Fireworks & your pets     

As enjoyable as fireworks are to us they can be terrifying for animals both big and small. Firework phobia (mainly fear of the loud noises) can present itself in many forms of anxious and stressful behaviour.

These can include:

• Excessive Vocalisation
• Urinating/defaecating inside
• Unsettled behaviour (e.g. hiding, trying to escape, panting, shaking)
• Destructive behaviour (e.g. self-harm and/or to the household)

There are a number of cost-free options that you can do to help alleviate unnecessary anxiety.

• Keep cats and dogs in a secure environment – inside, away from windows and make available a spot for them to hide in if necessary (e.g. in a crate, under a bed etc).  For your smaller furry friends it is a good idea to move hutches inside, into the garage or to cover them up with a blanket heavy enough to block out the flashes of light.
• Close all curtains and turn on the TV/radio loud enough to distract from the noises of the fireworks.
• Try to ignore any signs of anxious behaviour as this will only encourage further unwanted behaviour.
• Exercise dogs in daylight hours.
• Have identification on all animals at all times in the event that they do escape (e.g. microchip and/or collar with current phone numbers and details). Continue reading »

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis, also known as Degenerative joint disease (DJD) is a crippling condition involving a progressive deterioration of the articular cartilage in movable joints.

Cartilage works as a smooth cushion protecting the ends of the bones in a movable joint.As cartilage degrades it becomes rough and worn away exposing the bone. Unlike cartilage bone dose have nerves, so when the two bone ends touch pain and inflammation present impairing mobility. In DJD small bony attachments (osteophytes) can form on the bone around the joint adding to the pain.

Arthritis can occur as a result of wear and tear on an otherwise normal joint. This occurs with age so is commonly presented in our more geriatric pets. Osteoarthritis will also occur in animals of any age following a joint infection, fracture, trauma or any abnormal stress during movement of the joint. Some breeds have a genetic predisposition and are more prone to arthritis where other breeds have poor limb configurations and congenital joint problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia. (This is considered secondary DJD)

Continue reading »

We brush our own teeth several times a day and schedule regular check-ups with the dentist to keep our own teeth in healthy condition so why would we not do the same for our pets?

Dental disease in pets is an incredibly common ailment – affecting up to 95% of cats and dogs.

Once plaque forms this leads to a build-up of tartar which can then eventuate into gingivitis (gum inflammation). If the tartar is not removed further problems will arise such as bad breath, bleeding gums, difficulty eating, tooth loss and an overall loss in happy demeanor (due to dental pain).

If left untreated the bacteria associated with the tartar can eventually enter the bloodstream which in turn affects major organs such as the heart, liver and kidneys.

Treatment: Continue reading »

Unfortunately, sometimes we discover that our much-loved pet has gone missing. It is important not to panic; sometimes there is a perfectly good explanation as to why they are missing. The most important thing is to not give up hope and presume the worst. In some cases, animals can be reunited with their family months down the track. If you have seen an animal hanging around your property or neighbourhood, don’t just ignore it and hope it will go away; it could be someone’s beloved pet that they have been missing for days, weeks or even months. Continue reading »

Vaccination programmes are put in place to prevent the spread of disease amongst our furry companions. In the past, many animals became severely ill due to contagious diseases. With modern medicine these

diseases are now managed by regular vaccination.

Protect your pets by ensuring they receive regular vaccinations*! Continue reading »

Neutering, de-sexing, spaying and castration are all terms used to describe the surgical procedure rendering an animal incapable of reproducing (the complete removal of all reproductive organs).

Advantages for De-sexing Pets

The main purpose for de-sexing is to avoid overpopulation with unwanted puppies and kittens, but there are other advantages too.

Male

Reduction of unwanted behaviours such as:

• Mounting (other animals, owner and visitor’s leg!).
• Urine spraying (particularly male cats).
• Roaming (tracking females in heat).
• Some forms of aggression.
• Reduce chance of prostate cancer.
• No testicular cancer.

Continue reading »

A micro-chip is a device which is implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades of (most commonly) cats and dogs. The implant is about the size of a grain of rice and is made of biocompatible material. The chip contains an identification number unique to every animal which is read by a scanner (similar to a barcode reader) available at any vet clinic, pound and SPCA. Micro-chipping is a quick and easy procedure, performed in a consultation without the use of anesthesia. Continue reading »