Small animal clinic of Lempäälä 11/09
 Onni "the patient" is being checked by the veterinarian, Mrs. Katariina Hliden. |
Just before me the clinic had a visit from charming Onni, who tranquilly swaggered towards the procedure room. In the door step he stopped, however, and glanced up to his master. Onni decided to turn around and wanted him know “I am not going to enter. “ As a nice dog he decided to enter after patient persuading and walked into the room. I interpreted him to be a Bernese mountain dog (yes, “him”, I am a dog person and will not talk of these lovely animals as “it”). Sorry, Onni, if I miss interpreted your race!
Lempäälä small animal clinic takes care of mainly dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. They have also seen a tiny African hedgehog, says the veterinarian, Mrs. Katariina Hilden. The clinic has been functioning from May-June and it has created a good base of clients in Lempäälä. The clients have been content to have veterinary services, including surgery possibilities and other procedures, nearby. The location in the centre of Lempäälä, near the bus station and railway station, is excellent. The lack of parking places is a minor problem but so it is in every centric place.
The emergency duty cases are still taken care of in the municipal veterinarian office in Vesilahti, because one veterinarian and one nurse can not take care of emergency cases. In the future, however, they’ll try to vast their supply by adding the equipment. They are planning on getting the x-ray equipment. They already have a good quality ultrasound machine that can scan the stomach area. Even the clientele has been increasing nicely, the competition is quite hard. New clinics are opened all the time. Now the nearest competitors are in Pirkkala, Peltolammi, Hervanta, Toijala and Valkeakoski.
 Procedures are made with modern equipment. |
Investing in the animals
Mrs. Katariina Hilden knows that people invest more in their hairy friends. She is glad that e.g. plain domestic cats are really well taken care of. For most people the pets are family members and they are treated as one. Mrs. Hilden mentions the animal protection issues: even though it is possible to do complicated and big operations on animals in bigger clinics and especially the university animal hospital, one needs to think if the possibly painful procedures are worth while if the animal’s life expectancy will be short.
Lempäälä clinic can do basic procedures. They take blood samples and some of them they analyze there, some of them are sent to the laboratory. The clinic also has an operating room with oxygen generator and inhalation narcosis where they can do soft tissue surgery and dental care, such as milk tooth removals and tartar removals with ultrasound tartar removal machine.
 It is pleasent to work with nice clients. |
Lempäälä is a nice environment
Already in this six months time Mrs. Hilden has noticed that Lempäälä is a nice working environment. The clients have been nice and friendly and it seems that they don’t hesitate to contact if they have something in their mind. This makes Mrs. Hilden happy because the good communication is the key for good results.
 "Are you going to finish any time soon?" Onni seems to be thinking. |
Energy from family
Mrs. Hilden relaxes with children. Her 3 and 7 year old sons keep her busy, as well as her 10 month-old girl. In summer they take care of their garden and in winter Mrs. Hilden attends rowing-spinning-classes.
Onni is now finished and ready to go! In the lobby his master remembers another issue and Onni must come back – one last time. Just this time as the doctor’s hands find a sore spot, Onni glances up to the veterinarian. “Would you stop already, please” he seems to thinking. Then Onni sees a lady with a camera and makes sure to get a bit scratching from her. Of course he does: this lady is enchanted by this lovely animal!
(The animal clinic was visited by Mrs. Päivi Nahkola)
