Lockyer Avenue Vet Hospital: Veterinary Care in Albany WA
Lockyer Avenue Vet Hospital is a veterinary hospital in Albany, at 89 Lockyer Avenue. We are part of Pets and Vets WA. Our work covers routine appointments, dentistry, desexing and microchipping, along with a surgical list and our own testing and imaging equipment on site. The line we use for the way we work is “You, your pets and us – a team for life.”
The team at Lockyer Avenue
Dr Bronwyn is our vet manager. Her interest in the profession includes the human-animal bond, and she has completed postgraduate studies in emergency and critical care and in diagnostic ultrasound. Dr Kirsten graduated in 1996 and completed her masters in 2003, and has worked in three Australian states as well as the United Kingdom.
Among our nurses, Hannah Holmberg graduated with her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2009 and has been here since 2006, when she arrived as a school work-experience student. Sarah Carroll gained her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing in 2006, worked previously as a dog behaviour therapist and trainer, and runs our Puppy Pre School classes. Kiera Hurley began her Certificate III in animal studies with us in January 2021 and is working towards her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing.
Consultations, surgery and dental care
Day to day we see pets for consultations, vaccinations, parasite control, dentistry, desexing and microchipping. On the surgical side we perform desexing, orthopaedic surgery, soft tissue surgery and TPLO surgery.
TPLO is for dogs with cranial cruciate ligament problems. The operation cuts the shin bone, or tibia, with a circular cut, changes the geometry of the stifle joint, and applies a surgical steel plate. That alters how the knee joint works, so that a cranial cruciate ligament is no longer required to provide stability. If your dog has been referred for a cruciate procedure and you want the surgery explained before you decide, ring us and ask.
Dental disease is one of the most common diseases in cats and dogs, and eight in ten pets get it. It has been associated with kidney, heart and liver disease. The signs owners notice first are usually smelly breath, drooling, dropping food, going off their meals or losing weight. Dogs and cats with dental disease need a general anaesthetic so we can assess the teeth properly and clean thoroughly under the gum line. Teeth are ultrasonically cleaned and scaled, and diseased teeth may need to come out to prevent further trouble. At home, chewing raw bones several times a week can help; raw mutton flaps or brisket bones are the safest, and raw chicken wings or necks are fine so long as they are chewed rather than swallowed whole. You can brush your pet’s teeth, but use a veterinary dental preparation rather than human toothpaste. We check teeth as part of an annual health check.
Testing, imaging and microchipping
We have an in-house laboratory, which means we can test some blood samples right here in Albany and get results quickly. A few tests need more specialised equipment, and those samples go to an external laboratory. Blood work tells us about a pet’s hydration, how the kidneys and liver are functioning, and what the blood cells are doing.
We also have a digital X-ray machine, which lets us process and examine images of your pet quickly. Medical imaging lets us look at what is going on inside a pet without opening them up, and it is used for conditions ranging from fractures and bone cancer through to pneumonia and pregnancy.
Microchipping here is a straightforward procedure: a chip about the size of a grain of rice goes into the back of the neck and stays there for life. The chip only works if the details behind it are current, so update the register whenever you change your phone number or move house. If you are not sure which register holds your pet’s details, petaddress.com.au will tell you, and we are happy to scan your pet to help you sort it out.
Hours, appointments and getting in touch
We are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and Saturday from 8am to midday. We are closed on Sunday. Appointments can be booked online through the booking link on our website, or by phone on (08) 9841 7411. You can also email us at [email protected].
Our website links to VetPay and GapOnly if you want to look at payment options before your visit. If you are new to Albany and looking for a vet, or you are not sure whether what you are seeing warrants an appointment, phone the clinic during opening hours and we will talk it through with you.