Farm & Lifestyle

Working Dogs

Our Working Dog Services at a Quick Glance:

Working dogs are a large part of Vet Services’ canine patients. We understand the valuable role and expectations placed on your working team and our experienced team of veterinarians are dedicated to provided your dogs with excellent and trusted care so that they can return to work in a timely manner. 

 

The most common reason working dogs visit our clinics is for treatment of a traumatic injury. Dog fights, kicks or trampling by cattle, vehicle injuries, or getting caught in fences or gates are the leading causes.

Other health issues that affect all dogs also need to be kept in mind are heat stress (especially young dogs working on a very hot day), reproductive issues (whelping, infected uterus, mastitis), lumps and cancers, and poisonings (ratbait, slug bait, sheep dip).

Our shops stock a large range of premium pet foods, shampoos, nutritional supplements, flea and worm products as well as a host of other pet necessities.

 

 

 

Annual Dog Run. 

Our annual vaccination run consists of a yearly on-farm consultation with a veterinarian and vet nurse, who will give your dogs a comprehensive check, vaccinations and clinical examination.

We have a strong emphasis on continuing education, so while on site, our experienced team can check your farm’s kennels, provide nutritional advice and set you up with a worm and parasite management plans to help with the overall health of your four-legged team.

Articles & Case Studies

Blood Results from Working Dogs in 2022

 In 2022 we took bloods samples from 210 working dogs over 6 years of age. 

From this the following results were seen:

  • 66% dogs had at least one abnormality in their blood work
  • The most common anomalies seen were low calcium, followed by an increase in sodium and decrease in creatinine
  • 10% of dogs have been seen since for a variety of reasons
  • The oldest dog sampled was a 15 year old heading dog- still working 

 

Looking after your working dogs in winter

Working dogs are an asset to any farmer and are becoming an increasingly large investment. The lifetime value of a useful working dog is estimated to be $40,000 with dogs fulfilling roles other staff cannot replace. With this in mind, as the temperature drops and we make sure we have enough firewood and warm socks for ourselves this winter, take a second to think about your team of dogs too. 

Read article

 

Thinking about purchasing a new working dog?

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.

Read article

 

Dog Kennels 

It’s safe to say that the old chain to a dog kennel system is no longer seen as good practice and there are a number of reasons for this.

Read article

 

Heat Stroke

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 system will not work and heatstroke can occur.

 

Barley Grass 

Barley grass has bristly seeds which stick to anythings, anywhere, anytime! Because of their shape these seeds can burrow into fur and skin where they might become lodged. They can also enter nose or ears, get between eye and eyelid and are often found between toes. If a seed is not removed immediately, muscular movements cause it to burrow deeper into the body.

OUR ANIMALS, OUR COMMUNITY.

PROVIDING EXCELLENT AND TRUSTED CARE