A high repetition-rate, short-pulse Nd:YVO4 laser based on electro-optical cavity-dumped technology is reported. This laser, end-pumped by a continuous-wave 880 nm laser diode, employs a Pockels cell made up of BBO crystal as the electro-optical Q switch. The laser resonant cavity is optimized to improve its dynamically thermal stability and the mode-matching efficiency. When the pump power is 30 W, stable 1064 nm fundamental-mode laser pulses with the maximum repetition rate of 500 kHz, pulse width of 6 ns and average power of 10 W can be achieved.