Walking dandruff
Walking dandruff? Walking dandruff (“cheyletiellosis”) in rabbits is caused by a common rabbit fur mite (Cheyletiella parasitovorax). They are nicknamed “walking dandruff” because these large, whitish mites crawl across the skin and fur, and cause excessive flaky skin on a rabbit. Infested rabbits spread it to other rabbits, and this highly contagious, non-burrowing mite can […]
Cat vaccinations and disease prevention
Cat vaccinations and disease prevention Cat vaccinations – what diseases do they help to prevent? Most cat vaccinations aim to prevent at least three diseases in kittens and cats: Feline Panleukopaenia Virus, Feline Herpesvirus 1 and Feline Calicivirus. Feline Panleukopenia VirusFeline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV), also called Feline Distemper or Feline Enteritis, is a highly contagious […]
A guide to feeding mum and weaning puppies
A guide to feeding mum and weaning puppies During the last four weeks of pregnancy, your bitch should be fed solely on a good quality, complete and balanced puppy food, which should be tailored to either small or medium sized breeds If your pregnant bitch is a small (10kg or less) or medium-breed (between 10-25kg), […]
De-sexing your pet
De-sexing your pet The appropriate age to de-sex your pet doesn’t have a black and white answer. For most pets, the traditional age of six months is likely to be appropriate. In some cases it may be better to delay de-sexing until after puberty (around 10-12 months in large breeds, 18 months in giant breeds). […]
When is a scratch more than an itch?
When is a scratch more than an itch? How do you know if your cat or dog is suffering from skin allergies? These warmer months often bring many causes for skin irritation – fleas love this weather, and pollen fills the air. But when is a skin problem actually an allergy? Some signs in dogs […]
Toilet training made easy!
Toilet training made easy The success of toilet training your puppy is dependent on a number of important factors – whether your puppy is indoors, whether you are at home to monitor them and whether you are being consistent with the training. Housetraining a puppy requires time, vigilance, patience and commitment. You can minimise house […]
Separation anxiety in pets after lockdown
Separation anxiety in pets after lockdown Covid-19 has changed the work and school lifestyle for many, with more people in their homes over a longer period of time. Even just one week at home can affect a pet’s stress levels – it may have brought joy to many pets with constant companionship, but also increased […]
Calf disbudding
Calf disbudding Raising dairy calves is a process that involves intensive management. From the first day in the calf shed the calf will move through many steps before heading out to grazing. A vital part to get right is disbudding and the timing of this is very important. One of the main problems we encounter […]
Deer scanning
Deer Scanning Mobs of hinds with low average body condition score generally have a higher rate of dries, but it is not always the thin hinds who are dry. The value of scanning is highlighted in these situations. Getting rid of dry hinds in the current environment is a frustration, but at least if you […]
Poisonous plants
Poisonous plants Do you know what poisonous plants are lurking in your backyard or paddocks? Most people are totally unaware of what plants are poisonous to their grazing livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, deer, alpaca, llama etc.). We’ve compiled a list below of some of these poisonous plants and clinical signs which may be associated with […]