Indigo Veterinary Services

04/12/2025

We are delighted to welcome Dr Linda Bradbury to our team here at Indigo Veterinary Services

Dr Linda Bradbury brings over 20 years of veterinary experience to the team here at Indigo Veterinary Services. After graduating from the University of Melbourne, Linda moved to Adelaide to begin her career before venturing further across Australia to broaden her skills and experience.

Driven by a passion for both small and large animal medicine, Linda has worked in a diverse range of locations including Darwin, Corryong and Tennant Creek.

Linda lives with her beloved dog Rosie, her cat Smokey and three cheeky guinea pigs. When she’s not at work, she enjoys spending her time reading and gardening.

Linda’s depth of experience, genuine care for animals and commitment to community wellbeing are at the heart of her approach to veterinary practice.

16/11/2025

Livestock and fires
Your livestock are also your livelihood. Have you prepared your bushfire emergency plan to protect your livestock?
Do you need help to develop your plan?
The CFA has lots of great resources to help you get ready. Just follow this link:

13/11/2025

Pets and bushfires - How is your bushfire plan progressing?
Need help to get your bushfire plan ready, including everything you need for your pets?
Check out this handy document from the CFA:
https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/534/CFA%20Factsheet%20-%20Pets%20and%20bushfires%20(Version%202).pdf

13/11/2025

Keep those entries coming! This is a fantastic prize

🎉 It’s Giveaway Time! 🎉

We love our wonderful clients and their furry friends — so we’re celebrating with a special giveaway! 🐾💙

You could win a Pet Care Hamper filled with goodies from the Dermcare range for your four-legged family member!

To enter:
1️⃣ Like this post 👍
2️⃣ Follow Indigo Veterinary Services on facebook
3️⃣ Tag 3 friends in the comments

Bonus points for putting a photo of your pet in the comments and tell us what makes them special! 🐶🐱🐰🐴

Entries close December 15th, and the lucky winner will be announced on our page on December 18th

✨ We can’t wait to see all your gorgeous pets — good luck, everyone!

11/11/2025

🐎Horses and Bushfires🐎
How to Prepare Your Property

Whether your horses are located at home or on an agistment property you must plan and prepare for their safety.

🐴Horses need a large open space to avoid bushfires
🐴Move your horses to a safer location before an Extreme or Catastrophic day
🐴Remove all gear, including rugs
🐴Seek treatment for burns quickly

🐴Horses are quite good at avoiding bushfire if:
They have enough room to move freely and get a good gallop up in a large open space
There is minimal vegetation in the large open space

🐴On Extreme or Catastrophic fire danger days, move your horses to a designated safer paddock or area. This may be:
A large eaten out paddock
A series of smaller eaten out paddocks with the internal gates left open
A large sand ménage, provided there are no buildings or vegetation close-by that could catch fire.
Ideally the paddock should have a dam in it where the horse can seek relief from the heat.

🐴Do not lock your horses in a stable, holding yard or similar environment. The horse may panic and hurt themselves if confined. The building may also catch on fire.

🐴Do not let your horses out on the roads as they will be in more danger from traffic and fire.

🐴A horse’s natural instinct is to run from danger including bushfire and they will quickly move to burnt ground to survive.

🐴Ensure your property has a Property Identification Code (PIC) registered with Agriculture Victoria through the Department Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) that indicates horses are there. If your property is impacted by fire Agriculture Victoria may be able to enter after the fire to check on the welfare of your horses.

🐴If your property isn't safe
Move your horses to a safer location before a fire starts. Once a fire has started, it is unlikely you will be able to safely move your horses to another location. Bushfires can travel quickly and roads will be dangerous, or possibly closed.

🐴Develop your plan to temporarily move your horses on Extreme or Catastrophic days to:
A neighbour or friend’s property that is better prepared than yours
Local showgrounds
Saleyards
Racetracks
Pony club grounds if they are better prepared than your own property
You will need to check that these places are open and willing to take horses prior to arriving. You may also be expected to stay with your horse in some places.

🐴Arrange a group strategy with friends, other agistees or club members. If you agist your horses, find out what the bushfire plan is for the property.

🐴Prepare your horses
On Extreme or Catastrophic fire danger days remove all gear, including rugs, from your horses. Some gear may melt or become very hot and cause serious burns, or get caught on fences. Also embers landing on rugs may cause the rug to catch on fire and the horse will not be able to get the rug off

🐴Permanently identify your horses by microchipping or branding them. If your horse is difficult to catch, consider leaving a leather halter on with identification tags.

🐴After the fire
Check the paddock for trees and limbs likely to fall.
Do not enter or have horses in paddocks with fallen power lines or damaged power poles.
Some tree roots may burn underground creating extremely hot pits that could cause burns if stepped in.
Getting horses off hot ground is important to prevent laminitis
Check that their water is not contaminated and that they have food
Check that fencing is safe
Horses tend to recover well after a fire. They may suffer facial burns and swollen eyelids. Seek appropriate treatment to restore them to full health quickly.

🐴A horse suffering from burns requires prompt veterinary attention. Until the vet arrives, you can:
Sponge affected areas with cold water
If legs are affected, try standing your horse in a bucket of water
Any first-aid administered should be anti-inflammatory.

Factsheet from https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/

10/11/2025

10/11/2025

🔥 Bushfire Ready Series – Starting Today! 🔥

As the weather warms up, it’s time to start preparing for summer — and that means making sure your pets, livestock, and property are bushfire ready.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing practical tips to help you create a bushfire plan that keeps every member of your family — furry, feathered, or hooved — safe. 🐶🐱🐴🐮

Stay tuned and take a few moments today to start thinking about your own bushfire readiness plan. A little preparation now can make all the difference later. 🌾🔥

06/11/2025

Here at Indigo Veterinary Services, we are passionate about supporting healthy and happy lifestyles for our feline friends! 🐱

With pet cat numbers on the rise in Australia, more and more owners are opting to keep their feline family members safely at home. When cats roam outdoors unsupervised, they are at risk of getting lost or being involved in fights or traffic accidents. Cats can also pose a threat to native birds, reptiles and other wildlife.

That's why we're proud to be a supporter of Safe Cat, Safe Wildlife – a community of cat lovers led by Victoria and Victoria – sharing stories, for tips and expert advice to give your precious pet cat an enriching life at home!

Join the community today: https://cloud.zoosvic.com.au/scsw-sign-up

04/11/2025

Staying on point with your pet’s health

We get it! In the busy rush of day-to-day life, non-urgent appointments are naturally going to slip down the priority list.

However, just like us, middle-aged and older pets may start to develop some health issues which, if diagnosed early, can be easier (and cheaper!) to manage in the long run. Here are a few common symptoms in your pet that it’s best to have checked sooner rather than later.

Weight gain

Whilst it’s common for mature pets to gain a little bit of weight, it’s unfortunately not a win for their health! Overweight dogs are more prone to respiratory issues and are at a higher risk of painful joint conditions (such as cruciate ligament tears), whilst overweight cats have an increased risk of urinary health problems and diabetes. Additionally, excess fatty tissue will also release inflammation-promoting substances that can affect your pet’s general organ health.

If you’re noticing a bit of a “middle-aged spread” in your pet, consult our team for some experienced (and non-judgemental) advice.

A smelly mouth

Whilst it’s easy to write off a smelly mouth as just “pet breath”, it’s often an indicator of developing dental disease. If addressed sooner rather than later, your pet’s dental issues can often be fixed with a simple dental scale and polish (clean), rather than a more involved (and therefore higher cost) procedure involving extractions.

Lumps and bumps

Although many lumps on or just beneath your pet’s skin will be benign (harmless), there are also malignant (aggressive) lump types which can spread and cause harm. If you notice a lump on your pet, it’s best to get it checked within a few weeks to help ensure the best outcome for them.

Changes in drinking

Increased drinking levels can be associated with a few common organ issues or hormonal imbalances in dogs and cats, such as kidney disease, liver disease, hyperthyroidism and Cushing’s disease. If you notice a change in your pet’s drinking habits, it’s recommended for them to undergo a full check-over (which may include some simple blood tests too). This way, if your pet is developing a problem, we can start their treatment as early as possible.

For more information on proactive health support for your pet, consult our experienced team.

02/11/2025

Although the clinic will be closed for tomorrow's public holiday, a vet will still be available for emergencies. Just ring 0357282410 to be forwarded to the vet on call.