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

An AB tech’s wishlist

The major reason why AB technicians are not allowed to work in herringbone pits anymore is health and safety.  The risks include: trip/fall hazards (vertical bars and concrete don’t have any give,Read more

What the FEC?

FEC (faecal egg count) testing is the method for determining the number of internal parasite eggs in a poo sample. We use FECs to assess the burden of roundworms in a cattle herd and to determine ifRead more

Autumn parasites: Liver fluke & Ostertagia

Liver fluke is a parasite that is pretty common on the West Coast. The life cycle of the parasite (properly called Fasciola Hepatica) is slightly different from other parasites as it involves a smallRead more

High cell count cows

This season has been a challenging one, starting out so wet and then really drying up from Boxing Day.  One issue that is occurring on quite a few farms this season is elevated cell counts and anRead more

Out of sight, out of mind: Facial Eczema

It can be hard trying to focus on what we don’t see! For every clinical case of facial eczema (FE) there are 10 subclinical cases. FE is caused by a fungus, pithomyces chartarum, which grows onRead more

It's scanning season

Aged pregnancy diagnosis (scanning) allows for clearer expectations and better management in spring, as you will accurately know when cows will be due to calve. Scanning also allows the mating seasonRead more

Summer is here! But do cows like warm weather?

When summer arrives, we finally find ourselves taking those extra layers off and our bodies are enjoying warming up. But what about cows? They cannot take a layer off and often have a black coat... Read more

Copper and selenium in calves

We talk about trace elements a lot for your dairy cows, but sometimes youngstock can be forgotten about! When trace element status is in the optimal range, it gives animals the best chance atRead more

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