The price of pet care in Hyderabad Premium

Hyderabad's Government Super Speciality Veterinary Hospital offers affordable pet care, bridging the gap in pet healthcare services.

On a sweltering March afternoon, as Hyderabad’s streets lie still under the oppressive heat, one narrow lane in Hari Vihar Colony, Bhawani Nagar, hums with quiet urgency. Scooters weave through, autorickshaws sputter to a stop and cars inch forward, as people step out with crates, leashes and baskets, each carrying a life in need of care. Their destination: the Government Super Speciality Veterinary Hospital in Narayanguda, a sanctuary in a city where pet healthcare is often an expensive privilege.

Beyond its rusting gate and weathered facade, the hospital pulses with activity. A bright new display board at the entrance, bearing the hospital’s name along with a private sponsor’s logo, suggests recent efforts to refresh its image. Dogs whimper, cats peer warily from their carriers, rabbits twitch their noses and a few goats shuffle on leashes.

In the crowded waiting area, 28-year-old Abdul Bashir from Falaknuma clutches a picnic basket, his last surviving cat nestled inside. “Until a year ago, I had three,” he says.

“One died soon after I got it. Another fell sick, and despite multiple treatments at a private clinic, I couldn’t save her. Now, this is the only one left. I bring her here regularly, even though it is far from my home. It has been six months, and I trust this place.”

For pet parents like Bashir, the government-run facility is more than a hospital; it is a lifeline in a city where private veterinary clinics charge exorbitantly. This centre offers consultations for just ₹50, with most treatments and services provided free of cost.

The long queue stretching outside under the relentless sun is proof of its value and the role it plays in Hyderabad’s pet care landscape.

Harshavardhan, 33, has travelled from Begumpet to the hospital, his Golden Retriever trotting beside him for a routine check-up. Gently guiding the dog into the back of his car after the visit, he reflects on the experience: “I have been to both private clinics and government centres, and I would choose the latter any day. The doctors here aren’t working for money; they genuinely care about the pets. The only reason people like me sometimes opt for private clinics is because many of them offer 24x7 services. That is something government hospitals still lack.”