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

September already, and Benalla and surrounding districts are set for a productive, long spring after our wet, boggy winter.  Dams are now full and we expect there will be abundant feed for hay and silage production later this year.  If livestock prices remain high, our farmers will enjoy a well deserved and long overdue boost - let's hope so.  Calving and lambing season is well under way, and so far no unusual problems have arisen, but remember that early intervention for a calving or lambing is generally a better option than leaving things to nature. Benalla Vet Clinic is just a phone call away, so if in doubt, call and get help, and keep the survival rates as high as possible.

News at the clinic:  There are two new staff members as of August.  We now have Jodi Stedman in reception and veterinarian Dr. Kate New-Tolley now on staff.  We are very excited to welcome them into our team.

Rabbit Club will commence again on Tuesday 4th October at 6pm.  Don't forget to mark it in your calendar.  

Another successful Puppy School has just finished.  The next fun-filled class run by our vet nurse Peta Kelly begins at 6pm, Tuesday 27th September.

Reports of snakes on the move again are already rolling in so be prepared and alert when out walking with your pets. See our handy advice on snakebite as a quick refresher.

Dr. Steph Miechel recently completed a laproscopic surgery course in Sydney, and has been busy preparing the surgery so we will soon be able to offer our pets minimally invasive surgeries and diagnostics, including 'keyhole' speying of dogs and cats.  More on this exciting development later.

Lots of interesting topics to learn about this month, including a story from Yonnie Miechel about our little furry mascot 'Kevin' who has shed an enormous 40% of his excess bodyweight in a remarkable transformation thanks to the new Royal Canin Satiety (weight management) dog food. 

We welcome Jodi (L) and Kate (R)

Puppy school graduating class

It always seems even more of a tragedy when an owner's pet has been run over by the family vehicle.  Bob, a beloved and gentle natured 10 year old Border Collie from Euroa, was happily running beside the ute out on the farm when his luck suddenly expired.  A wet paddock meant the vehicle could not stop in time to avoid colliding with Bob's rear end. His right hip joint was completely dislocated in this accident and despite being quickly replaced by his regular vet, Bob's hip was unstable and refused to stay in the socket. This is common after hip dislocation, and surgery is the only way to correct the problem.

He was referred up to Benalla Vet Clinic, and Dr Steph Miechel operated to stabilise the hip, using a hip toggle procedure. This operation utilises a strong braided material to replicate the damaged teres ligament which normally holds the hip together but still allows it to move.  The head of the femur bone is pulled into the socket and retained by the braided cord via a stainless toggle pin, actually placed inside the pelvic canal. This is best explained by looking at the surgical diagram. 

Bob recovered beautifully and pleased everyone by placing his operated leg to the ground the next morning. He has been a wonderfully compliant patient and by co-operating so well with his rehabilitation exercises, at three weeks out from his surgery he is walking freely again. We expect he will be happily running around his farm again within a few months. All the best from us Bob. 

Hip Toggle Procedure Diagram

Royal Canin's Satiety - The 'Weight Watchers' of dog food

You can imagine how shocked I was when one of our vets carefully and politely informed me that my beloved 16 month old Chihuahua Kevin was overweight! I could not believe that I work in a vet clinic and my own dog was chubby!

The advice was simple – "he is putting a lot of extra weight on his little pins which will harm his joints in later life".

Royal Canin Satiety to the rescue.  I was looking forward to giving this new food a run for its money.  Big Kev is a BIG eater, quickly snapping up anything off the floor – forget the two second rule – it’s gone with big Kev around.  On the upside – my floor has never looked cleaner!

I needed a food that actually allowed me to give him ‘treats’ to reward his often fabulous behaviour (yes I am one-eyed!).  Satiety's feeding guide made working out his daily food requirements easy, so that he lost weight gradually and steadily.

You may think it is easy to get 1kg off a 3.6kg Chihuahua but I was worried. His name says it all – ‘Big Kev’.  Satiety kept Kevin feeling satisfied for longer.  Every week we weighed him and he passed his goals triumphantly!

Big Kev’s long term eating plan is to remain on Satiety.  I toyed with changing him over to another of the Royal Canin options however it is enriched with nutrients, specific for supporting healthy bones and joints and is perfectly safe to stay on long term.

If you need some weight loss guidance for your beloved pet, our staff are very happy to help.  Just come on in and ask us for friendly advice.

As the weather warms up and the days get longer, it won't only be us who will be celebrating! The cheeky flea will be out and about and even though they can cause problems all year round, it is during spring and summer that we see them come out in force.

Flea eggs like to sit dormant through the winter months and it only takes a few warm and sunny days for them to start celebrating and begin hatching.

It's always best to be on the front foot when is comes to prevention. The aim is to kill the eggs before they hatch and you can do this by making sure your pet is up to date with top quality flea control. Ask us for the best recommendation as not all flea products are effective at treating the entire life cycle, and some might even be a waste of your money.

It only takes one flea bite for your pet to start feeling pretty itchy and uncomfortable. If the itch gets out of control, the trauma caused by scratching can lead to skin infections and the need for antibiotics.

When it comes to fleas, prevention is the key! So beat the flea this spring and make sure your pet (and all pets in the household) are protected. 

When you purchase your flea prevention products from Benalla Vet Clinic, you will receive a reminder (SMS or Email) to purchase another packet when it is due because we understand it is very easy to forget.

They certainly can and this life altering disease is very similar to asthma in humans.

The disease involves the small airways in the lungs over-reacting to the presence of a irritant or an allergen. This leads to an inflammatory response and an increase in mucus production. The reaction also results in contraction of the small muscles around the airways causing them to narrow. Both the mucous and the narrowed airway means a cat has difficulty breathing.

Signs to watch out for:

• Persistent coughing or wheezing (often bouts of coughing)
• Laboured and/or fast breathing
• Squatting with shoulders hunched, neck extended and rapid breathing or gasping for breath
• Open mouthed breathing
• Lethargy and weakness

It is thought that irritants such as cigarette smoke, pollens, dust from cat litter, perfume and moulds can contribute to the condition. Parasites, heart disease and obesity may also play a role.

Diagnosis may include blood tests, x-rays, bronchoscopy (camera in the lungs to evaluate the airways), or an airway wash to isolate cells to look for inflammation or bacteria.

There isn't a cure for feline asthma but it can successfully managed with medications that open up the airway passages or modify the inflammatory response. Just as in human asthma, medication is sometimes administered through a special inhaler.

It is important to recognise that asthma can quickly become a life-threatening situation, so any cat with a cough needs to be examined by us as soon as possible.

Spring has sprung and as the flowers start to bloom we will start to see more bees about. What should you do if your pet is stung by a bee or a wasp?

In most cases, there will be mild swelling and tenderness at the sting site. You should try remove the tiny stinger as quickly as possible to stop the venom spreading (although they can be hard to see). Apply a cold compress (damp towel) to reduce swelling.

When should we see your pet?

If your pet is licking the area constantly, is in pain (limping is common if stung on the paw), or seems a bit lethargic, phone us for an appointment. We will give your pet an antihistamine and/or pain relief injection.

When does my pet need urgent emergency care?

Seek veterinary advice immediately if your pet:

• is having trouble breathing 
• is vomiting within 5-10 minutes post sting
• has pale coloured gums
• collapses

It is rare but some dogs and cats are severely allergic to bee stings. These pets may go into anaphylactic shock (and even die) if they don’t receive immediate veterinary attention. Vaccines and emergency adrenaline pens are available for severely allergic pets.

To help prevent bee stings, try to keep your pet away from flowering trees and plants (especially ground cover). Discourage your pet from playing with or chasing bees. Oh and be aware that rotting fallen fruit, meat and uneaten pet food are attractive to european wasps.

If you are worried about your pet you can always phone us for advice.

After a long, wet and very cold winter we are thrilled that Spring has arrived. But Spring also brings about some hazards and one in particular is the presence of snail (and slug) bait in the garden. Be careful if you happen to visit the neighbour's garden or a friend's garden as you might not realise it's there.

Part of the problem is that snail bait pellets look just like dog kibble, so dogs often eat the pellets by mistake. Unfortunately even the so called “pet friendly” products are dangerous if ingested. 

There are three types of snail bait:

1. Metaldehyde - green pellets
2. Methiocarb - blue pellets
3. Iron EDTA (Multiguard) - brown/yellow pellets

The most dangerous are Metaldehyde and Methiocarb. They act on the nervous system causing increased stimulation and can be fatal if immediate veterinary treatment is not given.

Multiguard is less toxic but can cause gastrointestinal issues such as vomiting and diarrhoea, or may cause damage to the liver, spleen, heart, kidneys or brain. If this is ingested, we still recommend treatment.

Signs of snail bait poisoning: 

• Muscle tremors and restlessness
• Excessive drooling
• Rapid heart rate & panting
• Vomiting & diarrhoea
• Seizures

If your pet has ingested (or even if you just think your pet might have ingested) snail bait, please don't hesitate to call us for advice immediately.

When we think of broken bones in horses we often think the worst - but there are many types of fractures that can now be treated surgically or by other methods.

Horse fractures have traditionally been very difficult to treat as horses are very heavy, and spend almost all their life standing. They also suffer laminitis if their weight is distributed away from a seriously injured limb. Horses have such a strong flight response that after serious injury they can continue to panic and move around, exacerbating the damage.

Advances in technology have greatly improved survival rates for horses with certain types of fractures. Portable digital radiography now allows fast and accurate diagnosis of fractures. Sending images electronically to an equine surgical specialist can provide immediate advice. Modern anaesthetic techniques, antibiotics and surgical equipment make fracture repair possible where once it wasn’t.

There are 21 bones in the front leg. Fractures in each bone carry a different prognosis, and are treated in different ways. For an example a fracture of a splint bone may require confinement and anti-inflammatory therapy whereas an open fracture of a radius is not generally treatable.

Any suspected fracture must be treated by a vet immediately as correct first aid is extremely important. Fracture repair is performed in equine specialist centres.

Call us if you have any questions about your horse's health.