Articles

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

orange cat

Keeping your pets safe at Christmas.

Enjoy the holidays but remember your pet’s safety and heightened sensitivity to some of our favourite things. Never underestimate a food loving dog’s ability to smell out and find food stuff not intended for them!! Here are a few things to keep in mind. Chocolate: Wrapped up under the Christmas tree, the festive season is the…

Details

corn fields during golden hour

Barley Grass

Summer is nearly here which means our vets are starting to see an increase in grass seed related problems.  Barley grass has bristly seeds which stick to anything, 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…

Details

fireworks at nighttime

Fireworks and Pets

Remember, remember the 5th of November! As Guy Fawkes rolls around each year our night skies begin to light up with colour and booming noises. While some of us enjoy the excitement, these celebrations can have a really negative effect on our animals. Here are some tips to keep your furry friends happy during this…

Details

selective focus photography of black dofg

Ila’s weightloss journey

Ila has a new lease on life after loosing 2.5kg since December 2020!   This 12 year old pooch and her dedicated owners have been working with our nursing team over the last 10 months to make small changes to her lifestyle to help her loose weight and manage her arthritis. As a result she…

Details

dog eating bone

Raw Diets

Raw diets are meat-based diets (including bones and offal) that have not been cooked, this includes foods that have been frozen, dehydrated or freeze-dried. Recently these diets have gained popularity among pet owners who are hoping to provide a more natural option for their beloved companion. Although these diets may be marketed as a better…

Details

Doggy Donor saves young Rhodesian Ridgeback’s Life

Whisky was admitted in a critical condition earlier this month after eating a significant amount of rat bait. Upon arrival the 11-month-old ridgeback was lethargic, pale, coughing softly and refusing to eat or drink. He didn’t improve with initial treatments and urgently needed a lifesaving blood transfusion. Basil, a 7-year-old greyhound came to the rescue…

Details

Slug Bait Toxicity Warning

Slug bait (metaldehyde) can be fatal to dogs.  They are attracted to it so it needs to be locked away, even being on a high shelf dogs will seek it out or scavenge if it gets knocked off.  Signs of poisoning range from slight muscle twitches/tremours to full blown seizures.  Even with intensive, emergency treatment,…

Details

An Easter warning for your pet

While overindulging during the Easter period may result in a few extra kilograms for us, the consequences for our pets are much greater. The accidental ingestion of chocolate can lead to serious illness or even death for our beloved companions. Chocolate contains theobromine which is poisonous and caffeine which is dangerous to all our pets.…

Details

tan pug on brown wooden stool

Overweight Pets

Podgy Pooches & Curvaceous Cats Every pet has an ideal weight but almost 50% of animals coming into the clinic are overweight. This problem can be difficult to manage and is often overlooked, despite the well-known health risks including diabetes mellitus, arthritis, cancer and respiratory and heart disease. The first step to helping podgy pooches…

Details

Grain Free Dog Food

In recent years there has been an emergence of grain free diets, and these have been advertised as the “best” way to feed your pet. We suspect this trend has jumped over from the increasing amounts of human gluten-free diets. These foods are often marketed as feeding your dog a “natural” diet or something that…

Details

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…

Details

golden retriever puppy on snow covered ground during daytime

Epilepsy in Dogs

What is epilepsy? Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes dogs to have sudden, uncontrolled and recurring seizures. Dogs can have seizures because of trauma, exposure to toxins, brain tumors, genetic abnormalities, issues with the dog’s blood or organs, or for a number of other reasons. Other times, seizures may sometimes occur for unknown reasons…

Details