Getting a cat into the carrier without a chase
Leave the carrier out for a week before the visit, and most of the drama goes away (sample).
Vets for dogs, cats and rabbits in Springfield
Larkfield Vets (sample) is an independent clinic on Orchard Street: health checks, vaccinations, neutering, dentistry and surgery, with the out-of-hours number answered every night.
Weekdays 08:00 to 19:00, Saturday 09:00 to 13:00 (sample)
Vaccination and health record
Biscuit, Border Collie puppy (sample)
Born 2 August. Registered at Larkfield Vets (sample).
Age
Given
Notes
Vet
8 weeks
DHP + L4Batch 0428A
First vaccination and a nose-to-tail check. Weight 4.2 kg.
RM
8 weeks
Chip
Microchip fitted and registered to the owner.
RM
10 weeks
DHP + L4Batch 0511C
Second vaccination. First walk date agreed with the vet.
JA
6 months
Check
Growth, teeth and weight. Neutering talk.
RM
15 months
Due 12 Nov
First yearly booster and health check.
Sticker: vaccine given, from the vial label. Stamp: check or procedure. Dashed box: next visit, pencilled in.
Appointments
Mon to Fri 08:00 to 19:00
Sat 09:00 to 13:00
Nurse clinics
Tue and Thu 14:00 to 17:00
Weight, nails, microchips
Out of hours
Every night, Sundays and holidays
Call (555) 014-2699
Opening times (sample).
What we do
Every visit starts with a 20-minute appointment with a vet or nurse. You get a price before any treatment, and the vet explains the choices.
Health checks and vaccinations
Nose-to-tail check, weight, teeth and the vaccines your pet needs for its age and lifestyle.
From $58
Neutering
Spays and castrations for dogs, cats and rabbits. In at 08:15, home the same afternoon in most cases.
From $190
Dental care
Dental checks in every consultation; scale, polish and extractions under anaesthetic when needed.
From $240
Surgery and diagnostics
Digital X-ray, ultrasound and blood tests in our own lab, so most results come back the same day.
Quoted after an exam
Nurse clinics
Weight checks, nail clips, microchips and checks after an operation, with a veterinary nurse.
From $18
Emergencies
Day-time emergencies are seen at the clinic; at night your call goes to our out-of-hours vets.
Call first
Example prices.
Health plans, month by month
A plan spreads the routine care of a year into equal monthly payments. Each strip shows what is in the plan and when it happens.
First year
Puppies and kittens from 8 weeks
1yearly vaccinehealth checkflea and worm dose
2yearly vaccineflea and worm dose
3flea and worm dose
4flea and worm dose
5flea and worm dosenurse clinic
6health checkflea and worm dose
7flea and worm dose
8flea and worm dose
9flea and worm dosenurse clinic
10flea and worm dose
11flea and worm dose
12health checkflea and worm dose
$19 a month
Adult dog
Dogs from 15 months
1yearly vaccinehealth checkflea and worm dose
2flea and worm dose
3flea and worm dose
4flea and worm dosenurse clinic
5flea and worm dose
6flea and worm dose
7health checkflea and worm dose
8flea and worm dose
9flea and worm dose
10flea and worm dosenurse clinic
11flea and worm dose
12flea and worm dose
$18 a month
Adult cat
Cats from 15 months
1yearly vaccinehealth checkflea and worm dose
2flea and worm dose
3flea and worm dose
4flea and worm dose
5flea and worm dosenurse clinic
6flea and worm dose
7health checkflea and worm dose
8flea and worm dose
9flea and worm dose
10flea and worm dose
11flea and worm dosenurse clinic
12flea and worm dose
$15 a month
Rabbit
Rabbits from 6 weeks
1yearly vaccinehealth check
2nothing booked
3nothing booked
4nurse clinic
5nothing booked
6nothing booked
7health check
8nothing booked
9nothing booked
10nurse clinic
11nothing booked
12nothing booked
$11 a month
Month 1 is the month you join. Sticker: the yearly vaccine. Stamp: a health check with the vet. Small tick: a flea and worm dose to take home. Dot: a nurse clinic (weight, nails, teeth). Example prices.
Your first visit
New to the clinic? This is what happens, from the phone call to the card you take home.
1
Book
Call or send a request. New pets get a 20-minute slot with a vet.
2
Bring
Any old records, a carrier for cats and rabbits, a lead for dogs.
3
Weigh in
A nurse weighs your pet on the floor scale in the waiting room.
4
The check
Eyes, ears, teeth, heart, skin and belly; ask anything as we go.
5
The card
The vet fills in the card and pencils the date of the next visit.
If your pet is unwell out of hours
Call before you set off. Our out-of-hours vets answer every night, Sundays and holidays, and tell you whether to come in and where (sample).
Call straight away if your pet
- Has trouble breathing, or its gums look pale or blue
- Collapses, or has a fit that lasts more than a few minutes
- Has eaten something poisonous: chocolate, grapes, rat bait, lilies for cats
- Strains and cannot pass urine
- Has a swollen, hard belly and tries to be sick
- Has been hit by a car, even if it seems fine
This list is not complete. If you are worried, call.
The vets and nurses
Two vets, a nurse and a receptionist who know the pets by name. The initials on your pet’s card are theirs.
Dr Ruth Marsh (RM)
Veterinary surgeon, clinic lead (sample)
Dogs, soft-tissue surgery and the first-year visits of most of our puppies.
Dr Jonah Adeyemi (JA)
Veterinary surgeon (sample)
Cats and rabbits, dentistry, and the quiet Thursday cat clinic.
Priya Shah (PS)
Veterinary nurse (sample)
Nurse clinics: weight, nails, microchips and checks after an operation.
Tom Feld
Reception and health plans (sample)
Appointments, plan sign-ups and repeat prescriptions.
Questions from owners
Do I need to register before the first visit?
No. Book a first appointment and reception registers your pet when you arrive. Bring any old vaccination card if you have one.
How much is a consultation?
A 20-minute consultation with a vet is $58, and a nurse clinic from $18 (example prices). The vet gives you a price before any treatment.
Is there a separate waiting area for cats?
Yes. Cats and rabbits wait in a quiet room away from the dogs, with shelves to keep the carrier off the floor.
My dog is nervous at the vet. What can we do?
Ask for the first or last appointment of the day, when the clinic is quiet. You can bring a favourite blanket, and we can see your dog in the car park first.
Can I pay monthly?
For routine care, yes: a health plan spreads a year of vaccines, checks and flea and worm doses into monthly payments.
Pet care notes
Autumn walks: conkers, acorns and mushrooms
What dogs pick up on autumn walks, and when to call the clinic (sample).
Why the vet looks in your dog’s ears at every check
A quick look with the otoscope, and what the vet is checking for (sample).
Find the clinic
Larkfield Vets
9 Orchard Street, Springfield (sample)
- Free parking for 12 cars behind the clinic, two spaces by the door
- Bus 12 stops on Station Lane, three minutes' walk
- Step-free entrance and a floor scale big enough for large dogs
- Separate waiting room for cats and rabbits
