Johnny Atkins BVSc Vet Services Dannevirke ‘Small Strongyles’ or ‘Cyathostomes’ are the terms used for a group of over forty different species of parasites affecting horses. They tend to be the most prevalent parasite within the horses’ gastrointestinal tract and although small, heavy burdens can result in big problems! Unlike their cousins the ‘large strongyles’,…
A common winter issue, lice are prevalent at this time of year due to their preference for cooler, darker and drier weather conditions. Infestations develop as a slow burn on healthy animals, with numbers gradually increasing on individuals. The entire lifecycle of lice is spent on sheep, so transmission between individual animals can only occur…
This season has been extremely challenging for all farmers in the Hawke’s Bay, the prolonged dry spell and lack of Autumn growth, difficulty in finding supplementary feed, delays in killing space, and cancellation of sales have all had a massive impact. The feed requirements of livestock are well known and can be easily found…
Growing young stock to their full potential involves many factors. The main focus should be great nutrition with all animal health considerations including trace minerals, vaccinations and parasite control covered. Even with all of that considered, aside from poor nutrition, parasites can often be the most growth limiting factor of young stock on pastoral farms…
What a challenging season it has been and continues to be in CHB this autumn! We have seen very little rain across the region since early January and covers are such that it wouldn’t be too hard to find a golf ball hit onto most properties! Supplementary feed has been used extensively throughout the district…
As vets and as owners we are very aware of osteoarthritis (OA) in dogs. However, recognition of this condition in cats is often a lot later in the piece than in their canine counterparts. In recent years we have hugely improved in our diagnosis and subsequent treatment of OA and we have also recognized that…
Rat bait (anti-coagulant rodenticide) is the most common poison eaten by dogs and it causes problems by preventing their blood from clotting. Symptoms begin 2-4 days after ingestion due to bleeding in different locations in the body. Dogs can bleed from anywhere but most commonly into their lungs, which causes a cough and then difficulty…
Urinary tract disorders are very common in cats and dogs and are a regular part of our case load here at VSHB. The urinary tract system enables the production of urine to eliminate metabolic waste products, storage of urine and then the appropriate emptying of urine. The urinary tract itself is divided into the upper…
When you buy a working dog, you often find yourself looking in a hurry so you can get on with your day to day activities. Although you may be feeling pressure to purchase a new dog quickly, a little patience and time may save a lot of heart ache in the long run. During the…
Our dogs are not only very hard working members of our farm team, they are also real characters which give us a lot of enjoyment (and strife on a bad day) .They hold a special place in our farming community and they are great companions in an often lonely job. So what can we do…
Dogs do not perspire the way humans do; in fact, the only sweat glands that they have are on the pads of their feet. Dogs pant to cool themselves. If the surrounding air is not considerably cooler than the animals’ body temperature – as in the case of a hot, stuffy automobile – the cooling…
We always fear losing our pets. Nevertheless, sometimes it is inevitable that we need to make this decision. We hope this article helps answer any questions you may have and gives you a better understanding of what to expect for you, your family and your precious pet when it comes time to make that decision.…
