38 Shaw Rd,
Wooloowin 4030
Ph: 3357 1588
Fax: 3357 1566

Ugly little creatures that hop around the back garden at night may not be interesting to humans but they are very interesting to our dogs and this summer there are more than ever.  The unusually wet summer we are having has meant the conditions have been perfect for toads to breed and we are seeing a population explosion in our surburban gardens.  This is bad news for our inquisitive canine friends because toads are poisonous and possibly fatal.  Toads have poison glands on their backs which are used for their defence and when mouthed or bitten by a dog the toad squirts the poison into the mouth or eyes of the dog.

The poison is very irritant and causes a burning sensation of tongue and gums which leads to extensive salivation and frothing at the mouth.

If the dog gets a lot of poison then other signs can quickly develop such as muscle weakness, collapse, seizuring and finally death as the toad poison affects the heart muscle.

If your dog is unlucky enough to be affected by a toad the first thing to do is wash out the dogs mouth using running water from the hose or tap.  A good rinsing for 5 minutes will, in 90% of cases, relieve all signs and nothing else will be necessary.

The dog should however be closely observed for the next hour and if the frothing continues or if other signs develop then you should contact us immediately.

Does your dog behave strangely during a thunderstorm, perhaps start shaking, barking, become hyperactive or seem terrified?  Thunderstorms are a very common phobia in dogs which often develops early in life and worsens as the dogs get older.

The origin of this behavior is fear towards the noise made by the thunder (we see a similar condition with fireworks).  Lightening will not initially cause any response, however in time many dogs associate the crack of thunder with the preceding flash of lightening and even the associated pre storm weather conditions as they seem to sense the changes in atmospheric pressure leading up to a storm.

This means a storm phobic dog will be anxious, restless and distressed, hours before a storm begins.

This can be a serious problem if your dogs howls constantly or panics and escapes from the yard and disappears, often at risk of being hit by a car or becoming lost. (What about a microchip?)

There are several ways of helping your dog adapt to its fear.

Vets now have a vaccine available to protect cats against Feline Aids.

Feline Aids is a viral infection, commonly known as FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), and is spread by cats fighting. FIV in cats is similar to that of the human variety (although not contagious to humans), being a viral disease that interferes with the immune system of the cat. Just like the human HIV (AIDS), cats infected with FIV have a reduced ability to fight off even the simpliest of infections.

Kalinga Park Veterinary Surgery is excited to announce the commencement of House Calls in 2011. Dr Ben Charlton brings modern veterinary practice and a personalised service to Wooloowin and surrounding areas. Many routine procedures, such as vaccinations and health checks, and some non routine procedures can be preformed in the comfort of your pets own home environment. Our patients will enjoy the comfort and safety of being examined in their homes, while our clients enjoy this convenience at very reasonable prices.

House calls by appointment only

Please phone or email our friendly nursing staff to arrange your appointment.

Ph- 3357 1588

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