Keeping the dogs barking

If a dog, cat, or any other common pet has an accident in Saanenland there are several courses of action that might be appropriate. For smaller injuries, such as cuts, one can visit the local vet. For more serious injuries, such as fractures, taking the pet to clinics in Thun or Interlaken may be necessary. 

For all pet injuries, irrespective of their severity, it is best to get in touch with a local vet first. The two main vets in Saanenland, Dr Neff and Dr Hauswirth, spend much of their time touring farms, so agreeing an appointment in advance is necessary to ensure the vet’s presence in the practice at the agreed time. For emergencies, they work together to ensure that one or the other is always on call. Whilst the pattern of who works on which day and who covers which weekend is irregular, either Dr Neff or Dr Hauswirth is always available on their office number. Emergencies will even be tended to in the middle of the night. 

Dr Neff and Dr Hauswirth can treat small problems locally. They can medicate, deal with wounds and do tests on common pets. Only exotic animals can sometimes be beyond their expertise. Starting from September 1, the list of injuries that can be dealt with will lengthen substantially. Dr Hauswirt will retire and will be replaced by Dr Frolos. She intends to offer X-rays, blood tests and simple operations. It is hoped that expensive trips to the animal clinics in Thun and Interlaken will therefore become less common.

Even after Dr Frolos takes over, extensive treatment, for example surgery, will still need to take place in Thun or Interlaken. These animal clinics are open 24 hours a day, with specialized doctors on call day and night. Making the step to the clinic should be checked with the local vets. A doctor in Thun commented, “pet owners often lack the expertise to determine whether their pet’s injury is an emergency or not.” Therefore it is recommended that pets are always brought to the local vet to be checked first. This gives the vet a chance to stabilize the injury, and then make an informed decision about whether or not a trip to down the valley is necessary.

They can also suggest the form of transportation that is most appropriate. Usually a car or taxi is sufficient. In exceptional circumstances, where time is critical, or if the pet is particularly prone to further injury, a helicopter may be recommended. The clinic in Thun has a football field next door, which, with advance notice, can be used for landing. No matter what situation a pet is in, help is at hand. 

Finally it is worth remembering two things. Firstly, if are you not able to reach a vet, you can and should get in touch directly with the animal clinic. Secondly, standard insurance does not cover these costs and they must be borne privately. 

Dr Neff and Dr Frolos: 033 744 35 31
Animal Clinic Thun: 033 222 44 77
Animal Clinic Interlaken: 033 822 21 41