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Poppy - The Only Dog in Samoa on a Lead! Poppy is a 3-year-old Cocker Spaniel, born in Wellington and raised in Blenheim. 8 months ago, she moved to Samoa to be with her lovely owners Robyn and Grant, who bought a business there in 2022. It took 10 months to gain...

Dental disease is the number one abnormality detected in the veterinary clinic. Far outweighing more obvious concerns such as itchy skin and ears or sore joints. Did you know up to 85% of dogs and cats have dental disease by the time they are 3 years old? If left...

I am very fortunate with my pets. I have two beautiful cats who love affection when I’m home, yet are perfectly happy if I’m not. I also have many rabbits!  A variety of colours and sizes. I’m not sure how many males or females but they keep multiplying…My rabbits are...

On the 14th of June we celebrate World Blood Donor Day.  Just like us, our furry friends can donate blood and save lives.  Imagine coming home to find your beloved pet collapsed.  You rush them to the vet to be told a blood transfusion is required to save their life. ...

“There will never be an effective vaccine against feline herpesvirus (FHV) and feline calicivirus (FCV)” our virology lecturer asserted to my 4th year vet class. That was 1974. By 1976 as a fresh-faced new graduate in Waitara I was using the newly launched cat...

This is a very common problem. In a survey of over 25000 owners 41% said their dogs showed mild to moderate fear when going to the vet and 14% showed extreme fear. In other studies up to 80% of dogs were reported to be fearful at the vets. This runs counter to our...

Scout's Story Scout was semi-comatose in the back of the SUV when I went out to check on him. Murray had rung earlier to say Scout was ill after eating compost some hours before. “I’ve seen many dogs ill from eating compost but never comatose”, I commented. “But...

As a resident of Queen's Gardens I am sure Rabbit has gone by many names. But when I saw him “Rabbit” for unknown reasons popped into my head – and stuck. I am unsure how long he had lived at the Gardens for, but if you are a frequent visitor you may remember seeing...

Slug Bait At this time of the year Nelson home gardeners are in full swing. One of the frustrations for gardeners is having garden pests destroy our good work. A few slugs can demolish a bed of lettuce seedlings overnight. Slug baits containing metaldehyde are...

How can I recognise anxiety in my pet? More pets run away, get lost and/or injured during fireworks season than any other time in the year, and let's not forget it’s not only Guy Fawkes night we have to be concerned about. These types of festivities usually start...

Prostate problems in dogs are common but are rarely as dramatic as Choco’s (see separate story). The most common signs are straining as if to pass stools (tenesmus), blood dripping from the penis, urinary tract infections, urinary leakage or sometimes difficulty...

Spring Pollens can Cause Skin Allergies in Pets In the past weeks clouds of yellow pollen have been seen blowing out over Tasman Bay from the pine forests of Rabbit Islands. The rain leaves slicks of yellow goo in our gutters. Skin irritation is the most common reason...