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Managing high cell counts ahead of dry-off 

One issue that we are seeing on quite a few farms is elevated cell counts, and an increase in clinical and sub-clinical mastitis. If this is happening to you, you are not alone!  Below are a few ideas to help deal with the wind down of this season and a safe transition into the dry period:Herd testing One of the key things we want to be able to do is identify those high cell count, sub-clinical mastitis cows. Herd testing gives us&...

Cows getting tick'ed off this season? 

We’re seeing a noticeable increase in reports of ticks this season, particularly on locally grazed cattle around the top of the Grey Valley, in the generally warmer and drier microclimate.  Historically, ticks haven’t been common in our region. When we did see them, they were typically associated with stock recently brought in from other areas.  ...

Seeing more with ultrasound

Ultrasound is a safe, radiation-free imaging tool that uses sound waves to create live images of your pet’s soft tissues and organs. It’s commonly used to investigate concerns such as vomiting or diarrhoea, loss of appetite, weight loss, difficulty urinating, to assess organ health, or to check trauma-related issues like internal bleeding or fluid build up in the chest or abdomen.Because ultrasound shows movement as it happens, it helps our vets understand not just w...

Clear answers with X-rays

X-rays are a fast, non-invasive way for our vets to look inside your pet’s body and understand what might be causing pain, illness, or changes in behaviour. They’re commonly used to investigate things like internal injuries, tumours, fractures, dental disease, and swallowed foreign objects - especially when time matters. Because many problems can’t be seen or felt during a physical exam alone, X-rays help us get clearer answers sooner, so we can make the right deci...

Why an in-house laboratory matters

Our in-house labs allow us to run a wide range of tests without sending samples away. This includes blood, urine testing and cytology. Because these tests are done in-clinic, results are often available within minutes, not days. External labs can take from 24-72 hours. That speed really matters. In emergency situations, such as toxic ingestion, sudden collapse or serious injury, fast results help our vets make informed decisions and begin targeted, potentially life-saving tre...

Arthritis in pets - How we can help

Arthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes chronic pain. It affects one in five adult dogs and is more common in older dogs. Cats can also develop arthritis as they get older, with around 90% of cats over 10 years of age developing arthritis in at least one joint!Many cases go undiagnosed because the gradual, initially subtle changes in their pet are often misinterpreted as "slowing down" or "getting old".Unfortunately, arthritis is a progressive condition with no cure. However, ...

Keep your furry friend smiling

Nothing warms your heart more than your happy, smiling dog welcoming you home at the end of the day. Just like us, to keep that happy smile, cats and dogs rely on healthy teeth and gums for their overall health and wellbeing.The build-up of dental plaque (a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth) can lead to oral health issues in your pet, such as gingivitis, periodontal disease and tooth loss....

Preparing your pet for stress-free vet visits

Getting any sort of treatment can be stressful for your pets, no matter how great our vets are!Travelling to the clinic and being exposed to a new environment can be challenging for some of our animal companions. While we work hard to ensure your pets are at ease in the clinic, there are also several things that you can do to prepare them and make vet visits a more positive experience....

A healthy guide to feeding pets

When feeding your beloved pet, whether it be a new puppy or kitten, or an older cat or dog, there is such a thing as ‘loving them too much’. Overindulging your pet can lead to health problems if they become overweight, so knowing how much, how often, and what to feed them is important.Also, spayed or neutered pets are more likely to feel hungry more often and gain weight more easily. This quite commonly leads to overfeeding. Pet food bags have feeding guides on the back which help you w...

Emergency vet visit or not?

We always have on-call vets available to provide your pet with urgent/emergency care outside of our clinics' normal business hours – even in the middle of the night or on days like Christmas Day.But how do you tell when your pet needs emergency attention?...

What to do with high cell count cows?

A high somatic cell count is a strong indicator of subclinical mastitis. Typically when you think of mastitis, you think of clotty milk, inflamed udders, and sick cows, but subclinical mastitis doesn't exhibit any of these symptoms.Cows with subclinical mastitis can be very hard to identify because on visual inspection everything appears normal and stripping the milk is also likely to reveal no signs. This is where herd testing is very helpful to find them. A rapid mastitis test (RMT) during mil...

FEC testing calves before drenching

Responsible drenching is becoming widely talked about. As an industry we need to shift towards only drenching calves when they need it. This saves on money (less product used) and time (fewer hours spent herding, yarding and administering treatment). But, most importantly, it also helps slow parasites developing resistance to the drenches we use.As you make plans for drenching your calves this season, consider FEC (faecal egg count) testing. This determines the number of internal paras...

Passive transfer results from calving time

We had a few of our farms do passive transfer (PT) testing on their calves this season. PT testing checks for absorption of immunoglobulin from colostrum, and therefore the passage of immunity against disease from cows to calves.Here's a quick comparison of the results: ...

Caring for pets over the holidays

The Christmas holidays are fast approaching. If you are heading away, now is a good time to start thinking about what plans you need to make for your pets.  Will you leave them at home and get someone to come and care for them?  Is booking them into a cattery or kennel a better option?  Or, can you take your pet away with you? Leaving your pet at home You may decide to leave your pet in the comfort of its own home, with a neighbour or friend either house-s...

Careful with pets and Christmas treats

Christmas treats are something we all look forward to, but for our furry friends, some of these can be extremely toxic, so it is important to keep them out of reach. If you have a pet with a penchant for opening gifts, this may mean not putting wrapped treats under the tree!Some festive foods to be cautious of around pets include:1. ChocolateWhy it's toxic: Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which are stimulants of the central nervous system and heart. They also act as diuretics, which...

A lame cow is a cow in pain

A lame cow eats less, which means she then produces less, and she’ll be more likely to struggle getting in calf. Good prevention and early action when you do have a case saves you time and money, and improves animal welfare. Let’s take a look at the causes of hoof pain, treatment guidelines for this type of lameness, and strategies to minimise its occurrence. ...

The benefits of heat detecting before mating

Pre-mating heat detection has several benefits – and they make up for the amount of tail paint used!By observing and recording your cows’ heats before the start of mating, you can make more informed decisions that ultimately improve herd reproductive performance, farm profitability, and long-term sustainability.Here’s how:...

Preparing for reproduction

There are a lot of ways to try to optimise your cows getting back in-calf as quickly as possible. Firstly, make sure your herd is on a rising plane of nutrition. For a nutritional consultation, get in touch with us. Make the most of our vet Marjan, who is a registered nutritionist, before she leaves for her new role! Then look into their trace elements levels, especially copper, magnesium, selenium, and iodine. We can take some blood and liver samples for testing to see if they are def...

Trace elements: Are your results normal?

Our advice as vets is to check your stock’s trace element levels before mating, even if your mineral supplementation hasn’t changed or you tested cull cows at dry off. Unfortunately each season is different and results can change. This season, for example, has been very abnormal...We had cull cows which were very high in some minerals, but then the levels in bloods taken from cows on-farm were low (so the cows tested at the works were NOT the ones from this farm)! We experienced un...

Keeping your pets safe and calm during fireworks

Fireworks can be a beautiful sight, but they can also be stressful for our pets. Here are some simple, practical tips to help keep your animals safe, comfortable, and calm as possible during firework displays.  ...

Understanding ear infections in dogs 

The most frequent type of ear infection canines experience is called otitis externa, which simply means inflammation of the outer ear canal. While dogs with floppy or hairy ears (think cocker spaniels and poodles) are more likely to be affected, it can happen to any dog.  ...

Why is my pet so itchy?

Itching, also called pruritus, is a sensation that makes your dog or cat want to scratch, rub, lick, or chew their skin. While occasional scratching can be normal, persistent or severe itching often signals an underlying issue that needs attention.  ...

When the proverbial hits the fan: Calves with scours

As a great farmer – and we know you are – your colostrum management is ideal, with quality (>22 measured on a Brix refractometer), quantity (4-6 litres), quickly (fed within 12 hours of birth), quantified (regular assessment of IgG levels), and squeaky clean!   But out of the blue, you find you have calves with diarrhoea. The cause may be nutritional or infectious. Discovering what type you are dealing with can reduce cost, time, illness and potential deaths.Nutritional dia...

When to step in and assist a calving

Assist cows if there’s no progress within 30 minutes of the waterbag showing.Assist heifers if there’s no progress within one hour of the waterbag showing.OR assist if you see:Only one leg.Only the head.A back foot or the tail (indicating it’s backwards).No feet after active straining.The cow appears tired or distressed.If unsure, call your vet. The longer you wait, the more chance of a stillbirth or injury – and your vet is here for these exact situations....

Mastitis in dry cows

Did you struggle with mastitis cases amongst your non-lactating cows this winter?Here are a few tips to help keep your herd healthy during the dry period:   Keep cows that have been dried off away from the milking shed for 10-14 days. Movement near this area can cause them to let their milk down.Keep them off wet, muddy paddocks if possible, especially in those first few days post dry-off.Keep them calm, and move them slowly to new paddocks so they don’t kick up muck.After two w...