Is your pet the Bay’s Biggest Loser?
Tauranga, Te Puna, Katikati and Papamoa Village Vets are giving your pet the chance to lose big, while giving you the chance to win big!
25 09, 2020
26 02, 2018
Alpaca & Barbers Pole
Like all ruminants alpaca are susceptible to a number of internal parasites. These are similar to the internal parasites found in sheep and cattle including round worms, whip worms, tapeworms and liver fluke. This means alpacas who share grazing with cattle and sheep are susceptible to picking up infection from their faeces too. One worm that can be potentially life threatening to alpacas is called Barber’s pole of Hameonchus. Barber’s pole is a worm that
22 08, 2017
Addisons Disease in Dogs
Addisons Disease in Dogs: In vet school we are taught common diseases occur commonly. As exciting as the rare and unusual are, we look for common things first. They summarise this in a quote “when you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras”. There must be something in the water in Te Puna because we see many weird and wonderful cases on a daily basis, enough to keep us vets on our toes! One cold
15 05, 2017
Alpacas and Internal Parasite Control
Like all ruminants, alpacas are susceptible to a number of internal parasites. These are similar to the internal parasites found in sheep and cattle, and include round worms, whip worms, tapeworms and liver fluke. This means alpacas who share grazing with cattle and sheep are susceptible to picking up infection from their faeces. Alpacas originate from South America where they are farmed over vast mountainous terrain at a low stocking rate. In New Zealand with
7 05, 2017
Parasite Challenge: Ostertagia
Parasites, like Ostertagia (brown stomach worm) pose a significant problem for all ruminant (cattle, sheep, deer) livestock grazing New Zealand pastures. Infestations of this parasite are harmful to productivity and can ultimately lead to death. It is noticeable from autumn, well into spring. Drenching allows for enhanced production as well as protecting the welfare of stock. The disease (known as Ostertagiasis) occurs in two forms, Type I and Type II disease. The type I form occurs
7 05, 2017
Footrot in Goats & Sheep
With wet weather on its way, footrot is a commonly seen condition at this time of year for goats & sheep. Footrot is caused by continuous wetting of the interdigital area, the soft part between the claws of the hoof, and following invasion of the bacteria Fusobacterium necrophorum and Dichelobacter nodosus. These bacteria are widespread in the environment but cannot penetrate healthy intact skin. Several factors can predispose to bacterial invasion of the foot eg.
7 05, 2017
Tauranga Disease: B12 or Cobolt Deficiency
Who knew we had our own disease? Luckily it is a disease that we do not see too often anymore but the cause of it is still here and has the potential to affect livestock in our region. What is ‘Tauranga Disease’? Well it is also know as ‘Bush Sickness’. Historically this was a wasting illness that affected sheep and cattle in the central North Island. Such was its severity that in the late 19th
24 04, 2017
Cancer in Cats and Dogs
Unfortunately, cancer is as common in cats and dogs as it is in people. It is the leading cause of death in dogs over the age of 10. However, if caught early, more than half of cancers are curable. Cancer is a complex disease affected by genetics and the environment. Certain breeds have higher risks of developing cancer. It has also been shown that cigarette smoke increases cancer risk. In dogs, being thin can extend
2 11, 2016
Theileria or tick disease
The “tick disease “ Theileria has again this spring continued its insidious spread through dairy cattle herds of the upper North Island including the Bay of Plenty, as well as further down the country. Nationwide cases have been reported since September 2012 with the rate of new farms being infected each week showing that in due course virtually every cattle farm (both dairy and beef) will become infected at some point in the short to
