Dubai: A sprawling multi-speciality clinic for dogs and cats has opened in Khalifa City A in Abu Dhabi.
Located opposite Al Forsan Village, the 20,000 square foot City Vet Veterinary Clinic can accommodate up to 110 dogs and cats. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, the boasts in-house boarding, grooming centre, pet hotel and separate wings for dogs and cats. “The idea was to segregate the animals,” said Emirati Hassan Mohammad Hassan, 34, owner of City Vet Clinic.
“Each wing has isolation rooms, intensive care units and surgery rooms. A digital mobile X-ray, Doppler ultrasound, patient monitors are among other high-tech equipment. The clinic also offers hydrotherapy for dogs using an underwater treadmill,” said Hassan.
Complicated surgery
The clinic has top vets and surgeons on board and their expertise will be put to test next week when they perform a brain surgery on a four-month-old puppy using ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement. “VP shunt is a medical device that relieves pressure on the brain caused by fluid accumulation to treat a condition known as hydrocephalus,” explained Dr Bledar Bejleri, medical manager, senior veterinary surgeon and specialist in Imaging Diagnostics and Orthopaedics.
“The surgery will involve implanting a special draining tube with a small valve inside the brain and removing excess fluid from the brain just like how it is done on humans,” he addedi.
The mixed-breed puppy getting the surgery is a stray and was brought to the clinic by animal volunteers. “Since they cannot afford to pay for the surgery, the clinic is taking care of all the expenses.”
Another free surgery lined up for Dr. Bejleri is an angular limp deformity correction on a one-year-old Great Dane which will be done two weeks later. “This dog too was brought to us by animal volunteers. His front legs are completely bent. He walks with a lot of pain. The clinic will bear the cost of this surgery also.”
As part of the clinic’s sterilisation programme, the hospital uses electrically charged water to keep the environment free of germs and viruses.
The pet hotel can house eight dogs and 28 cats.
Charges
The consultation charge for cats and dogs is Dh170 per visit. Full grooming for cats and small sized dogs is Dh220, Dh260 for medium sized breeds and Dh300 for the bigger canines.
Pet boarding rates are Dh65 per night for cats, Dh70 for small breed dogs, Dh75 per night for a medium sized canine and Dh80 per night for the larger ones.
