The early dry start to spring produced a bumper season for grass seed infestation. Vet Genevieve explains why these pesky seeds cause so much grief for dogs and their owners and how important it is to seek prompt treatment. 

"It’s that time of year again when we are seeing a large number of animals presenting with grass seeds lodged in numerous places. They can be a great source of frustration to both you and your dog and it is important to recognise the signs early.

The arrow head shape of the seeds lends them to easily penetrating the skin and lodging themselves in various places including the paws, ears and under the eyelids. Often animals will try to lick, bite, chew or scratch at the affected area and sometimes you will see a localised swelling where the seed is lodged.

Treatment depends on how deeply the seed is lodged in the tissue. We recommend you seek veterinary attention as soon as possible because infection and abscesses can result if the seed is not removed.

It is important to remain vigilant during the spring and summer months, avoid walking in long grass and inspect your pet after each walk. We recommend that you keep all long haired pets groomed especially around the ears and feet and call us immediately if you suspect a grass seed problem."

Midge, the working kelpie, was brought to us by her concerned owner Lou when she was sneezing blood after being out working in long grass. With Midge asleep under anaesthesia Genevieve was able to remove not just one but TEN grass seeds from Midge's right nostril. Imagine having that much itch up your nose! 

Summer brings scary noises including thunder from storms as well as fireworks in celebration of the silly season. The result is hundreds of terrified dogs who often manage to escape and head for the hills. This is why it is essential your pet is microchipped.

Now is the perfect time to check the contact details attached to your pet's microchip. Unfortunately, for many microchipped pets, the contact phone number assigned to the chip is incorrect and this makes the chip useless. 

If you don't know your pet's microchip number, drop by with your pet and we can scan it for you. If you already know the microchip number you can jump online at www.car.com.au to update any details. 

It's also a good idea to have an ID tag attached to your pet's collar as this can speed up the lost and found process.

If your pet is lost he can't phone home, but a microchip with the correct contact information will enable someone to phone home for him!

See below to read an incredible story about a dog who was reunited with her owners. 

Vaccination is a vital tool we have available to help keep your pet healthy.

Even if your pet doesn’t have contact with other pets, he should be vaccinated. Many people aren't aware that there are diseases that can be transmitted in water droplets through the air or in contaminated faeces.

Other reasons vaccinations are so vital

They protect against deadly diseases: many dangerous diseases are completely preventable with the correct vaccinations. Why would you put your pet at risk?

Vaccinations save money: vaccinations are substantially less expensive than the cost of treatment for the diseases they prevent. We think this is a no brainer!

You can board your pet with other animals: if you ever plan to board your dog or cat he must be up to date with his vaccinations - what would happen if you had a family emergency and boarding was the only option?

Visits to the vet hospital: if your pet has to stay in hospital he needs to be vaccinated. If your pet is sick, his immune system may be already be compromised so you want to know he is protected.

There are many diseases we are able to vaccinate against but your pet's health, lifestyle and where you live may affect which vaccinations are deemed necessary - we can help you make an informed decision and are always happy to discuss vaccinations with you.