Veterinary Clinical Centre- Charles Sturt University

17/02/2025

‼️ALERT‼️

Recently, there have been confirmed cases of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection in people and pigs (and detection in mosquito surveillance traps) in northern Victoria and NSW, including the Murrumbidgee district.

For people working and living in several local govt areas (LGAs), including Wagga Wagga, free JEV vaccination is available: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/jev/Pages/vaccination.aspx , which is applicable to anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated (no boosters are required, unless you are pregnant – 2 doses required).

👉What to look for in horses🐎

Many horses infected with the virus do not show any signs of illness, however some horses may develop severe encephalitis.
Common clinical signs in horses include:
• elevated temperature (> 38.5°C)
• dullness or lethargy
• reduced appetite
• neurological signs such as incoordination, difficulty swallowing, impaired vision, or hyperexcitability

⚠️How can you protect your horse🦠

🛑Control mosquitoes on your property - you can find detailed guidelines at www.farmbiosecurity.com.au

Ⓜ️Minimise horse exposure to mosquitoes
• Use mosquito repellent or netting
• Rug your horse, apply a fly mask, and if the horse allows, apply a safe insect repellent (do not spray repellent around or above their eyes)
• House horses during peak periods of mosquito activity (between dusk and dawn)

For more information, visit the NSW DPI website https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/animal/info-vets/japanese-encephalitis

Or contact the clinic on 02 6933 2604

29/01/2025

‼️UPDATE‼️

WE HAVE FOUND A FOSTER MARE 🙌

Thank you to everyone who contacted us and shared this post. We really appreciate your support.

We are urgently seeking a foster mare for a clients foal that has unfortunately lost its mum. If you or anyone you know has a mare that may be suitable please contact the clinic on (02) 6933 2604 and ask to speak with our reproduction team. Please share this far and wide to help us find this little guy a mum!

15/01/2025

Due to the storm that hit Wagga Wednesday afternoon the VCC is experiencing some technical issues with internet and phone lines. Please just keep trying our normal number but if you have an emergency please call the after hours mobile on 0419385049.

23/12/2024

The Veterinary Clinical Centre will be closed for normal business at 12.30 pm tomorrow (Christmas Eve). We will re-open for routine work on Jan 2, 2025.
As is our festive season tradition, we are still available for all equine emergencies during the holiday period. Please call our main number and follow the directions to the after-hours emergency phone.
The staff would like to wish all our clients a happy and safe festive season 🎊

08/12/2024

One Health formally taking shape

Veterinarians are now recognised alongside other health professionals in the ANZSCO (now known as OSCA) classification system! 🥳

The updated classification is a win for the profession as it better reflects the skills, responsibilities, and value veterinarians bring to society and is expected to improve data, modelling, and support future access to government funding and policy decisions.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3OINl3m

11/10/2024

🎉HAPPY VET NURSE DAY 🎉

We would like to take a moment and celebrate the backbone of every veterinary clinic. Your advanced skills and specialised expertise are the foundation of critical care.

Our nurses at the VCC are the heroes who ensure our four legged friends receive the best possible care whether in an emergency or a routine check up. Thank you for your passion and commitment to the veterinary profession.

So lets celebrate all the ways our nurses make a difference and help our patients shine. 📸 Post your most memorable moments working with horses below.

04/10/2024

With the fresh spring grass, we are seeing an increase in cases of laminitis at the Veterinary Clinical Centre. Laminitis is a debilitating disease of the horse hoof that can affect horses and ponies of all ages. There are many causes of laminitis, but the most common cause is pasture associated, or hyperinsulinaemia associated. When horses graze lush spring pastures or eat feeds very high in sugar, the laminae of the hoof which is the tissue that connects the pedal bone and hoof wall, can become inflamed. This can cause instability in the hoof capsule as the laminae weakens, leading to rotation or sinking of the pedal bone in the hoof. Horses that have laminitis before are at greater risk of getting it again.

Signs of laminitis include:
- Hoof pain, particularly in the front hooves.
- Increased digital pulses.
- Saw-horse stance when horses bear most of their weight on their hind limbs.
- Rings around the hoof capsule.
- Sensitivity to hoof testers.

Horses most at risk include:
- Horses and ponies that are overweight or gain weight easily.
- Horses and ponies in lush grassy paddocks in spring.
- Horses and ponies with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID).

If you suspect your horse has laminitis, or you would like to determine if your horse is at risk of laminitis this season, please contact your veterinarian. The veterinarian may advise hoof radiographs and/or blood testing to determine if your horse is suffering from equine metabolic syndrome, which predisposes pasture associated/ hyperinsulinaemia associated laminitis. Pain relief medications and corrective podiatry techniques can be implemented to improve comfort if required.

10/09/2024

Did you know?

The Veterinary Clinical Centre (VCC) at Charles Sturt University offers a very competitive fee for routine castrations of c**ts.

As part of our final year Veterinary Science student training and during their placement at the VCC, students are provided the opportunity to castrate a c**t under the direct supervision of a registered specialist in equine surgery and surgical residents.

The fee includes:
Castration
Surgery consumables
Anaesthesia performed by a specialist anaesthesiologist
Pre-operative medications (such as antibiotics, pain relief, tetanus-toxoid booster)
Post-operative phenylbutazone (bute paste) for 3 days

Additional fees that could be incurred:
Overnight yardage or stabling
Vaccination boosters (such as 2-in-1, or tetanus anti-toxin)


Please call us on 6933 2604 option 1 to further discuss booking your c**t in.

05/08/2024

🤔What does routine dental care for your horse look like❓

Do you choose your equine dentist carefully? What are their qualifications?👩‍🎓

🦷We take equine dentistry very seriously here at CSU, that's why we have the best. Dr Claire Dennis has dedicated decades of her career to equine dentistry and has gained membership to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Equine Dentistry.
🛎So if it is just a routine check up or something more serious, give us a call to book an appointment today on (02) 6933 2604 just like today's cute patients. 😁🐎 Meet Lulu, Peeta and Sheri along with some of our amazing students.

01/08/2024

📣 ‼️ REGISTRATIONS CLOSE 5pm TODAY ‼️ 📣

Don't miss out on this incredible chance to learn from our industry experts in the lead up to the 2024 breeding season.

Use the QR code below to register NOW!
See you there 😃🐎

01/08/2024

Happy birthday to all the special horses out there 🎂 🐴

11/07/2024

Veterinary nurses are the backbone of any vet clinic. It is a job that requires a big heart and a plethora of skills.

What a fantastic opportunity to see our senior surgery nurse and senior medicine nurse in action. Kristie and Eilis have been with the VCC for many years and are proud to be presenting at this event.

If you are a vet nurse in the riverina region, don't miss out on a great opportunity for networking and professional development.

🌟 Early Bird Special - Only $99! 🌟

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity!

Register now for the VNCA NSW Division Seminar: Wagga Wagga Lecture Day for ONLY $99! 🎉

That’s right, for less than $20 per speaker, you can gain valuable insights from six incredible experts in the veterinary field. This comprehensive VNCA CPD program is designed to elevate your professional skills and knowledge.

📅 Date: Friday, 2nd August 2024
⏰ Time: 8.30am - 5.15pm AEST
📍 Venue: Wagga Wagga RSL Sub Branch

What to Expect:
Equine Nursing Sessions:
- Identifying Infectious Diseases in Horses
- Nursing Thermally Injured Horses During the 2020 Bushfire Crisis
- Equine Presentation

Emergency and Critical Care Sessions:
- Canine Heart Disease Pathophysiology & Nursing the Emergent Heart Failure Patient
- Burn Treatment Protocols in Australian Wildlife
- Feline Aortic Thromboembolism (FATE): The Silent Killer

Accreditation:
- Approved for 6 CPD points for AVNAT Registration Scheme

Register by July 16th to take advantage of the early bird pricing! Don't wait—secure your spot now for a day filled with knowledge, networking, and professional growth.

Register here: https://www.vnca.asn.au/eventdetails/25191/vnca-nsw-division-seminar-wagga-wagga-lecture-day

04/06/2024

The Veterinary Clinical Centre is excited to be part of this event in partnership with Thoroughbred Breeders NSW.

15/04/2024

Pars pituitary intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is common endocrine disorder in aged horses. PPID is often diagnosed in horses older than 15 years of age, however, it can also occur in younger horses.

Characteristically, horses with PPID present with hypertrichosis (long wavey haircoat), muscle loss, increased thirst, increased urination and abnormal sweating. A spectrum of clinical signs can be seen and may be subtle in cases of mild PPID. Affected horses can also present with reproductive abnormalities, chronic infections (skin, sinus and parasitic), dental disease and laminitis.

Endocrinopathic laminitis secondary to PPID and insulin dysregulation (ID) is a potentially life-threatening condition with considerable implications for the affected animal's welfare. Repeated or severe bouts of laminitis can cause substantial damage to the pedal bone and subsequent rotation which may warrant euthanasia due to chronic lameness and reduced quality of life. Therefore, early diagnosis of PPID is essential to improving the quality of life in aged horses.

Screening testing for PPID is readily available in Australia and includes a blood test measuring adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). At the Veterinary Clinical Centre, we are also able to perform dynamic testing (thyrotropin releasing hormone stimulation test) to increase test sensitivity for those equivocal cases. Screening for insulin dysregulation may also be warranted acknowledging that horses with PPID can concurrently have ID and an increased risk of developing laminitis. If there is a history of laminitis, radiographic examination of the feet may be recommended.

Treatment of PPID involves daily oral administration of pergolide mesylate, in either a liquid or tablet formulation. Following a diagnosis of PPID, this medication will need to be administered for the life of the horse for treatment to be effective. Generally, annual or twice-a-year ACTH testing is recommended to monitor whether any changes in treatment dose are necessary.

As for all horses, regular hoof trimming, good parasite control, annual vaccinations, and regular dental examinations are important in aged horses to ensure overall optimal health. Dietary management of PPID and ID horses needs to be tailored to the individual animal’s needs, however, reduced dietary sugar is generally recommended.

We recommend annual health checks for aged horses to discuss all of the above and assist in developing an individual management plan to help your horse throughout Winter and beyond.

26/02/2024

Today we are remembering and celebrating the life of our colleague and friend Professor Bruce Christie who passed away last Monday aged 85. Bruce was the inaugural Professor of Surgery in the new CSU veterinary school back in 2007 and continued his close association with us right up until recent times.

Bruce was a pioneer in Australian veterinary science by being one of the first to become “Board Certified” in surgery. In doing so he helped forge a path that has since become a well-worn highway for any veterinarian wishing to gain internationally recognised specialist credentials. Throughout his stellar surgical career he also made significant contributions to research and perhaps most importantly, to teaching. It is a testament to Bruce’s talent and longevity that many of our staff, as well as our graduates, have benefited from his mentorship and tutelage over the years.

As well as Bruce’s exceptional contributions to the veterinary profession, he will always be remembered for his quick smile, integrity and generosity of spirit. He was one of life’s gentlemen and we send our love to his family, wife Helen and their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Vale Bruce