as well as specialized surgical instruments to cater for all shapes and sizes of patient.
Hospital Wards
Our hospital ward is exotics-only, which means that your pet will not be stressed out by dogs or cats. Our hospital cages are designed so that each is fully self-contained, ensuring that privacy is maintained. When patients are hospitalised, we provide an environment that maintains our patient’s ideal body temperature to support them during recovery and it allows them to relax in comfort.