Rabbits’ teeth continue to grow throughout their lives and are known as hypsodont or open rooted teeth. There is a set of temporary teeth but these aren’t functional and are shed before birth. The upper incisors grow at about 2mm per week and the lower ones at about 2.4mm per week !!   Incisors (the [...]

The Harderian glands of rats are located behind the eyes. They secrete various pigments or porphyrins that give the tears a reddish colour. These secretions increase in response to stress and disease, and the tears dry around the eyes and nostrils (the tear ducts in mammals drain into the nasal cavity), resembling crusts of blood. [...]

There have been a couple of new medicines released in the last 12 months which have made a big difference to the way we manage some your animal’s health problems.   VETMEDIN was released in May 2002. It is a drug used for treating heart failure in dogs, which has a completely different mechanism of [...]

Introducing Batman, the Bearded Dragon, one of our more unusual clients. After my couple of months “sabbatical” to have a spot of surgery done, I’m happy to report that I’m back on deck at GVH. I must say I was starting to miss the purrs and the waggly tails rather badly, so it’s good to [...]

Our relationship with the fledgling SPCA Nepal in Kathmandu continues to thrive. For those kind people who have been putting their change into our collection box at the front desk, the news is that we have just accumulated a further $276 to send in the direction of the Himalayas. We know how great a difference [...]

In our last newsletter we introduced Shannon Rich, our newest vet; Shannon has recently passed the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam.   This test must be taken by both, American graduates and those from “foreign” veterinary schools. It was an eight-hour test and contained questions about dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, rabbits, birds and even [...]

Hilary waiting for somebody to light the fireplace, she knows how to keep warm in Winter.   With the onset of winter, we always expect to see an influx of both dogs and cats suffering from arthritis. The cold wet weather often brings to a head a problem which has been lurking on the periphery [...]

Ringworm (Microsporum canis) infection in a German Shepherd dog (Photo obtained from a book)   There are many different species of ringworm and they come from different sources: animals, man and the environment. The most common agent is Microsporum canis, however a variety of different species result in symptoms of infection.   “Ringworm” is transmitted [...]