Keep up to date with all our latest news, articles of interest, and case studies from the veterinary world around Hawke’s Bay.
Incidence of lameness varies between herds and varies during the season. Smaller herds still have an incidence of 10% lame cows in the herd, larger herds often show higher incidences: up to 30%. Wet periods will boost the number of clinically lame cows, due to gravel being pushed into existing white line defects, softening of…
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Ticks thrive in warmer climates and so are commonly distributed across the North Island, although they are becoming an increasingly widespread issue. During their lifecycle they move on and off a host three times. Eggs are laid on the soil in summer, hatching to larvae in late summer/early autumn. The larvae migrate up the pasture…
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By Helen Taylor- Veterinarian, Vet Services Hawke’s Bay. Rearing orphan lambs can be an enjoyable and rewarding job for a whole spectrum of people – from a lifestyler with a couple of pets lambs to the owner of a highly productive stud flock fostering triplet lambs of high genetic merit. Pet lambs are also easy…
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Dogs, like us, have two sets of teeth during their lives. The deciduous (baby) teeth appear shortly after birth and are replaced by the permanents at around four to six months of age. Deciduous teeth cause few problems except where they are retained beyond about eight months of age. If this occurs, displacement of the…
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Duck shooting doesn’t seem to cause many concerns for our canine companions, usually only a few cuts and bruises that are insignificant compared to the enjoyment derived from the exercise. However getting damp in water for long periods can give rise to a flare up of ear disease (otitis externa). Some dogs seem prone to…
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General stiffness, slowing down, difficulty rising… Is it just old age? Our senior pets may show subtle signs or be quite obvious in their attempts to tell us about their problems. One of these problems that we commonly see is arthritis. Signs may include lameness in one or more legs, difficulty getting up in the…
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What is this disease we are talking about, that in some cases, you may not even know is happening in your own dog until she becomes very sick and compromised…. Pyometra (pyo) is effectively a pus filled uterus that can develop in an ovary intact bitch. Why this occurs, without getting too technical, is because…
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Much like the human population, companion animals are becoming increasingly overweight. In New Zealand the statistics are alarmingly high and a significant proportion of the patients we see on a day to day basis are overweight. Why should we care and why not just embrace our fuller-bodied pets? A concept that has in the past…
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Middle aged to older cats can suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension). It occurs when a cat’s arterial blood pressure is continually higher than normal. This can be the result of worsening renal function or hyperthyroidism (elevation in thyroid hormone) but mostly we just don’t know why it happens. High blood pressure can affect many…
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To be skinny despite continuously eating, is that not the dream for a lot of people? Unfortunately for our furry friends it can be a sign of something more sinister lurking beneath the surface – hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is a disease that we mostly see in cats over the age of 10, although it can happen…
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Many people know the importance of insuring their items, their house or car, even their own health. Fortunately we are also able to insure pets, for not only medical and surgical care but in some cases routine visits can be covered (including vaccinations and wellness checks/blood tests). Like any insurance, the hope is that you…
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Retired Working Dogs NZ is a registered charity that works to find homes for working farm dogs if they are unable to work due to age, injury or have no interest in stock. Retired pig dogs and hunting dogs are also included! The charity started in Pahiatua in 2012 and has since grown to a…
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