All posts by AP

RELAXATION OF CONTACTLESS CONSULTATIONS

We’d like to once again thank all of our fantastic clients for the patience and understanding that we’ve been given during these difficult times. In light of the low incidence of COVID-19 in the ACT, we feel we can safely allow a regulated number of pet-parents back in to the clinic for consultations as of the 2nd of June. As it always has been, the safety of our staff, clients and patients remains our top priority.

For the health and safety of staff and clients, if you have a cough, fever or cold symptoms, please call to reschedule your visit.

You Will Need:

You will require access to a mobile phone and a credit/debit card for payment (we prefer non-cash payments at time of consultation).
We ask that all cats and rabbits arrive in a pet carrier.
All dogs must be on lead.

The New Consultation Process:

  • When you arrive at the clinic for consultation or admission, please remain in your vehicle and call us on 62302223 to notify us of arrival.
    If you are picking up food or medications, please call us when you arrive and we’ll bring them out to your vehicle.
  • We’ll text you once the coast is clear and the vet is ready to see you, to reduce contact in the waiting room.
  • We will only allow one owner per appointment to enter the building, due to space restrictions.
  • If you are bringing a dog, we’ll record a weight on the scales before proceeding into consultation.
  • Most of the time, you will be invited to sit in the chair provided and maintain a safe distance whilst the consultation is in process.
  • At the end of the consultation, there will be a brief pause at the reception desk to settle your account (PayWave is our preferred method) and book any rechecks required, before vacating so that the next client can come in.
  • This will all be subject to adjustments as we find the best balance of convenience and caution.
  • If you would still prefer to have a contactless consultation, we can accommodate that as well. If you have any concerns or questions, please call us on 62302223.

Introducing Contactless Consults

In this rapidly changing COVID-19 time, Hall Vet Surgery has decided to radically change the way we do consultations and admissions so that we can minimise any possible transmission of the virus.

You Will Need:

You will require access to a mobile phone and a credit/debit card for payment (we are no longer accepting cash).
We ask that all cats and rabbits arrive in a pet carrier.
All dogs must be on lead.

The Contactless Consultation Process:

In short, when you arrive at the clinic for consultation or admission, please remain in your vehicle and call us on 62302223 to notify us of arrival.
When safe to do so, reception will direct you and your pet to the designated drop off zone where we will conduct a hand over. Your pet will be brought into the clinic with us and you will return to your vehicle where you will await a call from the vet to begin your consultation.
During the consultation you will still be able to tell us your concerns and ask us questions, and we’ll still be able to give your pet a physical examination, explain diagnoses and treatment options.

We’ll be sad not to see people’s smiling faces in our consultation rooms, but we are very serious about maintaining health and safety for you and for our staff, so that we can maintain the well-being of your pet.

Stay safe and look out for each other.
Hall Vet Surgery
(02) 6230 2223

Holidays

Hall Veterinary Surgery will be closed on the two upcoming ACT public holidays.

Family & Community Day Monday, 25 September 2017
Labour Day Monday, 2 October 2017

We’ll reopen with normal business hours on each of the following Tuesdays. Enjoy your holiday time with your pet!

Itchy Skin

Does your dog have itchy skin?itchydog

Itchy skin is a common problem for many animals. A dog with itchy skin will excessively scratch, lick or bite its skin, and the skin will become hot and lose its hair. If the scratching is severe, it might even have cuts and scabs, or a bad odour. The itching can be confined to just one area, or affect the dog’s entire body. This can make a dog absolutely miserable and understandably quite irritable.

What are the causes of itchy skin?

Itchy skin is not a condition in itself, but a sign of some other disease. The most common causes in Canberra are allergies. Atopic dermatitis is an allergy to airborne particles such as pollens, moulds or grasses, and causes itchiness of the face, armpits, groin and feet. The cause may never actually be isolated, or it may be widely dispersed in the air and therefore unavoidable.

  • Mites can also cause itchiness when they wander over the skin, bite it or burrow into it.
  • Yeasts and bacteria often compound the problem as they infect inflamed skin, increasing the itch.
  • Many dogs have itchiness due to fleas. When a flea bites a dog its saliva can sometimes trigger an allergic reaction, and just one flea bite can cause itchiness for weeks! Flea allergy dermatitis usually affects the dog’s rump.
  • Some dogs will have itchiness due to endocrine diseases like hypothyroidism.

Things to think about in itchy dogs.

  • Age. If your dog is young, it may have a congenital tendency to skin disease. If you have an older dog, it might be predisposed to another illness that could cause itchiness as a result.
  • Other animals in the environment. Whether in the house or wildlife, other animals can act as a source of fleas, mites, yeasts and other infectious agents that can cause itchiness.
  • Diet. Some animals become allergic to components of their diet, often this is the protein source for that diet.
  • Breed. Some breeds are more predisposed than others to contracting skin disease.
  • Seasonality. Some conditions are more commonly seen in certain periods of the year. For example, flea populations increase in warm and humid weather,  and atopic animals with allergies to pollens can experience an allergy flare when spring and summer grasses flower, much as we do with hay-fever.

What tests can the vet do?

The first thing the vet will do is physically examine your dog, looking for any rashes, scabs or inflamed areas. A flea comb may be used to look for fleas and other skin parasites. Smaller agents such as mites, bacteria and yeasts can only be seen under a microscope, so samples from the skin may need to be taken. This could include a swab, a sticky tape test (where the skin is gently squeezed and sticky tape is pressed against it), a skin scraping (where a scalpel blade is scraped against the superficial skin layer) or an impression smear (where a slide is pressed directly against the skin). Blood tests are required if endocrine disease is suspected.

How is itchy skin treated?Sara giving patient Bailey a medicated bath

Fleas are treated by using regular preventative flea treatments on all animals in the house at the same time and by removing fleas from the dog’s bedding and environment. Vet branded monthly top spots or tablets are proven to be more effective in removing fleas from the dog than those found elsewhere. Mite infestations require a combination of medicated shampoos and oral medication for some months. Food allergies are diagnosed by exclusion diets and treated by avoiding the offending food. Allergies are managed with medications that reduce the itch, as well as treating the secondary bacteria or yeast that colonise the inflamed skin and aggravate the irritation. Omega 3 supplements, medicated shampoos, cortisone and other medications that reduce itch are often helpful too. Endocrine diseases are treated with hormonal supplements. Recheck appointments are valuable to monitor progress and ensure your pet has maximum comfort whilst minimising the side effects of medications.

New strain of Rabbit Calicivirus found in the ACT

iStock_000004567669_SmallThere have been two recent cases of a new strain of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus – RHDV2 – reported in the ACT. The current vaccine available in Australia – Cylap – has partial protection against this strain.

Recommendations from the ACT and NSW Chief Veterinary Officers are:

  • vaccinate all rabbits in your household
  • vaccinate breeding animals before the breeding season to give the young some maternal antibody protection
  • vaccinate from four weeks old (this is younger than previous recommendations, as RHDV2 affects younger rabbits more than the older strains), with a booster four weeks later
  • avoid vaccination gaps and ensure all rabbits receive annual boosters (and six monthly for breeding does)

These next points will help in reducing the risk of introducing both RHDV and myxomatosis, which is also in the wild rabbit population:

  • keep cages clean and prevent wild rabbits from coming into contact with outdoor cages
  • try and maintain good insect control
  • avoid feeding grass to rabbits if it may have come into contact with wild rabbits

If you have any concerns, or wish to update your rabbit’s vaccinations, please call our Reception on 6230 2223.

Congratulations Helen!

anzcvsCongratulations to Dr Helen who passed her membership exams to the Animal Behaviour chapter of the Australian & New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists.

That was a lot of hard work!

helen-exhausted
That was an exhausting slog!

 

It’s Polite Pets month!

It is Polite Pets Month, which focuses on how to recognise and treat anxiety, fear and phobias in our furred and feathered friends. Up to 20% of our pets suffer from anxiety and this can result in behaviours that are unacceptable like aggression, separation and noise phobias and toileting where you would rather they didn’t!

Finding out the true cause of these behaviours is essential to managing them effectively. Jumping on the punishment wagon can worsen anxiety driven problems.
Behaviour issues are best treated sooner rather than later so that you can maintain a happy family! Dr Helen is available for behaviour consults. Call reception to arrange a time.