ARH Canberra - 24/7 Emergency, After-Hours & Specialist Vet Hospital

Referred here by our vet with breathing and nasal issues in my staffy that were progressively getting worse as it was the only place with necessary equipment to perform the nasal scans he needed. Tests confirmed he had a tumour in the nose. Returned for further testing on the tumour to see what could be done, during this time my dogs conditioned worsened severely, and I was calling frequently for updates or advice on what to do. Was told again and again that the vet would call me, who didn’t. This went on for a number of days. It turns out the vet who had been treating him was sick, which was not information that was passed on to me, and no other vet had been informed or asked to call me in the time that I had been calling and expressing to the clinic that my dog was unable to breathe. I’m no vet but I would think an animal being unable to breathe is pretty serious and warrants another vet stepping in to manage the case. After days of calling and chasing up, my dog had become so sick and unable to breathe that we went back to his local vet where the decision was made to put him down. It was only after my dog was already deceased that another vet from this practice called me to discuss treatment options, and it was only at this point that anyone told me the vet he had been seeing was unwell. Incredibly traumatic to receive a call about what could be done to help after he was already deceased. Illness is unavoidable I understand, but the overall management of this case was horrendous and an incredibly difficult end to my dogs life not only for him but those who loved him.

“I experienced significant communication issues during my cat’s visit, including being told I would receive a return call at a critical moment and not receiving one. I also paid for professional guidance but was given no advice when I directly asked whether euthanasia should be considered. My cat — my companion of 16 years — declined overnight and devastatingly had to be euthanised the next day. Whether this visit, the delays, or the lack of advice contributed, I do not know, but the experience was deeply distressing. I have provided a detailed account within the review system because these concerns needed to be documented to help prevent similar situations for others. If I were asked whether I would return to this clinic at this point, the answer would be no unless substantial changes are made. I would have left during the initial appointment if my cat had not been so unwell.”

The staff provided an excellent level of communication, empathy and assistance during our pet’s stay. Dr Jimmy is an extraordinary vet whose level of care was simply amazing. We highly recommend this practice!

Our little boy launched himself off a 2.5m balcony and broke all the bones in his foot. The ARH ream were so amazing with him and the emotional parent, they could not be faulted. Every person I came in contact with was super supportive and caring.

We’ve been to ARH twice this year, and both times we’ve been incredibly grateful for the care and professionalism we received. Our first visit was when our little girl, Fufu, accidentally swallowed a fish hook that was in a very difficult position. Our local vet on the coast wasn’t able to remove it and referred us to ARH. We were very lucky that Dr. Nadia Wong was available to see us as soon as we arrived. She was calm, professional, and performed the surgery successfully. Thanks to her, Fufu recovered well. We never imagined we’d be back just three months later with a completely different and much more serious issue — a condition called ITP (immune-mediated thrombocytopenia). That afternoon, we had taken Fufu to a local vet but they couldn’t identify the problem, and we were sent home. Unfortunately, her condition got worse throughout the day. We suddenly remembered that we could contact ARH and see if they could see us immediately — and we’re so glad we did. We called at 5:00 pm and spoke with Josh at the reception, who remembered us and kindly told us we could come in at 6:00 pm for emergency services. Thanks to that quick action, the emergency vet team was able to identify the issue, start Fufu on the correct treatment, and provide a lifesaving transfusion in time. Fufu is still on a long road to recovery and is now under the ongoing care of specialist Dr. Jane Yu at ARH. But we want to sincerely thank all the front desk staff, nurses, and vets we’ve seen over the past month. Your compassion, knowledge, and support during this difficult time have meant the world to us — and to Fufu.