It is an unfortunate reality that the lifespans of our pets are much shorter than our own. It is inevitable for all pet owners that at some stage they will have to face the death of a much-loved companion. Grief over the loss of a pet has some particular features which can make it even [...]
Two or three times a year, we experience a mini-epidemic of kennel cough. People whose dogs come down with the disease often query why this should be so when they have had their dogs routinely vaccinated against kennel cough. So we thought it was timely to clear up a few misconceptions about this disease. “Kennel [...]
As those that own dogs would already be aware, heartworm is a worm that is transmitted by mosquitoes which lives in the dog’s heart. The worm actually requires to have spent some of its life in a mosquito in order to develop and grow. The mosquitoes that carry heartworm seem to preferentially prefer to feed [...]
Early detection of high blood pressure in cats is vital, as there is little middle ground between asymptomatic cats with hypertension and those that present with major organ damage. Causes of hypertension in cats are thought to be secondary to another disease process. The most common cause in cats is chronic renal insufficiency [...]
As you would have noticed, cats spend a considerable amount of time grooming their coat. If excessive hair is swallowed (for instance in long-haired cats or in cats that over groom) then hair may build up over time in the stomach to form a hairball. Cats with a hairball will often retch or vomit to [...]
Do I Really Need to Protect My Dog? Heartworm disease is caused by a parasite that is spread by mosquitoes. When a mosquito bites a dog with heartworm, it becomes infected. Your dog becomes infected when an infected mosquito bites it. As Sydney has a humid climate with plenty of mosquitoes, there are lots of [...]
What do kidneys do? Kidneys filter the blood and excrete waste products into the urine. They produce hormones for new red blood cell production (Erythropoeiten). They help control blood pressure. They retain water in the body and help keep electrolytes balanced. What is chronic renal disease insufficiency? It is a slowly progressive disease that [...]
