What our clients say

“If you’re after a vet practice that’s affordable and doesn’t take advantage of you, or your bank account, at your most vulnerable time, takes the time to listen to your every concern little or big, explains everything so you understand and not in medical jargon, is very professional yet gentle and extremely efficient then you’ve come to the right place.
We were hesitant to change vets years ago as we had an extremely unwell, loved pet and all his medical history was with the one vet. However, after many thousands of dollars and no change we started asking around and Small Friends were highly recommended – now we know why. Since moving to Small Friends, we have never looked back.
There are so many positives about this amazing small practice. You are not just a number. They go above and beyond to take care of your family pets. They do not overcharge or do unnecessary testing or treatment. They explain things so that we understand them and they always double check to see if we have any other concerns. The doctors, nurses and staff are always friendly and accommodating. You never feel rushed and they take their time with you. I especially love the follow up phone calls after any procedure or if your family pet has been unwell, to see how they are going and if we have any further questions.
We can not recommend Dr Matt and his team at Small Friends enough! Our furry kids love visiting and receiving all the attention and we couldn’t ask for anything more”
The Duff Family

“We have been bringing our fur family to Matt, Mel and the wonderful team at Small Friends Vet for a number of years and have had nothing but fantastic support. They have helped us through tough times, given us great advice that we trust and are always wonderful with our two dogs and our two cats. They have never laughed in our faces when we bring our pets in unnecessarily and they are wonderful when the pets are in for longer stays. We are extremely grateful that they are part of our extended family and help us take care of our fur babies. Thank you Matt, Mel, Sally, Tara, Valerie, Josie and Danielle.
If you are looking for a vet in Canberra, you don’t have to look any further.”
Rebecca Bishop

“The team at Small Friends Vet have been with us every step of the way with our dog Saki. They are ethical and skilled vets but, more importantly, are generous in sharing their knowledge about how best to care for our newest family member. They have been with us through all his ups and downs! 
Saki always looks forward to his visits and the love and attention he gets makes a trip to the vet much more enjoyable. 
Small Friends isn’t just a vet, they are actually a part of our family!”
 Jess and Mark

“Gus and Daphne are the little loves of our lives. Getting them the best care and support when they are sick is a priority for us. The staff at Small Friends Vet are competent, caring and truly excellent at what they do. Gus and Daphne have been Small Friends Vet patients since we got them at 8 weeks old. We trust them implicitly because, we have seen time and time again, how Gus and Daphne are treated – only ever with so much care and love.

Dr Matt was fantastic during an emergency where we nearly lost Gus to Anaphylaxis as a result of a bee sting. For first time pet owners that was one of the scariest and hardest things we have been through. Some days we still relive that scary moment. All credit to Dr Matt and team for their calm quick action that Gus is still with us. The initial recovery days threw some real curve balls and Dr Matt and Dr Sally were incredible through it all. Now we have weekly follow ups to treat the underlying cause – hypersensitivity to bees. Dr Mel and Dr Sally have been amazing through this continued treatment. The weekly procedure can have serious consequences and we absolutely trust the amazing nurses who provide so much love and attention to Gus while he is in their care. A very special mention to Josie, Valerie and Tara who usually look after Gus during this weekly procedure. As soon as the scary part of the procedure is finished they give us a call to let us know that Gus is doing ok.

Finally, what we are most impressed by and why we keep coming back is the empathy shown to us. Things can be so overwhelming when your pet is sick. All the doctors and nurses at Small Friends Vet are patient, understanding and have only ever made us feel so well supported. Dr Matt and team are a very important part of our little family and we can’t recommend them enough for yours.”
Maddy & Ash

“After almost 15 years we still love visiting Small Friends Vet. All staff over this time are consistently caring, friendly, helpful & supportive of our small friends and Bob and I.
We will always support them as they are passionate about working together like family and never just about doing the job and taking our money.
The best vets we have ever used.”
 Ellie, Lexi, (late Tess), Chris & Bob

“We have two dogs, Toby and Tilly who, in their earlier years, were treated by other vets, but since changing to Small Friends we have found the care and service they provide second to none. Our much loved Toby became sick with a disease called Protein Losing Enteropathy two and a half years ago and we credit Dr Matt and the team at Small Friends with saving his life. Toby is now in remission and we will be forever grateful for the very personal care and support the Small Friends team gave us during what was a very difficult time when Toby was initially so very sick. Thank you just doesn’t seem adequate for what they’ve done for all of us, and in fact are still doing.”
Mark and Ros McLennan
Amaroo

“My two furbabies Gypsy and Brodie go to Small Friends. They love the pats and cuddles and attention they get every time they are there. We wouldn’t take them anywhere else and tell anyone looking for a caring and professional vet service to go to Small Friends.”

“I have referred to Small Friends as my ‘home way from home’ for over a decade now. Barely a week goes by where I haven’t spoken to one of the vets or vet nurses or been in for at least one visit. Often, I’ll be the last client at night and the first client the following day.

As a rescuer dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming special-needs animals, having a trusted team of vets on-hand is an absolute necessity. I am so grateful for the commitment, passion, experience and friendly professionalism of the Small Friends team who have all become part of my personal support team over the years. They understand what I do and why I do it and they welcome each and every one of my small friends – kittens weighing a few hundred grams to giant breed dogs weighing over 70 kilograms and everything in between.

In the last 10+ years, the Small Friends Vet team have taken care of around three dozen animals who were welcomed into our home as ‘permanent residents’. They have also taken care of nearly 100 of our foster dogs and cats. Numbers are one thing, but the nature of the animals I welcome mean that each and every one comes with health challenges. Not once has any of the random medical challenges or even the most difficult behavioural challenges, presented an insurmountable hurdle to the Small Friends team. Time and again, week after week, they simply welcome the newest challenge I present to them and work their magic to ensure that whoever they are assisting gets the best possible care and the best possible chance. This can mean managing a highly anxious dog in the back of my car, one of the vet nurses carrying one of my animals around in their arms for an entire day, or sitting with them in their cage to help them feel safe and comfortable. Anything that’s needed, the Small Friends team will do.
The Small Friends Vet team have provided many services to my cats and dogs over the years. If you can think of it, they’ve done it – dentals, desexing, weight management, allergy treatments, support for neurological conditions, managing infections, diagnosing and managing intestinal issues, kidney disease and diabetes, administering vaccinations, undertaking hernia repairs, biopsies, blood tests, DNA testing, enucleations and other eye surgeries, surgeries to remove various lumps and bumps and other cancer-damaged body parts, assisting with seizure management, prescribing and dispensing medication for a range of medical issues, and compassionate euthanasia. Whenever there has been an issue requiring specialist support the team can’t personally offer, I’ve always received the referral I’ve needed and ongoing support from Small Friends Vet after the specialist visit. Time and again the Small Friends team has provided expert care and ensured quality of life for all my animals and peace of mind for me.

The thing that makes the Small Friends team so special are the individuals who make up the team – Matt, Melissa and Sally are vets that I have 100% confidence in. Added to that, the fabulous team of vet nurses (with extra acknowledgement for the phenomenal Josie who takes her passion for her work to the next level and is undoubtedly the most committed, capable and compassionate vet nurse I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with!) are without comparison. The entire team consistently offer a professional service with genuine care and a passion for what they do.

I’ve been raving about the Small Friends team for over a decade now, and I will continue to do so. If you are someone who is looking for a vet for the first time or if you’re thinking about changing vet practices, then choosing Small Friends Vet is easily the smartest and best decision you’ll ever make for your small friend. I have had many friends and acquaintances transfer their own animals from other vet teams to Small Friends Vet and then rave about the significant positive difference in care as a result.
I trust the Small Friends team with the most valuable things in my world – the lives of my resident and foster dogs and cats, and each and every day they demonstrate why that trust is so well placed and absolutely well deserved.”

“Thank you for all your help with Chloe. We are ever grateful for the ’round the clock’ attention that she received from you. Although we lost her in the end, we know that we all gave it our very best. Having a team that had genuine concern for her well being made it easier. We can’t really express how much better we felt having you all by us as we went through Chloe’s last days. We think you are the best.”

Carolyn May 
Amaroo

“We have been visiting the Small Friends Veterinary Hospital with our pets Cortez and Lunar since 2010. Drs Matt, Melissa and Zoe and the Small Friends team always have a smile, a kind word (and most importantly) a scratch for our small friendswhen they visit. Our dog suffers from a serious illness and their skill, attention and care has helped him immeasurably. We very much appreciate the professionalism and compassion they have always shown us. You can trust them with your small friends!”
Lynn and Sam Mannette
Gungahlin