Have you ever wondered what happens to that injured native animal when you drop it off to our hospital?

Orange Veterinary Hospital see a variety of native species that are brought in by caring members of the public and even the police. Amber, an accredited WIRES vet nurse, explains how we care for injured wildlife brought to us.

"Generally our vet nurses (3 of whom are either current or past WIRES members) do an initial assessment of health/injuries and the animal is then able to de-stress before our veterinarians do their assessment. 

If injuries are found or internal damage is suspected, further diagnostics may be warranted to confirm and/or evaluate the severity of the injury. 

Once the animal has been given a clean bill of health or can be supported with medication a WIRES member is then contacted to care for that animal.  Our native species are protected and can only be legally cared for by a person with a wildlife licence, as these carers have specialized training and knowledge to properly care for native animals. 

Most species have specialized diets, housing requirements and social aspects to their rehabilitation and it is actually against the law to raise/own a wild native species without a licence.

Once the animal is in care with a rehabilitator, they are kept until they are mentally and physically ready to be released (which can vary from short to long term care).  Most of the animals are soft released, which means they are still in care but are given the chance to de-humanise and are then released back to where they were found, a safer environment or on the property where they were cared for into a new grouping. 

Once they have been released all we can do is wish them the best of luck and hope they stay safe!"

Please contact WIRES 1300 094737 or Orange Vet Hospital 63618388 if you find a sick or injured native animal. 

We heard about another pet who loves to steal clothing this month and her name is Brigit.

Brigit is a six year old Tonkinese cat who has stolen many pairs of men's undies and socks in her local neighbourhood in Hamilton, New Zealand!

Brigit's owner has tried to return the stolen items by placing notes in letterboxes and taking to social media. It appears that all of the (clean) clothes were taken from a neighbour's clothesline.

You can read more about Brigit here.

There are many reasons your pet might vomit, and physical obstruction from eating a sock is just one of them!

Diseases such as pancreatitis, liver or kidney disease, or endocrine diseases like diabetes can all produce vomiting. Dogs and cats can also suffer from inflammatory bowel disease and may vomit intermittently or have periods of severe gastrointestinal upsets associated with the condition.

So if your pet is vomiting, what should you do and when should you start to worry?

As a guide, if your pet has had a one off vomit but appears happy, bright and alert and otherwise well you should keep a close eye on him over the next 24 hours. It's best to withhold food for a few hours (gastric rest) and offer fluids for rehydration. Feeding a bland diet (steamed chicken and rice) for a few days may be all that is needed.

If your pet has vomited more than once in a short period of time, seems quiet and lethargic or has a reduced appetite or diarrhoea you should call us for advice.

Pets who are chronic (long term) vomiters or are losing weight should also have a check up to rule out other diseases.

If you ever have a hunch that something's not quite right with your pet, you should phone us. We are always happy to examine your pet for peace of mind.

Pyometra is a serious condition that can develop in female pets that have not been desexed. It is more common in middle-aged to older dogs but cats are not immune from the condition.

Over time, there are changes to a female's reproductive tract that can lead to thickening of the uterus and formation of cysts. These cysts provide a perfect environment for bacteria to replicate and the thickened uterus has trouble contracting to remove the bacteria.

The result can be a septic uterus and this is a very serious and potentially life threatening condition.

Signs of pyometra:

• Increased thirst
• Lethargy
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• There may or may NOT be vaginal discharge

Treatment needs to be aggressive and surgical intervention to remove the uterus and ovaries (spey) is almost always necessary. Some pets will also require intravenous fluid and antibiotic therapy as well as intensive care.

The good news is that desexing your female pet will prevent this condition and it will also help reduce the likelihood of other diseases such as breast cancer.

We strongly recommend that all non-breeding female pets are desexed, and we are happy to answer any questions you might have.