Cooinda Vet Marulan

17/04/2025

Easter and ANZAC hours!
Our team wishes all of our clients a happy and safe Easter break :)

16/04/2025

Parvo
What is parvo? Parvovirus is a highly contagious, deadly disease in dogs. Protection from parvo is gained from vaccinations, particularly for puppies, who are extremely vulnerable.
Parvo can be caught by adult dogs, and then spread easily to other dogs. Once a dog is infected, it can shed the virus in its saliva, nasal secretions and faeces, which can survive in the soil for YEARS.
When parvovirus strikes, it usually causes;
- Severe diarrhoea with blood
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Trouble breathing
- Up to a 40% death rate in puppies

Please ensure that your dogs are up to date with their vaccinations, to help prevent the spread of parvo. Puppies should be vaccinated as early as 6 weeks old, followed by boosters as advised by your vet. Adults should have yearly vaccinations, or their vaccine titres measured yearly via a blood test.

If you are unsure that your dog is up to date with its vaccines, please do not hesitate to contact the clinic and ask our friendly team.

Photo courtesy veterinarypracticenews.com

07/04/2025

Ongoing Medications!
For all ongoing medications such as Cytopoint, Apoquel, Vetmedin, Frusemide, Gabapentin, Meloxicam etc, please note that due to Veterinary Board legislation, your pet MUST be seen and examined by a veterinarian every 6 months.
We cannot prescribe or give these medications unless your pet has had a consult with one of our vets within the last 6 months. This not only a legal requirement but is important ensure that your pet is getting the best possible care. Please not that if your pet has had an appointment for a different reason in the last 6 months, this is sufficient. We understand that this may be difficult for some people so the consult fee will be charged at a reduced rate (revisit fee) to help you with this regulation as long as there are not other problems that need to be discussed.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.
The Cooinda Team

03/03/2025

If anyone is interested, this is a wonderful and rewarding way to volunteer your time.

26/02/2025

RINGWORM

Ringworm is a highly contagious disease that you can get from cats and dogs.

Did you know that ringworm is not a worm? It is actually a fungus, but it gets its name from the circular "ring"-like lesions it causes.

Ringworm can present as hairless, flaky or scaly areas on the skin of your pet. It often worsens over time and can be quite irritating. These spots are often around the eyes, ears and on the feet.

Ringworm is easily spread from animals to humans, and to other animals. If you see these lesions on your pet, let us know! Fun fact - some species of ringworm light up under a blacklight ("woods lamp"). See the kitten in the photo below!

Treatment includes topical creams and systemic antifungal medication, as well as a trip to the pharmacist if you have unfortunately caught ringworm yourself. But not to worry! In humans this disease is easy to treat (though takes a few weeks) and causes no long term harm.

Whilst you are most likely to come into contact with ringworm via your dog or cat, it can be found on almost any species, including cows, horses, sheep, goats, wombats and more.

If you suspect your pet has ringworm, give us a ring - we're always happy to have a chat!

19/02/2025

Delicate care is back!
Skin or stomach is back in stock for our sensitive fur babies :)

17/02/2025

Is your rabbit vaccinated against Calicivirus?
As part of the control of the wild rabbit population, Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV1-K5), a rabbit calicivirus strain, is going to be released in the Greater Sydney area in the first week of march. All rabbit owners are strongly encouraged to get their rabbits vaccinated against this virus prior to March.

Calicivirus is a very contagious disease. Symptoms include fever, restlessness, lethargy, poor appetite, and bleeding from the nose. Often infected rabbits will show no signs and die suddenly.
The disease is easily spread via insects such as flies, birds, rodents, contaminated objects such as food, clothing, cages, equipment, and from infected rabbits in droppings, urine, secretions from the eyes and nose, and at mating.

Prevention of Calicivirus includes vaccinating, as well as;
- Keeping your pet rabbit indoors
- Rabbit-proofing your backyard to prevent access by wild rabbits
- Regularly decontaminating equipment and materials including cages, hutches, bowls etc, with 10% bleach
- Limiting contact between and handling of unfamiliar pet rabbits
- Controlling fleas and insects (especially flies) as much as possible both indoors and outdoors

Call our friendly team today to book your rabbit in for its vaccine!

Photo courtesy of Dr Jane Weller

31/12/2024

From all the staff at Cooinda Vet we want to wish you all a Happy New Year!

We will be closed tomorrow for New Years Day but open again as usual on Thursday. As usual, we are always available for emergencies.

Thank you all for a great year, see you in the new year!

24/12/2024

From all the staff at Cooinda Veterinary Hospital, we wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas. Thank you for your well wishes, cards and gifts. This is Bertie who has been very unwell but is now on the improve.. we thought it apt that Bertie also joins in the well wishes given its Christmas!
As we have posted, there is still an after hours service available over the Christmas public holidays for genuine emergencies.
Kind regards
Liz

20/12/2024

04/12/2024

HEAT STROKE

Now that it's getting hotter, we're going to start seeing more cases of heat stroke. Unfortunately, we have already seen a fair few this year! Heat stroke is a very dangerous condition animals get when- you guessed it- they overheat!

This happens due to a variety of factors:
- hot day
- in a car
- lack of shade or water
- intense exercise
- brachycephalics (squished nose dogs like pugs and frenchies) are more at risk
- older or sick dogs
- overweight dogs

When a dog gets too hot for too long, their body can no longer regulate their temperature. Once this happens, damage to organs and cells starts to occur, causing problems such as blood clotting, inflammation and organ failure. They also get severely dehydrated, and their blood glucose drops to such low levels it can induce seizures.

Dogs will die without treatment. Even if you find them in time to cool them down, damage to organs is likely to have already occurred. If you suspect heat stroke, come to the vet as a matter of urgency - this is an emergency and every minute counts!

Photo courtesy thecaninebehaviourist.co.uk

27/11/2024

First Aid for horse wounds

Horses have a habit of injuring themselves! All injuries that draw blood should be evaluated by a veterinarian, as horses are particularly susceptible to infection of tetanus, as well as other bugs.
What you should do if your horse is injured?

1) Apply pressure to consistently bleeding wounds, with a clean bandage (which you can purchase from us) or other fabric. Do not use tourniquets on wounds.
2) Remove the horse from any dangerous areas if possible, to prevent further harm to you or your horse
3) Call your veterinarian for advice before you give any medications. We are always happy to evaluate photos and videos via our email, [email protected]
4) Keep your horse calm and secured with a halter and a lead until the vet arrives. Where possible, bring a paddock mate close by, to prevent further stress, as horses are herd animals and like to be close to one another
5) Give medications exactly as directed by your vet, particularly antibiotics

Tetanus is a deadly disease that can affect any horse with an open wound. Tetanus can occur whenever soil or dirt comes into contact with a wound- not necessarily rusty material! Your veterinarian can give a tetanus antitoxin, as well as a booster for the tetanus vaccine (2-in-1) to ensure coverage.

As always, please don't hesitate to contact our friendly team for any questions.

20/11/2024

DENTAL DISEASE

Did you know that over 80% of dogs over the age of 3 have active dental disease? (VCA, 2023).
Dogs will continue to eat regardless of pain in their mouth, as hunger will always override the pain.

Signs that your dog may have dental disease and require a check-up include;
- Bad breath
- Excess salivation
- Slow to eat, or eating with one side of the mouth
- Avoiding hard foods and bones
- Drinking excessively
- Brown/yellow plaque on teeth
- Red gums, or a red line on the gums near the tooth

We highly recommend regular checkups from your vet to grade and monitor your dog's oral health. We have attached a photo of the grades of dental disease, from 1 (mild gingivitis) to 4 (advanced disease).
We regularly do dentals at Cooinda Vet, and help many dogs feel much better, by removing diseased teeth, and scaling and polishing the healthy ones- just like what is done by human dentists!

We have attached a photo of the amount of diseased teeth that one of our vets extracted in a single dental! These teeth were very loose, causing significant pain and infection. We never remove healthy, pain-free teeth.

Please call our team if you would like an assessment of your dog's teeth and a quote for a dental.

Infographic courtesy Horsham Vet Hospital, 2021.

13/11/2024

Small Seed, Big Trouble: The Hidden Dangers of Grass Seed for Pets!

With summer approaching, we'll be seeing more and more grass seeds popping up. While they may seem insignificant, grass seeds are designed to bury in, and once they get under the skin they can cause massive problems. If left too long, these problems get worse - bones can be dissolved and lungs can be punctured, all from a grass seed. We have done many surgeries to hunt for grass seeds and fix the problems they cause!

During summer, keep an eye on your pets if they're allowed outside, particularly those with long fur. Some signs to look out for include:

- Excessive scratching or pawing at a specific area
- Redness, swelling, or pus around the eyes, ears, paws, or other body parts
- Frequent sneezing, snorting, or coughing
- Limping or favoring a specific leg (check between the toes!)
- Lethargy or signs of pain

If in doubt, please give us a ring! It is always better to get them in for a visit early if you suspect a grass seed has buried in, before it gets to the point surgery is required.

Photo from www.reshareworthy.com

06/11/2024

With Christmas around the corner, a reminder that there's a few things dogs cannot eat! The following list is a good start but is not exhaustive:

- chocolate
- fatty meat such as roast, ham or crackling
- raisins or grapes (no Christmas pudding!)
- corn cobs, cooked bones (we have had many a surgery to remove these from dog intestines!)
- onions
- garlic

These foods can be toxic, cause diseases or blockages, and can be life threatening.

Fatty foods such as pork and ham in particular can cause pancreatitis if enough is ingested. When a dog eats too much fatty food, the pancreas 'overreacts' unlike in humans, releasing digestive enzymes that also start to destroy the pancreas itself! This causes immense pain, shock and can cause death.
If you notice vomiting, lethargy, dehydration or abdominal pain, immediately give us a ring! If in doubt, just ask!

During your festivities, ensure all food is kept locked away from your pets, or at least high up out of reach. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call!

Photo courtesy of George, Dr Cara's fur-baby :)

30/10/2024

DELICATE CARE UPDATE
Unfortunately due to a fire at the manufacturers, Delicate Care Skin and Stomach food will remain unavailable until very likely early next year. In the meantime, we recommend feeding Delicate Care Gastrointestinal, Royal Canin Hypoallergenic or Prime100 for our food sensitive animals. Alternatively, please feel free to reach out to our friendly staff for individual recommendations.
If you would like your name on a waitlist for us to contact as soon as we have the Delicate Care Skin and Stomach back in stock, please comment on this post!

23/10/2024

CALVING - when to call us?

Coming back into the calving season, we have already had cows, sheep and goats struggling to give birth and requiring our assistance. Most of the time they manage by themselves, but when there's a problem, it's important to call for help earlier rather than later.

When should you call us?
- If parts of the calf or foetal membranes (bag) are visible, and no progress is seen within 1 hour, particularly for heifers (first time calvers)
- If only one limb is visible. A calf should present with both legs and the nose coming together
- If the calf appears to be upside down or 'breech,' with the calf coming tail first and no back legs visible
- If the cow is down and unable to get up - down cows are always an emergency!
- if the uterus comes out after the calf arrives ( looks like a big fleshy bag with bumps on it that can reach the hocks).

It is very important NEVER to try and pull a calf out with any kind of machinery (eg cars or tractors). If a calf requires more force than just manual pulling to be removed (maximum 2 people), veterinary intervention is always required. Using machinery often leads to 'calving paralysis,' where the nerves of the cow are damaged and the cow may not walk again.

The longer you wait, the more likely it is for both the cow and calf to die. Complications such as calving paralysis, a torn uterus or peritonitis ( infection in the abdomen) are more likely to occur the longer the struggle.

If you are worried about a cow calving and would like some advice, please call the clinic.

16/10/2024

We have seen many cases of acidosis in sheep, goats- and sometimes cows- this year!
Did you know that these animals (ruminants) rely on a delicate balance of bacteria in their rumen to digest their food?
Changing a diet rapidly, especially feeding large amounts of carbohydrates (grain, bread or sugar like fruit) causes this balance to become disrupted, killing the good bacteria and causing an extremely acidic stomach, sometimes as low as a pH of 4! This can quickly lead to sepsis and death.
Never give your goats, sheep or cattle a large amount of rich food at once. All diet changes should be small and very gradual, allowing the bacteria to adjust.
You might expect goats in particular to be able to eat everything and anything, but this is not the case.
Signs of acidosis include;
- Quiet or dull behaviour
- Reluctance to move/ lameness
- Bloated, particularly on the left hand side. This is an emergency! See the photo of the cow
- Scouring/ diarrhoea +/- bubbly faeces
It is important for an animal to be treated rapidly by a vet if it has acidosis. It is not recommended to try and treat yourself, as many products can be dangerous if used incorrectly.

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team for any questions.

Photo courtesy backyardhomesteadhq.com & onpasture.com