Referral Information for Veterinarians

Case history referral form - download
New client registration form - download   

Thank you for entrusting Valley Farm Animal Hospital with your patient’s specialist treatment. We are a multidiscipline facility and are able to accept referrals of surgical and medical conditions, as well as offering overnight care for critical cases.

How to refer a patient 
All patients must be referred by a veterinarian.  Either you or your client can contact us to make a booking on 012 991 3573. Cost estimates can be given at this time and we strongly advise giving clients an accurate cost estimate before making the referral. Please provide the client with a completed Case history referral form and attach all relevant laboratory results and radiographs. Please address it for the attention of the veterinarian the patient should see.

We endeavour to see clients quickly and most non-urgent cases will usually be seen within three days. Urgent cases will be seen on the same day. 

Clients will be requested to complete a registration form, which can be downloaded by you or the client to complete at home. It should be faxed or emailed through to pre-register, saving time at our practice. Please inform your clients that we will need to take a copy of their ID.
We require a 50% deposit on admission to the hospital. All accounts must be settled in full when the patient leaves the hospital. We accept debit /credit cards (except Diners), or cash and we can provide a secure internet connection for bank transfers.

All patients will be referred back to you when treatment is completed or for ongoing after-care, if necessary. You will be sent a detailed report on discharge of the patient.

Surgical referrals
Our surgical team, headed by Dr. Hans van der Zee, takes referrals of all surgery cases. We make use of all the latest imaging techniques in order to use the most advanced implant technology and surgical techniques during the surgery. Examples include using locking plates or advanced external fixators in the repair of difficult fractures, and the use of the Zurich cementless total hip replacement system. Implant placement is checked intra-operatively by fluoroscopy. We have a unique and extremely effective technique for the treatment of wobblers, even in very large dogs.

Medical referrals
Our medical team, headed by Dr. Liesel van der Merwe, takes referrals for a full range of medical conditions. We can also perform a procedure to assist you in making a diagnosis, but will still need some basic information to determine the risk of the procedure to the patient. Please be aware that if only a procedure is requested, ONLY the results of the procedure will be forwarded to you. Dr. Liesel van der Merwe - Curriculum Vitae

Advice
Our doctors offer an advice service to other veterinarians. Please call or email us. When available, our doctors are happy to discuss cases and offer advice.

Critical care
Our hospital is staffed 24 hours a day. Our well-equipped high care ward has oxygen cages, ventilator, PB monitor, pulse oximeter, ECG, fluid infusion pumps, heated water bed and infrared lamps. We have a veterinarian and support staff on site at all times. Please try to call us before 6pm if you will need to send a case for overnight care, so that we can prepare all the necessary accommodation and equipment.