Pet Care

There are three reasons why we recommend a full consultation and health check for every pet at the time of vaccination:
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If we surveyed pet owners about potential allergy symptoms in dogs and cats, most would list signs such as recurrent ear infections, generalised itchiness, paw licking, or tummy upset.
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Whilst most owners understand the impact of their pet's oral health on their general health and quality of life, many may still need clarification on the practical ways to achieve excellent pet dental hygiene.
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Our team recommends 6-monthly rechecks for cats and dogs of all ages, and it’s especially important to maintain this regular health routine as pets grow older.
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How many amazing medical skills and services do our veterinary hospitals have to offer? To show you, we’d like to tell the story of little Morris, who had an unfortunate run-in with a car.
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Our vets are passionate about joint comfort and good mobility for all pets! So, we’ve compiled a list of veterinary recommendations for keeping your pet’s joints in top form throughout their life.
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Ever feel overwhelmed when you start to peruse all the various dietary options on offer for dogs? Which is going to be the healthiest diet for your pet?
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Whether you’re purchasing a special breed pup or scouting out local rescues to adopt a canine companion, it’s important to research and plan for your future dog’s specific care needs.
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Trigger warning: this blog post discusses terminal illness in a pet. Frankie was a beautiful 11-year-old greyhound, who loved nothing better than being with his family. Wherever the family was, Frankie was too: watching with interest and with a wagging tail, doing a few zoomies, or lying down comfortably “pancake style”. One day as Frankie …
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Is your pet a bit of a “nervous nellie”? Pet anxiety can be a worrying issue for pet owners, not to mention the pets themselves!
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Whilst the summer holidays can be a wonderful time for us and our four-legged family members, there are a few seasonal hazards to avoid in order to keep your pet feeling merry too! Here are the seven rules for a safe and happy festive season for your pet.
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Imagine that you’re a dog. Your owner clips on your lead (exciting!), pops you into the car (woo hoo!), and you excitedly journey to… the vet. Now, imagine you’re a cat. You see “the box of doom” (also known as the pet carrier), and before you can escape, your owner scoops you up, pushes you …
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Jasper, a one-year-old Cocker Spaniel, just couldn’t stop licking at his paws. After a particularly sleepless and irritating night for both Jasper and his owner Ben (where Ben felt just about ready to crack if he heard one more licking sound), Ben booked Jasper in for a check-up with his regular veterinarian, Dr Steve. Dr …
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Did you know that good dental health throughout your pet’s life will go a long way towards maintaining their overall health, comfort and quality of life? Puppy and kitten dental care Whilst dental health might not be the first thing on your mind when you welcome a new furry friend into the household, it’s essential …
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Is your senior dog or cat moving more slowly? Taking the stairs a bit more hesitantly? Or perhaps having trouble keeping themselves looking clean and neat? While advancing age will lead to some inevitable changes in your pet’s physical capabilities and condition, there is a lot you can do to support them in their golden …
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Did you know that keeping your dog in a slim and fit body condition is actually associated with a reduced risk of joint problems, heart and respiratory disease, diabetes and some types of cancer?   If your pet is carrying some extra weight, it might be time to take them to boot camp! Read on …
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It’s quite common for owners to find new lumps on their pets during routine grooming or cuddle-time and start feeling a little worried. What could the lump be? And what’s the best course of action, monitoring at home for a few weeks or a vet check? Here’s some solid lump advice from our experienced vet …
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Whilst our domesticated feline friends may like to think of themselves as little wild jungle cats, they still require our assistance to stay healthy, starting with the protection of a regular vaccination and parasite control program. Here’s how you can practically achieve optimal protection for your resident feline, even if they are acting a bit …
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Seeing your pet afflicted with any unwellness or injury can be very worrying and may leave you feeling helpless or uncertain, especially if you’re unsure whether their condition warrants an emergency or after-hours veterinary assessment. With this in mind, we’d like to provide some general information about common emergency symptoms, so you can feel informed …
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Regular veterinary care is important for keeping your pet in good health. During your pet’s six-monthly veterinary health checks, we will perform a general physical assessment and make recommendations on any preventative therapies or proactive treatments that we feel your pet would benefit from. Just as important, however, is the daily care that your pet …
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Two years ago, a couple of days after Christmas, Pepper seven-year-old female Schnauzer was acting quieter than usual. She had left half her breakfast untouched, which for Pepper was highly unusual. Over the next few hours, Pepper became increasingly lethargic and began vomiting. Pepper’s concerned owner, Bec, decided to take her to the vet for …
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Did you know that many cases of feline anxiety may sadly go unrecognised?  This is because cats, not being pack animals, won’t always seek social support as a dog would, and instead may mask feelings of stress to avoid appearing “vulnerable”. What are the potential symptoms of anxiety in a cat? In more introverted cats, …
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Has your pet been diagnosed with an underlying allergy as the cause of their recurrent ear or skin irritation?  Whilst this can be disappointing news to receive, you and your pet can take comfort in the fact that we are very familiar with the management of allergies! Types of allergies There are four main types …
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Veterinarians frequently recommend pet “dentals”, but what does this procedure actually involve? Read on as we explain more about what happens during a dental procedure, and how we can help keep your pet’s pearly whites clean and healthy! Anaesthesia For a thorough dental treatment, we recommend that animals have a general anaesthetic for their comfort …
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Signs of poor digestive health in your dog or cat can be uncomfortable for your pet and be a cause of concern for you. Some owners write these signs off as a ‘sensitive stomach’, and either tolerate the symptoms – feeling as though that’s normal for their pet, or try various different diets in the …
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Like us, our pets can unfortunately fall victim to the ‘middle-aged spread’ and put on weight. This occurs due to the natural slowing of the metabolism associated with ageing, which can predispose your pet to excessive weight gain. For this reason, depending on the lifestage of your pet, we often recommend varying their dietary and …
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It can sometimes be hard to know which injuries or illnesses are emergencies and require a veterinary consultation or more urgent veterinary care. Which symptoms suggest urgent care is required? As a general guide, your pet should be seen urgently if they are showing any of the following symptoms: Difficulty breathing Difficulty passing urine Bloody …
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There’s a lot to love about welcoming a particular breed of dog or cat into your family. Whilst there is always variation between individual animals, many owners like the predictability of knowing the likely temperament, grooming requirements, activity levels, full-grown size, and appearance of their future pet.  Additionally, given that some breeds can be predisposed …
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Vaccinations are vital Regularly vaccinating your pet is important to protect them against various potentially fatal or debilitating infectious diseases. During a consultation, we can discuss with you the most appropriate vaccination protocol for your pet to keep them healthy. Our vets will advise the type of vaccination which will be best for your pet, …
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Keeping our pets happy and healthy is a top priority, so having a good handle on routine preventative health care is a great start! Vaccination It is recommended that all dogs and cats who go for walks outdoors or otherwise come into contact with other animals (e.g. in boarding) should be kept up-to-date with their …
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Many common veterinary treatments, such as worming products and antibiotics, require owners to regularly administer oral medications to their pet. Whilst some pets will obligingly allow tablets to be popped down their throat, or at least eat them in food, other pets can prove more difficult. Here are some vet techniques for successfully medicating those …
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We all love spending time outdoors on these long summer days, and our pets are no exception! The increased activity is great for their mental and physical health. To prevent some common warm-weather hazards from raining on your pet’s parade, follow these summer safety tips! Heat stressIn hot weather, cats and dogs can be at …
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Holidaying with your pet Is your pet joining you for a Christmas holiday trip? Here are some basic pet travel guidelines to keep everyone merry! Making a list and checking it twice Pets away from home can easily get disoriented and lost. Before you travel, check that your pet’s microchip registration details are up-to-date. If …
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We are very pleased to announce our sponsorship of Templestowe Valley Preschool’s aquarium. Staff at Templestowe Valley have found that the new classroom addition provides a calming distraction, stimulating young minds and encouraging new enquiries into science and animal care. The final weeks of the school term can be very demanding on preschool-age children as …
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With increasing day length and warmer weather, most of us, including our pets, will be enjoying more time spent outdoors. It’s always important to ensure your four-legged friend is up-to-date with routine disease and parasite prevention, but especially so at a time of year when insects are more prevalent and more animals are out and …
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20% off Hill’s skin and food sensitive diets! For the months of October and November 2020, we are offering 20% off Hill’s skin and food sensitive diet range for dogs and cats. Hill’s nutritionists and veterinarians developed the Derm Defense, z/d and d/d food ranges especially to support pets with skin and food sensitivities. Offer …
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A urine test is a simple and effective method for us to check the health of your pet’s urinary system. A urine test provides a large amount of information on the health of your pet and can be helpful in identifying conditions such as bladder stones and obstructions, kidney disease, diabetes, urinary tract infections, and …
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The development of dental disease in pets can be affected by the animal’s breed, oral anatomy, diet and age. Dental disease is one of the most common problems we see in veterinary practice and it needs to be managed with a multi-targeted approach. Regular check-ups with the vet will help to identify any dental issues …
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Following yesterday’s announcement by the Victorian Government, we can now say with certainty that we will remain open during the Stage 4 restrictions. We are pleased that the government has recognised the important role our pets play in our lives and community. By remaining open during these Stage 4 restrictions, Vets on Parker is here …
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Thanks to better nutrition, disease prevention and proper home care, cats are now living longer than ever before. Senior cats have recently been redefined as cats over the age of 11 years, but it’s not uncommon for us to see a ‘super-senior’ feline over the age of 18 years. We have even had the pleasure …
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At some point in your pet’s life, they will probably experience a gastrointestinal upset. Symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhoea and nausea. It can be distressing for you and your pet, and it’s sometimes hard to know what you should do. We have simplified the facts, so you know how best to care for your pet.  …
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“Oh no! My dog isn’t a footballer but could he have just ‘done his knee?”  One of the most common orthopedic conditions we see in dogs is cranial cruciate ligament disease, which is actually very similar to the injury seen in humans on the sporting field – rupture of the “ACL”. Cranial cruciate ligament disease …
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COVID-19 has changed the way we go about our lives and will continue to for many months. When it comes to the virus, there are plenty of questions to be asked, so here are a few answers: How is COVID-19 spread? Although it has been theorised that the new coronavirus emerged from an animal source, …
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During this constantly evolving situation regarding COVID-19, the safety of our clients, patients and team members is our highest priority. We are in this together.  Contactless Consults: We have decided to implement the below guidelines and we ask for your understanding, patience and your cooperation so we can all do our best to protect each …
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As February features its heart-focussed Valentine’s Day, we thought that this month would be the perfect time to talk about the heart that matters most: your pet’s. When it comes to diseases of the heart, knowing what to watch out for really makes a difference. Early detection of heart disease means that medical treatment is …
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In recent weeks we’ve noticed an increase in the number of Giardia cases in dogs and cats in our community, so we thought we would put up some information outlining what Giardia is, what it does, and what we can do to prevent it. Giardia is a parasite which inhabits the intestines of dogs and …
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As we reach the peak of summer we welcome long hot days and balmy nights. It’s the best time of the year to get out and about with your pet but there are a few hazards you need to watch out for.  Heat stroke: It can be easy to overdo it in the summer and …
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We’d like to help make sure your pet stays happy and healthy this silly season so here’s a list we’ve compiled of the ‘Twelve Pet Hazards of Christmas’: Christmas can be a risky time for your pet. There is usually lots of food around as well as plenty of people, parties and changes in routine. …
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Vaccination is one of the most powerful tools we utilise to help keep your pet healthy. Vaccinations are safe. They have minimal (if any) side effects and we recommend you vaccinate your pet because, above all, they work. Quick Vaccination Facts: Vaccinations protect against potentially fatal diseases.Many dangerous or life-threatening animal diseases are preventable with the right …
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It’s Spring, the season of adorable baby animals, and that means kittens are going to be out in abundance! Already, we have been inundated with requests from kind members of the public to help with small kittens that have been found in sheds and under houses. If you find yourself with a surprise family in …
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