Central Veterinary Emergency

02/01/2025

🐇🐰 Gastrointestinal Stasis in Rabbits 🐰🐇

Gastrointestinal Stasis is a life-threatening condition in rabbits and if left untreated can be fatal.

Gastrointestinal Stasis (also known as GI Stasis) in rabbits refers to the slowing or ceasing of passage of food through the gastrointestinal tract.

This is normally due to a change in gastrointestinal bacteria that assist in the digestion of food.
This change in gastrointestinal pH occurs when rabbits stop eating.
Rabbits can stop eating for a number of reasons. They may become sick, painful, suffer dental disease, become overheated, stressed etc. Regardless of the initial reason causing them to stop eating, a rabbit that is not eating may experience GI Stasis.

Signs / Symptoms of GI Stasis in rabbits can include:
• Inappetance
• Little or no faecal production
• Lethargy
• Hunched posture
• Bloating
• Pain / discomfort
• Hiding away

🐇 Treatment of GI Stasis: 🐇
Once a rabbit has been diagnosed with Gastrointestinal Stasis, their treatment may include the following.
• IV fluid therapy for rehydration.
• Nutritional support and syringe feeding.
• Pain relief and antibiotic medications.
• Other medications to enhance movement of food through the GI tract.
• Treatment addressing the primary cause of the GI Stasis.

If you think your rabbit may be experiencing Gastrointestinal Stasis please call us on 0413 898 331 for veterinary assistance.

31/12/2024

A reminder that Central Veterinary Emergency will be open from 6pm tonight until 8am Thurs 2nd Jan 2025 for New Years Day!

If you experience an emergency during this time and require urgent veterinary attention, call us on 0413 898 331 for assistance.

🥂🎉 The team at Central Veterinary Emergency would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! 🎉🥂

28/12/2024

Our Christmas raffle winners collecting their hampers 🥰🎁🎄

24/12/2024

17/12/2024

🎄✨️🎅 CHRISTMAS HOURS 🎅✨️🎄

Central Veterinary Emergency will be open over the Christmas and New Years period for emergency veterinary needs.

We will be available during the following:
- Tues 24th Dec 6pm to Fri 27th Dec 8am.
- Fri 27th Dec 6pm to Sun 29th Dec midnight.
- Tues 31st Dec 6pm to Thurs 2nd Jan 8am.

Located at 29A Michael Street, Bendigo, we are here for you and your pets while your regular veterinary clinic is closed. Our dedicated Veterinarians and Veterinary Nurses can also provide advice over the telephone.

If you experience an emergency during this time and require urgent veterinary attention, call us on 0413 898 331 for assistance.
🐕🐈🐇🐀🦎

🥂🎉 The team at Central Veterinary Emergency wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎉🥂

15/12/2024

☀️🥵 Extreme Heat & Signs of Heatstroke 🥵☀️

Today is going to be extremely hot across Victoria and the Bendigo region is forecasted to reach up to 43°C today!!

There are some steps you can take to look after our pets and wildlife:

🐶🐱 Do not leave pets in cars, even if in the shade with windows cracked.
If you see a pet unattended in a car please call 000 immediately!

🚶🏼‍♀️🐶 Walks should be very early or very late once the sun has gone down. If the ground is too hot for your bare feet, it is too hot for dogs to be walking.

💧💦 Please ensure your pets have access to plenty of fresh water and shade. If possible, bring your pets inside in a cool room.

🦎🐦🦆 Please consider leaving fresh water outside in shaded areas for wildlife to drink.

Familiarise yourself with the signs of Heatstroke (Hyperthermia):
• Heavy panting or rapid breathing
• Lethargic
• Disorientation
• Collapse
• Excessive salivation
• Dry mucous membranes (dry gums)
• Red or pale mucous membranes (gums)
• Elevated heart rate

You can begin active cooling methods on your way to your nearest veterinary clinic, you can turn your air conditioner or fan on in your car and place a damp cool towel against your pets abdomen / groin area.

🛑Never cover your pet with a wet cold towel as this can actually lead to an increase in body temperature.🛑

11/12/2024

Help us to raise much needed funds / donations!
🎄🦌❄️⛄🌟
All donation funds raised will be generously matched by our clinic and donated to our local wildlife carers and Pet Medical Crisis!

The raffle will be drawn on Tuesday 24th December 2024.

Pop into our clinic, or call us on (03) 5443 7749 to purchase tickets and go in the draw to win one of the beautiful hampers!

06/12/2024

🌟🎄🦌⛄🌟

🎄✨️🎅 CHRISTMAS RAFFLE!! 🎅✨️🎄

It's the most wonderful time of the year and we're feeling jolly!

The teams at Central Veterinary Emergency & McIvor Road Vet Centre have organised a Christmas Raffle!!!

Help us raise much needed funds / donations!
🎄🦌❄️⛄🌟
All donation funds raised will be generously matched by our clinic and donated to our local wildlife carers and Pet Medical Crisis!

The raffle will be drawn on Tuesday 24th December 2024.

Pop into our clinic, or call us on (03) 5443 7749 to purchase tickets and go in the draw to win one of the beautiful hampers!
(We can process eftpos transactions over the phone)

🎄✨️🎅✨️🎄

We'd also like to say a special thanks to the following organisations for your contributions to our hampers:
• Cenvet Australia
• Boehringer Ingelheim
• Vibrant Pretties
• Emily Roberts Amcal Pharmacy Bendigo
• Pawsitive Healing
• Fresh N Fluffy Dog Grooming

04/12/2024

02/12/2024

🎄✨️🎅 Christmas & Our Pets 🎅✨️🎄

Tis the season to be jolly!
Everyone is giving and sharing!
However please be cautious if sharing foods with your pets, some popular Christmas foods can be very harmful to your pets!

The following popular Christmas foods should be avoided:
• Chocolate 🍫
• Grapes / Raisins 🍇
• Nuts 🥜
• Mince Pies 🥧
• Alcohol 🍷🥂

The abovementioned foods contain ingredients that can cause the following:
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Seizures
• Lethargy
• Abdominal pain
• Excessive thirst

Meats that are high in fat and salt, such as Christmas ham, should also be avoided.
Comsuming fatty meats can cause medical conditions such as pancreatitis, diarrhoea, gastroenteritis etc.

If caught early enough we can induce vomiting in pets that have ingested harmful foods.

If you suspect that your pet may have ingested a harmful or toxic food, please call us on 0413 898 331 for veterinary assistance.

29/11/2024

🐶🐱 Treating Shock in our Pets 🐱🐶

Shock refers to a critical condition caused by a sudden decrease in blood flow throughout the body.

The body goes into shock when it doesn't have adequate blood circulating to keep organs and tissues functioning properly.

Initially when the body experiences a life-threatening situation, it responds by narrowing blood vessels. This is called vasoconstriction and assists the body to conserve blood flow to vital organs.
However the body also releases adrenaline and this can reverse the vasoconstriction. When this occurs the body’s blood pressure drops drastically and the body experiences shock.

Shock may result from trauma, blood loss, heatstroke, allergic reaction, etc.

Many pets that arrive at our clinic experiencing emergencies, arrive in shock.

Signs / Symptoms of Shock may include:
• Bradycardia (abnormally low heart rate) or tachycardia (abnormally high heart rate)
• Rapid respiratory rate / rapid breathing
• Pale mucous membranes (pale gums)
• Delayed capillary refill time (CRT)
• Hypothermia (low body temperature)
• Hypotension (low blood pressure)
• Vomiting / nausea

When a pet goes into shock it is vital that they are stabilised and treated immediately.

Treatment may include:
• IV fluids
• Pain relief medication
• Oxygen therapy

If a pet experiencing shock is not treated, shock can lead to irreversible organ damage and death.

If you think your pet may be experiencing shock, call us immediately on 0413 898 331 for veterinary assistance.

26/11/2024

🐾🐕 Meet Neo 🐕 🐾

Neo was rushed into our clinic after being bitten by a snake. 🐍
Neo presented collapsed, lethargic, drooling and panting, with an elevated heart rate.

Neo was hospitalised immediately, underwent blood testing and IV fluid therapy. Neo also received antivenom.

Neo spent 3 days in hospital with us before returning home to his family to continue his recovery.

For more information on snake bites in our pets, you can refer to our recent Facebook post:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=918596630288442&id=100064143391184&mibextid=Nif5oz

12/11/2024

💕💕 Morris 💕💕

12/11/2024

🆓⭐ FREE URINALYSIS FOR YOUR PET ⭐🆓

A urinalysis refers to a routine test on a patient's urine to provide information on the health of the kidneys and urinary system.
It can also assess problems in other organ systems.
It is also important for diagnosing metabolic diseases such as Diabetes.

- Is your pet drinking a lot?
- Is your pet urinating a lot?
- Have you seen blood in your pet's urine?
- Has your pet had previous urinary issues?
- Or do you just want a routine healthcheck on your pet's urine?

⭐ Wednesday 20th November 2024 ⭐

Collect a urine sample from your dog or cat in a small container and drop the sample into our clinic for FREE testing on Wed 20th Nov!!

SAMPLES MUST BE FRESH!
The results will be more accurate, the fresher the sample!
If you aren't able to drop the sample into the clinic within an HOUR of collection, please refrigerate the sample.
Samples can be refrigerated for up to 6 hours, but are not valid after this time.

We look forward to seeing you and your pets! 🥰

09/11/2024

This gorgeous pair of frenchie puppies, Saint & Stormi came into our clinic recently.

They won over the hearts of our team, receiving lots of cuddles during their visit ♥️.

07/11/2024

A reminder that we are well into snake season.

If your pet displays any of the below symptoms, indicating that they may have been bitten by a snake, contact us immediately for assistance.

Spring has sprung!!
And here comes snake season!!!
Share this post to spread awareness & save this to your phone for your information!!

🐍 Snake Bites in Dogs & Cats: 🐍

Now that we are coming into the warmer months, snake bites are becoming increasingly more common!
When it comes to treating snake bites, time is of the essence! Therefore it's important to know what to look out for!!

The way in which dogs and cats present following snake bites differs a bit between species, so it's important to know the differences.

🐍🐶 Dogs 🐶🐍
In dogs signs / symptoms can take anywhere from 0 - 2 hours to present, following a snake bite.
The signs / symptoms can be broken down into 3 stages:

🐾 First Stage - Immediate Signs:
Immediate signs following a snake bite may include:
• Hiding
• Running away
• Sudden loss of balance
• Sudden collapse
• Sudden vomiting

🐾 Second Stage - False Improvement Stage
During the second stage dogs may appear fine or normal, as if they have recovered. This can be a false presentation and a dog's state can decline quickly.
It is important to call your emergency Veterinarian, even if your dog appears normal.

🐾 Third Stage - Progression of Symptoms
• Excessive salivation / drooling
• Dilated pupils
• Panting
• Collapse
• Rapid heart rate
• Blood in urine
• Paralysis

If you suspect that your dog may have been bitten by a snake, do not wait until the third stage or until symptoms progress. Contact your Veterinary clinic immediately!

🐍🐱 Cats 🐱🐍
In cats signs / symptoms can take anywhere from 0 - 72 hours to present, following a snake bite.

Signs / symptoms in cats may include:
• Dilated pupils
• Difficulty breathing / panting
• Open mouth breathing
• Lethargy
• Sudden weakness or shaking of muscles
• Collapse
• Paralysis
• Blood in urine
• Loss of bladder control
• Vomiting
• Excessive salivation

If you think your pet may have been bitten by a snake, time is crucial! Seeking veterinary assistance as soon as possible could save your pet’s life.

Ensure that you know your local Veterinary clinic's operating hours and emergency services.

If your pet displays any of the abovementioned symptoms, indicating that they may have been bitten by a snake, contact us immediately on 0413 898 331 for veterinary assistance.

05/11/2024

🩷✨ Meet Xylie ✨🩷

This beautiful Siberian Husky, Xylie was brought into our clinic a little while ago by her owners, after she devoured half a pizza & garlic bread!! 🍕🧄

Garlic ingestion in dogs can be dangerous as it can cause damage to their red blood cells, causing anemia.
It can also cause gastrointestinal upset, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Gorging food and food bloat can also be extremely dangerous and can lead to Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV).

We were able to induce vomiting (emesis) and expell the large amount of food, quickly getting it out of her system and she returned home fully recovered 🩷.

04/11/2024

🐾🐝🐜 Insect Bites & Stings in Pets 🐜🐝🐾

It's very common for our pets to be stung or bitten by insects.
Bee stings and bites from spiders, fleas, and ticks are common causes of insect bite reactions in pets.

Many pets are sensitive to the proteins in the saliva or venom of insects and bites / stings can cause allergic reactions.

Signs / Symptoms may include:
• Redness and swelling at the site
• Hives / raised swellings over the body
• Vomiting
• Difficulty breathing

Treatment can vary based on the type of bite or sting, the number of bites / stings, and the severity of clinical signs.

Treatment often includes:
• Antihistamines
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Anti-nausea medications

Depending on the severity of the clinical signs treatment may also include IV fluids, pain relief, oxygen therapy etc. and in severe cases, Adrenaline.

In rare, severe circumstances, pets that have been stung or bitten can develop anaphylactic shock.
Anaphylaxis, or an anaphylactic reaction, refers to a severe life-threatening allergic reaction characterised by sudden collapse and severe breathing difficulties.

If you think your pet has been bitten or stung and is experiencing an allergic reaction, call us on 0413 898 331 for veterinary assistance. 🐜🐝