Wildlife services

West Coast Vets work closely with the local Department of Conservation to treat wildlife that have been involved in an accident or who require emergency care. Some kiwi may require fluids prior to being flown to Massey or the Wildlife Centre in Dunedin for ongoing care.  A Caspian Tern was found lost and not eating, an x ray confirmed a fractured wing. Moreporks, Penguins Tuatara and Woodpigeons are also common wildlife to be Vet checked and prescribed medication before being looked after on the West Coast by local wildlife rehabilitation volunteers prior to their release back into the wild. Those that are less fortunate and can’t be released due to the nature of their injuries, will have a forever home at various Wildlife Sanctuaries such as Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch.

FURTHER READING

Latest news

Careful with pets and Christmas treats

Christmas treats are something we all look forward to, but for our furry friends, some of these can be extremely toxic, so it is important to keep them out of reach. If you have a pet with a penchantRead more

Caring for pets over the holidays

The Christmas holidays are fast approaching. If you are heading away, now is a good time to start thinking about what plans you need to make for your pets.   Will you leave them at home and getRead more

Lepto vaccine update

There has been a lot of communication from Westland lately regarding supply of the lepto vaccine. In the end, we were never approached for a 5-year tender for the vaccine and we turned down theRead more

Caring for cows' hooves

Hoof care in dairy cattle is a critical aspect of herd management, particularly in regions with challenging environmental conditions. The high rainfall and rugged terrain in our area presents uniqueRead more

Keep an eye out for coccidiosis

Coccidiosis is a parasitic disease that can occur in calves from as young as 4 weeks of age, but normally between 3-8 months. Infection is by ingestion of coccidia oocysts, from contaminated pasture,Read more

Quick in-clinic FEC testing available

We are pleased to announce that we have invested in a Parasight faecal egg count (FEC) machine, which will enable us to quickly test samples in-clinic.   Created and developed in Australia, thisRead more

Mastitis testing: Mastatest vs Jupiter

We now have two machines in-clinic that we can use for milk sample testing. The Mastatest machine, which has been around a few years, can run up to four cartridges for clinical mastitis and eightRead more

Taking mastitis milk samples

We know that this season to date has been particularly challenging with mastitis levels and SCC higher than usual.  For clinical and subclinical mastitis (diagnosed either via paddle or herdRead more

This season's passive transfer results

This season, we had a few farms do passive transfer (PT) testing on their calves to check for absorption of immunoglobulin from colostrum. Below is a quick comparison of the results: Read more

Choosing the right pet

Pets bring so much joy to a family. They give affection and love, make us laugh, and have a positive effect on our mental health. However, before choosing a new furry addition, it is important to putRead more

Itchy dogs

Is your dog scratching, biting, licking, rubbing his skin, or rolling on the ground?  Allergic skin disease can cause significant discomfort to companion animals and is a common reason for dogRead more

Giving 90% this mating

Did your calving period seem to drag on this season? One way to try and compact your calving for next year is to have a good 3-week submission rate.   To be on track for a successful mating, theRead more