Harbourside Vet Care

29/12/2024

With the New Year quickly approaching, here are some handy hints in preparation of the fireworks and how to help your pets. 🎆

Prepare early and consult with your vet about treatment options for noise phobias.

Remain calm, engage in normal activities and reward calm behavior with treats or toys.

Keep pets indoors, close blinds/curtains, and create a comfortable hiding place.

Use distractions like games or food but don’t force them if they prefer to hide.

Do not punish your pet for fear or distress.

Ensure their microchip details are up to date.

Dogs 🐕:
Exercise your dog before fireworks (e.g., a long walk) to tire them out.

Feed your dog after exercise and stay with them if possible to reduce anxiety.

Do not tether your dog during fireworks to prevent injury or choking.

Supervise your dog directly or make alternative arrangements to ensure their safety.

Dog appeasing pheromones (e.g. Adaptil) may help calm your dog.

Do not leave your dog outside during fireworks to prevent fear, distress, or escape.

Cats 🐈:
Provide safe hiding places.

Using feline facial pheromones (e.g. Feliway) may help to calm your cat.

Rabbits and small animals 🐇:
Secure them indoors during fireworks.

Horses 🐴:
Put in a secure stable or move them away from fireworks to prevent injury; remove sharp objects, cover windows, and provide food and water.

Wildlife 🐦:
Fireworks can cause fear, injuries, or death in wild animals; fireworks debris is toxic. Contact local wildlife carers for assistance.

If you need to make an appointment to discuss fireworks anxiety, please call us on 8248 2111.

24/12/2024

Harbourside Vet Care wishes you all a very Merry Christmas! 🎄
A special thank you to all of our clients who made time to bring us some paw-some goodies and to the Animal Welfare League for our clinic cats G & T's very own paw-some pressies! 🎁✨

23/12/2024

🎅🏼 During the Christmas season, several common items and foods can be toxic to pets. Here are some of the most dangerous things to watch out for:

Foods:
🍫 Chocolate: Even small amounts can be fatal, especially dark chocolate, which contains more theobromine.
🍹 Alcohol: Any form of alcohol, including in desserts, can cause poisoning in pets, leading to vomiting, tremours, and even a coma.
🍇 Grapes and Raisins (Christmas Pudding): These are toxic to dogs and can lead to kidney failure.
🍬 Xylitol (Sugar Substitute): Found in sugar-free gum, candies, and baked goods, it can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and liver failure in dogs.
🧅 Onions, Garlic: Can damage a pet's red blood cells and lead to anemia, especially in cats.
🥜 Macadamia Nuts: Can cause weakness, tremors, and vomiting in dogs.

Decorations:
🎗️ Tinsel and Ribbons: Pets, particularly cats, are often attracted to shiny objects. Ingesting tinsel can cause choking or blockages in the intestines.
🌰 Glass Ornaments: Broken glass ornaments can cause cuts or internal injury if chewed.
🎄 Christmas Lights: Chewing on cords can cause electrocution or burns.
🕯️ Candles: Open flames can be dangerous if a pet knocks them over, leading to burns or fires.

Toxic Plants:
🌿 Mistletoe and Holly: Both can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even heart problems if ingested. Mistletoe, in particular, can be fatal to pets.
🌵 Christmas Cactus: Though generally safe, ingestion can lead to stomach upset in some pets.
🎍 Evergreens: Pine, fir, and spruce trees can cause mild irritation and vomiting if ingested, and their needles can cause injury.

🚨 If you have an emergency over the Christmas period please contact:
SASH
99 Rundle Street, Kent Town
8133 5300

17/12/2024

🎄 Christmas & New Year's Opening Hours 🎉
We will only be closed the public holidays over the Christmas/New Year period and are closing at 6pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.

💊 If your pet requires any ongoing medications, please make sure you have enough to get you over the Christmas period.
🎇 Also, please keep in mind the fireworks and parties happening on New Year's Eve.
🙀 If your pet has any anxiety associated with these events, please call on 8248 2111 to make an appointment to discuss these concerns further.

16/12/2024

With the weather starting to heat up it's important to keep in mind heatstroke can be common in pets especially is they are not kept cool on hot days.

Symptoms of Heatstroke in Pets:
- Excessive panting or difficulty breathing
- Rapid heart rate
- Drooling
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Weakness or lethargy
- Collapse or unresponsiveness
- Red or pale gums
- Seizures

Causes:
High ambient temperature: Pets, particularly those with thick coats, brachycephalic breeds (like Bulldogs and Pugs), and elderly pets, are at greater risk.

Lack of access to shade or water: Pets need access to cool areas and fresh water to prevent overheating.

Exercising in hot weather: Vigorous activity in hot or humid conditions can quickly lead to heatstroke.

Prevention:
Provide water: Always have fresh water available, especially when outside.
Avoid hot periods: Limit walks and exercise during the hottest part of the day (usually from 10 AM to 4 PM).

Shade and cool areas: Ensure your pet has access to cool, shaded areas, and never leave them in a parked car.

Proper grooming: Regular brushing to remove excess fur can help, but be cautious about shaving breeds with thick coats, as they rely on their fur for sun protection.

Car rides: Pets often have some excitement and/or stress associated with being in the car. This is why it is important to only take pets in a car with air-conditioning.

Treatment:
Move to a cool area: Get your pet to a shaded or air-conditioned space immediately.
Offer water: Let your pet drink cool (not ice-cold) water.

Cool them down: Use a wet cloth, or gently pour cool (not cold) water over their body, especially around the neck and under their front legs. You can also use a fan to help lower their temperature.

Seek veterinary care: If you suspect heatstroke, contact your veterinarian immediately. Delaying treatment can lead to organ damage or even death.

06/12/2024

📣 Unfortunately due to the hot weather yesterday which ended up leading to some sad cases, we want to provide people with some updated and relevant information on how to keep your pets safe during summer.

Hot weather can be challenging for pets, especially those not accustomed to heat. Here are some key tips to keep them safe and comfortable during high temperatures:

💧 Hydration: Always provide fresh water. Pets can get dehydrated quickly, especially in hot weather.

🏠 Shade & Shelter: Ensure your pets have access to shaded areas or air-conditioned rooms if they are indoors. If outside, limit their exposure to direct sunlight, particularly during the hottest parts of the day (usually 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

🏃‍♀️ Avoid Overexertion: Limit vigorous exercise, especially for dogs, and avoid walks during the hottest times of day. Early morning or late evening walks are ideal.

❄️ Cooling Products: Consider cooling mats, vests, or portable fans. Some pets also enjoy playing in sprinklers or having ice cubes in their water bowls.

🪮 Grooming: Regular grooming can help remove excess fur that traps heat. However, avoid shaving your pet's coat too short as it provides insulation and protection from the sun.

🥵 Be Aware of Heatstroke: Symptoms include heavy panting, drooling, lethargy, vomiting, or confusion. If your pet is showing signs of heatstroke, move them to a cooler place, provide water, and contact your vet immediately.

🚗 Never Leave Pets in Cars: Temperatures inside a car can rise rapidly, even with the windows cracked open, and this can be deadly for pets.
By following these precautions, you can help ensure that your pet stays safe and healthy during hot weather.

Heatstroke is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that can affect pets, especially during hot weather. It occurs when a pet's body overheats, and their internal temperature rises to dangerous levels, typically above 40°C. Pets can suffer heatstroke from being left outside in the heat for too long, especially if they don't have access to shade or water.

🚨 Heatstroke is an emergency, and quick intervention is key to preventing severe outcomes.

02/12/2024

⛈️ THUNDERSTORM WARNING ⛈️
Storms can be a problem for some pets. Dogs and cats, in particular, do not understand where the loud noises they can hear are coming from. They believe they're in danger and will often try to escape. Pets can suffer serious injuries while trying to get away from the noise.

Keeping pets safe during stormy weather requires preparation and attention to both their physical and emotional well-being. Here are several steps you can take:

Secure Shelter: Ensure your pet has a safe, comfortable indoor space to stay during storms. Bring outdoor pets inside to avoid the risk of injury.

Create a Calm Environment: Storms can be stressful for pets due to loud noises like thunder or wind. To reduce anxiety:

Close windows and blinds to block out flashes of lightning.

Use calming music or white noise to mask storm sounds.

Consider anxiety-reducing products like calming collars, pheromone diffusers, or anxiety wraps.

Identification: Ensure your pet has proper identification, such as a collar with tags and a microchip, in case they get frightened and run away during the storm.

Extra food, water and shelter

Medications (if applicable): Please contact us to help you help your pet through a traumatic event. This may not be traumatic to you, but to your pet, it may feel life threatening.

Stay Inside: If you need to go outside during a storm to secure things or check on your property, do so quickly and avoid leaving your pet outside unsupervised.

Monitor Weather Alerts: Stay updated on weather alerts to anticipate when a storm might hit and prepare in advance, rather than scrambling when it’s already underway.

Keep Calm: Try to stay calm to help reassure your pet during a storm.

By preparing ahead of time and being aware of your pet's needs, you can help them stay safe and calm during stormy weather.

Comfort your pet: Do what you need to do to comfort your pet to help them through the event.

This will NOT reinforce their anxiety and or fear, instead this will help them feel safe and secure.

30/10/2024

🎃 Halloween is super fun but can be a scary time for our pets. 🐾
Here's some tips for the spooky season:
🍬 Ensure chocolate and lollies are kept away from where they can be ingested
💀 Using pet friendly decorations that pets cannot chew
💤 Make sure have a quiet space away from festivities and/or trick or treaters

Eddy, Nurse Dayna's cat, is excited for Halloween and would love to see what other fur babies are doing or dressing up as for Halloween! 👻

29/10/2024

📣 Please keep this in mind if you have an emergency with your pet! 🐾
Address: 99 Rundle Street, Kent Town
Phone: 8133 5300

⚠️Attention residents of Adelaide!⚠️

Due to the temporary closure of other vet hospitals in the area, SASH Adelaide will be the only 24/7 emergency hospital in and around the Adelaide CBD. Rest assured that if your pet ever needs us, we'll be there for you.

Fortunately, SASH Adelaide 24/7 Emergency & Critical Care is well placed to service the pets of Adelaide and beyond as we have recently increased our clinical capabilities. We have welcomed back to Adelaide, Dr Morgan Woodforde, another Boarded Veterinarian in Emergency & Critical Care. Together with Dr Nici Kalnins, this dynamic duo make up the only two highly trained Emergency & Critical experts in the entire state of South Australia. The comprehensive team also consists of experienced emergency veterinarians, expert nurses, and friendly client service officers, 24/7, 365 days of the year.

We hope you don't need us, but if you do, we'll be here. Always.

15/10/2024

⚠️ CONSTRUCTION WORK ⚠️
Just to make everyone aware, we are having some emergency work done at the clinic and it's a bit chaotic at the moment but we are doing our best.
We ask that if you have any non-emergency phone calls or are wanting to pick up any medication or worming treatment and it can wait, please phone or pop in from tomorrow onwards.
Thank you for your understanding. 😊

10/10/2024

✨ Happy Vet Nurse Day! ✨
This week has been Veterinary Nurse and Technologist Awareness Week and today especially, we celebrate all the important and hard work that vet nurses do everyday. 💪
It can be a challenging job however it can also be very rewarding being able to help pets and owners physically and emotionally. 🥰
So thank you to all the Vet Nurses out there but especially the Nurses at Harbourside! 🐾

02/10/2024

📣 We will be closed this Saturday to Monday. Sorry for the short notice.
We hope everyone has a happy and safe long weekend! 🎉

29/08/2024

📣 We will be closed next Saturday 7th September.
💊 If your fur baby is on any medication, please make sure they have enough to get them through.

26/08/2024

Happy International Dog Day to all the handsome hounds and pretty pooches out there and to their human parents of course! 🐕
Meet a few of the nurses doggies 🥰
Usher - Border Collie
Rose - Rhodesian Ridgeback
Patches - Dalmation
Blaze - Dalmatian x Fox Terrier
Cece - Labrador x Poodle

21/08/2024

This very handsome boy, Willow, came in for a kitten check and had lots of cuddles. Willow is a Maine C**n kitten and while he may be small now he will grow into a gentle giant of the cat world! 😻

08/08/2024

Happy International Cat Day to all the cats and their people out there! 🐈

Some fun facts about cats:
🐱 The first cat (aka Astrocat) went to space in 1963. 🛸
🐱 The oldest cat recorded was Creme Puff. He lived until 38 years and 3 days old! 😳
🐱 General domestic cats share 95.6% of their genetic makeup with tigers. 🐅

Love the clinic cats, G + T 😻

06/08/2024

Happy Hump Day! According to Buddy though, every day is Hump Day 😂
Here's a mid-week pic of the very handsome Buddy! 😊

24/07/2024

Dear little Peggy was in last week as she had a stick stuck at the back of her mouth... However after a successful retrieval, she's feeling much better and hopefully won't be chewing too many sticks again 🤞 Also, look at those pearly whites 😍🦷