Articles

Keep up to date with all our latest news, articles of interest, and case studies from the veterinary world around Hawke’s Bay, Dannevirke, and the Wairarapa.

WOLF TEETH IN HORSES

Wolf teeth are technically known as the first premolar teeth in horses.  They usually erupt into the mouth at between five and twelve months of age, but do not continue to grow or erupt into the mouth as do the rest of the cheek teeth.  It has been estimated that approximately seventy percent of horses…

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brown and white horses on green grass field during daytime

Winter Equine Seminar

  SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR ANNUAL EQUINE SEMINAR AND WINTER CATCH UP!   Dannevirke Seminar Thursday 20 July 6.30 – 8.30pm Free to attend, refreshments and nibbles provided and spot prizes to be won. Topics will cover respiratory disease, dealing with equine emergencies and shockwave treatment. Please give us a call to register your…

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When being cuddly is not cute…

Much like the human population, companion animals are becoming increasingly overweight. In New Zealand the statistics are alarmingly high and a significant proportion of the patients we see on a day to day basis are overweight. Why should we care and why not just embrace our fuller-bodied pets? A concept that has in the past…

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What’s the itch?

I am allergic. My skin’s inflamed and itchy. Take me to my vet! We can help you to work out what is causing the itching – is it fleas, contact allergies, food, airborne allergies, hormonal issue effecting the skin, bacterial or fungal infection? Subtle differences may be diagnostic. What do allergies in pets look like?…

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What are the signs of heatstroke?

Dogs do not perspire the way humans do; in fact, the only sweat glands that they have are on the pads of their feet. Dogs pant to cool themselves. If the surrounding air is not considerably cooler than the animals’ body temperature – as in the case of a hot, stuffy automobile – the cooling…

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Urinary Tract Disorders – Neil Stuttle

Urinary tract disorders are very common in cats and dogs and are a regular part of our case load here at VSHB. The urinary tract system enables the production of urine to eliminate metabolic waste products, storage of urine and then the appropriate emptying of urine. The urinary tract itself is divided into the upper…

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Unusual Hind Limb Gait Abnormalities

There are a number of conditions of the hind leg in the horse that cause very specific, atypical type lameness and gait abnormalities. These include stringhalt, shivers, upward patella fixation, fibrotic myopathy and rupture of the peroneus tertius muscle. Dave Kruger outlines each of these medical conditions and what to look out for below. STRINGHALT…

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Ticks in Deer

Ticks thrive in warmer climates and so are commonly distributed across the North Island, although they are becoming an increasingly widespread issue. During their lifecycle they move on and off a host three times. Eggs are laid on the soil in summer, hatching to larvae in late summer/early autumn. The larvae migrate up the pasture…

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Thinking about purchasing a new working dog?

When you buy a working dog, you often find yourself looking in a hurry so you can get on with your day to day activities. Although you may be feeling pressure to purchase a new dog quickly, a little patience and time may save a lot of heart ache in the long run. During the…

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