warwick-vet-clinic

RINGWORM IN HORSES

Sun, 16 May 2021 02:02:03 GMT

Management of ring worm in horses

Trichophytes

Cutaneous mycosis (ringworm) due to Trichophyton spp. Is very common, highly contagious and affects horse of all ages
Transmission of via direct contact or indirectly with fomites and fly’s
Spores are highly resistant to the environment and can exit in stables and on gear for some time
Infection relies on presence of spores and mechanical irritation to skin e.g., grith rub
Lesions are visible 7-21 days after infection and can expand and continue to spread on horse for 2-4 months depending on hair growth stages
Treatment involves avoiding source of infection and sterilization of the environment (tack, rugs and harness) and medical treatment of the skin with washes

Clinical signs

Circular lesions 5-20mm diameter
7-10 days following infection hair is easily plucked leaving redden circular lesion
Girth, shoulder and chest wall most typical areas
Healing lesions have marked alopecia (hair loss), smooth silvery lesions

Treatment

Spontaneous healing in 6-12 weeks with sunlight
Treatment limits spread but does not limit course of the disease
Wash horse in fungicide twice weekly with Miconazole/Chlorhexidine wash (Malaseb), Halaspet, or Enilconazole (Imaverol)
Individual lesions can be treated by scrubbing for 1-2 minutes daily for 7-10 days with 10% povidone-iodine solution or 0.3% Halamid
Wash all tack and blankets in disinfectants (Virkon, chlorine-based solutions)
Avoid sharing of tack and clippers with infected horses

Control

Isolate infected horse and wash twice a week for 3-4 weeks
Wash all in contact horses twice a week for 2 week
Avoid comingling of horses for an extended period of time (minimum 2-3weeks) to reduce chance of spread
Cases of re-emergence can occur

Knottenbelt, DC 2009, Pascoe's Principles and Practice of Equine Dermatology E-Book, Elsevier Health Sciences, London, UNITED KINGDOM.

Pilsworth, R & Knottenbelt, D 2007, 'Dermatophytosis (ringworm)', Equine Veterinary Education, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 151-4.

FULL TIME VET NURSE POSITION AVAILABLE

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 02:02:03 GMT

The Warwick Vet Clinic is a long-established 6 vet, 8 vet nurse mixed animal clinic which offers high quality veterinary care and health advice for all animals, large and small. Our clinical team members are dedicated and supportive and pride themselves on providing professional veterinary services in the community with passion, honesty and integrity.

We are currently seeking a motivated and energetic person to fill a full-time vet nurse position. Experience is preferred but not essential.

The role responsibilities will include: -

Maintaining a high standard towards cleanliness and hygiene in the hospital and kennel areas at all times.
Providing effective support to veterinarians in all aspects of veterinary nursing, including animal handling, IV catheter placement, blood collection and testing, surgical preparation and anaesthetic monitoring
Assisting with reception an administration tasks if required
Providing animal health advice to clients in line with policy and procedures

The ideal candidate will need to possess the following attributes: -

Have a passion for veterinary nursing
Be friendly and empathetic while maintaining an excellent level of patient care and customer service at all times
Have sound organisational and time management skills
Be able to show initiative and be self-motivated
Demonstrate effective interpersonal, oral and written and computer skills
Possess a current driver’s licence

All applicants are asked to submit their cover letter and resume via email to chris.reardon@warwickvet.com.au

COVID-19 AND PET CARE

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 01:29:12 GMT

Coronavirus and Pets

There is no doubt that the outbreak of COVID-19 is causing significant interruptions to our daily lives. One member of the household who can provide great comfort and stress relief is the family pet. The unconditional love and attention that a pet dog or cat can provide to a family can be a wonderful help during this time of isolation. Here is some information about pets and COVID which may be helpful.

There have been some reports recently regarding the spread of the virus from human to animals. Based on current evidence from around the world, these human-to-animal cases are rare and isolated incidents. The Australian Veterinary Association has reiterated that the main transmission pathway for COVID is from human-to-human contact. Despite this, we should not be complacent with good hygiene when we handle our pets as we do not know everything about this virus yet.

Please ensure that you: -

Maintain good hand hygiene before and after handling our pet and their food and water bowls.
Avoid kissing your pet or allowing it to lick your face
Avoid contact with bodily fluids (faeces or urine) and,
Limit contact with your pet if you are sick with COVID-19

Isolation and Pets

Isolation should not have a huge impact on your animal. If you are in isolation or choosing to self-isolate, there will most likely be items that you need for your pet over this period of time. These may include food supplies, preventative health products or medications. There is no need to panic regarding these items, as we can provide a drop off service to your door if you need supplies.

Please contact the clinic if you would like to receive this service. If your pet falls ill whilst you are in isolation, please contact the clinic and we will arrange the care needed. Our services have been altered during these times to ensure safety of our clients and employees. We will however provide a high standard of care for your beloved pet.

Spending Time with your Pets

During these times of anxiety and uncertainty, spending time with your animals can greatly benefit your mental wellbeing and physical health.

Below are some suggestions on how to keep yourself and your furry friend occupied over the coming weeks.

Take your dog for a walk. Doing this is a great opportunity to get yourself outdoors and is currently legal as long as you follow the Governments guidelines on social distancing.
Play some games that encourage your pet to use their natural instincts. These may be ‘find the treat’ style games, obstacle courses, fetch or tug of war. This will keep you and your animal occupied for hours and your animal will love the attention.
Teach them new tricks or perform some behavioural training. What better time to kick that bad habit your pet may have or to teach it a new trick that everyone will be impressed by.

A WARMER WINTER THIS YEAR COULD POSE A RISK FOR HENDRA VIRUS CASES

Wed, 06 May 2020 02:02:03 GMT

BatOneHealth is a global team of experts working across multiple scales to learn the causes of spillover and find sustainable solutions that protect future generations from zoonotic disease. Our research in Australia focuses on the complex interactions between climate, land use change, flying fox ecology, Hendra virus dynamics and spillover into horses. In particular, our long-term studies of this system enable us to identify processes that drive Hendra virus spillover and predict periods of increased risk, allowing pre-emptive interventions.

The winter of 2011 saw 17 Hendra virus spillover events in subtropical Australia. In 2017, we published a News piece in the Australian Veterinary Journal that highlighted the potential for heightened spillover risk that winter, based on similarities in climatic and ecological conditions leading up to winter 2017 and winter 2011. Indeed, winter 2017 saw the largest numbers of spillovers within a year in the SE Qld/NE NSW region since the Hendra virus vaccine was introduced. Recent conditions lead us to predict that winter 2020 also represents a period of heightened risk for Hendra virus spillover. Actions now by veterinarians and their clients can change this outcome.

We, therefore, urge veterinarians, their staff and their clients to review AVA and government guidelines for mitigating the risk of Hendra virus spillover. Last year’s spillover to a horse in the Upper Hunter region of NSW cautions against rigid expectations of the geographical risk zone for Hendra virus spillovers.

Peggy Eby 1, 2 , Raina K. Plowright 1,3 , Hamish McCallum 1 , Alison J. Peel 1

Affiliations:

Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA

For more Hendra virus information go to:
Biosecurity Queensl a nd
Australian Veterinary Association

FREE DPI WEBINAR FOR LANDHOLDERS

Fri, 01 May 2020 01:17:55 GMT

The DPI will host a 3-part series to support small landholders during times of drought and the subsequent recovery processes.

The opening webinar will discuss some topics that are constantly talked about between producers:

Managing climate variability
Maintenance feed requirements for horses, sheep & goats
Land management & pasture recovery

Damien O'Sullivan (Senior Beef Extension Officer – DAF) will outline the climate variability we constantly face in Australia, the current climate outlook, the on-line tools available to help us understand climate variability and how they can be used to help us manage climate variability. Damien will also discuss the maintenance feed requirements for horses, sheep and goats (in your care) during his presentation.

Bruce Lord (Senior Scientist – Healthy Land & Water) when he discusses best grazing land management practices, why we should be using them, and how to recover our pastures following drought.

Each presentation will be followed by a Q&A session where you can ask your questions to the presenter.

The first webinar is next Wednesday, May 6, 2020 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM AEST.

More information can found on this link

COVID-19 UPDATE

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 01:31:41 GMT

COVID-19 UPDATE

To all our valued clients,

We are monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic situation closely and following all state/national guidelines as well as the Australian Veterinary Association recommendations. All our clinics have elevated our health and hygiene standards to ensure that we keep our team and our clients safe, including disinfecting public areas regularly throughout the day, encouraging social distancing and enforcing a strict wellness policy for our staff. We ask that you help us implement the following measures to ensure your pets can continue receiving essential medical treatment throughout these times of uncertainty.

You Need to Tell Us

If you are feeling unwell, have been overseas in the last 14 days or have been exposed to someone potentially with COVID-19 please do not visit our clinics. If your animal needs veterinary care, please phone ahead for an initial phone conversation to determine whether the patient needs to come into clinic. We will from there arrange for the animal to be collected or dropped off to the practice safely.

Physical Distancing

We will be observing the recommended social distancing measures of no handshakes, 1.5m distance between people and only having face-to-face contact where necessary. We ask that you phone the clinic prior to coming in and if you are given a designated consult time, that you ensure you arrive on time to limit number of people in the waiting room. We are asking that during this time, only one person accompanies their animal to the clinic to reduce the number of people visiting the premises. A vet nurse may ask to hold your pet during examination.

Hygiene Etiquette

We ask that you wash your hands or wipe in an alcohol base solution on the way in and out of the building with the products provided. If there is already someone in the waiting room on your arrival, stay outside until directed to enter the premises by one of our employees. Clients visiting our Warwick clinic are encouraged to park at the rear of the building, wash their hands and use the ramp access on to the veranda. Please use our contact-less payment methods.

Home Deliveries

If your pet is on long-term medications or you are wanting to purchase any over the counter products, please call prior to coming into the clinic so we can have them ready for you, or alternatively arrange for us to drop them to you in our Pet Taxi. Payment will need to be made over the phone, prior to these products being delivered.

Telemedicine

Consultations over the internet will be made available where a bona fide veterinarian-client-patient relationship exists. Telemedince consults may be suitable for simple post-operative assessments, medical progress examinations and revisits, repeat authorisation/prescription requests and lower risk cases such as non-urgent skin disease and mild gastrointestinal conditions. A nominal fee may apply.

Visitation of pets in clinic will be suspended however we will continue to keep you regularly updated on your pet´s progress through Zoom (Video) and photographs.

Finally, we thank you for your patience and understanding and know that we will get through this together. The care of your pets, large and small, remains our primary focus, and we hope that you and your families all stay well over the coming weeks.

DR KAYLA JACKSON'S LOVE OF WORKING WITH ANIMALS

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 01:34:42 GMT

'Since as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a vet. Growing up all along the Eastern Coast of Australia we had many household pets and wildlife which fuelled my passion for understanding animals. I come from a large family who have always been incredibly supportive of my dream to one day be a Veterinarian.

It wasn’t long before I got my first practical experience doing work experience at Gold Coast Animal Referral and Emergency (GCARE) and as it turned out, this developed into my first job and a traineeship in Animal Care. During high school I worked at the Animal Emergency Centre (AEC) and volunteered at a local community farm and the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. This further fostered my love of critical care, large animals and exotics, in particular native animals.

I studied a Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney and in my spare time volunteered with the University Vets Beyond Borders and Wildlife societies. I also worked as a live-in vet student at Haberfield and worked weekends as a vet nurse. As a student, I loved all these opportunity I had to care for the sick and injured animals and put what I was learning into practice.

Following graduation, I moved to Warwick to begin working with the amazing team at Warwick Vet Clinic where I have continued my education with attending Critical Care Conferences, Diagnostic Imaging Online Courses and Bovine Practical Skills Workshops.

I love the sense of community Warwick has and feel I have learnt so much and formed great bonds with our patients and clients. I look forward to caring for all the animals, big and small in the years to come.’

BEAWARE OF TICK PARALYSIS WITH YOUR PETS THIS SUMMER.

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 01:38:46 GMT

As the weather gets warmer and hopefully wetter, you may notice an exponential growth in the number of creepy crawlies around. One special arachnid, the paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is of particular concern to veterinarians in Australia. Paralysis ticks produce a neurotoxin in their saliva that is injected into their furry four-legged hosts as they feed on their blood. This toxin binds to receptors and prevents the transmission of information between nerves and muscles, leading to paralysis usually within 2-3 days. While symptoms may present in a variety of ways, the most typical presentation involves wobbly gait, weak hind legs, a change in bark/meow, reduced reflexes, inability to protect their airways, and most importantly difficulty breathing. The clinical signs generally progress from the hindlimbs forward with paralysis of the respiratory muscles ultimately leading to death.

Treatment typically involves the use of acaricides to kill attached ticks and an intravenous infusion of Tick Antiserum to bind free toxin circulating in the body in addition to supportive care including fluid therapy, eye lubrication, bladder expression, and frequent turning. Even with prompt diagnosis and treatment, prognosis can still be guarded as they may continue to decline for 24-48hrs before improving.

As the old saying goes, prevention is far better than cure. Treatment requires at least 1-2 days of intensive hospital care and total costs can range from $1,000 up to $10,000+ especially if referral and ventilation is required, and all with no guarantee of survival. In contrast, prevention can cost as little as $20-30 a month. A range of products are registered to protect against paralysis ticks including chewable and spot ons, which typically need to be reapplied once a month or once every three months. It is also important to perform daily tick checks as no product is always 100% effective.

Ticks can be found almost anywhere, and no one is safe, even pets kept indoors. Ticks usually enjoy warm humid climates and tall grass but can be brought closer to home by marsupials and even be tracked inside by humans and other pets. If you do find a tick on your pet, it is important to remove the tick and its mouth parts with tick twisters or tweezers, keep the tick in a sealed vessel for identification (please don't squeeze or crush it), and call the clinic as soon as possible. The earlier the treatment, the better the prognosis!

More information on disease prevention can be found on our website.

MEET DR CHRISTINE FRAENKEL

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 01:43:02 GMT

I grew up in the inner-city suburbs of Brisbane as the youngest of three children. Thanks to my mother’s love of animals and inability to say no to her pesky kids we always had a myriad of animals including dogs, cats, cockatiels, budgies, guinea pigs, fish, and even a peacock. This combined with my passion for science nurtured both at home and school meant pursuing a career as a veterinarian was a logical choice.

After school I attended the University of Queensland Gatton campus where I obtained a bachelor’s degree in veterinary science (Honours). During this time, I became involved in creating and running the UQ VSA Peer Support Network, whose mission is to support the mental health and wellbeing of the student body. I first attended Warwick Vet Clinic as part of my final year clinical placement and was impressed by the standard of care, teamwork, compassion, and respect demonstrated by all clinic staff. So, it’s no surprise that when I was offered a job, I gladly accepted the opportunity.

Since starting in January 2019, I have thoroughly enjoyed the variety and sense of community working in a regional mixed practice brings. I especially enjoy the medical and surgical challenges as well as getting to know clients from all walks of life.

As a recent graduate I’m still developing my areas of interest, but I am already an avid believer in the importance of preventative healthcare in helping our pets live fuller and longer lives. If I am yet to meet you or your pet you can find me at Warwick Vet Clinic most days, or Allora Vet Clinic and Clifton Vet Rooms on Wednesdays. I look forward to meeting you all!

VET HONOURED WITH PRESTIGIOUS FELLOWSHIP

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 01:47:18 GMT

by Tessa Flemming

Warwick Daily News

28th Jun 2019 6:27 AM

A WARWICK vet has been awarded the top honour for veterinary sciences.

Warwick Veterinary Clinic's Chris Reardon received a fellowship for outstanding service during the Australian Veterinary Association's Annual conference in Perth.

While the award was for Dr Reardon's overall contribution to veterinary sciences, he is best known for his work as the official vet for the Australian Polocrosse Association and the Polocrosse World Cup.

Warwick Polocrosse Club president Les Fraser said he was overjoyed at Dr Reardon's achievement.

"I think its a wonderful recognition of Chris' contribution,” he said.

"In this day and age where animal welfare is first and foremost, Chris' documentation of movement and recovery at a national level is wonderful.

"We're very fortunate to have a vet in the calibre of Chris Reardon in Warwick.”

Dr Reardon was also touched by the award. "It's very satisfying to get recognition from your peers,” he said.

For the Warwick vet, the joy of the job is in helping his community grow.

" I enjoy the science but also working with people,” he said.

"Understanding how animal systems work can help contribute to the community and the whole productivity of farm life, as well as the families that the pets come from.

"Its given me a lot of joy over the years and I look forward to continuing to contribute in whatever capacity I can.”

The Australian Veterinary fellowship is highly renowned across Australia, with only 70 vets nationally who have been awarded the honour.

The award also comes just in time for the Warwick Veterinary Clinic's 70 year celebrations and the upcoming Polocrosse nationals in Ballarat.

UNDERSTANDING PET LOSS

Thu, 14 Feb 2019 01:56:18 GMT

Owning a pet can be one of the most enriching commitments an owner will make in their lifetime. The joy and unconditional love and faithfulness a dog, or cat can bring to the household, is a wonderful virtue of owning a pet.

Animals are faithful, loyal and often very forgiving of our mistakes and failures. They grow with the family and bond with their owners, taking part in their everyday experiences. To some, they are their most important friends in the world!

It is understandable then that pet owners may feel a huge sense of loss when their pet comes to the end of its life. The emotions experienced when a pet passes, or when having to make the decision to put them to rest, can be like losing a close friend or companion. Feelings of anger, denial, grief and guilt are all-natural responses felt by pet owners during this difficult time.

Sadly, however, the loss of a pet may be disregarded by others as unimportant. Often pet loss is not openly acknowledged or socially supported. Studies show that If not recognised, these unchecked emotions encountered can potentially lead to long term health problems for the owner. Knowing what to say, how to respond and where to find support for our clients’ during the time of pet loss is something the practice feels passionately about.

Recently, the team at Warwick Vet Clinic invited veterinarian Dr Michael O’Donoghue from People and Pets to talk about ways in which we can do improve on supporting our clients during this time. Dr O’Donoghue brought a wealth of experience from his time working with universities, speciality clinics and in industry and discussed ways how we can make it easier for people experiencing grief with the loss of their pets.

The day was a valuable experience. Our team now feels more confident in supporting our clients when the time comes to say goodbye to their pet; either in the clinic or in the familiar setting of their home.

TEACHING THE NEXT GENERATION OF VETS BY PAYING IT FORWARD

Mon, 17 Dec 2018 02:01:03 GMT

For a long time, the Warwick Vet Clinic has hosted university undergraduate vet students during their extramural placement work. Clinical placement is a vital part of the veterinary science degree. It provides an opportunity for students to transition into the veterinary profession and allows them to experience and explore different communities; especially those in rural and regional areas.

The Warwick Vet Clinic values students and takes our obligation to give back to the profession seriously. Some tangible ways we assist students during their course placement is with accommodation and with fuel vouchers to assist the cost of travel.

Giving students the opportunities we had when learning helps to take some of the stress out of the hard-final years of the vet degree and sets them up for a positive approach to their careers. 'Paying it forward' is our philology when it comes to educating the profession and it is lovely when students appreciate our efforts. Here is what some of University of Queensland students have to say about their experience with us:

Dear Dr Reardon

Thank you for providing work experience placement for University of Queensland, veterinary science students during 2018 at Warwick Vet Clinic. We know their learning experience was positive based on the feedback provided from students on their experience - congratulations:

I got to practice my animal handling skills and improved on my catheter placing and blood collection skills. I enjoyed being so hands on with the patients and getting to help with consultations

Clinicians are extremely encouraging. They were extremely willing to allow me to assist. They do ask your opinions about cases and suggest various methods of treatment as well. Vets were extremely thorough with their cases as well. Good exposure to mixed animal practice. Support staffs were extremely lovely & encouraging as well.

Staff are very friendly and welcoming, always try to get student involved and very encouraging. Well-equipped clinic, very supporting environment - kind of clinic I would want to work when I graduate. I was able to see and get involved in good variety of cases, both large and small animals. Finishing off the last day with cow caesarian was pretty awesome too. One of my favourite EMS.

I was given many opportunities to attempt many procedures such as bull breeding soundness exam, pregnancy testing in cows, cat Spey, and many more. All the staff were friendly and supportive. Good case load. Clean and organized practice, it's a very good placement location.

Thank you!

Student rotations administration officer

School of Veterinary Science | The University of Queensland | Gatton Queensland 4343 | Australia

PET TAXI AND HOME CARE SERVICE GAINS POPULARITY

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 02:11:38 GMT

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We know that to can be difficult at times to take your pet to the vet for a check-up. Cats especially sometime don’t enjoy the experience and can get quite stress by the travel.

We now offer a Home Care Service for the family pet within the city boundaries of Warwick and Allora and the service is becoming very popular. By appointment, our friendly, experienced team can come to your house and transport your pet to one of our three locations in Warwick, Allora or Clifton, removing the hassle of taking your pet to the vet.

3 Steps to easier pet health solutions

1. Pet Taxi

Have our team collect your pet from home in our Pet Taxi and bring it to one of our three well equipped locations from Greenmount to Killarney. We can also arrange pet supplies and food delivery to your door. Whether you need a refill on medication prescriptions, a monthly top up on flea and worm control or just require pet transfers after boarding, our friendly staff are only happy to help.

2. Home Care Service

When you have no way of getting ‘Fido’ or ‘Fluffy” in the car, their too heavy or frightened of the drive or you have no means of transportation, our Home Care Service is the answer. Call today to arrange a home care visit by one of our friendly team. Conditions may apply for locations outside the city frame.

3. Pet Boarding Service

Next time you go on holidays or need to travel away for a few days, let us look after your pet in air-conditioned comfort. At the Warwick Vet Clinic, we offer a Pet Boarding Service where your pet is kept in the best of care. All cat and dog boarders are offered premium Hills pet food and monitored daily by a member of our experienced team. All dogs are walked twice daily.

COMMUNICATION TRAINING A KEY PART OF CLINIC SUCCESS

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 02:14:49 GMT

To improve our skills in communication, the team at Warwick Vet Clinic recently invested in a Consultation Communication Intelligence Program with the Crampton Consulting Group. The course focused on how to improve our client’s experiences when they come into the clinic; how we can better understand their concerns and how we can develop a treatment plan which best suits our patient’s needs.

‘Customer service is an important skill which we value and one which we are committed to continue to improve’, said vet nurse Avril Brown. ‘Understanding our clients concerns and addressing our patients needs are fundamental to delivering the high standards of care which are a vital part of our clinic’s success over nearly 70 years’.

During the course, staff learnt how to better manage client expectations, examine difference communication techniques and looked at the different styles in which people learn and how they take in information.

‘Thanks to Tania from CCG who facilitated the day and helped us focus on optimal client and patient outcomes’, Avril added. Success in vet practice is about building relationships for our clients and their pets. These relationships must be built on a trust, integrity and mutual respect, which all starts with effective communication.

CLINIC WINS RODEO STREET PARADE AWARD

Thu, 08 Nov 2018 02:16:39 GMT

This week Southern Downs Regional Council Mayor Tracy Dobbie presented the clinic with the first prize trophy for winning Best Business & Commercial section in the John Dee Warwick Rodeo Street Parade. Our float, put together by the enthusiastic team of nurses, promoted our ‘Pet Taxi and Home Care Service’ and consisted of a hydrobath and bubble making machine along with dog kennel on top of our Pet Taxi.

‘All the staff were excited to take part’, said Practice Manager Tessa Sissman. ‘We enjoyed handing out free samples, balloons and pet treats to the scores of communities on lookers on the day. We couldn’t be happier how it turned out!’

At the Warwick Vet Clinic, we continue to look for ways to improve our service offerings to clients. We understand that getting a large dog or fast-moving cat to the clinic can be a challenge or having time to collect pet supplies can be difficult. So, to help our clients, we now offer a ‘Pet Taxi and Home Care Service’; picking up patients and bringing them to one of our three well equipped locations at Warwick, Allora and Clifton. Food and pet supplies can also be delivered to homes, saving time in our client’s busy day.

‘The best part of the day was being involved in community events’, added Tessa. Next year the clinic will celebrate 70 years and we have reached this milestone by being connected to the people to this town. ‘Supporting events such as the Rodeo Parade is just another way, we can show the region how much we value their support and how we continue to look for ways to improve the services we offer, she said.

KEEPING OUR STAFF SAFE AT WORK

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 02:18:21 GMT

Constantly reviewing our Occupational Health and Workplace Safety (OH&S) procedures is important to ensure our staff are provided a safe work place to work. To test our practices, we recently participated in an Injury Prevention and Accident Management program (IPaM), which is a collaboration between Chamber of Commerce Queensland (CCIQ), Work Cover and the Office of Industrial Relations. The aim of IPaM is to help small and medium businesses (SME’s) like ours reduce workplace injuries and to improve their worker productivity.

‘The gains for our business in taking part in the program is that our staff now feel more supported, positive behaviours are reinforced and our insurance premium rates can be kept low or even reduced. Staff safety a key driver of our business success because at the end of the day, staff are our biggest asset’, said Dr Reardon

To promote our IPaM program success, we were invited last week to speak at a function in Toowoomba which examined ways small businesses manage the complexities of human resource, health and safety and injury management issues.

Key note speaker at the function was Theresa Moltoni who has over 25 years industry experience in human resources, industrial relations, employee relations and management. Theresa has gained an exceptional reputation throughout Queensland and Australia and is a Director of Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland and chairs the Workplace Relations Policy Council for the Australian Chamber of Commerce (ACCI).

Theresa spoke on contemporary issues facing small business including the findings and the consequences outlined in Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s recently-published report entitled “Enabling Safe and healthy Workplaces for Small Business”. In her presentation Theresa also reported on what compliance really means for modern small and medium size businesses, contemporary issues facing small business and impetus for change to improve health and safety of SMEs.

The Warwick Vet Clinic values a safe work place and wants to ensure our staff and our clients are given the best opportunity to minimise risks to their health and safety, both in the clinic and in the field.

THREE DAY SICKNESS IN CATTLE

Wed, 02 May 2018 02:19:42 GMT

Over the past few weeks, cattle producers across the Darling Downs have been experiencing high numbers of cases of Bovine Ephemeral Fever (BEF) or 'Three Day Sickness' in their herds. Whilst the virus is reported to be spread by biting insects like mosquitoes and midges, it sees outbreaks always coincide with the arrival of buffalo flies as well.

Many producers were reporting cattle down and unable to get up for a few days while some even reported stock losses. Signs associated with Three Day Sickness include fever, dullness and depression, lameness and muscle stiffness often progressing to an inability to stand.

Though, as the name suggests, signs will often be short lived lasting 24 - 72 hours, well-conditioned animals as well as bulls and heavily pregnant cows will often experience more severe signs and can remain down for an extended period. In some rare cases paralysis, muscle damage, abortion and death may occur.

Our treatment approach is to give general supportive care with anti-inflamamatories and fluids given to ease the fever and prevent dehydration.

A vaccine is available to prevent the disease and is usually given around Rodeo time (October). An initial injection is given under the skin with a repeat booster injection performed 2 weeks to 6 months later. Annual boosters are recommended to obtain high levels of protection. More information about the viral disease can be found here.

If you wish to discuss a vaccination protocol to protect against future outbreaks or have any questions regarding 'Three Day Sickness' please do not hesitate to give us a call.

LOCAL VET RECOGNISED FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 02:26:01 GMT

At the Queensland AVA State Conference on the weekend, our practice principal Chris Reardon was awarded a Distinguished Services Award (QLD), in recognition of voluntary contribution to the Association.

Chris has been an active member in the AVA for over 20 years and has held executive positions as President of the Darling Downs & SW.QLD; Secretary and President of Equine Veterinarians Australia (EVA); National Director (2103 – present), AVA Vice President (2015) and is the current AVA Treasurer (2016-present).

As a member of the AVA-EVA Hendra Virus Task Force, Chris represented the AVA at Government level including the Ombudsman’s Review of DEEDI’s response to Equine Influenza; the Interagency Review of the Hendra Guidelines and the Veterinary Laboratory Service Delivery Steering Committee. He has also lobbied both state and national governments for more support and resources for members when dealing with Hendra virus, and together with others was successful in creating the Government’s $1 million Veterinarian PPE Rebate Scheme.

“I was surprised and delighted to receive this award’, Chris said. “I get a lot of joy out of my job and being able to give back to my professional association and to the community, is something that I feel that I should do and value”, he added. The AVA was founded in 1921 and today represents nearly 9,000 members working in all areas of animal science, health and welfare.

IN HOUSE PATHOLOGY TRAINING HELPS VET SEE BIG PICTURE

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 02:21:31 GMT

Frequently we are asked in practice to diagnose ‘lumps and bumps’ in our client’s pets because they are a new problem, or they have been present for quite a period and now they are brought to our attention. As a rule, we take the attitude that all lumps should be taken seriously because dogs or cat age faster than humans. Making a quick and accurate diagnosis of the skin change therefore, is critical before they get out of hand.

Understanding what the lump is can be quite challenging. There are many types of lumps; some benign, some nasty and others that may be just normal tissue. To make a diagnosis samples need to be taken via a small needle aspirate. The sample is prepared on slides for staining and then the cells are examined under the microscope. These simple steps are done in our clinic, so we can arrive at a correct answer as fast as possible. If we are unsure, we can also email an image to a specialist pathology and have a diagnosis back in a matter of hours.

Recently, our team enjoyed some in-house training by our referring vet pathologist Dr Sue Beetson. Over two days, both vets and vet nurses were shown cases of clinical disease in small animals, taught how to prepare slides and given lectures about how cell behave and when to know if they are inflammatory or neoplastic. Practice owner, Chris Reardon believes this annual training is a valuable exercise for our team and for our patients. ‘We all acknowledge that having a specialist give one-on-one support makes us more confidence in getting a diagnosis and looking for early signs of disease in our patients’.

If your pet has a skin lump (or two), we encourage you to have it checked out without delay. The procedure of taking a skin sample is relatively quick and painless and the results can be discussed on the day. Having peace of mind that the lump may not be cancerous can make the effort of early detection very worthwhile.