Clinton Street Veterinary Clinic Autumn Newsletter 2021

This summer has been very mild and wet, which has meant fantastic pasture growth around the region. Thinking back to January 2020, after the fires and at the end of the drought, it is a completely different landscape we are seeing as we drive around the local area. The clinic is looking very refreshed with the final waiting room and reception furniture installed just before Christmas. We are continuing to take appointments at the clinic in order to be as COVID safe as possible. We ask that you please rebook your appointment if you are feeling unwell. There have also been changes to the way we manage accounts in the clinic - just ask if you would like to know how accounts will be managed going forward. We would like to thank all of our clients for the their ongoing support as we make these changes

New Hours & a New Vet

With the introduction of a fourth vet, Clinton Street is now able to offer longer consulting hours that are better suited to our busy clients. The new hours are from 8.30am - 1 pm and 2.30pm - 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am - 12pm on Saturdays with 2 vets.  We additionally perform surgery every day during the week as well as provide a 24hr emergency service for small and large animals.

We are thrilled to welcome Dr Nikita Besseling to the clinic. Nikita recently graduated from Sydney University and is excited to learn about all aspects of small and large animal practice. She also has a family farm where her pet pig Porkchop lives.

Equine Cushings

Have you got a pony that has previously been diagnosed as borderline Cushings? Or a horse with recurrent laminitis? Autumn is the perfect time to get one of the veterinarians out for a simple one off blood test to confirm if they have Cushings. Equine Cushings, or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Disease, is an imbalance of hormones which results in a retained winter coat, a change in body shape and can also pre-dispose the horse to laminitis. Accurate diagnosis and management of Cushings means we can then manage the laminitis effectively as well.

Grass seeds

Here at Clinton Street we have had an abundance of grass seed abscesses over summer! Grass seeds embed themselves typically between dogs toes but can be found anywhere in the body including the ears and nose. We have even had dogs with grass seeds in their eyes! The seeds go on to cause an inflammatory reaction, creating an abscess. Grass seeds have typically tracked their way through the skin and up beside the toe meaning we need to perform surgery to be able to looks for and remove the grass seed. Checking your dog's toes daily and keeping the hair on the feet short can prevent these little objects from becoming a big problem.

FECs in sheep

With the exceptionally good season due to mild days and plenty of rain we are seeing lots of pasture growth. These conditions are perfect for worms, including Barber's Pole worm, to proliferate in pasture. We have been seeing some extremely high egg counts in the clinic during this period. Faecal egg counts are performed by a vet by examining a sample of sheep faeces under the microscope and counting the eggs seen. These counts can then be averaged across the mob to give you an idea of whether you should drench or not. They can also be done 10-14 days after drenching as "drench check" to measure resistance on your farm. Faeces can also be sent to private labs who will perform this test.

Prices range from $20-40 per sample (usually 10 done at once). This is usually much easier and cheaper than bringing in a whole mob and drenching them. Please speak to our vets if you are interested in having this test done. We can also advise on management around drenching, bringing new mobs on and discuss the technical nitty gritty of parasite management. Results are generally same or

next day. The "ParaBoss" website is also an invaluable source of information which is tailored to specific climates throughout Australia.

https://www.paraboss.com.au/

Ewe management

The abundance of grass growth has increased the size of many ewes across the region. Good pre-lambing management of ewes is crucial for a smooth lambing period. Weight should be kept off ewes through pasture management as overweight ewes are more likely to develop ketosis and vaginal prolapse. Ketosis occurs when the ewes enter a negative energy balance as the foetuses grow and they cannot eat enough pasture to meet these needs. They then break down fat to produce energy and ketone bodies, a process which makes them sick. Once a ewe goes down with ketosis she is often difficult to save and the lambs are likely to pass away as well. Vaginal prolapses occur in fat ewes close to lambing, and need to be replaced as quickly as possible. They then need to be closely monitored until lambing if the prolapse has been sutured. Alternately, a "ewe clip" can be

placed which allows the ewe to lamb while it is on. Don't hesitate to be in contact with the clinic is you have any lambing troubles - our vets are happy to discuss your options over the phone or in person so you can work out the kind of care that will best fit your needs.

Joke corner

What kind of sandals does a frog wear?

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