Potts Point Vet Hospital Blog

Hitting the road with your pet this summer? Here are our picks for the 10 essentials to consider when traveling with your pet!

You may have read a few recent news articles describing a new strain of highly contagious canine parvovirus that has been recently discovered in Australia. 

A recent study estimates there to be somewhere between 2.1 and 6.3 million feral animals in Australia. PPVH is committed to helping decrease this number by working closely with organizations such as the Community Cat Carers and Cat Rescue 901. We vet check, desex, vaccinate and deworm the animals, with the intent of finding them all homes. 

Having never interacted with humans, the cats often come in to the clinic scared and shy, but we work diligently to get them used to the human touch. Sometimes you'll even see us carrying around small kittens in our scrub tops! This gets them used to the sound of human voices and our scent. 

Currently, we have a litter of three (previously four - one just got adopted!) very sweet, 4 month old kittens. They have turned into very well socialized and affectionate cats. 

Check Me-owt! I'm up for adoption (along with two siblings- see below!) at Potts Point Vet. Come and meet me today! 

Feline panleukopenia virus (also known as feline infectious enteritis, feline distemper or feline parvovirus) is a fatal disease that is currently affecting cats in NSW. 

The fireworks in Sydney are of epic proportions - don't let your pet's anxiety be!

While the holiday season is a generally enjoyable time, it can pose some specific risks for your pet. Read on to keep your pet safe and to avoid hefty vet bills (which you probably can't afford after buying all those pressies!)

Last week, I had a conversation with the owners of a poodle we look after. Based on my observations, I suspected their dog was suffering from an anal sac problem. When I asked the worried dog parents if they were familiar with anal sacs the female owner sheepishly replied "Only from what I saw on The Bachelor..." 

Do you often look at your cat and ask yourself: "Why do you do these strange things, my feline friend?" Cats are (understandably) often regarded as mysterious creatures with seemingly bizarre - and sometimes frustrating - behaviours.  

As vets, we struggle to find a disease that has more misconceptions and misunderstandings than canine kennel cough. Let's clear some of those up, shall we?

On a recent trip home to Boston, I was welcomed with a big surprise: My future sister-in-law and her husband (whom I was staying with) had just adopted a new puppy from Buddy Dog Adoption Center. It goes without saying that I was nothing but ecstatic. 

Believe it or not, obesity is the #1 nutritional disorder seen in dogs and cats.

Obesity is defined as an excess body weight of greater than 15%, and it can look something like this:

When you think of acne, you might only think of angsty pimple-faced teenagers, but in fact, cats suffer from acne too. 

Have you noticed your aging pup or kitty slowing down? Is he slower to rise in the morning or after a nap? 

Maybe your elderly cat can't quite jump up on the window sill like she used to? 

These are signs your pet may be suffering from arthritis. Also known as degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis, this common disease is caused by simple wear and tear of the joints over time.

The signs of arthritis can range from mild discomfort (this might not be obvious to an owner or vet) to debilitating joint pain that severely limits the animal's mobility. Cold and damp winter days can make arthritis worse.

If you are not sure if your pet is  pain, the veterinarian can examine its limb joints and spine to detect pain.

There are many things that can be done to help slow the progression of arthritis in pets. These include:

1. Special prescription diets: Hill's JD and Royal Canin Mobility are just two examples: they include supplements and nutrients proven to improve and support joint health.

2. Good nail and foot care: keeping the toe nails clipped properly  and the hair trimmed so the pads dont slip,  to  help ensure a normal gait and remove stress on the joints.

3 Soft bedding and carpeting over slippery floors: added traction can also prevent paws form slipping and legs from splaying out and stressing sore joints. 

4. Pentosan injections: The veterinarian can  administer a once-weekly injection over three weeks which has meany beneficial actions. Just a few actions are that pentosan acts to thicken joint fluid, increases activity of young joint cartilage cells and helps improve mobility of all joints.  

5. Oral supplements such as 4cyte may reverse cartilage damage and decrease pain in the joint. There are many brands and types of supplements to suit even the fussiest  sore pet.

 6. Heating: keeping pets warm with heated beds and blankets can definitely improve mobility.

7. Drugs:  Just like you and me, sometimes our pets need some anti-inflammatories and pain-relief medicines, to get them through their bad days. The veterinarian will help you choose the right drug for your pets requirements

It was a rainy July day when dog owner Hope walked into Potts Point Vet Hospital with her labradoodle, Polly Ester. Polly wasn't there for a vaccine, she hadn't even been sick. She was there because she had turned orange.

You might not think of Easter as a dangerous time of year, but every Easter we see many sick dogs related to one very common Easter treat: chocolate. 

As the warmer months come around, everyone is opening their windows and enjoying time on their balconies.  This puts pets (cats in particular) at a risk; cats love high places. In the wild, they can stalk prey or take a nap high up in a tree.  If they fall, they can easily grab on to a branch and save themselves. Unfortunately, the high rise buildings they fall out of in urban environments, aren’t designed with felines in mind and they fall (sometimes several stories) only to land on the sidewalk, in the road, or if they’re lucky, in a garden.

Dental health in your pet is more important than you may think. Bacteria living in the mouth can have effects on internal organ systems and it has become clear that oral health is important to overall health. 

Read part I here: PPVH vet in Thailand Week 1

Our week at the Elephant Nature Park came to a close and we headed back to the city of Chiang Mai. Here, we worked at the Animal Rescue Kingdom: a shelter and hospital to over 100 homeless dogs. Like many countries in South East Asia, Thailand suffers from a dog overpopulation problem. The Animal Rescue Kingdom (ARK) offers shelter and treatment to animals rescued from the street and those abandoned by their owners. The shelter runs a sterilization program to help combat the overpopulation problem. 

While most of my patients are small animals, I have a special place in my heart for one of the world's largest: the Asian elephant.  I was given an amazing opportunity to work alongside elephant veterinarians at the Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary to over sixty orphaned, abused and injured elephants. 

We are happy to introduce our newest Potts Point Vet team member and veterinary nurse: Ashley!

We are excited to announce the new Potts Point Vet Hospital Blog!

Here, you can find important information about the health and wellbeing of your pet. We’ll cover everything from puppy training tips to caring for your geriatric dog to common cat illnesses and more.