Valley Vets Latrobe

08/08/2024

27/07/2024

Wounds and pets - what to do and when to call your vet:

There are many types of wounds, some more serious than others, but all wounds can be painful, and can become infected.
Small cuts and grazes: Scrapes on the skin, and small, superficial wounds can be treated at home. Try to keep the area clean by bathing with salt water (if your pet will tolerate this). If the wound is dirty, or you are not sure how deep it is, always see a vet. Keep wounds clean and dry and leave uncovered. Monitor closely, and seek veterinary advice if you notice any redness, swelling, discharge or a bad smell. Do not use any creams or ointments unless directed to do so by a vet.
Bite wounds: Puncture wounds caused by a bite may seem small, but can be very deep and often become infected. It is always best to have a bite wound seen by a vet, as the wound may need cleaning or flushing, and antibiotics may be required.
Large or deep wounds: More serious wounds can be difficult to manage and can become infected. If your pet has a large wound they may also have lost a lot of blood; and the wound may need to be flushed and sutured under anaesthesia.

How do I know if a wound needs emergency treatment?
In general, most wounds will require veterinary attention, unless they are very superficial scratches or scrapes. Some wounds will need urgent veterinary attention and you should contact your vet straight away for an urgent appointment:
-Continuous or severe bleeding - a small amount of oozy blood is manageable, but if a wound is continuing to drip, ooze or gush blood then your pet needs urgent attention.
-Large wounds - open wounds larger than a coin need to be seen by your vet. The sooner a wound is assessed, the better the prognosis in terms of good healing, reduced infection rates and rapid recovery.
-Burns - these need to be seen by a vet as the risk of infection is high.
-Eye injuries.
-Wounds with a foreign object in them, such as a stick or glass shard. Do not attempt to remove these objects but seek veterinary help.
Small wounds, infected wounds and bite wounds all need veterinary attention, but are not classed as an emergency.

First aid for wounds in pets
If your pet is injured, remain calm and try not to panic. Call your vet and advise them of the problem.
-Bleeding - apply pressure to a bleeding wound. Ideally use an absorbent dressing, but a clean tea towel is a good alternative. Keep firm pressure on the wound, even if you think the bleeding has stopped.
-Do not attempt to remove foreign objects from a wound, or clean them unless they are very minor.
-Apply cold water to burns if you can immediately, but do not let this delay you from seeking veterinary help.

Remember, injured pets will be distressed and in pain. They may panic, or become aggressive. Wrap a blanket or towel around cats and small dogs to restrain them, and hold them gently but firmly to prevent them from moving around too much. You can use a large towel or blanket as a stretcher to lift large dogs into a car, if they are struggling with mobility due to injury. Try to keep pets calm and still until you get them seen by a vet.

If you are unsure whether a wound or injury needs treatment, give us a call on 0475 106 653 at Valley Vets LaTrobe.

11/06/2024

Stay at home during this cold, wet weather and let us come to you.

Valley Vets LaTrobe - Home Visit Vets

Give us a call on 0475 106 653
Dr Duncan Borland and Dr Glenene Borland

Experienced Vets caring for pets across the Latrobe Valley
-Full Health Checks
-Vaccinations, Microchips
-Arthritis injections
-Sick or Injured animal consultations
-Emergency consultations
-Chronic illness management including blood tests
-Surgery including desexing, dentals, soft tissue and orthopaedic (performed at a vet clinic)
-End Of Life Services - Euthanasia and cremation
-Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, birds, ferrets and wildlife

07/06/2024

Question for the community:
For those who have treated tear stains on their dog: What did you find most effective at getting rid of the tear stains? A particular diet supplement? A drop or an ointment? Wipes?

01/06/2024

Forever Friends Animal Rescue Latrobe are a wonderful rescue group run entirely by volunteers. They have a kitten meet and greet day coming up in Moe. Forever Friends often have adult cats looking for homes also, and dogs too.

🌟 SAVE THE DATE 🌟

Our next kitten Meet and Greet day is on Saturday 15 June in Moe 10.00am-1.00pm
Our amazing friends at Better Lives Support Services have offered their space, time and also a "$5 coffee/tea and cake" fundraiser at the same time 😻
More information to follow closer to the day on kittens attending

31/05/2024

Our Princess Parrot tries to bite our fingers when we fill her food bowl. Anyone else’s parrots do this too?

21/05/2024

🤣

09/05/2024

🐰💕

27/04/2024

It is World Veterinary Day today! 🐶🐱🐰🐦 Lots of thanks and love to all our fellow vets in the area for their fantastic work!

21/04/2024

Cats are wonderful 💕

05/04/2024

💕

31/03/2024

We have appointments available for home visit vaccinations. There is currently a Parvo virus outbreak in the Latrobe Valley. The best prevention against Parvo virus is vaccination. Puppies need 3 vaccinations starting at 6-8 weeks of age, and then a vaccination one year later. Adult dogs also need booster vaccinations. We also have the cat flu (F3) and rabbit calicivirus vaccinations available. Give us a call on 0475 106 653 to book an appointment or discuss your pets vaccination requirements.

*Image from cowracouncil.com.au

Experienced Mobile Vets caring for our animal community in the Latrobe Valley

28/03/2024

There is a Parvo virus outbreak in the Latrobe Valley. Vaccination is the best prevention.

Vets have issued urgent advice to dog owners after a virus with a fatality rate of over 40 per cent killed more than 10 dogs in a few weeks.

26/03/2024

Chocolate toxicity

With Easter coming up it’s important to keep all chocolates out of reach of pets. Chocolate toxicity is common in dogs. The signs can range from a simple stomach upset to life-threatening problems, depending on how much chocolate is eaten. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are more toxic than white chocolate. Chocolate contains two ingredients that can be toxic to pets - caffeine and theobromine.

What are the signs of chocolate toxicity?
Clinical signs of chocolate toxicity can begin to occur within an hour of eating chocolate. Caffeine and theobromine are both stimulants of the brain and heart, so the clinical signs can include hyperactivity, increased heart rate, muscle tremors, and potentially death. Other signs include:
-Vomiting
-Diarrhoea
-Chocolate smell on breath
-Lethargy
-Panting
-Anxiousness, restlessness, and pacing
-Seizures
Complications associated with chocolate toxicity can lead to death within 24 hours.

How is chocolate toxicity treated?
As soon as you discover that your pet has eaten chocolate, contact your vet immediately. If your pet has eaten enough chocolate to be dangerous, immediate treatment will be recommended.
-If your pet has recently eaten the chocolate, your vet may be able to induce vomiting to clear the chocolate from the stomach before it gets absorbed. Further care may still be needed.
-If it is too late to vomit up the chocolate then giving activated charcoal and IV fluids, while closely monitoring in hospital and giving additional treatment as needed is recommended.

26/02/2024

🥰

14/02/2024

We hope everyone is ok after the big storm. We do not have internet and are not able to access our appointment schedule. (I can get on Facebook via my mobile phone’s internet). If you have an appointment today or tomorrow please call us on 0475 106 653 or message us. Thank you for your understanding.

09/02/2024

What is Parvovirus?
Parvovirus is a serious viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract mainly affecting young dogs. The virus attacks the cells of the gut resulting in vomiting and severe diarrhoea. Parvovirus also suppresses the immune system and causes a decrease in the white blood cell numbers. In severe cases, severe inflammation and clotting issues can progress into organ failure. Large numbers of virus particles are shed in the faeces of infected dogs, and can survive for months in the environment.

Clinical Signs:
-lethargy
-anorexia (not eating)
-vomiting
-bloody diarrhoea
-dehydration

Treatment:
Treatment is with intravenous fluids and supportive care. There is no direct treatment against the virus.

Prognosis:
If disease is diagnosed early and appropriate medical treatment is given, there is a good chance of survival. However, some dogs do not survive despite proper medical care and early diagnosis. The disease appears to be more severe in young pups and in those that have had no vaccination against parvovirus or have only just begun their vaccination course.

Prevention:
-Vaccinate dogs before they become pregnant, if they are not up to date with their vaccinations. Mothers will pass on antibodies to their pups, which will protect them from infection in their first few weeks of life. -Vaccinate puppies starting at 6-8 weeks of age. Puppies should receive three vaccinations four weeks apart.
-Vaccinate adult dogs. The first adult vaccination is due 12 months after the last puppy vaccination. -Keep your pup off the ground in public places and away from unvaccinated dogs until two weeks after their second vaccination.

08/02/2024

Truffles, the cat who wears glasses, to help kids feel better about wearing their glasses. What an amazing cat!

01/02/2024

Before walking your dog or taking your dog out on a warm or hot day, put your hand on the ground for 5 seconds to feel how hot it is. Dog’s paws can get burnt on hot surfaces.

26/01/2024

Happy Australia Day! We hope you had a good day with your furry, feathered or scaley family members.

23/01/2024

This is an EXCELLENT graphic!

Pay attention to what a dog is telling you. And teach children to respect a dog's space! Too many dogs end up in shelters (or worse, put down) because the adults in charge were not monitoring the child/dog situation.

Many times when a dog bites a kid parents say, “There were no warnings. He just bit him for no reason.”

The unfortunate truth is that there are almost always warning signs, but the humans miss them. This photo shows a few warning signs that the dog is uncomfortable and may bite.

21/01/2024

So true 🐶