Thriving in the Philippines

ArticleLast Updated December 20173 min read
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Small animal practice in a developing country like the Philippines, where training and equipment can be difficult to access, is challenging—but, in these times of rapid change, it’s also very exciting.

Pets are commonly seen as family members, with some owners even referring to their pets as kuya and ate (affectionate terms for brother and sister, respectively). This was not always the case. Just 30 years ago, dogs would be tied to trees and cats were treated as dirty pests. Now, these animals are companions and generally receive better veterinary care. 

When Animal House opened in 1986, it—like many practices in the Philippines at that time—was started with a small cohort of fresh veterinary school graduates who had no postcollege training. Now, Animal House is thriving, with 200 team members across 12 locations in the metro Manila area. The team comprises more than 40 veterinarians in addition to nurses, assistants, groomers, receptionists, managers, and additional support staff.

The 12-clinic practice offers a full range of routine, preventive, and wellness care, dentistry, acupuncture, surgical procedures, diagnostic and laboratory testing, and imaging services. 

House calls are available on request, and the main location offers 24-hour emergency care.

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Dogs are the most common pet in the practice’s region of the Philippines. The Animal House team treats mostly dogs (60%) and cats (35%). Other pets treated at the practice include rabbits, hamsters, birds, and reptiles. Of the dogs, about 70% are purebred, with shih tzu being the most popular breed.

Common Presentations

The average lifespan of a dog in the Philippines was only 7 to 8 years in the past, but pets live longer now, thanks to stronger emphasis on preventive care. Animal House clients take vaccination and preventive health care seriously, especially because canine and feline viruses and internal and external parasites are prevalent.

Various tropical infectious diseases, in addition to other common diseases and parasites, are treated at Animal House. Conditions treated include FeLV, FIP, herpesvirus, and calicivirus in cats and canine distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis, and heartworm in dogs. Because the team treats many brachycephalic breeds, such as the popular shih tzu, many dental and ophthalmologic conditions are seen. 

As the Philippines is a tropical country with many temperate-bred dogs as pets, dermatologic conditions are common, as are external parasites; the brown dog tick is notorious year-round. Fleas and mites are a problem, especially among the large stray dog and cat population.

Rabies is a huge veterinary and public health concern, with nearly 200 human deaths per year recorded. Rabies is still spreading in the Philippines, and one of the Animal House team members has been bitten by a rabid dog.

Challenges of Practice

Veterinary technician or nurse education is not available in the Philippines; some human-medicine nurses have been trained in veterinary care. Trained veterinary practice managers and technology (eg, veterinary patient care software) are not typical in the Philippines. The absence of board-certified specialists and the lack of a residency program makes it more difficult to provide state-of-the-art patient care. 

Diagnostic machines and imaging equipment have become more accessible in recent years, but the unavailability of equipment over the decades has pushed Animal House to be resourceful. Despite the many limitations, the practice has continued to grow.

Continuing Education

The WSAVA, which includes prominent specialists, and the Philippine Animal Hospital Association have partnered to present the Learning Veterinarian series, a series of  workshops and seminars that aim to refresh and rebuild a foundation of basics and teach new, updated skill sets.