Its RSPCA month! The RSPCA Million Paws Walk is a big date on the calendar each May. 

The walk is a fun family day whether you have a dog or just love pets - you can be a part of this day and help raise vital funds for the RSPCA to operate its animal shelters, support its Inspectorate and provide community education on welfare issues. 

The day kicks off early at Endeavour Oval around 9am with the 1.5km walk commencing at 11am. All dogs (or any other pets) need to have a suitable lead/collar/harness on at all times to ensure their safety and a fun day! Registrations are required to participate either on the day or by pre registration online - for further information see https://www.millionpawswalk.com.au/NSW/orange 

Come and find us at the OVH stand and say hi. We look forward to seeing you there and hope for a great sunny day. 

With Mother's Day this month, we thought now would be a good time to share a few things about pregnancy in dogs. Here are some key facts:

• Pregnancy (or the gestation period) in bitches normally ranges from 58 to 65 days with an average of 65 days
  
  
• During pregnancy your bitch should be on a balanced diet. Ask us for the best recommendation. It can be dangerous to supplement her diet with extra calcium or vitamins
  
  
• A bitch should be dewormed with an all wormer at week 4 and 6 of pregnancy. This is important to ensure she does not infect her newborn pups. You should vaccinate your bitch prior to mating to ensure maximum immunity is passed on to her puppies.

When a dog gives birth to puppies it is known as "whelping", and the bitch usually rests between the delivery of individual pups. The rest time can range from fifteen minutes to an hour, but you should seek veterinary attention if:

• Half an hour has passed since the onset of abdominal contractions and a puppy has not been born or;
• Half an hour has passed after the birth of a pup, your bitch is still having strong contractions and there is no sign of another pup

We will be happy to assist you with any queries you have regarding your dog's pregnancy and whelping.

Click here to see 16 animal expressions that perfectly capture what motherhood is all about!

Arthritis is a nasty disease. It sneaks up on our pets and always seems to rear its ugly head as the weather starts to cool down.

Many people put the signs of arthritis down to "getting old" but have you ever thought that your pet might actually be in pain?

Remember - your pet doesn't necessarily have to have a limp to be suffering from arthritis as some of the symptoms are subtle.

Signs of arthritis in cats:

• Landing in a heap when jumping down
• Hesitant to jump down from your lap or from the furniture
• Reluctant to climb fences or trees
• Scruffy or matted coat as they are no longer able to groom easily

Signs of arthritis in dogs:

• Stiff and sometimes sore when getting up after lying down- especially in the morning
• Trouble jumping up onto furniture or into the car
• Behaviour changes - growling or grumpy when sore joints are touched
• Muscle loss especially over spine, the hips and around the hind legs

The good news is we have plenty of tools up our sleeve to help your arthritic pet become more mobile and pain-free. We will put a treatment plan in place and slow down the progression of this disease before your pet's quality of life is affected.

The month of May is a great time to arrange an arthritis check up with us.