Calling ahead of arrival at the emergency department is recommended but not compulsory. After the need for treatment has been assessed, the animal must remain under the supervision of the owner until the treatment can be initiated.
The Small Animal Hospital of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital includes separate wards for internal medicine patients as well as for patients recovering from or preparing for surgical procedures, and for severely injured patients. The hospital has separate inpatient wards for dogs and cats, which reduces their stress.
At the hospital ward, patients are examined and monitored and decisions are made on necessary further care measures.
Inpatients eat, spend time outdoors and rest as their conditions permit. In the case of longer-term hospitalisation, owners can also visit patients. Further information can be obtained from admitting nurses or veterinarians in charge of patients. The goal is to keep patients in the ward for as short a period as possible, as pets usually heal faster in home care.
The anaesthesiology–intensive care unit of the Small Animal Hospital was established in 2003 with the aim of improving the quality of patient care, treatment outcomes and animal welfare. Patient care is based on research-based knowledge, and treatment practices are updated as necessary.
The intensive care unit of the Small Animal Hospital treats critically ill and severely injured patients in all specialist fields of veterinary medicine. Typical patients include trauma patients, patients with acute infections, acute renal dysfunction or respiratory failure, and patients exposed to a range of toxins. In addition, patients in need of continuous supervision and medication are treated at the intensive care unit. These include patients requiring supportive therapy and pain management after surgery or patients requiring intravenous antibiotic therapies.
Patients arrive at the intensive care unit from the other departments of the hospital, or as referrals from other veterinary clinics and hospitals. At the intensive care unit, patients are under 24-hour supervision and care. Examinations and therapies are planned individually on a daily basis. If the patient’s condition allows, visits by family members will be made possible during treatment. Our experienced staff consists of specialists in small animal diseases with a focus on acute and intensive care, specialising veterinarians as well as veterinary nurses specialised in acute and intensive care. In addition, patient care is provided in close daily collaboration with the specialists at the other units of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The Veterinary Teaching Hospital is the only hospital in Finland offering veterinary haemodialysis and plasma exchange therapies. These therapies can be used in the treatment of patients requiring intensive care, such as those with acute renal dysfunction or those suffering from acute severe toxic conditions.
Effective pain relief during surgery promotes the patient’s welfare and quick recovery after the operation. The Veterinary Teaching Hospital invests in anaesthetic safety, including with equipment not in use anywhere else. Anaesthesia, pain relief and intravenous rehydration are planned individually for each patient undergoing anaesthesia at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Anaesthesia is supervised by trained and experienced nurses with the help of a veterinary anaesthetist and high-quality anaesthetic monitoring equipment.
Surgical, endoscopic and dental procedures are always carried out under general anaesthesia, as are tomography and MRI scans. We also have alternative and painless anaesthetic methods at our disposal. Effective pain medication is also administered intravenously during procedures.
During surgeries, we continuously monitor the animal patient’s blood pressure as well as respiratory gas and anaesthetic levels. If necessary, we will take blood samples, including during anaesthesia, to gain information on the patient’s status. We also monitor the patient’s electrocardiogram (ECG), sufficiency of tissue oxygenation, and temperature.
After surgical procedures, patients can recover in peace under a thermal blanket. Recovering animal patients are moved from the recovery room to rest in a regular ward or at home often on the same day.
When arriving for physiotherapy for the first time, please bring with you any documents pertaining to your animal’s prior medical history. The most important thing is to bring a referral from a veterinarian concerning the current ailment or problem, if any.
If your animal is on continuous medication, do not adjust it. The animal should not be heavily fed in the two hours before the appointment. As a reward, you can bring your animal’s favourite treats and toys.
Animals with reduced mobility or that are timid or aggressive should not be taken to the reception lobby to wait if it is unpleasant for them. You can drive your car to the small entrance on the right-hand side of the main entrance and, after registering, wait in the car to be called in.
Other members and animals of the family are welcome to join the therapy session, as long as they do not significantly disturb the patient.
Should a sudden change occur in the animal’s health (e.g., fever, cough, diarrhoea, skin disease, accident) or if you are unexpectedly unable to arrive at the time of the booking, please notify either our booking desk or the animal’s physiotherapist.
The fee for each visit is paid as you leave at the same reception desk where you registered on arrival.
Animals treated at a hospital ward may require rehabilitation provided by a physiotherapist. In such cases, a physiotherapist at the hospital will carry out the necessary physiotherapy with the animal, even several times a day. The physiotherapist will keep in touch with the owner directly by phone, through notifications and written instructions entered in the patient records, and at joint therapy sessions agreed in advance.
In the case of animals in need of intensive rehabilitation or owners’ challenging schedules, animals can be dropped off at the hospital in the morning and picked up in the evening. Such animals have a place in our inpatient ward where physiotherapists can carry out the necessary number of therapy sessions, even several times over the course of a single day. A separate ward is reserved for cats.
You can book an appointment at our outpatient clinic either with a referral or at your own initiative regardless of your place of residence or the location of the referring veterinarian. During a clinic visit, the owner should always be present during treatment unless otherwise decided with the owner for individual reasons. You should reserve roughly one hour for outpatient clinic appointments. In exceptional cases, which are discussed individually, the duration of sessions may be considerably shorter. An hour should always be reserved for the first appointment.