Gippsland Veterinary Group - Companion Animals

17/01/2025

Did you know that January is National Walk your Pet Month?

We've had some glorious days for getting out and exercising and if you caught our post earlier in the week you will be up with how important exercising your pets is in helping to keep them in a healthy weight range.

We are looking forward to seeing pics of your pets exercising.....just drop them in the comments!

15/01/2025

WHY EXERCISE AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR PETS TOO!

With summer sunshine, now is a great time of year to work on your health and fitness and that of your pets too!

Just like us, maintaining a healthy weight is vital for the overall health and well being of your pet.

Here are a few reasons why it is important:-
1. Excess Weight Can Increase Risk of Diseases
When your pet carries excess weight, it can increase the risk of a number of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and respiratory issues. Carrying extra weight can also stress bones and joints and lead to conditions such arthritis.
2. Excess Weight Can Decrease Life Expectancy
Studies have shown that carrying excess weight and its correlation with increased risk of disease can lower your pet’s life expectancy.
3. Healthy Weight Range Can Help Pets to be Happy and Active
Maintaining a healthy weight range helps pets to be happy and active and to engage in activities with their human family.
4. Healthy Weight Range Helps to Maintain Overall Health
When a pet is within a healthy weight range, they are more likely to be able to maintain a healthy immune system, fight infections and recover more quickly from illnesses.
As well as portion control and feeding quality, nutritious food, regular exercise can help to maintain a healthy weight range for your pet.
If you have concerns or questions about your pet's weight, a visit to your vet clinic can help get them on track.

10/01/2025

Just Six Minutes

When left in a car, it can take just six minutes for an animal to suffer severe heat exhaustion and die.

Dogs are particularly at risk as they cool themselves by panting. If the air around them is too hot – particularly if they don’t have access to water – dogs are physically unable to regulate their body temperature. In the time it takes to pick up a few things for dinner at the supermarket and get through the check-out, a dog left in a hot car could have already died an agonising death.

Pets can overheat even when the windows are down or the car is in the shade.

Quoted from RSPCA website

08/01/2025

Heatstroke in our pets is an EMERGENCY situation which requires urgent veterinary care!

Heatstroke occurs when your pet can no longer regulate their body temperature and can result in organ failure and brain damage. Heatstroke can be fatal for your pet.

With the warmer summer days and extreme weather events it is vital to understand how to protect our pets from heatstroke, how to recognise symptoms and how to apply important first aid whilst seeking veterinary care.

Signs of Heatstroke in pets
• Difficulty breathing.
• Increased panting or salivation.
• Agitation or pacing.
• Vomiting or diarrhoea.
• Confusion or staggering.
• Lethargy or collapse.
• Muscle tremors.
• Change in gum colour to bright red.

Heatstroke First Aid for pets
• Move your pet into the cool.
• Spray cool water onto their fur and surrounding bedding (do not use ice cold water as this can make the heatstroke worsen).
• Place a cool fan on to them.
• Place a cool, wet, towel around their neck.
• Seek urgent veterinary assistance.

How to prevent Heatstroke in pets
• In warm weather, ensure that your pet can move to shaded areas. Ensure that there is ample shade in the morning and afternoon as the sun moves.
• Provide ample fresh, cool water.
• Avoid exercising your pet in hot weather, exercising early in the morning or in the evening instead.
• On extreme weather days, bring pets inside to air conditioning when possible.
• Never leave an animal in a vehicle in warm weather, even mildly warm weather can see car temperatures climb to life threatening temperatures within minutes.
• Be mindful of not walking pets in hot weather on hot pavements, which can burn paws and intensify heightened body temperatures.

If you are concerned about your furry friend, call our experienced and dedicated staff for advice. Or Check our website for Emergency and after hours phone numbers.

07/01/2025

Puffer Fish ingestion is toxic to pets and requires URGENT VETERINARY CARE.
With summer and beach weather well underway we encourage you to have a read of this post about Puffer Fish from the informative Animal Poisons Helpline.

🐡 The Animal Poisons Helpline expects a seasonal increase in the number of calls regarding pufferfish exposure over summer. Pufferfish, also known as toadfish, blowfish or simply blowies, can be very attractive to pets. Dogs have been known to quickly eat washed up pufferfish before their owners can stop them. Sometimes pet owners may be unaware that their pet has ingested a pufferfish until they develop signs of poisoning soon after a visit to the beach.

Most pufferfish are toxic when ingested. They contain a highly potent neurotoxin known as tetrodotoxin in their organs and skin. Pufferfish ingestion can be life-threatening and result in a rapid onset of paralysis which typically begins in the back legs and progresses forward to the respiratory muscles. Other signs of poisoning may include vomiting, tremors and possibly seizures.

We would like to remind all dog owners to be cautious with their pets whilst visiting the beach. Keeping your dog leashed is a good idea and can be a useful strategy to prevent your dog eating beached pufferfish, jellyfish and other poisonous marine creatures such as sea hares. Whilst on the beach, always observe your pets and do not allow them to approach washed-up fish. To the fishing enthusiasts, please immediately return any pufferfish that are caught to the water rather than leaving them behind where dogs may eat them.

If your pet has ingested a pufferfish, they require urgent veterinary attention. Do not wait for signs of poisoning to develop. Whilst ensuring the wellbeing of your poisoned pet is paramount, veterinary care for poisoning can often be costly. Pet insurance provides peace of mind and protection in these events. The Animal Poisons Helpline is proudly sponsored by Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance, who are currently offering two months of their Nose-to-Tail Cover for free in the first year of coverage for Helpline followers. Visit https://quote.bowwowinsurance.com.au/?promo=AP368 for more information.

☎️ The Animal Poisons Helpline provides free advice to pet owners in Australia and can be reached on 1300 869 738 (AU), 0800 869 738 (NZ), 3106 4216 (SG), (917) 722-5958 (US) or +1917 722-5958 (CAN). If you are a member of a veterinary team you can also join the Animal Poisons Centre For Vets Facebook group which is regularly updated with toxicology tidbits and poisoning trends.

03/01/2025

It looks like it is going to be another hot weekend!
In this heat it is important to keep your pets cool and hydrated.
If you have any concerns our team are always happy to help!

31/12/2024

Wishing all of our valued clients and their families (fur babies included) a Happy and Safe New Year!!!

29/12/2024

With 2024 coming to a close, many will be celebrating with fireworks. Whilst fireworks can be fun and exciting, they can also be a source of stress for our pets. You may be able to help to reduce this stress by following some of these simple steps.

24/12/2024

22/12/2024

Christmas & NY Hours🎅🏼 🎄🥂🎆 • Update!

Our clinics are open for appointments as usual, except the following times when our staff are available for afterhours emergency services only (from LEONGATHA for small animals):

CHRISTMAS/BOXING DAY: From 5:30pm Tues 24th Dec until 8:30am Friday 27th Dec (Christmas & Boxing Day)

WEEKEND 27TH-29TH: Our clinics will be open 9am-12:30pm Saturday morning for appointments. All afterhours emergencies outside of this time will be seen at our Leongatha clinic

NEW YEARS: from 5:30pm Tues 31st Dec until 8:30am Thurs 2nd Jan 2025 (New Years Day)

All small animal emergencies will be seen at our LEONGATHA clinic (32 Anderson St, Leongatha VIC) between Christmas and New Years Day.

If you have a small animal emergency, please call 5630 8050 (Bass Coast area) or 5662 2818 (South Gippsland Area).

If you have a large animal emergency, please call 5662 2818.

A surcharge will apply to all afterhours consultations.

We wish all our clients and their animals a happy and safe holiday season and great start to 2025.

The GVG Team

19/12/2024

Looking forward to welcoming a new pet to the family for Christmas?
Swipe the photo for some tips and remember that the GVG team are here to help!

17/12/2024

"To our valued Grantville clinic clients,

During this holiday season, our dedicated staff have earnt some well deserved rest and recreation with friends and family. As a result, we will be condensing our services within our main clinics and need to close our Grantville clinic around the Christmas/New Year public holidays.

With growing demands for our services over the Summer period we will concentrate our staff in our larger hospital clinics, in order to be able to provide the premium care that Gippsland Veterinary Group are renowned for. This will ensure that if your pet does need a vet and hospitalisation, that they will be in an environment that is well staffed and resourced, to receive the best possible care.

We have been delighted by the overwhelming support from your community since our recent opening. As a result, we will be offering increased vet availability at Grantville when we return, refreshed, in 2025.

The Grantville clinic will be closed on Monday 23 December 2024 and will re-open on Monday 6 January 2025.

The usual after hours service will operate from our larger hospital clinics.

Please continue to direct any calls to our Grantville clinic phone lines on 03 5672 1060, or after hours for emergencies on 03 5630 8050.

We wish you all a safe and exciting holiday period and look forward to welcoming you and your pets back through our doors from the 6th January."

15/12/2024

It's going to be very warm today, please take care of yourselves and your pets, and remember, we are here to help if you need us.

09/12/2024

With Christmas fast approaching, we would like to ensure our clients have adequate time to prepare for the busy holiday season. If your animal/s requires ongoing medication we recommend you have sufficient quantities on hand to last until the new year. Our clinics will be open for emergencies only over the Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year public holidays and the production and delivery of medications from our supply companies will be unpredictable in the weeks of Christmas and the New Year.

Christmas, Boxing Day & New Years Day emergency veterinary services:
From 5:30pm Tues 24th Dec until 8:30am Friday 27th Dec (Christmas & Boxing Day) and from 5:30pm Tues 31st Dec until 8:30am Thurs 2nd Jan 2025 (New Years Day) our staff will be available for emergencies only.

If you have a small animal emergency, please call 5630 8050 (Bass Coast area) or 5662 2818 (South Gippsland Area). All small animal emergencies will be seen at our LEONGATHA clinic (32 Anderson St, Leongatha VIC) for the Christmas/NY public holidays.

If you have a large animal emergency, please call 5662 2818.

A surcharge will apply to all afterhours consultations.

Ordering medication over the holiday period:
Please order any required medications by Monday 16th December 2024 to ensure we are able to supply it before Christmas. Please plan to collect your medications by Friday 20th December 2024. If your pet's/horse's medication requires compounding, please ensure you have enough to get you through until after the 10th January as they have advised they will be unable to fill orders until then.

We wish all our clients and their animals a happy and safe holiday season and great start to 2025.

The GVG Team

06/12/2024

Welcome to Kennel and Cattery Etiquette 101, part two!

Helping to take the stress out of preparing for your holiday.

If your pet is currently on medication or special dietary food, please chat with your clinic to ensure that you will have adequate for over the Christmas break.

05/12/2024

Summer Holidays may mean relaxing by the pool, exploring new places and meeting up with family and friends.

For your pet, this may mean a holiday of their own to the local kennels or cattery.

Stay tuned for a little kennel and cattery etiquette 101, two part series, to help ensure a smooth kennel or cattery experience.

Please reach out to your GVG clinic if we can help you, and your furry friend, throughout this holiday season.