Archive for the News Category

Blessed Creatures

Our very first Pet Memorial Day and Blessing of the Animals has come and gone, and proved to be a great success. There was plenty of emotion, and not a few tears were shed at the service held on Sunday, 9 October, but there was also plenty of joy and laughter as more than forty of the Alpine region’s animal lovers and their furry families came together to remember the pets that have passed on, and to celebrate the important role that our pets play in the lives of so many people.

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A Memorial Day for pets

Updated: 28 September 2011: Dr. Bek’s Pet Memorial Day is getting closer. Everything is coming together for our little service and gathering of friends, four-legged and two. Please set aside a little time on Sunday, 9 October for you and your family to join us in remembering your departed best mates. And please tell you friends. We would

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Adverse reactions warning for dog owners

Industry reports are warning of possible adverse reactions in dogs when Comfortis (spinosad), a popular chewable tablet for once-a-month flea protection, is used concurrently with ivermectin-based products.
Recent reports have found that, when used together, there is an apparent interaction between the two medications which causes an increased likelihood of an ivermectin toxicity, similar to an ivermectin overdose, in dogs. Adverse reactions can cause a range of symptoms, from ‘Collie nose’ to a full blown toxicity with neurological signs of ataxia, drooling, vomiting and pupil dilation. At its most severe, the reaction can lead to a coma.

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New ‘once a month’ pain relief for dogs

A new pain relief medication, Trocoxil, is now available in Australia for dogs suffering the effects of long term chronic or persistent pain and inflammation associated with degenerative joint disease. An NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), Trocoxil has been available in Europe since 2009 but has only recently been approved for use in Australia. Unlike other NSAIDs such as Rimadyl, Trocoxil does not need to be given daily to control pain but is administered as a single chewable tablet once a month.

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Updated 14 Sept: Avian virus spreads to racing pigeons

t has been confirmed that the virulent new strain of avian paramyxovirus discovered in Victoria two weeks ago has now spread to racing pigeons. The virus is responsible for deaths in flocks of domesticated pigeons on at least six properties. The State Government has now quarantined 25 properties. The Department of Primary Industries believe the outbreak is still contained to the Melbourne and Shepparton area and is asking owners to avoid all pigeon racing to prevent the further spread of the deadly diseases, which can also affect commercial poultry flocks and native birds.

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New website for Alpine Animal Doctors

Welcome to our brand new website. If this is your first visit, Dr Bek hopes you’ll enjoy fossicking around and that you find what you’re looking for. If you have been to our previous site, we hope you will find this new site cleaner, more attractive and easier to find your way around. We also hope you’ll find a lot more information here than we could ever have on the old site, which was very limited.

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Bacterial swab cultures now available in-house

Our animal hospital now has the ability to do in-house cultures on swabs to identify a specific bacteria and to establish its resistance and sensitivity to particular antibiotics, helping us identify the most effective antibiotic to use for treatment. Adding this new test to our already extensive pathology facilities is an important step forward in ensuring we can do all of our own testing right here in the Alpine region. The new bacterial swab culture facility has meant we can significantly reduce the waiting time between consult and test result, allowing us to quickly instigate the most appropriate and effective treatment.

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FREE picnic blanket from Advance Pet Nutrition

Sorry, this offer has expired and is no longer available.

The warmer weather is coming and here’s your chance to enjoy a family picnic in the sunshine with a free picnic blanket from our friends at Advance Pet Nutrition. To get your free picnic blanket all you need to do is buy any 13kg or 15kg pack of any of the range of Advance Premium dog and cat foods. We only have limited stocks of these great blankets, which come with their own carry handle for easy transport, so don’t delay — stock up on quality Advance foods for your furry friends today!

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A blood bank for dogs at the hospital

We now have our own blood bank at the hospital, ensuring that, in cases of emergency, we can provide a blood transfusion to a dog injured in an accident, or needing blood because of a life-threatening illness. Do you know the blood group of your dog? Could you tell your vet what it was if your dog needed an emergency transfusion?

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City celebrations on for getaway winners

Sorry, this offer has expired. The winner of the Alpine Animal Doctors Weekend Getaway prize draw is Mrs Christine Baker. Christine is owned by cocker spaniels Mia and Molly, and Miffy the cat, who will shortly be sending Christine and her partner off on a luxury weekend for two in Melbourne, with dinner and tickets to a show.

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