Bumblefoot - The Story of Winston the Chicken

Winston the chicken came in to see the team of The Veterinary Centre early this year with wounds on the bottom of her feet.  She had a nasty bacterial infection known as 'Bumblefoot' (or pododermatitis) that can occur after trauma to the foot.  It can invade deeper structures such as joints and tendons, or even spread into the bloodstream setting up a septicaemia.

Winston underwent a general anaesthetic for radiographs to ensure there was no bone or tendon involvement, then underwent surgery to debride the 'dead' centre of tissue caused by the infection on the bottom of her feet, so that her feed could start to heal.  She was also placed on a four week course of antibiotics to help overcome the infection.  Due to her cheeky nature and unwillingness to take the tablets, these had to be hidden carefully in pieces of sausage meat and other tasty treats.

Bumblefoot lesions can be notoriously difficult to treat, so we are all extremely delighted with this result.  Thanks to her very dedicated owners, and the great care Winston received at the Veterinary Centre her feed have fully healed and she is back to her normal self, running and scratching around.

Tim the Tom Cat

Last week Tim the (Tom) cat came to visit his Blue Cross veterinarian.  His owner was fed up with him spraying urine in the house.  Tim's behaviour had started to change too - once a lovely friendly homely cat, he had now started roaming for days at a time and was moody and mean.  On inspection, Tim's vet found that he had never been neutered so he was booked for the very next day.  Tim's procedure was quick, painless and cost less than $55.  He went home that afternoon and was quickly back to his normal, happy self - no more lingering smells in the house.  Not only is Tim a lot nicer to have around but having your male cat neutered also benefits the entire community with less unwanted pregnancies.  Tim's Blue Cross vet advised that he should also live a much longer, healthier life with decreased risk of testicular and prostrate disease.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke can be life threatening!

Now that summer has arrived, it is important to make sure your dogs, cats, rabbits and other furry friends have access to plenty of drinking water and shade to escape the heat if they are getting too hot. NEVER leave your animal in the car on a hot day. An outside temperature of 24 degrees can jump to 50 degrees in just half an hour. Signs of heat stroke include restlessness, agitation, whining, panting, foaming at the mouth or drooling, elevated heart rate, muscle tremors and red gums. If your pet is showing signs of heat stroke - first hose them down with water, give them a drink, pop them in the shade and call us immediately at the Blue Cross Veterinary Centre for further assistance.

Gus the Heading Dog

Gus, a male heading dog was presented to Veterinary Centre Waimate feeling very off colour and quite dehydrated.  Veterinarian Steve Oehley gave him IV fluids to correct the dehydration and took blood and urine samples to be tested at the lab.  The tests showed that Gus was in kidney failure.  Gus was stabilised but after swelling of his abdomen the decision was made to perform surgery.  A contaminant in the form of a seed was discovered in his intestines.  It was removed and a course of antibiotics and pain relief then prescribed.  The seed was sent to the laboratory for identification and found to be a mango seed which, like many seeds and pips, is toxic to dogs.  Thankfully by quickly bringing Gus to his closest Veterinary Centre we were able to take care of Gus and his problem.  Gus has made a full recovery and is now back to his old self.

Sparky the Pup

Sparky visited us at the Veterinary Centre Oamaru because he was scratching and losing hair. Sarah, our Blue Cross Veterinarian, arranged for skin samples which revealed lots of demodex mites and bacteria. Most dogs have a few and they cause no problem but in some animals, such as Sparky, the immune system fails to control the mite and numbers explode causing discomfort, hair-loss and skin infections. Sparky started on medication to treat the mites and antibiotics to clear up the infection. After several months his fur has grown back and he is much happier. Left untreated, itchy skin disease can cause prolonged discomfort and misery in pets so bring them in to see our Veterinary Centre team to find out why they are itching and how our vets can help!

Sally's Stress

Sally was usually a happy and relaxed cat but when she came to visit us at the Veterinary Centre Oamaru, she was going bald from licking excessively and had started spraying inside.

Her vet discovered that Sally and her family had recently moved and they also had a friend's cat boarding with them - either of these things could lead to a cat suffering from anxiety.

Sally's vet recommended a Feliway diffuser be plugged in at home - these produce pheromones that create a safe and familiar smelling environment for Sally to reduce her stress levels.

Sally's vet checked in after two weeks and was happy to hear she was returning to her former chilled out self.

Pets can be very good at hiding their emotions but it can cause huge changes in their personality so if there is a potentially stressful event coming up for your cat or dog, such as traveling, moving house, new pets or people in the home, (just to name a few) - come and see us at your nearest Blue Cross Veterinary Centre for advice today.

Sally's Crippling Case

Sally is a bright and active 1 year old Labrador who was limping on her front limbs when she visited the Veterinary Centre Waimate recently.

X-rays were taken and showed severe osteoarthritis in both elbows.  This is most likely the result of Elbow Dysplasia - a developmental disorder causing abnormalities in the formation and growth of bones in the elbow that leads to Degenerative Joint Disease.

Sally started on a food designed especially for her sensitive joints and was given Trocoxil for arthritic pain relief.  Maintaining her activity with consistent low impact exercise and avoiding outbursts of strenuous exercise is also an important part of management.  Despite developing arthritis at a young age, Sally is doing very well with her current Veterinary Centre treatment plan and continues her active happy lifestyle!

Bonny's Sore Tooth

Bonny was usually a very happy Labrador who loved her food and playing with her toys. 

Her mum noticed she didn't want to play with her favourite ball and was taking a very long time to eat her breakfast - which was most unlike her!

Her mouth was examined at the Veterinary Centre Oamaru and her vet found a large infected swollen lump on her bottom jaw.  Bonny was admitted to the hospital for dental x-rays to investigate the swelling.

Dental x-rays revealed tooth root abscesses on two of her molars, and also ruled out any neoplastic/cancerous involvement.  Both teeth were then extracted and Bonny went home with a course of antibiotics and pain relief.

Bonny came back a week later and her vet was really pleased with how her mouth was healing and she was well on her way back to her normal bouncy happy self.

Roxy's Senior Health Check

Roxy's owners had become worried about their old girl (13), she had slowed down a lot and was struggling to get up in the cold mornings.  she had also started having very anxious episodes when she didn't seem to know where she was or recognise her family, she was panting, pacing and wanting inside to hide.

Her owners took her into Veterinary Centre Oamaru for a "Senior Health Check" for a thorough check over.

She had diagnostic radiographs and senior bloods run.  Roxy was found to have quite bad arthritis in her hips and knees.  She was given anti-inflammatories (Trocoxil) to help her get around more easily and relieve any pain.  Her blood tests came back clear which is fantastic for her age meaning serious conditions like cancer, kidney failure and liver disease could be ruled out.  She was put on dementia medication - to help with her anxiety and disorientation.

Roxy is now doing much better - getting up easily, keen for walks again and is having fewer episodes of confusion.

Bob's Tetanus

Bob is a hard working heading collie who had stiff limb movement.  When he was brought in to the Veterinary Centre his ears were erect, his tail elevated and his facial muscles were pulled back as if he was grinning.  Our vets immediately diagnosed him with tetanus.  Tetanus is a potentially fatal disease that causes muscles to contract - dogs rapidly become stiffer and are unable to walk or swallow.  Fortunately, as his symptoms were noticed early Bob has now made a complete recovery and is back at work.  He spent 10 days in hospital on IV fluids, antibiotics and anti-toxin therapy and supportive care.  Contamination of wounds is the most common way that dogs can get tetanus and although rare, the Veterinary Centre has now treated three cases in the last 6 months.  Thoroughly cleaning wounds (particularly in feet and toes) and early recognition of tetanus is extremely important to ensure that dogs receive treatment in time.