16 Aug 2017
Healthy teeth and gums are vital to your dog’s wellbeing. Brushing their teeth, feeding them dental kibble and treats, and chewing on rubber toys will keep your canine's goofy smile in sparkling shape. Brush your dog's teeth to prevent a build up of plaque Daily brushing gives your dog the best chance to have healthy teeth and gums. Introduce daily teeth cleaning to them when they are pups. If you have an older dog, with a bit of patience and lots of reward they will get used to it. Here's how: Buy a doggy toothbrush and chicken or beef-flavoured toothpaste from your vet. Avoid human t…
16 Aug 2017
Written by Dr Natalie Lloyd In May I travelled to Australia to attend a 2-day course on identifying and treating behavioural issues in cats and dogs. Animals commonly suffer from anxiety related behaviour, and one of the more common ones we see in our dogs is Separation Anxiety. Separation anxiety is a distressing behaviour for dogs but is also distressing for dog owners. Almost always the behaviour is seen in dogs who are adored by their owners and therefore, the dogs reflect that by loving their owners in return. Consequently, the dogs are distressed when their owners are absent. At Tasman…
14 Jul 2017
Regular health check ups Regular health check ups are the cornerstone of a preventative health program for your dog in the years ahead. We aim to see our patients at least twice a year. Regular check-ups allow us to catch potential problems early and inform you of the newest and best options in pet medicine pertinent to your individual situation. In the latter years of life these increase in frequency as age related problems become more likely. Every year that passes is 5 or 7 years for your four legged friend, let's make each one healthy!! Vaccinations Vaccinations are very important and…
17 May 2017
We all live busy lives, meaning sometimes our furry friends are left at home. This means our dogs are left to their own devices resulting in boredom. Even if your dog doesn’t create problems when they are bored, enrichment is still vital in stimulating their brain and providing them with opportunity to practice natural behaviour. This article will give you some tips on providing an enriching environment for your dog. Scavenger hunts Instinctively dogs are scavengers and problem solvers. Try hiding foods, treats and toys around the backyard or house. This will keep your dog busy and reward t…
21 Feb 2017
Meet Coco, an (almost) two year old French Bulldog. Coco had to visit our clinic because she had been vomiting after consuming a lily petal. Eating these causes a mild toxic insult to dogs and can be very painful for your pup. Initially, we gave Coco some bland food and medication to stop her vomiting. This improved her condition primarily, but once the medication finished she begun to vomit again. We then decided to run some tests on her to investigate further. Her blood tests came back fine and she had no signs of pancreatitis. Finally, we took some x-rays and discovered Coco had swallowed…
30 Jun 2015
In July 2015, some Hill's Prescription Diets are improving with taste upgrades so your pet will enjoy them even more. Also, all prescription diets are getting shiney new packaging with clearer labelling. We are recommending a transition period for the foods with taste upgrades . The upgrades only apply to the DRY food (kibble). A transition period means mixing the old formula with the new for several days to assist the transition for your pet. Some pets on prescription diets have taste preferences or health issues where a slow transition improves food tolerance. We don't expect any issues…
01 Jan 2015
Did you know that around 70% of cats and dogs aged 3 and over have some sort of dental disease? We do, and we work hard to educate our clients about dental care. This month NZ Vet Association published results of a nationwide survey of veterinarians about the current level of dental care that is being offered to cats and dogs. It found: Only 53% of vets routinely perform nerve blocks prior to removing teeth Only 16% of vets regularly take x-rays of cats and dogs teeth Only 24% of vets would monitor a tooth that was broken, exposing the pulp canal and causing pain. 76% are unaware that there…
We recommend keeping your pet at a healthy weight, so we'll make dietary and lifestyle recommendations when we think it is necessary. Recently we saw Puma, a 3 year old german shepherd cross and recommended a revisit. Puma had been adopted as an adult by a long time client of ours. We'd heard Puma had some bad habits of helping herself, but this email conversation surprised even us. Hi Mr ____ You saw Dr Charlotte six months ago for Puma's lepto booster and she recommended a further 2kg weight loss and a weight check in six months. I understand from Puma's notes that she has eaten a…