What Animals Do Vets Take Care Of?

Just about every domesticated animal, plus a good deal of wildlife. That includes dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, poultry, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice, birds, reptiles, fish, and native and zoo animals. What most people do not realise is that almost no single vet does all of it.

Australian vets tend to work in a particular type of practice, and what animals a vet takes care of depends heavily on which type they work in.

That distinction matters most when something goes wrong at 2 am, and you are trying to work out where to go. Below is a straightforward guide to who treats what.

What animals do vets take care of most often?

Companion animals, by a long way. In Australia, most vets in clinical practice spend their days with:

• Dogs and cats, which make up the bulk of the caseload in suburban clinics

• Rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, rats and mice, often grouped as small mammals or "pocket pets"

• Pet birds, from budgies and cockatiels to parrots and chickens kept in backyards

• Reptiles, including lizards, snakes and turtles

• Fish, which are treated by a smaller number of vets with a specific interest

Beyond the household, vets look after production animals (cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and poultry), horses, working and sporting dogs, laboratory animals, zoo and aquarium species, and injured native wildlife.

The main types of vet practice in Australia

All Australian vets complete the same veterinary degree and are registered with a state or territory veterinary board. From there, most focus.

Type of practice	Animals they treat	Where they usually work
Small animal	Dogs and cats, sometimes rabbits and other small pets	Suburban clinics, emergency hospitals, referral hospitals
Mixed practice	Companion animals plus farm animals and horses	Regional and rural towns
Large animal/production animal	Cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, poultry	Farms, feedlots, saleyards, on the road
Equine	Horses, from pets to racing and performance horses	Stud farms, racing stables, equine hospitals
Exotic and avian	Birds, reptiles, small mammals, occasionally fish and amphibians	A small number of dedicated clinics, mostly in capital cities
Zoo and wildlife	Native wildlife, zoo and aquarium species	Zoos, wildlife parks, wildlife hospitals, universities

Some vets never see a patient in a consult room. Government vets work in biosecurity, disease surveillance and animal welfare. Others work in pathology, public health, research, industry or teaching. It is a broader profession than most people picture.

What does a veterinary specialist do?

A specialist is a vet who has completed years of additional training beyond the veterinary degree, usually an internship, a multi-year residency and a set of examinations, and who is registered as a specialist in a defined field.

Specialist fields include surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, ophthalmology, dermatology, oncology, neurology, diagnostic imaging, anaesthesia, dentistry, and emergency and critical care. There are also species-based specialties, so a specialist might work exclusively in equine medicine or avian medicine.

You usually reach a specialist through a referral from your regular vet, when a case needs equipment, imaging or expertise that a general practice does not have on site. Referral hospitals are where a lot of the harder cases end up.

What does an emergency and critical care vet do?

Emergency and critical care is the veterinary equivalent of a hospital emergency department and intensive care unit. It exists for the cases that cannot wait for a normal appointment.

That means the road accidents, the snake bites, the bloated deep-chested dogs, the blocked cats who cannot urinate, the rat bait ingestions, the whelping that has stalled, the sudden collapse, the seizure that will not stop. Emergency hospitals run overnight, on weekends and on public holidays, when general practices are closed.

They also work differently to a normal clinic. Patients are triaged, so the sickest animal is seen first rather than in order of arrival. That can mean a wait if your pet is stable and someone else's is not, which is frustrating in the moment and is the right way to run an emergency service.

VECA is an emergency and critical care hospital of exactly this kind, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including Christmas and public holidays. Alongside emergency care, VECA offers surgery (including advanced orthopaedic procedures like TPLO at Campbelltown), internal medicine, cardiology, ophthalmology, diagnostic imaging with digital X-ray, ultrasound and a full in-house laboratory, CT, a blood bank, and general practice by appointment at Campbelltown.

Not every clinic treats every species

This is the part that catches people out. The honest answer to what animals do vets take care of is that it depends entirely on the vet and the hospital. A clinic that is excellent with dogs and cats may not have the equipment, drugs or experience to treat a bearded dragon, a cockatoo or an alpaca. Anaesthetic protocols, drug doses and even the size of the equipment differ enormously between species, and treating an animal a team is not set up for is not in that animal's interest.

To be clear about our own scope: VECA is a small animal emergency hospital. Our caseload is dogs and cats, and our facilities at Campbelltown and Norwest are set up for them. If you have an emergency involving a bird, a reptile, a rabbit or another small mammal, an exotic pet, a horse or a farm animal, please call ahead before you travel so we can tell you whether we can help or point you towards a hospital that can.

A quick call takes two minutes and can save you a drive with a distressed animal in the car.

What about injured native wildlife?

If you find an injured or orphaned native animal, a possum, a kangaroo, a bird, a bat or a reptile, the right first call is a wildlife rescue organisation rather than a general vet clinic. WIRES operates a 24/7 rescue line on 1300 094 737 and can arrange a trained rescuer, advise you on whether the animal needs help, and direct it to a vet or carer set up for wildlife.

Do not attempt to handle bats or flying foxes at all. They should only be handled by vaccinated, trained rescuers.

Where a vet clinic does get involved with wildlife, it is usually through an arrangement with a rescue group, so the wildlife organisation is still the right starting point.

When your pet needs a vet urgently

If your dog or cat is in trouble, do not spend time searching for the perfect clinic. Signs that need immediate attention include difficulty breathing, collapse, pale gums, ongoing seizures, a suspected snake bite, a swollen or distended abdomen with unproductive retching, a male cat straining unsuccessfully to urinate, uncontrolled bleeding, suspected poisoning, or serious trauma.

Trust your instincts. If something feels badly wrong, it usually is, and an early phone call costs you nothing.

Knowing what animals do vets take care of is genuinely useful in that moment, because it saves you turning up somewhere that cannot help. If you are not sure, phone first and ask.

For dogs and cats in the Macarthur region, Campbelltown and the surrounding suburbs, and across the Hills District, Rouse Hill and Norwest, call VECA. We are open 24/7, no appointment needed, and if we are not the right hospital for your animal, we will tell you where to go instead.

Article Reviewed & Approved By

Dr Phil Hayton, Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian at VECA

Dr Phil Hayton is an Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian, working in Client Relations at Veterinary Emergency Care Australia (VECA). He has experience across emergency medicine, critical care and veterinary diagnostics, including a professional background in veterinary virology. He is passionate about clear communication, client advocacy and helping pet owners navigate difficult decisions about their animals’ care.

Frequently Asked Questions

What animals do vets take care of?

Vets take care of dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, rats, birds, reptiles and fish, along with horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and poultry, plus zoo animals and native wildlife. Most vets specialise in a particular group, so a small animal vet, an equine vet and an exotics vet will each see a very different caseload.

What is the difference between a small animal vet and a large animal vet?

A small animal vet treats companion animals, mainly dogs and cats, and works in a clinic or hospital. A large animal or production animal vet treats cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and poultry, and usually travels to farms. Mixed practice vets, common in regional Australia, do both.

Can any vet treat my bird or reptile?

Not always. Birds, reptiles and small mammals need species-specific knowledge, drugs, doses and equipment, and not every clinic is set up for them. Always call ahead before travelling with an exotic pet, especially in an emergency, so you know the hospital can treat your animal.

Does VECA treat animals other than dogs and cats?

VECA is a small animal emergency hospital, and our caseload is dogs and cats. If you have an emergency involving a bird, reptile, rabbit, exotic pet, horse or farm animal, please call us first. We will tell you whether we can help or direct you to a hospital that is set up for that species.

Who do I call for injured native wildlife?

Contact a wildlife rescue organisation rather than a general vet clinic. WIRES runs a 24/7 rescue line on 1300 094 737 and can send a trained rescuer or advise you over the phone. Never handle bats or flying foxes yourself, as they should only be handled by vaccinated, trained rescuers.