Can I Feed Them the Same Amount?
The feed room is a riot of feed bags and empty buckets, and the horses are banging on their doors waiting impatiently for the feed to arrive. The stablehand grabs a dipper and starts doling out feed into the buckets – two full dippers of sweet feed, one dipper of lucerne chaff and one of […]
Aural Haematoma In Dogs
Does your dog have a swollen earflap or ‘fat ear’? It is likely that he or she has an aural haematoma. An Aural Haematoma is a blood clot in the ear; aural refers to the ear, and a haematoma is a localized collection of blood or serum. The ear may hang at an unusual angle […]
Falling Into Winter
Four Dietary Management Tips for Horses to Consider as Cold Weather Descends 1. Stash Away Hay As we all know, hay is often a mainstay of winter diets. When pasture grasses stop growing and start turning an unappetizing shade of brown, it is time to begin supplementing good-quality hay to pastured horses. The best time […]
Conjunctivitis in Cats
Is your cat pawing and rubbing at its eye? Does the eye look red, swollen and painful? Chances are your cat is suffering from conjunctivitis. What is conjunctivitis? Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the light pink tissue that surrounds the eyeball and then folds back to line the inside of the eyelids. […]
Grief Management In Children
Losing a pet marks the end of a special relationship and can be one of the most difficult times of our life. Strong emotional bonds are formed with pets, and it is normal for any pet owner to experience intense grief when a much-loved pet dies or is euthanased. The response of children to a […]
Worms in Horses
It is important that all persons responsible for the health care of horses have an understanding of the common worms and how to control them. Regular worm control of internal parasites is important to ensure proper digestive efficiency and freedom from worm-related conditions. Heavy worm burdens can lead to recurring colic, poor condition, lack of […]
The Secrets of Successful Dog Training
Whether training a new puppy or solving simple behaviour problems, the central tenet is the same – reward your dog for getting things right! Adopting a reward-orientated training program means it is not necessary to punish your dog at all. Training your dog where to eliminate, where to dig, when to bark and how to […]
Liver Fluke in Cattle
Liver fluke is an internal parasite that can infect and damage the liver and reduce overall productivity of cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, goats, alpacas and deer; humans can also become infected. With up to six million cattle grazing pastures in fluke endemic areas of south-eastern Australia, it is estimated the parasite causes around $100 million […]
Why You Should Vaccinate Your Dog
Has your dog been vaccinated lately? Oops! Vaccination is the only way to protect your dog against certain viral diseases that are highly contagious and can even be fatal. Because viruses cause them, there is no cure and treatment can be expensive, distressing for both you and your dog, and not always successful. The major […]
What’s a Good Diet for a Good-Doer?
If your horse has been out of work during the winter, what is the best way to increase its energy intake as you begin exercising him in the spring? Mother Nature may boost your horse’s energy intake! Springtime offers nutritional perks for all horsemen. One involves the caloric contribution of fresh forage (pasture) that might […]
Is Your Bird Sick?
Although we like to think of birds as domestic pets, they are only a few generations descended from wild birds. In the wild, a sick bird is easy prey for a predator. Hence, birds have learnt to hide signs of illness in order to survive. This instinct, known as the masking phenomenon, is just as […]
Solving Coprophagia or Faeces-Eating Behaviour In Dogs
Indeed, it’s not a very agreeable thought (or sight), but it’s a common problem. Many dogs engage in the not-so-pleasant activity of eating their own faeces or those of other dogs (or even cats!). The question is, why do they do it and how can it be solved? What is coprophagia? Coprophagia is defined as […]