Animal Referral Hospital Canberra

Our surgeons provide world-class care and will talk you through a range of treatment options for your pet. Your ARH specialist will also work closely with your regular veterinarian to ensure a coordinated approach to your pet’s care.

Our surgical services include soft tissue, orthopaedic, trauma, reconstructive and neurological surgeries. Our specialists take a considered approach to every case and provide a specialised treatment plan that best suits their patients and clients.

Open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm, you will need a referral from your veterinarian to see a specialist.

Our specialists have undertaken years of advanced training. After graduating as veterinarians, they completed internships and residency programs, then passed rigorous examinations allowing them to be registered in Australia as a specialist in their field.

We are fully equipped with the most up-to-date surgical equipment and implants, including:

• Locking titanium and stainless-steel plates for fracture repair, as well as interlocking nails
• Total hip replacements for dogs from 2 kg to 100 kg
• Minimally invasive (keyhole) surgical equipment for arthroscopy, laparoscopy and thoracoscopy
• In-house 3D printed guides for correcting limb deformity and fracture repairs
• Ureteral stents and bypass implants for ureteral obstruction
• Bipolar vessel-sealing technology for ligation
• Stapling devices for organ removal

In-house CT, high-field MRI, digital radiography and ultrasound provide the most advanced diagnostic imaging options available in Canberra.

Our ARH Canberra facility has a 64-slice CT and Canberra’s only veterinary-based high-field (1.5T) MRI. We also have an on-staff radiographer to get the best possible images. While we do not have a radiologist on staff, we use teleradiology services to leverage the expertise of the best radiologists in the world to get overnight reports when a radiologist's opinion is required.

Dr Ah Young Kim has recently joined ARH Canberra as a sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist from Colorado State University.

Our orthopaedic medicine and rehab service will run from Tuesday to Friday each week.

Through precise diagnostics and preventative and non-surgical treatment options, Ah Young focuses on improving the quality of life for companion animals of all ages by restoring mobility, alleviating pain and improving fitness. Upon seeing patients through the orthopaedic medicine and rehabilitation service, further testing, including radiography, musculoskeletal ultrasound, CT, MRI and sampling (aspirates, biopsies and/or cultures), may be recommended.

Ah Young will discuss all available diagnostics and treatment options with clients to decide upon the best course for the individual patients and clients. 

Available treatments include:

• Class IV laser therapy
• Cold compression
• Manual therapy (massages, stretching, joint mobilisation)
• Acupuncture/electroacupuncture
• Electrical muscular stimulation (TENS/NMES)
• At-home exercise programs
• Joint injections (platelet-rich plasma, steroid, hyaluronic acid, etc.)
• Underwater treadmill (will be ready in the next few months)
• Post-operative rehabilitation
• Rehabilitation for geriatric patients
• Weight-loss programs
• Shockwave therapy

All hospitalised patients are monitored continuously throughout their stay. There are highly experienced ECC veterinarians and nurses on duty at all times. Your companion stays in a comfortable, clean bed visible to all of our staff and is monitored around the clock.

We discourage toys and blankets from home – with the high amount of traffic at our facility, it’s difficult to guarantee they will return home.

Our ARH nurses are highly skilled in veterinary critical care medicine and are compassionate people who go above and beyond when caring for your pet. All of our nurses have been trained and certified in CPR resuscitation.

ARH Gosford’s pet ambulance is a specialised patient transportation service dedicated to providing swift and compassionate care to pets in need. We’re here to help with emergency situations, critical care transfers, specialist referral transfers, support in remote locations and after-hours care.

Our vehicle is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment to ensure the safe and comfortable transport of pets. Equipment onboard includes oxygen, IV pumps, syringe drivers, suction, monitors, mobile ventilator, and a full crash kit.

We have access to specialist services and facilities within the ARH network. If your pet requires advanced treatment or imaging (MRI/CT), we can seamlessly transfer them to one of our other locations in NSW.

Why choose ARH Gosford Pet Ambulance?

• Only pet ambulance on the Central Coast
• Fully equipped vehicle for safe and comfortable care
• Seamless coordination with veterinary clinics
• Experienced and compassionate team

ARH Canberra is home to a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy service, designed to revolutionize rehabilitation and fitness for pets. Our facility offers a controlled, low-impact environment to aid in post-surgical recoveries such as TPLOs and spinal surgery as well as aiding in the treatment of conditions such as osteoarthritis, elbow/hip dysplasia, weight loss, fitness, tendinopathy and many more. The therapeutic benefits of hydrotherapy include pain relief, increased mobility and enhanced muscle strength, ensuring pets can enjoy a higher quality of life. With personalized treatment plans and expert veterinary supervision by Dr Ah Young Kim, our Sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist. Our hydrotherapy services provide a safe and effective way to support pet health. Partner with us to offer your clients a cutting-edge solution that prioritizes their pets' well-being and accelerates their recovery.

Our ARH receptionists are the welcoming face of our organisation and will support you during your time at our hospital. Our receptionists are highly trained, compassionate people and can assist with making and changing appointments, organising visits with your pet, and providing information on hospital stays. They are also the resident experts in payment options, such as VetPay and Zip Pay, and can process your insurance claims if desired.

Our internal medicine specialists are highly qualified experts in both canine and feline internal medicine. They work with referring vets to provide the best possible care for patients who are critically ill or have chronic, ongoing health problems. They treat a broad range of cases, including gastrointestinal disease, cardiac and respiratory disease, kidney and liver diseases, endocrine problems, immune-mediated issues, and joint disease.

The Internal medicine service at ARH Canberra, is led by Dr John Angles who has more than 25 years experience in the field. In addition to John we have a registrar who has completed her training and two residents training to be specialists. They are all trained in both dog and cat internal medicine and treat a broad range of cases such as gastrointestinal disease (including liver, pancreas and bowel disease); cardiac and respiratory disease; endocrine problems (such as diabetes and thyroid disease); kidney; immune; and joint disease. Our Medicine team are expert radiographers and provide excellent ultrasound reports.  

The training and experience of our internal medicine team enables them to work with your local veterinarian to provide the highest standard of care for your pet. Our specialists receive referrals for patients that are critically ill as well as those with chronic or ongoing problems. They are able to use their expertise combined with diagnostic tools, including endoscopy, ultrasound, MRI and CT to investigate the cause of a pet’s illness and to offer the best possible advice on treatment options.

We are thrilled to partner with experienced Veterinary Ophthalmologists Dr Matt Annear and Dr Sarah Coall of Vet Vision.

With the highest standard of care at the front of mind, Vet Vision provide a full-service ophthalmology department, providing you with access to the most current knowledge and latest techniques in ophthalmic care. With a fully equipped surgical suite, advanced diagnostics and human grade ophthalmic equipment your pet will receive the very best care available.

The Vet Vision team provides the following services at ARH:

• Specialist ophthalmology consultations - complete eye examinations (new and chronic cases)
• Consults on dogs, cats, exotics, equine, zoo animals
• Advanced diagnostics including tear film analysis, retinal function testing (ERG), ultrasound, gonioscopy
• Inherited disease testing and ACES eye certifications for breeding
• Discounted care for service animals and wildlife

Ophthalmic surgery, including:

• Phacoemulsification cataract surgery
• Lens luxation surgery
• Corneal grafting and conjunctival grafting surgeries
• Glaucoma surgery including gonioimplantation
• Complicated eyelid reconstruction
• Entropion/breed related eyelid abnormalities
• Eye ablation and prosthesis
• Cyclosporin implant surgery for dry eye