Anyone who has a pet understands that they are not just merely a friendly animal that we play with around the house but a fully fledged member of the family. So when our cuddly friends are feeling ill or need a check-up, we want nothing but the best in petcare.
With more than 100 years’ experience caring for Galway’s pets and farm animals, Glenina Veterinary Clinic in Glenina Heights endeavours to provide the best service and solution to your pet’s problem.
With a newly completed extension to the clinic and the hosting of family fun day taking place on Saturday, resident veterinarian, Karl D’Arcy MVB, sat down with Matt Cassidy of the Galway Advertiser.
What services does Glenina Veterinary Clinic offer?
Karl: We cover everything here in the clinic. From emergencies to routine vaccinations. We offer neutering services, orthopaedic surgeries as well as dental treatments. Dental treatments is is very big among our pets. We have a new X-ray machine and a new ultrasound scanning machine. We have in-house blood machines which enable us to do most of the diagnostics on site. The practice covers from Rossaveal, Oughterard, Athenry, and Kinvara, so a huge portion of County Galway. We have 15 staff altogether including seven vets and we are open from Monday to Saturday, 8.30am to 7pm, and we also do emergency cover 24/7 every day of the year. Our experienced nursing team offer nurse clinics where clients can get advice on house training, exercise, and the benefits of socialisation. We also offer advice on dietary requirement, diabetic screening and management.
How many animals would Glenina see over the course of a day?
Karl: For cat and dogs, we would be seeing at least 30 a day. This would be a combination from itching ears to broken legs and everything in between. A lot of the work that goes on here would be for routine vaccinations, dental check-ups, and weigh-ins. Pet obesity has become an increasing problem in recent years.
There must be great fun and satisfaction working animals?
Karl: There are two sides of it. Number one you love seeing the new puppies come in because they are a lot of fun. There is no difficulty and it is very enjoyable, happy consult. You then may get a difficult case and you have to explore it. It is more of an intellectual challenge and like any problem solving, there is a kick to it. And also being able to help people
Why should I bring my pet to Glenina?
Karl: Number one thing is you want your pet looked after, that is why you bring them to the vet in the first place. The second thing you want is that peace of mind that the pet is being cared for by a team of professionals who are not only experienced but working with the best equipment available, using the most up-to-date techniques. We have been here so long and we have plenty of vets, there is well over 100 years’ accumulated experience. We have upgraded our facilities and we constantly strive to keep ahead of the curve on new techniques and new technologies. Our main aim is to provide top quality veterinary care for our clients, from our veterinary team, with the emphasis being on animal welfare. Everything else is to a point secondary after that. We are about doing the best for the pet comfort and welfare so the pet can have the best outcome possible. We are also easily accessible for all of Galway city and we have free parking.
Tell us about the clinic’s new extension.
The new extension will be opening very soon. The new space is to cope with demand and also to improve our services to our clients and their pets. We have modernised our dental suite and we have a new room for our digital scanning and x-rays. The new extension will also provide more space and comfort for our clients and pets when they are waiting to be seen by the vet.
Are you looking forward to family fun day on Saturday?
Karl: Everyone at Glenina Veterinary Clinic is very much looking forward to the day. The Galway Bay Roadcaster will be present and there will be a large bouncy castle at the front. There will be face paintng and balloon modelling. Galway Dog Training Club will be coming out to do a display and also we will have competitions for people who want to try out their own dog’s ability and agility. There will be prizes on the day. Facebook competitions, discounts as well refreshments with all proceeds going to the GSPCA, and the GSPCA will have a stand with few lovable dogs who are looking for a new home.
We will have routine health checks with our vets here so people can bring the pet along for a check-up. We will also have nurses’ stations where our nurses are available to talk to people who are looking to get a puppy or kitten. They will talk about vaccinations, food, worming, all the routine things that goes along when you welcome a new pet to the family. Another nurse will be talking about senior animals and what their needs are, what to look out for, and how to look after them, and also the guys who have a little bit of weight and need help shedding it. We will also have animal goodie bags to take home.
It really is a day out for everybody including your pet. It is nice to meet clients outside work and be able to interact with them and to show them around the clinic, give them a look behind the scenes of what goes on here. We have done open days before and we find people are delighted to see progress the clinic has made. Hopefully the day may inspire the next generation of vets. We have been here a long time and we want to thank our loyal customers, some who have been coming for three generations, and we look forward to seeing them on Saturday between 2pm and 5pm.
For more information on the services of Glenina Veterinary Clinic or the family fun day this Saturday, check out the clinic’s Facebook page, call 091 752014, or visit www.gleninavets.ie.
Glenina Vet Clinic is Galway’s longest established veterinary practice and is part of the XL Vets Ireland Group.
