The Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital (OVAH) is one of a kind in Southern Africa – possibly even on the African continent.

Part of the University of Pretoria, and designed primarily to provide world class practical training to final year veterinary and veterinary nursing students studying at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, the hospital nevertheless succeeds in providing, at the same time, a unique and highly valued service to the greater veterinary and pet-owning community.

Our Veterinary Hospital was founded with a vision to provide world-class veterinary care while advancing education and research in animal health. Over the years, we have grown from a small clinic into a full-service teaching hospital, proudly serving a wide range of animal species including pets, farm animals, horses, and wildlife. Through innovation, dedication, and a passion for animal welfare, we have built a reputation as a trusted center for veterinary excellence and community support.

From a tiny, helpless domestic shorthair kitten, to a stately and economically important stud bull, all companion and production animals are optimally cared for in species-specific clinics, and treated by clinicians and specialists of national and international repute.

The OVAH is the only veterinary hospital is South Africa where veterinary specialists of so many different disciplines practice under one roof. Our scope of services is very broad and includes:

• Medical and surgical oncology for dogs and cats
• Critical care (including ventilation) for dogs and cats
• Tracheal stenting in small breed dogs
• Total hip replacement and other implant-driven orthopaedic procedures for dogs and cats
• Dentistry, all species (including specialised maxillofacial reconstructive surgery)
• Ophthalmology, all species
• Horses, medical and surgical colic management
• Horses, standing tie-backs
• Horses lameness assessment and management
• Cattle, hoof health
• Cattle, general medicine and surgery
• Small stock, (calves, sheep goats) medicine and surgery

In order to perform such diverse and challenging veterinary work, the OVAH boasts 10 theatres, a dog/cat ICU, referral clinics for various species, a bustling first-opinion Outpatient clinic and an impressive array of diagnostic imaging equipment ranging from digital radiography, to computed tomography. Furthermore, the OVAH is the only veterinary facility in Africa to perform diagnostic nuclear imaging, known as scintigraphy. All this ensures the OVAH never lacks for patients to heal or opportunities to train students to the highest standards.

Host to over 70 trained and dedicated support staff, together with a number of enthusiastic and animal-loving veterinary and veterinary nursing students, the OVAH is an academic yet very client- and patient-focused hospital which strives to provide professional, skilled and compassionate patient care and client service at all times.