Behavioural problems in senior pets can result from medical issues like arthritic pain, loss of sight/hearing or diseases that affect the nervous system. They can also be attributed to age related deterioration of the brain known as Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. In mild cases the pet may sleep more, become less responsive or show less social interaction ...
Two viruses, one a new strain and the other a resurgence of an old virus are causing concerns for our feline friends and their owners around Canberra. Virulent strain of cat flu (feline calicivirus) In March this year and now again in June/July, vets around Canberra have seen sick cats suffering from a particularly virulent form of ...
It’s amazing the things that dogs will eat; we see dogs that eat toys, clothes, sticks, whole bones and so much more. Theodore is one of such dogs who is quite the scavenger, he is known to eat all sorts of things that he probably shouldn’t! He came in to see us because his owners noticed ...
Excitable dog behaviour such as jumping on people and mouthiness are very common behaviours, especially amongst young dogs. While a Chihuahua pup might not cause much damage when it jumps at your visitor, the hurtling missile of fun in the shape of the adolescent Labrador can cause injury. Jumping up, attention barking and even mouthiness ...
Early learning in puppies and red flags for mental health. When we welcome a dog or pup into our lives, we have certain expectations about how they should behave and fit into our family life. As social creatures able to bond with humans, dogs have co-evolved and shared our lives for thousands of years. However, each pup’s survival within their ...
Shedding is one way an animal can adapt to its environment. Changes in the amount of sunlight and the external temperature are the two of the main factors that determine when major shedding will occur. While hair shedding is a normal process for many breeds of dogs and cats, the amount and frequency of hair that ...
‘Velcro’ dogs as they can be known, always want to be super close, even touching their owner in case you go away. This is a joy when you are with them, however some dogs can’t be left without getting upset and will bark continuously or destroy property (or themselves) in an effort to find you. Separation ...
Frankie is a very excitable and wriggly 5 month old Pug puppy that came in recently for desexing. Frankie is very lucky, as his owners are well informed about some of the breathing problems that Pugs and other squishy faced (Brachycephalic) dogs such as Bulldogs and Boxers are prone to getting. Because of the excess soft ...
With the approach of Easter, your chocolate stash is likely to grow. Like us, dogs love chocolate and will go to great lengths to search it out. Unfortunately, for our four-legged friends, eating chocolate can cause serious illness. Why is chocolate toxic to dogs? Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine. Whilst the amount of theobromine in chocolate is ...
Bonnie is a cute little 10 week old bulldog who came in to see us not long after arriving in her new home. As you can see from the picture above, Bonnie has a protruding red lump in the corner of her left eye - this is a condition called ‘cherry eye’. Cherry eye occurs ...