Welcome to the Small Animal Medicine Section

The Small Animal Medicine (SAM) Section is responsible for teaching the theoretical component of small animal medicine to 4th year students as well as integration of theoretical knowledge in practical situations in the intern year. The Section is also responsible for the Small Animal Medicine referral clinics and the Outpatient clinics of the Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital (OVAH). This allows students access to both routine as well as the more challenging medical conditions affecting dogs and cats.

The Section uses a wide range of comprehensive diagnostic and treatment modalities with patient care our priority. Clinical work, clinical training, pre-graduate and post-graduate teaching and research are all instrumental in the success of the Section.

SAM  currently boasts international recognition for its training programme, enabling residents to become Diplomates of the European College of Internal Medicine. This is one of only 14 recognised programmes and is the only programme outside Europe that is recognised. Members of the Section are actively involved in research programmes for masters and doctoral degrees. The research is primarily of a clinical nature with numerous publications in the field of canine babesiosis and parvovirus infections and ongoing research projects in these challenging diseases.