Our Critical Care service operates out of our state of the art, intensive care unit.

Your pet’s health and wellbeing is our priority.

We understand that your pets are more than just animals; they are cherished members of your family. In times of crisis, when your pet faces a life-threatening situation, and you need a dedicated, highly skilled team to provide immediate and expert treatment - our Critical Care team will be there.

Our Critical Care service comprises a specialised team of senior clinicians, amassing over 35 years of clinical experience, who are dedicated to providing exceptional, 24/7 lifesaving care for pets facing critical medical emergencies. A team of specially trained nurses support our ICU veterinarians, in our state-of-the-art facilities, to provide continuous gold-standard care to you pet.

Similar to a human hospital, the intensive care unit is integral to the running of our medical centre, allowing for continuous provision of veterinary supervision and high-quality medicine to the patients that need it most.

Being a primarily an inpatient service, our ICU veterinarians’ schedules focus on maximising contact time with the patients, rather than on consults or surgeries. Our multi-disciplinary, collaborative approach to patient care, means that it is common for our critical care team to have input on pre- or post-operative and complex medical cases. 

Whilst patients treated by the Critical Care team may be admitted to ICU through our 24-hour Emergency Department (hyperlink to Pet Emergency website) or those undergoing treatment with other specialty departments, they may also be referred directly from your general practice veterinarian.

What cases may be referred to the Critical Care service directly?

Critical Care service is available for direct referrals 7 days a week from 8am to 5pm.

Our first opinion emergency service is available 24/7 and can facilitate assessment and stabilisation prior to transferring to the Critical Care service during business hours.

Some of the cases we see include:

• Acute Abdomen (GDV, unstable GI foreign body obstructions, septic peritonitis, gall bladder rupture)

• Bleeding Disorders (IMHA, rodenticide toxicity, haemabdomen)

• Cardiac Disease (congestive heart failure, pericardial effusion, arrhythmias)

• Endocrine Disorders (DKA, Addisonian crisis, hypoglycaemic crisis)

• Respiratory Distress (non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, upper airway obstructions, aspiration pneumonia)

• Trauma (road traffic accident, traumatic brain injury, high rise syndrome)

• Toxicities (acute kidney injury, hepatotoxins, snake and tick envenomation)

• Other (cluster seizures, sepsis, electrolyte disorders and more)

What our Critical Care service offers 

Queensland Veterinary Specialists is a fully functional emergency and critical care institution. With 35 emergency clinicians on staff, in addition to 2 board credentialed specialists in Emergency and Critical Care, Pet Emergency is the largest, and most experienced, emergency and critical care team in Queensland.

Our critical care service offers:

-         Mechanical Ventilation (life support)

-         High flow nasal oxygen

-         Temperature and humidity-controlled oxygen cages

-         Continuous multi-parameter monitoring (ECG, blood pressure, pulse oximetry) 

-         Blood transfusions

-         Bedside Ultrasonography

-         Digital Radiography

-         Endoscopic foreign body retrieval

-         Advanced diagnostic imaging techniques (CT and MRI)

-        Fully equipped in-house laboratory including viscoelastic testing

-        Enteral and parenteral nutritional support 

While our knowledge and practical skills are second-to-none, we too pride ourselves on compassion and empathy. Our clinicians treat your pet as if it were their own. Exceptional client and patient care are our greatest strengths.

Blood Donor Program

Blood donations are an important part of veterinary medicine.

Our Critical Care team is also responsible for our blood donation program.

Click here to learn more and to see if your pet is eligible to donate.

Payment

Our clinicians are always mindful of the costs that can be accrued as a result of veterinary care.

For this reason, we offer multiple payment options, including VetPay, AfterPay and ZipPay.

Our reception staff are always happy to assist should you have any queries.