VetEnt & Petfirst Veterinary Lincoln

11/12/2024

All snuggled up and ready for the holidays—this little 3-day old guinea pig is bringing festive joy from the vet clinic! 🎄🐹❤️

10/12/2024

Following our post on Friday, we asked you which alpaca you think need to be seen by a vet. Alpaca are very good at hiding their pain and often only show subtle signs in their posture.

Picture 1 shows a normal 'cush' position. As you can see, his legs are tucked up neatly under him and his feet are not visible. His head is also held up high and if you were to walk up to him, you would expect he would either watch you closely or get up at your presence.

Picture 3 shows a very sick alpaca with a very severe colic. He is lying on his side with all feet visible - this is very abnormal! You can also see a disturbance in the hay where he has been rolling. However, despite how sick he is, his head is still up and he is still watching the camera. Alpaca will always try to hide how bad they feel!

Picture 2 is much more subtle. At first glance, you may think he is completely normal! However if we look closely, he is in an abnormal cush position. While his front legs are tucked under him, his back legs are pushed to the side and his back feet are visible. This is a sign of pain and sickness so a vet exam is a very good idea! In this case, he also had a severe colic, but an abnormal cush was the only sign. You may also expect him to be a bit slower than the rest of the herd with a decreased appetite.

Let us know how you went with your guesses! And as always, if you have any questions or concerns about your animals, give us a call!

Pictures not owned by VetEnt. Picture 1: Noddy's ark, Pictures 2 and 3: llama and alpaca care, medicine, surgeyr, reproduction, nutrition and herd health - C. Cebra Et Al - pg 525

09/12/2024

Lifestyle Lessons bonus post!

Last Friday, we discussed when you should call the vet for your alpaca.

Alpaca are very good at hiding pain, often only showing subtle signs until they are very sick. We talked about the cush position - go check out that post to refresh your memory!

One of these alpaca is very sick and is showing this in his posture - let us know which one you think it is!

Of the remaining 2 photos, one is normal while the other is showing signs of pain and should be examined by a vet. Which one do you think it is?

Leave us a comment and we will post the answer tomorrow, along with a description of the problem

Pictures not owned by VetEnt. Picture 1: Noddy's ark, Pictures 2 and 3: llama and alpaca care, medicine, surgeyr, reproduction, nutrition and herd health - C. Cebra Et Al - pg 525

06/12/2024

Farm Friday Lifestyle Lessons : Alpaca edition

When should you call the vet?

Alpaca are incredibly stoic animals and will only show subtle signs of pain, often until it is too late.

- The Cush: The cush is the position that a camelid goes into when they are resting. A normal cush position has all four feet tucked under, unable to be seen. When they are unwell, they change the way they cush. An abnormal cush can be as subtle as a leg out to the side or a slight lean to the side. This is often indicative of abdominal pain, and you should contact your veterinarian for an early intervention.

- Itching: If your alpaca is itching around its armpit area, ears, or legs, this a good sign they have some external parasites. It might be time to call your vet and ask for a treatment.

- Teeth: If your alpaca’s bottom teeth extend above their top gums, or if they have a swelling in their cheeks, they might need some dental work done. Dental issues can be very painful and lead to loss of weight overtime, so are best dealt with as soon as they are noticed.

- Weight Loss/Gain: It can be hard to tell the true condition of your alpaca just by looking at them because of their thick fleece. Therefore, it is important to put a hand on their spine in order to monitor their weight. You should be able to palpate their spine, but it shouldn’t be prominent.

Photo owned by Massey university LATU unit (Crisitin Dwyer and Karla Bycroft)

05/12/2024

🎄🐱 This little kitten knows the best way to celebrate the season – surrounded by love, joy, and tasty treats! 🎁✨ Stop by our clinic to check out our selection of holiday goodies that will make your pet's Christmas extra special. From treats to toys, we have everything you need to pamper your furry friends! 🐾🎅

04/12/2024

As we head into summer here in Christchurch, there's lot's going on at the region's lifestyle blocks. Check out our top tips for a super summer here:

As we head into summer here in Christchurch, farm animals are gearing up for the warmer months ahead. While the longer days and lush pastures are a welcome sight for your sheep, cows, pigs, goats and alpacas, the heat and environmental changes can bring unique health challenges.

03/12/2024

Newt enjoying some cuddles with mum after some x-rays 🥰

01/12/2024

December: Introducing Minnie & Nigel! Adopted from the SPCA 12 years ago by Lidia and Nigel, Minnie has been living large ever since. She stays busy supervising chicken feeds and is a connoisseur of (much-deserved) treats!

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

29/11/2024

November! Introducing Yoda & Janez! Yoda is a wellbeing expert, bringing healing to his whole household. How does your pet make your life better?

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

29/11/2024

Farm Friday Lifestyle Lessons: BVD edition! 🐮

Here is our wonderful Support Staff/Large Animal Technician, Courtney! You can often see her friendly face around the clinic or out on farm. Today, she is helping us collect blood samples for BVD testing.

Have you ever heard of BVD?

BVD is a virus commonly seen in cattle and stands for Bovine Viral Diarrhea. Confusingly, it doesn’t always cause diarrhoea!
The most common sign of BVD that we see is when animals fail to grow. Often there will only be one (or two) animals in a herd that just don’t seem to grow as well as their mates.

How BVD is spread is very complicated, however there are two types of infections - persistently infected (PI) animals and transiently infected (TI) animals.
Much like the name implies, Persistently Infected animals are infected from birth and for their entire lives. These are the animals that will not grow as well. They also die young - usually before the age of three. Thankfully, an infected PI animal cannot infect other animals to PI status unless they give birth to one.
This is where Transiently Infected (TI) animals come in! PI animals can temporarily infect animals with the virus, which causes cold-like symptoms and causes a transient drop in growth. Usually, these TI animals recover normally and go on to live healthy lives, but they may not be able to grow as big as they could have!

Other symptoms you can see include diarrhoea, a reduced appetite, a rough coat, mild erosions in the mouth and/or an increased incidence of illness.

Thankfully, BVD can be easily diagnosed with a blood test.
If you are worried that your animals aren’t growing as they should, or you have one animal you are concerned about, give us a call on 03 325 2808. An investigation into BVD may be worthwhile.

27/11/2024

Life is expensive! But Petfirst Wellness makes it easy to choose your fur friend, delivering the best proactive veterinary care for less than the price of a snack per week.

Find out more and join here:

Petfirst Veterinary

27/11/2024

October! Introducing Coco & Vana! Coco has grown a bit since this photo but still competes with the cat for the best spot on her family's laps! She adores spending time with her extended family too!

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

25/11/2024

September! Introducing Salem & Ivy! Ivy told us: "Salem is a great friend - he is cheeky, cute and always cuddly and we love to play in the garden". What a gorgeous friendship!

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

25/11/2024

Check out our holiday hours here. Emergency care is always available, phone the clinic on 03 325 2808 for after hours assistance.

24/11/2024

LAST DAYS! Got an itchy dog at home? Get them in this week to see what's irritating them and receive a FREE Simparica treatment. But only until 30 November 2024!

Find out more and book online at

Itchy skin and allergies are among the most frequent reasons pet parents seek guidance from our Petfirst teams. The constant scratching, licking, and biting not only disrupt your pet’s daily activities but can also lead to skin infections and long-term discomfort. We can help!

23/11/2024

Register for mypetfirst pet portal to update your pet's details, add new fur-friends, view reminders, appointments and visits and even upload the CUTEST pic 📸 - all when it suits YOU.

Visit https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/mypetfirst-portal to find out more and register.

Mypetfirst portal for digital services including: Book online, manage your pet online, healthcare reminders, update your details, book an appointment, order prescription medication, buy petfood online and more. WhatsApp us or text 3489.

23/11/2024

August! Introducing Jasper & Terry! I think you'll agree - Jasper is a real charmer! As comfortable patrolling in the garden as he is curling up on the couch with his family, this cat has it made!

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

22/11/2024

Farm Friday Lifestyle Lessons! 🐮🐷🐔

We are starting up a new series called ‘Farm Friday Lifestyle Lessons’!

Every Friday, we will post interesting cases, facts and useful information for our lifestyle clients!

Our area is well known for its lifestyle blocks, which we absolutely love! Our practice has multiple mixed animal veterinarians - see what two of them have to say below!

Ashleigh (photo 1 with her foster lamb Herman)- ‘I love my lifestyle clients! I get to help develop management plans, educate clients and provide high levels of care to our production pets! It is great being able to build relationships with everyone in our awesome community!’

Sam (photo 2 holding a lamb from a c-section she performed) - 'Being a lifestyle vet provides such a broad range of patients and challenging cases. From pigs to alpacas, we see it all! It is so rewarding to build relationships with clients and help them better their animals’ health and get them back on their feet'

If you have any questions or need help with your lifestyle animals, call the clinic today on 03 325 2808! We would love to hear from you!

20/11/2024

If you have an itchy pet, talk to your local Petfirst Veterinary team about how targeted nutrition can help. Loaded with essental elements and low-allergen, high quality protein, these Royal Canin and Hill's diets will look after your fur friend inside and out.

Make the change this month with special offers - and a palatability guarantee. Find out more at

Itchy skin and allergies are among the most frequent reasons pet parents seek guidance from our Petfirst teams. The constant scratching, licking, and biting not only disrupt your pet’s daily activities but can also lead to skin infections and long-term discomfort. We can help!

20/11/2024

July! Introducing Hana & Filip! Hana is a fantastic Kiwi ambassador, welcoming Filip on a visit from overseas! Filip loves Hana - and so do the kids at Wanaka Primary, where Hana visits in her role as a therapy dog

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

18/11/2024

🐾✨ Sign your pup up for our Puppy Preschool! Socialization, fun, and learning starts here – where your little one’s first lessons are all about good habits and tail-wagging fun! 🐕Our next class is starting soon! 🎓

18/11/2024

Getting into Christmas shopping? Tick off the best behaved boys and girls on your list with a free Reindeer Droolly Dog toy with Yours Droolly 200g-500g treats!

Available while stocks last. Ts&Cs apply, ask in-clinic for details.

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18/11/2024

June! Introducing Bailey & Hannah! Mary told us that beautiful Bailey is an active playmate who also loves to cuddle - the perfect balance, we think!

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

17/11/2024

Long-term profitability on-farm is about keeping ahead of the curve.

This month we look at calf health, milk quality and reproductive performance as well as the latest in Lepto protection. Read more here: https://bit.ly/vetent-cant-dairyupdate-nov24

16/11/2024

May! Introducing Taika & Vikki! Vikki calls Taika her 4-legged guardian angel, lifting every day with his smile and mini-tornado zoomies! How does your pet make your day better?

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

14/11/2024

! Tell us your favourite thing about your pet to be in to win a Linden Leaves gift set from our friends at Bravecto!

Buy Bravecto to be in to win a Linden Leaves gift set. Bravecto products provide easy, long-lasting protection against parasites in one easy 3 or 6 month dose.

Giveaway and offer closes to 30/11/24, social terms apply: https://bit.ly/petfirst-terms
Offer terms apply - ask in-clinic for details.

14/11/2024

April! Introducing Skye & family! Dog mum Karyn told us: that "Skye loves to get out and about in Canterbury with the family - especially enjoying trips to the river where she keeps a close eye on the kids".

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

13/11/2024

…Leisure time loading… Our Canterbury clinics will be closed this Friday 15 November, for Canterbury Anniversary Day.

For emergency care, please call the clinic to be redirected to our after hours service.

13/11/2024

March! Introducing Nico & Steve! Nico is a true adventurer, heading out on roadtrips, camping, hikes with dog friends and golfing with Steve and Robyn.

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

12/11/2024

It's World Kindness Day! So spread a little extra love and kindness to your fur friends - and everyone else - today and every day!

12/11/2024

February! Introducing Mylo & Tina! Mylo goes almost everywhere with his fur family, sitting in the passenger seat as they head out for adventures.

Get your free Petfirst Veterinary calendar from your nearest Petfirst clinic now - while stocks last! https://www.mypetfirst.co.nz/pages/our-clinics

08/11/2024

We have been experiencing some issues with our phones this morning. If you have an emergency and are unable to get through, please come straight to the clinic.
For all other enquiries, please email us on [email protected] or message us on WhatsApp +6478094107 or text 3489.
We apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience.

07/11/2024

Ahead of summer, there's important work to be done to set up your farm for success. Check out our top tasks at https://bit.ly/vetent-cant-sbd-nov24

06/11/2024

😍 Guess who we 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙙 in clinic! 😍

04/11/2024

🐱✨Kitty Cuddles = the best kind of medicine! 🩺🩷

03/11/2024

We have had a deceased cat brought in this morning. He is a ginger and white entire male, not microchipped. He was hit on Waterholes rd between Tancreds rd and Selwyn rd intersection.
If you think this is your cat, please contact the clinic on 033252808.