Like many veterinary clinics, we only close for the public holidays over the Christmas/New Year period. To facilitate our staff enjoying the Festive Season with their families, however, we will be closing at 4pm on both Christmas and New Year’s Eve. As such, our trading hours will be:

 Normal hours until Monday December 24^th (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm and Saturday 8am – 12 noon).

 Monday 24^th December – Open 8am – 4pm

Tuesday 25^th December – Closed

Wednesday 26^th December – Closed

Thursday 27^th December – Open 8am – 6pm

Friday 28^th December – Open 8am – 6pm

Saturday 29^th December – Open 8am – 12 noon

Sunday 30^th December – Closed

Monday 31^st December – Open 8am – 4pm

Tuesday 1^st January – Closed

Normal hours resume Wednesday 3^rd January (Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm and Saturday 8am – 12pm).

As the Christmas/New Year period is often a very busy few days managing acute care patients, we strongly recommend that you plan to take care of all routine and elective pet health care needs outside of that week.

Of course you want to include your furry companions in the festivities but as you celebrate this Christmas be sure to steer them clear of the following dangers: 

O Christmas tree: Secure your Christmas tree so it doesn't tip or fall. Don't let your pet access tree water and keep any wires and batteries out of paws' reach

Tinsel and Christmas lights: Kitties love these sparkly "toys" but if swallowed, it can lead to an obstructed digestive tract

Feasting furries: Keep your pets away from the table and unattended plates of food and secure the lids on rubbish bins. Fatty, spicy human foods and cooked bones should not be fed to your furry friends

Toy joy: Looking to stuff your pet's stockings? Choose gifts that are safe: 

Dogs: Stick with chew toys that are indestructible such as Kongs. These can be stuffed with healthy foods that are safely digestible. See http://www.kongcompany.com/

Cats: Long, stringy things are a feline's dream, but are also the most risky. Ribbon, yarn and loose little parts can get stuck in the intestines. Surprise your kitty with a new ball that's too big to swallow or a stuffed catnip toy

Every month we put the names of all the animals that have visited us into a hat, and we draw out a name to be Pet of the Month. That pet then has its photo taken, and given a nutritional consultation and complimentary bag of premium pet food appropriate to its health and life stage.

Last month’s winner was Archie, a 12 month old desexed Blue Heeler. He is a bundle of energy, but had developed a mild conjunctivitis – not uncommon at this time of year, and readily treatable.

Archie has just gone through puberty, and has entered his adult phase of life. This is an extremely important period nutritionally in most animals - having finished most of their growing, their calorie intake requirement significantly drops. Can you imagine eating what you ate as a teenager now, as an adult? We would be the size of houses! And yet, many owners do just that to their pets.

Adult pets need to be fed an adult dog food, and less of it, than they were fed as growing puppies. From information gathered in the nutritional consultation, Lauren determined that the best food for Archie was Royal Canin for medium-sized neutered adult dogs. He needs less than 300 grams a day to still be the fit and happy dog he is, and yet avoid getting love handles in the future!