Injuries | Walkerville Vet

October 25, 2020April 13, 2021

Dog Attacks: What To Do, How To Prevent Them

Emergency Info (details to follow):

If Your Dog Is Being Attacked

To separate dogs, try:

Water sprays or buckets
Aerosols and sprays (pepper spray is only legal in WA)
Personal duress alarm (hold buttons on each side of an iPhone down for 5 seconds)
A beach towel thrown over the aggressor
Picking the aggressor up by the back legs (wheelbarrowing) is dangerous and should only done by the dog’s owner

Do not try to pull the other dog off. That’s up to their owner to do. You will get badly injured. Click here for your closest Adelaide Emergency vet.

Do not blame yourself. Often there’s nothing you can do due to the size and determination of the aggressor. You’ll probably also fail to get the owner’s details in the heat of the moment.

Now dive deeper…

August 21, 2020April 13, 2021

Help! My Cat Attacks Me Without Warning

It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so serious. Look for answers on why your cat bites or scratches you and you find people telling you it’s all about a competition for dominance.

As any genuine cat lover knows, our cats always dominate us. Most of us have enough humility to love them for it.

Stopping them biting and scratching is a whole other story with a wholly different explanation. One where aggression is just a symptom of a problem in the cat-human relationship.

August 14, 2020April 13, 2021

Trends In Australians Keeping Cats Indoors

Look at these numbers. It shows the percentage of vaccinated cats at our Adelaide clinic that also receive the FIV vaccine.

April 3, 2020November 28, 2020

Help! My Dog Has A Swollen Stomach

Essential facts ( details below):

When Is A Swollen Belly An Emergency?

Dogs with any of these symptoms need to be taken to a vet immediately:

Vomiting
Hard, painful abdomen
Collapse
Severe lethargy
Not eating

Now dive deeper…

March 13, 2020November 28, 2020

Where To Take Wildlife In Adelaide

Quick facts (details below):

Keep the animal calm in a large, dark and quiet box
Use gloves and a towel for handling if necessary
If not possible, or for bats, call Fauna Rescue first
Take them to the nearest open vet for assessment
There will be no fees or charges

Now dive deeper…

March 6, 2020April 13, 2021

Does Laser Therapy For Dogs Really Work?

Laser therapy for dogs is now something that I get asked about regularly. It offers treatment for problems that are very frustrating to both dogs and owners. These are conditions like:

Arthritis, hip dysplasia
Degenerative myelopathy
Cruciate rupture or torn ACL
IVDD & other spinal diseases
Soft tissue injuries, like ligament, tendon and muscle tears
Recovery from surgery and wound healing
Skin conditions and ear infections

But does it work? Is this relief for suffering dogs or just another false hope?

February 9, 2020November 28, 2020

Broken Legs In Italian Greyhounds

Dante is an all-too-familiar story. I saw him recently for vaccination and immediately noticed the scar on his leg. What happened? He was running and broke his leg.

If this happens to your dog, here’s a quick first aid tip: carefully put the lower leg into a roughly normal position, wrap it in a t-shirt until it’s a thick roll and then sticky tape it. If you can’t do this, just keep your dog as quiet as possible. This will stop possible damage to soft tissues caused by excessive motion across the fracture site. Then go straight to a vet.

Leg fractures in Italian Greyhounds are common. If you’re looking to buy a puppy, or take out insurance you might well ask, “yes, but how common?” The answer may affect what you do next.

November 10, 2019January 21, 2021

Facial Swelling In Cats

There’s just one common cause of a lump on a cat’s face. Have a look at the picture above. I hope you can see that the left cheek isn’t chubby, it’s swollen. This is an abscess and it needs veterinary attention.

November 3, 2019February 19, 2021

Help! My Dog Has A Lump On The Face

Dogs can get all kinds of lumps and bumps, some serious, some not. That’s why I’ve previously written a guide to dog skin lumps with pictures. Just click on the picture to visit.

However, there’s one very particular swelling that I haven’t talked about even though it’s important, common and easy to recognise.

It’s the tooth root abscess.

September 26, 2019November 28, 2020

How Long Do Cats Live?

According to a recent survey of English cats, the average lifespan was 14 years old. Purebred cats were recorded as living to a lower average of 12.5 years.

These of course are only averages and include all causes of death from birth to old age. We regularly see cats with good care who do much better.

To help your cat live longer, it’s useful to look at the causes of death recorded.

September 13, 2019March 26, 2021

Causes Of Blood From The Nose

Nosebleeds in dogs are rare and worth taking seriously. Unlike humans, dogs almost never get an occasional harmless nosebleed. Causes include injuries, foreign bodies, infections, clotting problems and tumours.

At the end I’ll tell you how you and your vet can work out which one it is.

December 7, 2018November 28, 2020

Help! My Rabbit’s Back Legs Aren’t Working

Losing the use of the back legs is one of the most common and serious problems of rabbits. It can happen either suddenly or gradually.

It’s critical that your vet considers all the common causes. It’s not a long list, and can quickly be narrowed down as you’ll see.

November 3, 2018November 28, 2020

The Danger Of Throwing Sticks For Your Dog

What’s more natural than throwing a stick for a dog? We love it, they love it too, and every park is a toyshop. That’s why so many dogs get injured.

October 11, 2018November 28, 2020

Causes Of Sudden Death In Australian Pets

I’ve been a vet for a quarter century now. Over that time I’ve seen just about everything go wrong that can.

Pet disasters tend to go along recurring themes. If you know what they are, you have an excellent chance to avoid them. Some might be upsetting, but I hope you can see the benefit in thinking about them now.

August 26, 2017November 29, 2020

Help! My Dog Is Limping

This isn’t just a catalog of limping dogs. By knowing the leg problems that dogs get you have a better chance of preventing some, identifying others and taking them all seriously.

I’ve gone back through our records, found the top 20 with pictures. The list below is sorted into ‘puppy’, ‘adult’ and ‘common’ problems. Visit this page to see which problems happen in the front or back legs and how to tell which leg is sore.

August 6, 2017November 29, 2020

Why Kids Should Never Walk Dogs Alone

It’s not what you think. Once I tell you you’ll wonder why you didn’t see the problem straight away, and I bet you’ll never take the risk again. In fact, even after my mother pointed it out, I nearly made the same mistake as you’ll see later.

May 30, 2017November 29, 2020

Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) in Dogs

‘At A Glance (Details Below)’ What to do

When A Dog Has Sudden Back Problems

Sudden loss of control of the hind legs is a life threatening emergency
Keep affected dogs as still as possible until a vet can examine them
Home care or surgical options exist, & dogs can go on to live normal lives

Now dive deeper…

April 29, 2017November 29, 2020

Common Hazards To Puppies

Before I show you the causes of the most serious problems we see in young puppies at my clinic, there’s one thing that you have to do: know where to go.

Plan your route before you need it. This map shows your closest 24-hour veterinary emergency hospital in Adelaide.

April 29, 2017November 29, 2020

How to Puppy Proof Your House

Most people will say having a new puppy in the house is a bigger shock than a new baby. With a baby you have plenty of time to get the house safe as they grow and develop. A puppy is in full-on grab-and-destroy mode from the day they arrive. Here’s a checklist to keep them safe and you sane. All of these points are covered in detail in Common Puppy Dangers.

April 27, 2017November 29, 2020

Help! Dogs With Cuts & Cats With Wounds

‘At A Glance (Details Below)’ What to do

When A Dog Or Cat Gets A Cut

Don’t handle the wound if it looks clean, just keep your pet out of the dirt
To remove dirt, rinse cuts in a solution of ½tsp salt to 1 cup water
If there is serious bleeding, apply a tight bandage using clean cloth
As long as you see a vet immediately, a tight dressing should do minimal harm and may be lifesaving

Now dive deeper…

April 9, 2017November 29, 2020

Help! My Cat Was In A Fight

‘At A Glance (Details Below)’ Emergency Care

When A Cat Has Fight Injuries

Check your cat all over for painful areas, scabs or small wounds
Nasty anaerobic infections often develop quickly in cat fight wounds
See a vet for wounds, swellings, limping, not eating, quietness or lethargy

Now dive deeper…

April 2, 2017March 29, 2021

Why Vets Hate Tennis Balls

For many dogs, the highlight of their day is a game of fetch with the ball. Who can resist? You’d have to have a heart like a stone to say no. Or, like me, to know too much.

Stay with me while I show you five ways that tennis balls were made in the devil’s workshop. Afterwards, I’ll tell you how your dog can still have that fun without the risk.

July 17, 2016March 26, 2021

Common Problems Of Dogs, Cats, Rabbits & Chickens

Follow the links for information on:

July 19, 2015November 29, 2020

Help! My Cat Was Hit By A Car

‘At A Glance (Details Below)’ Emergency Care

What To Do If A Cat Is Hit By A Car

Do not chase if runs away- follow without adding stress
If severely injured, protect your hands when picking up
Lift injured cats wrapped in a blanket if possible
Take straight to a vet to check for internal injuries

Now dive deeper.

December 11, 2013November 29, 2020

Help! My Rabbit Has Been Attacked

Pippin is a bunny who lives with her mate in an outdoor tunnel home they have excavated by themselves.

Pippin came to us last week with a history of an inability to use her hind legs, which seemed to happen overnight.

When we examined her, she was unable to walk, seemed paralysed on her hind legs, and as a consequence was heavily urine-soaked.

November 27, 2013November 29, 2020

Myth 5: My backyard is safe at night

In Adelaide, Rabbits, Chickens, Ducks, Guinea Pigs, Native Mammals and any other small pets commonly live in outside hutches, pens or coops. And without their owners being aware of the risk, they are in great danger. If they are not adequately protected, one night can be all it takes to lose them. Please read on but this story may be upsetting for some.