Clinic News
Looking for a home
She is desexed, up-to-date with vaccinations (due Feb 2011) and microchipped. Croydon Pet Hospital has taken care of Egypt's health for the past 18 months.
She is an indoor cat who would benefit from being in a single cat household.
For further information or to organise a time to meet her, please contact the clinic on 9727 4004.
Study Update...
Ellie is studying Certificate II Animal Studies via correspondence and has just completed her first group of assessments and just received her results this week.
We received a phone call from her assessor saying, "Ellie is one of the best 1st year students that I've had in a long time!" We are all very proud of the dedication that Ellie is showing towards her studies.
Having left school to join the workforce (not studying for 12 months), it can be a little hard to get back into the books but Ellie is doing excellently!!
Congratulations!!
A huge CONGRATULATIONS to JESS and her partner STUART on their recent ENGAGEMENT.
We hope this is just the BEGINNING of a LIFETIME filled with LOVE, HAPPINESS and GOOD HEALTH.
We wish them ALL THE BEST for the lead up to the 'BIG DAY' in December and for a WONDERFUL future together as MR & MRS!
Congratulations Jess & Stuart!
Household dangers:
Just as parents ‘childproof’ their home, so should pet owners ‘petproof’ theirs. Four-legged members of the family, like infants and small children, are naturally curious and love to explore their environment with their paws, claws and mouths. But they can’t know what is dangerous and what is not... so it’s up to you to make your home a safe haven. The following tips can help ensure that your pet enjoys a long, happy and accident-free life in your care.
All around the house
- Don’t let young pets out on balconies or high decks.
- Many house plants, including Lilies/Liliaceae family, Dieffenbachia (dumbcane), Philodendrons, Ivy (various species), Creeping Charlie, Umbrella Plant and many more are extremely poisonous if eaten. Remove them or put them out of reach in hanging baskets.
- Rat bait is extremely tempting for dogs to eat, yet is highly poisonous and potentially fatal, and should not be accessible at any time.
- Puppies & kittens love to chew when they’re teething, so unplug, remove or cover electrical cords.
- Don’t leave a room where a fire is lit or a space heater is being used unattended.
- Plastic bags may be fun to play with, but they can suffocate.
- If your pet can put something in their mouth, they probably will. Don’t leave small, sharp, easily swallowed objects lying around.
- Cats enjoy naps near a warm engine so, before you drive off, honk your horn and make sure your pet is not under or near the car.
- Pets like the smell and taste of antifreeze and windscreen washer. Tightly cover their containers and wipe up any spills.
- Paint, petrol and other dangerous chemicals should be stored out of reach.
- Never leave hotplates or irons on unattended.
- Dangerous household chemicals such as bleach and ammonia should be stored out of your pet’s reach.
- Close washing machine and dryer lids – your pet might climb in and become trapped.
- Keep toilet lids down – small pets can actually drown if they fall in.
- Medicines, shampoo, sunscreen and other personal care items can kill your pet. Make sure they can’t get hold of them.
- Some outdoor plants, like Brunfelsia (Yesterday Today & Tomorrow), Lilies, Ivy, Oleander, Azalea, Foxglove, Hydrangea, Morning Glory, Nightshade, Rhododendron, Yew and many more can be poisonous to pets. Many plants can also be responsible for allergies in our pets.
- Keep pets away from lawns and gardens treated with snail bait or chemicals.
- Store garden tools, baits and chemicals securely. Keep garden sheds locked.
- Cover swimming pools, spas and ponds- your pet might fall in and not be able to get out.
- Keep pets away from spiders and snakes.
- Eliminate hooks or similar objects placed at your dog’s shoulder height – their collar or harness could become tangled and they could choke.
- A tall perimeter or invisible electrical fence around your property will minimise the risk of your dog running out into traffic or roaming far from home.
- Tinsel and icicles, Christmas tree lights and glass ornaments will be sure to tempt your pet’s curiosity – but all could be lethal if chewed or swallowed.
- Poinsettia, holly and mistletoe are poisonous to your pets.
They're calling on YOU!
The mining of this commodity within the Congo River Basin is contributing to forest loss and unrest in the region, and is accelerating the loss of mountain gorillas at an alarmingly fast rate.Did you know?
More than 800 million people around the world currently use mobile phones and that figure is growing daily!
In Australia alone, it is estimated that there were 9 million new mobile phones sold in the last 12 months.
Australians typically upgrade their phones every 18-24 months! This exerts enormous pressure on the mining of resources such as coltan needed to manufacture new phones.
80% of the world’s coltan reserves are located within the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As the forest is denuded for mining, the protection once offered by the habitat in it’s pristine state is now no longer able to shelter gorillas and a range of other species from the bush meat crisis.
In Kahuzi Biega National Park, more than fifty percent of the mountain gorilla population has been lost, leaving the species on the brink of extinction.
You can make a difference simply by donating your old mobile phone!
Is Your Pet Microchipped?
The Croydon Pet Hospital wants to make owners more aware of the benefits of microchipping your pet! A microchip is a small implant approximately the size of a grain of rice, which is inserted between the pet's shoulder blades under the skin. Each individual chip has its own number which is linked to your details. It works in the following way:
Your dog runs away or escapes, a local ranger or passer by could take your dog to a shelter or veterinary clinic. All councils, shelters and vet clinics are equipped with a scanning device for microchips, and this is the first thing these places will do when a 'stray' is brought in. The scanner will beep and bring up the microchip number after a quick scan of your pet. From here, the Central Animal Records Database or Australasian Animal Registry is accessed via the internet. The microchip number is entered into this database and the details are retrieved. These registries display pet and owner details, so that the pet can be quickly and easily returned to you!
It is a fairly painless procedure, most animals do not feel the chip being inserted! We recommend that you microchip your pet as soon as it becomes your responsibility, you are more likely to get your pet back if they are microchipped. At the time of desexing a microchip can also be inserted, that way they will already be under anaesthetic and wont feel a thing anyway!) However, it is quite simple and painless for us to microchip your pet during the time of a consult whilst your pet is still awake. If they were
Microchipping is a once off fee for life!
The cost of inserting a microchip into your pet is $53.90 for chip only, or $42.90 if performed at the same time as a procedure (this means with a surgery or vaccination.) Once this fee has been paid, and the chip has been inserted your pet is registered with the database for life! But make sure you change your personal details if moving house or purchasing a new phone.
VICTORIAN BUSH FIRES: Injured Wildlife
BUSH FIRES bring immediate danger to all of our wildlife, and on occasions our loved family pets.
Croydon Pet Hospital is happily accepting any wild life or family pets that have been injured during the devastating bushfires. If an animal is seen to be in danger and it's possible for you to take it under your wing, please do and ensure you get it to the nearest Veterinary Clinic for medical treatment. We are open 7 days a week and will gladly respond to any questions you have in regards to injured animals.
All pets should be provided with cool clean water at all times, especially during the warmer weather & bushfire season. There are no costs involved with the service & treatment of any wildlife.
Any pet food, bedding, feeding bowls & blankets are being accepted at the following places - see websites for details on drop off point:
RSPCA VICTORIA: www.rspcavic.org.au
LORT SMITH ANIMAL HOSPITAL: www.lortsmith.com
WILD LIFE VICTORIA: www.wildlifevictoria.org.au
Coldstream ANIMAL AID are accepting monetry donations as they remain on FIRE ALERT. If you have blankets which you would like to donate to them, please hold onto them for a week or so until they are fire safe.
Welcome Dr Jessica Hubbard BVSc
Croydon Pet Hospital would like to welcome Dr Jessica Hubbard on board!
Jessica will join the Croydon Pet Hospital team on Monday 19th January, becoming the 2nd Veterinarian, joining Dr Peter Verhoef.
Jessica is a very experienced and compassionate Veterinarian who is looking forward to settling in and meeting her new patients!
Feel free to come in anytime and meet Jess!
Croydon Pet Hospital Clinic Promotions
FIV in Cats (Feline AIDS)
We are currently promoting the relatively new FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus or Feline AIDS) vaccine for cats. The FIV is similar to that of the human variety (although not contagious to humans), being a viral disease that interefers with the immune system of a cat.
The virus lives in the blood of the infected cat and once infected a cat carries this virus in its sytem for life. Infected cats may expose healthy cats they come into contact with, most often by biting.
While some infected cats show no sign of disease, and may appear healthy for up to 10 years, others may display intial symptoms such as;
* Fever * Loss of appetite * Diarrhoea * Lethargy * Swollen lymph nodes
As the disease progresses, symptoms include:
* Weight loss * Ulcers in and around the mouth * Eye lesions * Poor hair coat
* Chronic infections.
Eventually the immune system becomes too weak to fight off even small infections or diseases. As a result, the cat usually dies from a secondary infection rather than the initial FIV virus.
***What can you do to prevent feline AIDS???***
Eliminating contact with infected cats by keeping your cat indoors or Vaccination are the best ways to prevent the disease. There is no cure for an FIV infected cat. Please speak with your Veterinarian or one of the veterinary nurses regarding vaccinating your cat against Feline AIDS.
- Information on FIV taken from Forte Dodge's FIV Vaccine Brochure. Fort Dodge is the creator of the only FIV vaccine!
Celebrating Vet Nurses Day!
WHAT IS VETERINARY NURSES DAY?
VN Day is a VNCA initiative to raise awareness of the importance of veterinary nurses to both the public and to the industry. It is a day to celebrate and recognise the contributions of Veterinary Nurses to the Australian Veterinary team.
THE AIMS ARE:
To educate the public about this vital member of the veterinary medical team. To reinforce the value and professionalism of veterinary nurses to Veterinarians and the public. To provide an opportunity for veterinary nurses to acknowledge one another for excellent performance in their work.
WHEN IS IT?
First Friday in October every year