Ballarat Family PetCare Clinic  has been providing services to the local community since early 2000.

We offer comprehensive veterinary services, focusing on the care and treatment of companion animals.

Major extensions and renovations in 2003 have resulted in a fully equipped, modern hospital meeting the standards of the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria.

Our hospital now boasts two consulting rooms, a large treatment area,sterile surgery,an extended kennel area,a x-ray room and separate darkroom,hydro bath, plus an isolation hospital area for contagious disease cases.

We are fully computerised and maintain a fully-stocked and modern dispensary . We can even offer you a comfortable lounge area with tea/coffee facilities should you need to wait whilst your pet is receiving treatment.

Our clinic prides itself on providing compassionate and professional care.

We offer clients a friendly and comprehensive service in all areas of small animal medicine,surgery and general well being. We value all our clients,both animal and human, and look forward to establishing a happy relationship that will satisfy them and last for many years.

Welcome to the virtual tour of our facilities. As you will see, Ballarat Family Petcare Clinic is just like a miniature version of a human hospital, containing surgery, hospital wards, X-ray facilities, pharmacy and laboratory areas.

If you would like to know any further information about any aspects of our Hospital, or would like to take the real' tour, please ask one of the staff.

Let's begin our tour of BFPC in the Reception area......

Welcome to our Reception

At Ballarat Family Petcare Clinic, we strive for excellence in both the level of healthcare and service that we provide.We believe you'll find this reflected in your initial experiences from the moment you enter our doors.

Our veterinary receptionist, Pam, will ensure that you receive a warm welcome to our practice. Pam's many years of experience means she will be able to provide clients with hassle free assistance with all their booking needs and enquiries.Our front desk is also your first point of contact to obtain information on many aspects of petcare including nutrition and parasite control. Free brochures and information hand-outs are readily available.

Upon arrival, your details will be obtained and your pet's records will be put onto our computer schedule list.All our records are stored on a central computer which is accessible throughout our hospital. Thus your pet's clinical file, including all medical records and medications can be easily retrieved at all times.

Our well-stocked merchandise areas are just the place to find premium pet foods, dental care products, good quality grooming and training aids. And if we don't stock what you need,just let us know so we can order it without delay!

Click on photo to go to more photos of our reception

 Now, let's walk into the consultation rooms ....

Examination /Consulting rooms

The reception area allows ready access to the consultation rooms in addition to the remainder of the hospital.

Our professional consultation rooms have been designed to be functional and easy to keep clean. However, we believe it is important that both our clients and patients also find the examination process friendly and comfortable. Thus for the little things like the non-slip mats on the exam table and the notion of not even using the table at all for our really nervous patients! Each well-lit room is equipped with the diagnostic equipment to allow for a thorough examination of your pet.

Click on photo to go to more photos of our Consult Rooms

From the consultation rooms, let's head into the areas of the Hospitals which house the Pharmacy and Laboratory.

Pharmacy and Laboratory Areas

Designed to be in close proximity to the consultation rooms, the Pharmacy and Laboratory areas are located immediately behind the examination rooms at BFPC.

The pharmacy contains prescription and non-prescription drugs. It is also where we house many different herbal and natural therapies. Naturally, all prescription drugs are kept safely under lock and key, and our hospital is fitted with comprehensive security systems.

Adjacent to the pharmacy are the Hospital's laboratory facilities, allowing quick bench-top analysis of blood, urine and other specimens.

Our facilities include a state of the art Agen pathology machine, which analyses haematology, blood biochemistry, hormone concentrations, and electrolytes. The use of these facilities allows faster diagnosis and  'on-the-spot' pre-anaesthetic profiles for at-risk animals.

Click on photo to go to more photos of our Lab/Pharmacy

The next stop on our tour is the Treatment Rooms....

The Treatment or Prep Room

The treatment room is the centre of many Hospital's activities. This is where our patients are given medical therapy and prepared for surgery.The room has been designed to allow easy monitoring of patients recovering from anaesthetics and those in hospital for observation.

Also located in the prep room is the  'wet-surgery' area, where anaesthetic induction and procedures such as dental treatments,and other minor procedures are conducted. The dental equipment that we use allows us to dental scaling and polishing as well as extractions.

The treatment room also contains the surgery preparation area,where staff scrub their hands and arms prior to a surgery, and autoclaves which sterilise the surgical instruments to be used. All surgical packs are prepared in advance by our nursing staff, and emergency packs are kept on hand in the event of an unanticipated procedure.

This room also houses our recovery cages - used to monitor all our patients post operatively. It is also the area where those critical care patients are admitted/hospitalised so that constant monitoring is possible.Reverse cycle air-conditioning ensure precise environment control.

Click on photo to go to more photos of our Treatment Room

From here we find our Surgery or Operating Theatre .....

Operating Theatre

All sterile surgery is performed in the operating theatre.

Regular procedures include desexing, orthopedic procedures, tumour surgery, Caesarian sections and other abdominal surgeries. X-ray viewing screens allow the surgeon to view a patient's radiographs whilst in theatre.

Equipment used in the operating theatre included a cautery unit, anaesthetic machine, anaesthetic monitors and intravenous fluid pumps. Our stainless steel surgery table features a state of the art heating system to remove the risk of hypothermia during longer procedures.

During every surgery a theatre nurse is assigned to assist the surgeon .This nurse monitors patients under anaesthesia to ensure that each procedure is performed with the highest margin of safety possible. The nurse also administers appropriate pain killers to minimise your pet's post operative discomfort. We believe that analgesia is critical to assist a patient's recovery and well-being.

Click on photo to go to more photos of our Surgery

From the Operating Theatre we now move into the X-ray area.......

Diagnostic Imaging Area

Our X-ray machine (located in a corner of the treatment room) is a powerful machine which allows X-rays to be taken with high quality and minimal exposure to staff and pets. Many animals require sedation or full anaesthesia to allow for diagnostic quality radiographs and the location in the treatment room with a modern anaesthetic machine allows us to do this safely.

The introduction of a modern automatic film processor means that we can produce the highest quality radiographs without any hassle or delay.

Our Clinic also has a mobile, high quality ultrasound machine to allow us to do pregnancy checks, heart and abdominal imaging right here onsite.

Click on photo to go to more photos of our X-Ray area

But we must not forget one of the most important areas within the hospital - our hospital wards ....

Hospital Wards

This is the area where all our patients will spend much of their time whilst in our care. We consider our wards to be your pet's 'Home Away From Home'. Everything is designed to provide your pet with all the comforts, warmth and cleanliness they are used to, and a stress free environment to help eliminate any separation anxiety.

Our stainless steel cages provide hygienic, safe enclosures, whilst lots of warm, clean, comfortable bedding in our bright,well ventilated wards help provide a caring environment for your pet

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Dogs and cats are kept in separate areas of the ward, which again helps promote a safe, secure, less noisy environment for them. Our wards are located centrally within the hospital, allowing your pet to be constantly monitored throughout their stay with us. Two new modern spacious indoor runs have been built to provide extra comfort our really big patients.

Click on photo to go to more photos of our Wards

Isolation Ward

An independent area known as our  'Isolation ward' is located separate from our main Hospital Wards so that patients with potentially infectious diseases can be housed without risk to our other hospitalised patients. This ward has a glass viewing area to allow staff to constantly monitor the patient and their needs. The safe comfort, warmth and stress  free environment is provided for our isolation patients, helping to promote and provide for a speedy recovery time.

Click on photo to go to more photos Isolation

Let's take a look at the BFPC's Grooming area.......

Hydrobath-Groom Room

We consider grooming an essential part of maintaining a healthy pet. Skin diseases and other problems can develop if your pet's coat & skin is not kept in optimum condition. Our facilities allow you to choose from a trim and brush, bath and shampoo, nail clip or have the works!

The hydrobath is often useful in nursing certain medical problems especially burns patients and is the most effective way to get those thick coats really clean.

The next stop is the Hospital Staff room ....

Staff/ Meeting Room

Every hospital needs an area for the staff to relax and take a break, and BFPC has a well equipped staff room for just this purpose. The bright, cheery room also provides an ideal area for our regular staff meetings. It is also the area that you might visit if you need a private area to discuss your pet's problems with your veterinarian.

Please remember to ask Pam or one of the staff members if your ever need a beverage or just some chilled water. Please be our guest !

Click on photo to go to more photos of our Staff Room

The last stop on our tour is Our Garden Area........

Our Garden Area

The garden-lawn area at the rear of the practice is a well maintained, and secure area helping to provide some time out for our busy staff as well as all our patients.

Long term patients as well as our day patients all appreciate the chance to go outside and get some fresh air and play time. A large enclosed dog run allows us to give our patients time outside in a safe, secure environment.

Click on photo to go to more photos of our Garden

 That concludes the tour of our Hospital. We hope that you've enjoyed this look   'behind the scenes'. To return to the main  'Home page ', please click here.