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Keep up to date with all our latest news, articles of interest, and case studies from the veterinary world around Hawke’s Bay.

Toxovax Order Form

Sheep Performance Vaccines reduce the risk from deadly sheep diseases across most New Zealand farms. These Vaccinations need to be timed around the date you plan to introduce the ram to your flock. Please fill in the order form below so that we can schedule vaccinations for your farm. Name* First Last Farm Name Email*…

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Facial Eczema Spore Count Monitor – January Week 2

Waipukurau Results (11-17 Jan). Not unexpectedly with so much long, rank grass beginning to build we are seeing our first FE spores of the year. The warm, humid weather is also a concern. However counts at this stage are thankfully low and so not require any immediate intervention. Nonetheless the season has just begun and things are…

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Festivity Season Hazards for Your Pets

Christmas is fraught with potential dangers to your pets.  Items safe and enjoyable for humans can be dangerous for our furry friends. Here are the most common potential hazards. Chocolate. Wrapped up easily accessible under the Christmas tree, the festive season is the most common time to see chocolate toxicity in dogs. Containing theobromine, which…

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close up photo of cat

An Insight For Sore Eyes

The old saying goes; “the eyes are the window to the soul” and I’m sure most, if not all, pet owners could probably attest to this when their little critter stares deeply into their own, especially around dinner time. Which is why we need to make sure we look after our companions’ eyes this summer…

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lamb on a pathway

Flystrike in Sheep

What is Flystrike? Flystrike is the most significant ectoparasitic disease of sheep in New Zealand, both from an economic and animal welfare perspective. The main flystrike challenge is during warm humid conditions, normally from November through to March, however this can vary seasonally and in some cases the challenge period can occur from October through…

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three brown sheep on grass land

Ewe Mastitis

Mastitis in ewes is something I’m sure many of you have battled with over the years, it is a condition we are very familiar with in cattle, especially in the dairy sector, but we are less accustomed to treating it in our ewe flocks. This season we have had a few more cases presented to…

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white sheep on brown grass field near body of water during daytime

Drench Checks

Do you know whether that drench you just gave your stock is working? They may look to be free from signs of parasitism, but a drench can have lost a significant amount of its efficacy before you will notice any clinical impact. Continued use of a poorly effective drench is a perfect recipe for building…

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black and white cow on green grass field during daytime

Dairy Cow Lameness

Cows are amazingly stoic creatures, hiding their pain well from us.   Lameness is one of the ways they will show pain, and most of the time it has stemmed from a foot issue.  The corium is the layer of tissue inside the hoof that the hard hoof grows from, and when it becomes damaged it…

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Poisoning of Dogs & Cats

Dogs are natural scavengers and even during a hard day’s work (or play) can usually find a moment to snack on tasty morsels they may come across. Recreational areas such as rivers and bushland are not always entirely safe as possum and rabbit control measures utilise baits which are attractive to dogs. We commonly see…

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Cannabis Toxicity in Dogs

In the words of the old song, can a pet “take a trip and never leave the farm”, even in this Covid-19 era of travel restrictions? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. More and more frequently we are presented with dogs who are acting strangely and who are known to, or suspected of having ingested, someone’s…

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Fleas and Worms. The Itchy info….

Worms are a concern for all cats and dogs but the risk is much higher for puppies, kittens and immunocompromised animals (due to illness, age or medication). In puppies and kittens, severe worm burdens can be life threatening due to underdeveloped immune systems. Wormy puppies and kittens will often be weak, have a swollen tummy,…

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What’s the itch?

I am allergic. My skin’s inflamed and itchy. Take me to my vet! We can help you to work out what is causing the itching – is it fleas, contact allergies, food, airborne allergies, hormonal issue effecting the skin, bacterial or fungal infection? Subtle differences may be diagnostic. What do allergies in pets look like?…

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