While our Faculty's Veterinary Academic Hospital has seen tremendous growth and success over the last few years, we unfortunately have also been impacted by the country-wide shortage of general practice veterinarians that has featured widely in the press.
Small Animal after-hours services
As a result of the shortage, and the vast majority of vets in the country being employed in day positions, there is an immense shortage of vets available for after-hours services.
As per our previous communication, due to an inability to find staff for our night service, we had to discontinue our small animal after hours service. We also promised to provide an update to our valuable clients on our attempts to correct the situation.
Firstly, we should like to assure all our clients, alumni, parents and students that the OVAH is operating at full capacity during daytime hours (06h30 to 19h00) and will continue to shine as a top veterinary academic hospital on the continent. We have also managed to extend our small animal outpatients operating hours and appointments can now be made between 09h00 and 19h00. We will also open at 6:30 for emergencies, with the main gate finally closing at 19h00.
The patients in High Care and ICU will continue to be monitored and cared for by our qualified veterinary nurses and veterinary students throughout the night, and specialist staff will be on call to support hospitalised patients, if the need arises. Despite current challenges, we very much see this as a temporary arrangement and are working hard to ensure that the overnight emergency services can be resumed at the start of 2024. We will provide further feedback towards the end of the year.
Exotic Animal Clinic
After 21 years of dedicated service, we sadly have to say goodbye to Dr Dorianne Elliott who will be closing her Exotic Animal Clinic at the end of July. To those who may not know, the Exotic Animal Clinic is a private practice and operated separately from the OVAH despite maintaining a close relationship with our staff and students. Dr Elliot will be moving her practice to the Valley Farm Veterinary Hospital in Pretoria East.
The move is to support her clientele who are mainly in the East of Pretoria, and will ultimately make it easier for sick exotic pets to be brought in for treatment without requiring transportation over long distances and through traffic. For clients making use of the services of Dr Elliot, she will still be available as previously just at a different location.
While the Faculty will be sad to say goodbye to a veterinarian that has pretty much become like a member of the family, we wish Dr Elliot well at her new location. Dr Elliot will however continue to teach exotic animal medicine to our students.
Final year students will also be able to do their elective exotic animal practice with Dr Elliot, as they have arranged personally previously. The OVAH management will also see if it will be possible to get part-time support for exotic animals at the OVAH, through negotiations with neighbouring practices in the area.
The services offered by our wildlife clinic (indigenous wildlife mainly), will continue to operate as previously for both ambulatory and hospitalised services.
Consulting times for small animals over weekends:
- Saturday 09h00 to 12h00 (normal consulting hours by appointment)
- Saturday 12h00 to 19h00 (emergencies will be seen at out-of-hours rates)
- Sunday 09h00 to 19h00 (emergencies will be seen at out-of-hours rates)
Prof Adrian Tordiffe
Director: OVAH
Faculty of Veterinary Science
Virtual Campus
Get Social With Us
Download the UP Mobile App