Small Animal Newsletter – April 2019

Keeping your pets safe this Easter

It’s April already and that means the Easter bunny is just around the corner. When it comes to your pet’s safety this Easter, there are a few things you need to watch out for.

Chocolate – the most obvious one!
Chocolate contains a derivative of caffeine called theobromine. Dogs are unable to digest theobromine and ingestion can lead to hyperactivity, tremors, panting, racing heartbeat, vomiting, diarrhoea and seizures. Unfortunately, it can be fatal for some dogs. As a general rule, the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is. If your dog has ingested ANY chocolate, big or small, you need to seek veterinary attention immediately. This way if we are able to make your dog vomit we can prevent any nasty side effects. Not sure how much is too much when it comes to chocolate? Here’s a tool we use in the clinic – this handy chocolate toxicity calculator which shows how much chocolate is too much for a dog.

Easter lilies – We recently posted about the dangers of this beautiful fragrant flower on our Facebook page and how it can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested. The stems, leaves, flowers, stamen are all potentially dangerous, as is the water the flowers are stored in. We advise you to seek urgent veterinary attention if you think your cat has been exposed.

Hot cross buns
This one you might not realise is also a hazard to your dog. The sultanas and raisins in these delicious buns can cause acute kidney failure in dogs due to the possible presence of a toxin on the grapes. Keep these out of reach at all times and watch for any that happen to drop on the floor (a common issue if you have little children in the house)!

School Holiday Competition – Starts Monday 15th April

Looking for something free to keep the kids entertained these school holidays? Well, the Vet Group has you covered!

We have put together a fun activity book for the kids which entails sending them out on a fact-finding mission and answering questions at Brooklands Zoo, Puke Ariki Museum and Puke Ariki Library.

Competition starts from Monday 15th April so collect a booklet from reception or print a copy here. Once the booklet has been completed, drop it back to us before Monday 29th April to go into the draw to win.

Prizes include $100 Marbles Voucher, $50 Subway Voucher and Movie Tickets.

Did you know pets get cancer too?

That’s right. We are fortunate here at the Vet Group to have an experienced team of Veterinarians who to have the ability to treat our fur babies with the latest and innovated care.
Cancer is just as prevalent in cats and dogs as it is in humans. It’s said to be the leading cause of death in dogs and older cats. Our oncology services help to detect, diagnose and treat cancer in pets. There are numerous cancers that affect pets – and various presenting symptoms, our staff have years of experience examining and testing pets to correctly diagnose cancers and suggest a suitable course of action. This can be surgery or chemotherapy. In the case where a referral is required, we have a good working relationship with Massey University in Palmerston North.

We are the only clinic in Taranaki who offer Radioactive Iodine therapy for cats who have been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.

Puppy Preschool Classes

We have been running puppy classes here at the clinic for over 25 years!

Our puppy class training team consists of our Vet nurses Lara Quinn and Abbie Deken with a little bit of help from Vet Rob Mills.
These classes designed to help give puppies the necessary socialisation skills for them to act in a socially acceptable manner. They help teach your puppy to look to you for direction and teach owners how to influence and shape the behaviour of a growing puppy. Through this journey, owners will also receive a basic insight into the fascinated world of dog psychology.

Classes are held at the vet group on a Tuesday evening and run from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. The course costs $60 for four weekly sessions. Puppies need to be between 8 and 12 weeks of age at the first class. They are also required to have had their first vaccination.

We often have a waiting list and we do have a limit as to how many puppies we can take per class – so if you want your puppy to start off on the right paw let us know as soon as possible so we can secure you a spot before they fill up.

Staff Showcase – Rebecca Cairns BVSc

Meet Rebecca – One of our multi-talented veterinarians. Rebecca first joined the practice back in 2011 and spends most of her time in the small animal part of our practice, where she enjoys a wide variety of cases and working with her team. Her most rewarding cases are the ones that involve returning beloved pets back to their families in full health. With a keen interest in small animal medicine, she has just completed studying Gastro Intestinal Medicine through Massey University. Rebecca’s work doesn’t end when the day is over – you’ll find her helping out her husband on their dairy farm or chasing after their kids when she’s at home.

Our Instagram Superstar

Meet Rocket! He is a 5 year old Ragdoll. He was in for a haircut from our nurses so he left here sporting a new hairdo and now looks a bit more like a lion. Still super handsome though!