Benalla Veterinary Clinic
16 Church Street
Benalla, VIC, 3672
admin@benallavetclinic.com.au
www.benallavetclinic.com.au
Phone: 03 5762 2788

We've just celebrated our 2nd Birthday! A big thank you to all of our loyal clients and their lovely animals. We look forward to the challenges the future will bring and hope we can continue to help you, your pets and your livestock.  

The annual Benalla Spring Show will be held on Friday 14th & Saturday 15th October. Benalla Veterinary Clinic will be running the Pet Parade at 11am on Saturday 15th October. Entry is free and there are FIVE $10 prizes up for grabs! We're looking for The Most Unusal Pet, Best Trick, Pet That Looks Most Like Owner, Miss Grand Champion & Master Grand Champion (Best Dressed Pet & Owner). Come into the clinic to grab a copy of the 2016 show schedule to get all the details on the Pet Parade and all the other fantastic events happening at the show this year. 

With all this recent rain, mozzies may be very thick this spring & summer. One bite from a mozzie is enough to pass deadly heartworm onto your dog. If you haven't protected your dog against heartworm now is your chance to take advantage of our great deal. For the month of October we are offering a 20% discount on heartworm tests that are then followed by a Proheart injection. Offer ends Monday 31st October 2016. 

Harley has had a new lease of life of late. He is a four and a half year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier who has had constant itchy, dry skin most of his life. He came to see us as a young adult dog because he had started to scratch himself continuously, which was distressing him and, of course, his poor owners. After some skin diagnostics were performed he was diagnosed with a generalised allergy condition called atopic dermatitis. Treatment at the time consisted of cortisone tablets, of which he required daily doses to keep his itchy skin under control together with various sensitive skin shampoos. 

Try as they may, Harley's owners were unable to help his condition unless he was given cortisone.

Several months ago Dr Steph Miechel recommended he try Royal Canin Skin Support diet (pictured) which is designed specifically to help assist dogs suffering from atopy and skin disease by strengthening the skin's natural defences and promoting healing. 

A remarkable recovery ensued and before long Harley stopped receiving cortisone and has not needed it since. He is now happy and itch free and enjoying his new diet!

This story is typical of what can be acheived with this special prescription diet by Royal Canin, available at Benalla Veterinary Clinic.

For more information about skin conditions, please contact the clinic on (03) 5762 2788.

Unfortunately the pasture bloat season is upon us again. This frothy bloat affects cattle (rarely sheep) grazing succulent clover dominant pastures, particularly at this time of year. Cattle are often found dead in the paddock and death can occur within 30 minutes of the first signs of bloat. Death occurs because of pressure from the rumen compressing the lungs and major blood vessels. 

What do you see? 

A restless animal with a tight distended abdomen, especially on the right side. They often get up and down, look at their flanks, look at their flanks, kick their bellies and pant with their tongue out. 

What can I do?

If you see a bloated animal struggling to breath, treatment must be done without delay. With a sharp knife, or ideally with a trocar/canula, stab through the upper left flank into the rumen and twist the knife. Rumen contents will explosively release, saving the animals life. The wound should be sewn up and the animal given antibiotics afterwards, so call us for assitance. 

Less severe cases can be drenched with vegetable oil to help disperse the foam which causes the bloat. 250ml (1 cup) of oil per cow is recommended. 

How can it be prevented?

For beef herds prevention includes:

1. Bloat blocks

2. Bloat licks

3. Bloat capsules

4. Medicating the water supply

5. Pasture spraying. 

For more information click here.

When it comes to your pet, you might think carrying a few extra kilos isn't a big deal. Think again. Overweight pets are at an increased risk of arthritis, heart disease, respiratory disorders and diabetes. What is alarming is that that most people aren’t even aware that their pet is a bit portly.

The best way to tell if you pet is overweight is to take a closer look at them!

When you peer down from above, your pet will have lost definition of his waist. Instead of an hourglass figure he might look a bit round and may even resemble a barrel on legs. You might also have a bit of trouble feeling his ribs when you run your hands over his sides.

A very obese pet may have neck fat, a pendulous tummy as well as fat deposits over the hips.

If you are worried about your pet's weight, we recommend that you drop in for a weight check with us. We will assess and discuss with you your pet’s body condition and, if necessary, start a weight loss plan.

The best news is that getting your pet to lose weight is easier than you think! Exercise will help but it is absolutely crucial you are feeding your pet the correct diet and the right amount. There are even diets available that will actually increase your pet’s metabolic rate to help your pet lose weight. 

We are always happy to help you out in this department and are the best people to ask for more information.

Pinkeye season will be upon us in no time, and it’s important that you start preparing now to try and minimise losses.

Factors which predispose animals to pinkeye development include:

• Flies – last month we discussed an integrated pest management program to reduce the fly burden on farm. This should be started now as flies carry the bacteria between animals.
• UV light – and there isn’t much you can do about this
• Long grass – causes physical damage to the eye and can transmit infection
• Dust – irritates the eye
• Pigmentation – pinkeye is generally more common in non-pigmented eyes
• Overcrowding – high stocking rates and yardings assist the transfer of pinkeye
• Immune status – cattle in poor body condition are less able to mount immune responses. Prior exposure leads to immunity, and this is why outbreaks are generally worse in young cattle.

The costs of pinkeye are higher than most farmers realise. The direct costs of production loss and treatment are obvious, but have you thought about:

• A decrease in average daily weight gain of up to 10%
• Negative effects on fertility
• Decreased milk production due to reduced dry matter intake
• Stud animals – being removed from sales, or unable to be sold
• The welfare of the animals

For these reasons we are strong advocates of Piliguard vaccine. As a tool to manage risk, this vaccine is highly effective. However due to the stated risk factors above, you must not rely on the vaccine alone. Vaccinate animals with Piliguard 3-6 weeks before the onset of the pinkeye season. Calves as young as 1 week can be vaccinated.

It's easy to overdo the treats at home and you might not be aware just how much of an impact these treats are having on your pet's weight. 

Keep this calorie translator in mind when you are having trouble saying ‘no’ to those adorable eyes!

For the average 5kg cat:

• A 30g piece of cheese is equivalent to a human eating 2.5 hamburgers
• One potato chip is equivalent to a human eating ½ a hamburger 
• A glass of milk is equivalent to an human eating 3 hamburgers! (plus cats can't digest the lactose in cow's milk)

For the 10kg dog:

• A 30g piece of cheese is equivalent to a human eating 1.5 hamburgers
• A sweet biscuit is equivalent to a human eating 1 hamburger 
• One sausage is equivalent to a human eating 2.5 hamburgers!

We have plenty of pet friendly treats available that are light on calories so drop in and ask us for a recommendation. 

When you think about it, our companion dogs have a pretty good deal. They get their food delivered in a bowl and are able to lounge on the couch or lie out on the lawn most of the day. This way of life can unfortunately lead to weight gain and boredom so it's a good idea to check in regularly and ask yourself, "Is my dog getting enough exercise?"

Many pet owners assume that if their dog has access to a yard, she’s getting enough exercise. But dogs generally aren't that good at running laps by themselves and it's the interaction with you that makes all the difference.

The amount of exercise your dog needs depends on her breed, size, age and the condition of her health. Arthritis, heart and respiratory conditions can all be exacerbated by incorrect levels of exercise so it's a good idea to arrange a check up with us before you embark on any new exercise regimes with your pet.

As a general rule, dogs need 60 minutes of exercise daily. Split this in to morning and evening sessions for mental stimulation and to break up the day.

Our top tips:

• Socialise with other dogs - this is a great way to stimulate your dog's mind and burn some energy. You might make some new friends too! 
• Try to exercise your dog’s brain. Inspire her with food puzzle toys, hunting for dinner, obedience training and chew toys.
• Play games that make your dog run around such as fetch or hide-and-seek. But avoid repetitive ball chasing as this can wear out your dog's joints and lead to painful arthritis later in life.

Always ask us if you have any questions about exercising your dog.

If your cat has snuck on some extra kilos over the winter months, here are some ideas to help get him moving and losing.

• The most important tip is to make sure he is eating the best weight loss diet and the correct amount. Ask us for the best diet recommendation for your cat. 

• Separate food and water bowls so your cat has to get up and burn energy to get from one to the other. Using the vertical space works well here.

• For indoor cats, if possible, think about installing a cat run out of a window and down one side of your house.

• Invest in a laser pointer and start playing! Even the laziest of cats will find these hard to resist.

• Play hide and seek. Place your cat's food around the house and make him work hard for his dinner!

Please ask us if you have any questions about managing your cat's weight. We are always happy to help so phone us or drop in for a chat today.