The SLU University Animal Hospital (UDS) in Uppsala is Sweden’s only university animal hospital and a unique meeting place for research, education, and advanced veterinary care. Here, veterinary expertise, academic knowledge, and modern technology come together to promote animal health and welfare.
Part of a government agency
The University Animal Hospital is part of the Department of Clinical Sciences at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). SLU is a government agency under the Ministry of Rural Affairs and Infrastructure and is the only university in Sweden that educates veterinarians and veterinary nurses. SLU has a national mandate to conduct research, education, and development in the areas of animals, nature, and sustainability.
As a public institution, UDS operates on a non-profit basis, focusing on quality, transparency, and public benefit. The hospital supports and integrates research, education, and veterinary care to strengthen the development of veterinary medicine and contribute to sustainable and knowledge-based animal health. This means that the work at UDS not only benefits individual patients and animal owners but also generates new knowledge, contributes to the education of future veterinarians and veterinary nurses, and improves animal welfare throughout society.
Research that makes a difference
At the Department of Clinical Sciences, clinical research is conducted at a high international level, focusing on companion animals, horses, and livestock. Because research is carried out in close collaboration with clinical practice, new diagnostic methods, treatments, and care models can quickly be implemented. At the same time, clinical cases at the hospital generate new research questions, creating a dynamic knowledge environment where science and practice meet.
Sweden’s only veterinary education
As part of Sweden’s only educational program for veterinarians and veterinary nurses, the University Animal Hospital plays a vital role in shaping the future of veterinary healthcare. Here, students gain hands-on experience working with real cases under the supervision of experienced professionals. Teaching takes place in authentic clinical settings, providing students with practical skills and a scientific approach to animal health.
Advanced veterinary care around the clock
The University Animal Hospital provides high-quality veterinary care for companion animals, horses, and livestock. Services range from emergency care and routine procedures to specialist consultations.
UDS has access to some of the most advanced veterinary resources in the country, including Sweden’s largest diagnostic imaging department for animals, a comprehensive clinical pathology laboratory, and specialist expertise in numerous fields. The hospital is open year-round and receives both primary patients and referrals. Through its ambulatory clinic, UDS also provides on-site care for horse and livestock owners in the region.
An integrated whole
The collaboration between SLU’s research, education, and clinical practice makes UDS a unique resource for animal owners, students, and researchers. The integration with the Department of Clinical Sciences creates a comprehensive environment where scientific advancement, knowledge exchange, and animal welfare go hand in hand.
The result is an institution where today’s patients contribute to tomorrow’s knowledge, and where the education of future veterinarians and veterinary nurses takes place in direct interaction with the latest research and clinical experience.