Medical services for animals

1. The Animal Emergency Service is a specialized veterinary practice, which developed to provide urgent medical attention to pets and other animals regardless of the time of day. Veterinarians have a responsibility to provide out of hours treatment for their patients. For a long time this meant exhausting working hours for vets. It was not uncommon for an individual vet to get called out two to three times a night for emergencies after a long day at the surgery. This took a huge toll on their families and lead to widespread professional burn-out. In 1994 a group of veterinarians from Brisbane established an emergency hospital at Bowen Hills to give first aid to sick pets so they did not have to be on call 24 hours a day. Advances in veterinary medicine over the next decade meant gradually more and more could be done for the sickest pets. The practice became constrained because its owners wanted a clinic to look after basic first aid, while the vets and nurses working there knew that more could be done with better resources and training. Two vets (Dr Rob Webster and Dr Simon Lemin) and one nurse (Dr Julia McCosker) worked at the Animal Emergency Centre and in 2005 they purchased the practice from its corporate owners. They renamed the practice "Animal Emergency Service", to better reflect the role of the practice in serving the animals and clients of Brisbane when they most needed veterinary care.

2. The Animal Emergency Service is not a large corporate, but a family group who grew rapidly because of dedication to the pets who need our help and support from their owners. As we grew, other like-minded vets joined the practice and enhanced our ability to help our patients. Dr Rob and Dr Simon are enthusiastic emergency vets. Early in our careers we decided not to ever go back to normal veterinary practice and to make the emergency service a place with the highest standard of treatment and ethics. In the 10 years since we purchased the practice we have been joined by some of the best veterinarians in Australia. Thanks to the support of our clients, regular veterinarians, and amazing staff we have been able to expand to Brisbane, Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and Perth. Animal Emergency Service has a reputation for excellence in medical treatment for emergency patients, and we are dedicated to continually improving it. We are not: Corporate owned and driven to deliver shareholder returns. We are: Driven to provide world-class emergency treatment for pets when they need it. We are not: A practice that provides only first aid. We will: Perform a thorough clinical exam and work with you to ensure the best possible treatment plan for your pet. Our vets are continually training to ensure your pets treatment is based on current veterinary guidelines and guided by clinical experience. Services provided by us:

3. Arrival No appointment is necessary if your pet becomes ill out of hours. When you arrive you will be met by our experienced, friendly receptionist who will assess your pet’s status. If your pet is critically ill he or she will be taken immediately to the treatment room and stabilised. If your pet is stable on arrival, you will be asked to complete a form with your details before being taken to a consultation room to await the vet on duty. Consultation The veterinarian will perform a thorough physical examination and recommend either outpatient treatment to be followed up with your local veterinarian, or hospitalisation with the appropriate treatment and diagnostic tests. The veterinarian will discuss all this with you. Please ask any questions about the pet's condition and treatment as it is very important to us that you feel comfortable with our proposed treatment.

4. Hospitalisation Should your pet require hospitalisation he or she will receive round the clock monitoring and treatment. Our dedicated team together with our medical equipment and facilities provide the best possible care for your pet. Communication While your pet is in hospital we welcome you to phone for an update on how your pet is progressing. We will always contact you if there is any change to the treatment necessary for your pet or any change in their condition. Visiting

5. The Animal Emergency Service welcomes visitation anytime day or night. A courtesy phone call is appreciated. Discharge All hospitalised patients need to be picked up by 10.00am Monday or 8.00am Tuesday to Friday unless it is a public holiday. If your pet requires ongoing hospitalisation we will discuss this with you so treatment can be continued by your own veterinarian. If you don't have a local vet we can make recommendations. A report on your pet's treatment is given to you and a copy forwarded to your vet. Payment

6. Payment is required in full on discharge and can be made by cash, all credit cards or EFTPOS. We do not accept cheques. You will appreciate our service receives no government funding. Facilities Provided by us: Radiology Our facility has modern computerized Digital Xray machines which allow highest quality diagnostic radiographs. The use of digital equipment allows fast interpretation and easily allows second opinions from more senior clinicians offsite. Digital copies of radiographs are available at discharge from hospital. Surgery

7. We have well equipped surgical suites with comprehensive anaesthesia, resuscitation aids and multi- parameter monitoring in suite. We maintain a staff capable of performing all of the frequently encountered emergency surgeries. We can organize specialist surgeons out of hours when needed. Ultrasound Aids with imaging of abdomen, chest and all soft tissues. Our practice keeps machines up to date and most importantly all our staff keep their skills up to date with regular continuing education workshops. We currently use the Esoate mylab 70 machine which provides imaging power of the highest quality for all emergency needs. Blood Bank

8. We maintain standing stocks of dog blood and blood products and have cat donors available. Blood products can be difficult to source but are vital for treating many conditions. For these reasons our blood bank is exclusively for inpatient use. Laboratory Medicine A wide range of blood tests are available onsite, providing emergency diagnostics when required. We can also access outside laboratories if more extensive testing is necessary. We ensure appropriate investigations are available around the clock. Anti-Venene We maintain stocks of the main antivenes required in South East Queensland. Tick antivenene and polyvalent snake antivenom are available at all times.

9. Contact us: BRISBANE SUNSHINE COAST Cnr Lexington & Logan Rds 43 rene Street Underwood Noosaville Call 07 3423 1888 Call 07 5430 6900