Taking your pooch to the beach on a hot summer's day is a great way to relax, enjoy the sunshine and cool off. No one likes to cause a scene so don't forget your beach etiquette!  Remember that not all beaches are dog friendly. Off-leash beaches allowed at all times (under effective control): West beach, Hallet Cove, O’Sullivan, Port Noarlunga South, Seaford & Moana. Off-leash before 10am and after 8pm (during daylight savings): Outer Harbour, Largs, Semaphore, Tennyson, Grange, Henley, Glenelg, Brighton & Seacliff.   Always make sure you are in control of your dog ..read more

I am a great fan of Dr Brene Brown - Google her TED talk if you have not yet seen it. In her recent book, Dare to Lead, she references the Stockdale Paradox. In essence, this refers to an important balance: holding onto faith that one will prevail in the end with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of one’s current reality. Dr Brown has termed this gritty faith and gritty facts. Armed with gritty faith, what are the gritty facts?   With the current status of COVID-19 and the impacts it is having, we want to reassure all our clients that we are do ..read more

Have you had it with your dog licking her paws non-stop? Are you going crazy watching your cat pull at her toe nails?  If you are uncomfortable with your pet's paw obsession , imagine how your pet feels!  Compulsive licking and chewing of the paws is a common problem for our pets but it shouldn't be considered normal.  There can be many causes: Allergies: ingestion of a food, contact with grasses or plants and inhalation of pollens are common causes of itchy skin (especially at this time of the year) Parasites: mites can burrow in to the skin and cause irritation and flea bites ..read more

If you think your pet has smelly, dirty or red ears it is time for a check up with us. Ear infections are very common at this time of the year and it's important that we visualise the canal and make sure your pet is not in any pain. The ear contains its own 'mini environment' and this can be easily disrupted by heat, moisture and self trauma (for example from itching due to allergies). Bacteria and yeast love the change in environment and begin to increase in numbers, resulting in a very unhappy ear canal and an uncomfortable pet. Watch out for: Shaking of the head Rubbing ears along the f ..read more

Meet gentle natured Ruby, the 4-year-old American Staffordshire Bull Terrier, who was recently rushed into surgery to treat a life-threatening condition called a pyometra or infection of the uterus. This life-threatening disease is one of the most common conditions seen in undesexed adult and senior female dogs. It is preventable by ensuring your dog is desexed as a puppy (or as is now recommended in large breed dogs, around a year old). Pyometra is a serious condition that can develop in female pets that have not been desexed. It is more common in middle-aged to older dogs but cats are n ..read more

How do we ensure we never have to choose between giving our pets the best veterinary care they need, when they need it, and also balancing our budget? There is never a good time for our pets to get sick. When we simply don’t have the money to pay or the amount needed to provide the best quality care, the choice of what we have to prioritise can be excruciating. Pet Health Insurance helps us to budget predictable monthly payments so that we have the means to pay for vet treatment whenever it may be needed. Is pet health insurance an option for you? Join us for a discussion with a leading Indust ..read more

Determined not to miss the opportunity for new puppies and parents to attend Puppy Preschool, we have taken it on line – well mostly. Every week from the comfort of home, puppy parents log onto our online forum and enjoy an interactive session which focusses on basic training and primary health. If technology’s not your thing, don’t worry – we’ll teach you an easy trick or two. Even if owners have had a puppy before, it’s a fun and exciting time to make sure we are doing everything we can to support our puppies grow up to be happy, well socialised dogs. We’ve created a closed Facebook group fo ..read more

You are probably well aware that if your pet is pudgy they have an increased risk of suffering from heart disease, respiratory disorders, osteoarthritis and diabetes. But alarmingly, most people aren’t even aware that their pet is overweight. Here are our top tips for determining if your pet is carrying a few too many kilos:  When you look at your pet from above they will have lost definition of their waist. Instead of an hourglass figure they might look more like an egg on legs! You can no longer easily feel their ribs when you run your hands over their sides A very obese pet may h ..read more

Dogs are very good at hiding pain. It is a matter of survival, as in the wild, a weak or sick animal is easy prey. Add to this your dog's desire to please you all the time and it is not uncommon for pain to go unnoticed. One of the most painful conditions in dogs is arthritis and as the weather is getting cooler we will start to see many more painful arthritis cases raise their ugly heads. Your dog MAY be trying to tell you he has arthritic pain and you need learn to look out for some of the warning signs: Difficulty jumping in to the car, up on the furniture or climbing stairs Stiffness e ..read more

With the current status of COVID-19 and the impacts it is having, we want to reassure all our clients that we are doing everything we can to look after our patients and your health and safety but can only do this if our team are healthy and able to provide services in our practice. Albeit with some additional measures as explained below.  We have put in place sanitation stations in our practice and ask that clients disinfect their hands-on entry to and exit from the clinic.  If you are experiencing respiratory symptoms consistent with coronavirus (sore throat, fever, cough, respirato ..read more