At Seaford and Carrum Downs Veterinary Hospitals, we take the health and safety of our clients, patients and team members very seriously.

As the situation with the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) has evolved, we have introduced precautionary measures in our practice, to minimise the risk of exposure.

Please ring us today to reschedule your appointment by 14 days if you:

- Have had contact with someone with confirmed cases of COVID-19

- Have returned from overseas in the last 14 days.

- Are feeling unwell with flu - like symptoms such as fever,cough or sore throat.

Please note that this list of high-risk places may change as the global situation develops.

If your pet is unwell and the above applies please call on Seaford 9785 2611 or Carrum Downs on 9782 8766 to discuss the best approach to making sure your pet receives the medical care they need but make sure we minimising risk of exposure to our staff and other members of the community.

Both hospitals are still currently open as per usual. Yes, we are still seeing patients and there is no reason to delay or reschedule appointments unless the above applies to you.

At this stage there is currently no evidence that pets play a role in the spread of the human disease, or that they become sick - the major risk remains human to human contact. However, hand hygiene is critical before and after handling your pets, as well as there food. Pet owners who maybe infected with the virus or who are voluntarily isolating because of the risk of infection, are advised to keep their pets with them, but minimise Handling as a precautionary measure until more information is known about the virus and routes of transmission.

Your safety is our priority.

- Consult rooms are wiped and disinfected between each appointment.

- We use single use disposable material where possible

- We follow stringent infection control and sterilisation guidelines

Additionally, and effective immediately

- If you are early or on time to your appointment, we ask that you wait in your car or outside the clinics and ring us to say you have arrived, as we are trying to limit the amount of people in our waiting room. If we are running behind, we will contact you.

- We ask that if possible

- Only one family member to bring in each animal.

- We ask that you utilise our hand sanitizer before entering the building and consult room.

- We would prefer card (Tap and go less contact payments) payments to cash 

If you have an concerns or questions please call the clinics on Seaford 97852611 or Carrum Downs 9782 8766 ahead of your visit.

Both Seaford and Carrum Downs Veterinary Hospitals are now offering Openpay for away of paying for veterinary services,food and veterinary products.

Making a big purchase, can put a serious dent in your cash flow, but did you know there's a way to make a large. or even small purchase and pay it off over time. Openpay gives you a way to shop with us and pay off your purchase over a set term and is interest free.

How does Openpay work ?

When you're shopping with us on Openpay, log into your Openpay account and select "new plan". Choose your repayment term and wait to be approved. This shouldn't take longer than two minutes.

You then are able to pay for your furry loved ones treatment or veterinary products. Then we will receive funds from Openpay to pay for your payment ad you will pay off the money in fortnightly installments. You will be able to check your repayments in your online account. There are a number of fees you may need to pay as part of the services.

Openpay provides flexible payment plans for all your trips to the vets from general check ups to major treatments.You no longer need to pay up front for your vet bills, Spilt your payments up to 24 months with no interest when you transact with Openpay.

Terms and conditions apply

Our nurses can assist with you with downloading app on your phone or applying online.

www.openpay.com.au

From the last month, a new strain of Calicivirus (K5 Strain ) has been released across Australia to help land owners control wild rabbits. Unfortunately this has been a coordinated national release and the demand of Calicivirus vaccine is outstripping supply, leading to a nation - wide shortage. We already have a waiting list of patients still to be vaccinated, and the vaccinate company hope to have more supplies of the vaccine by mid - march.Until then , if your rabbit is not vaccinated, or the vaccinate has lapsed, the AVA (Australian Veterinary Association) recommend the following precautions be taken.

- Keep your rabbit inside all the time , if possible.

- Prevent direct and indirect contact with wild rabbits.

- Avoid cutting grass and feeding it to your rabbit if there is a risk of contamination from wild rabbits.

- Wash your hands with warm soapy water before handling your rabbit.

- Good insect controls vital to reduce the risk of spreading calicivirus and myxomatosis. This should involve insect proofing the hutch or keeping your rabbit indoors.

- If you suspect you may have a sick rabbit keep it isolated from any other rabbits immediately.

- All cages and equipment should be cleaned and disinfected properly using disinfectants such as 10% bleach.

We are trying our best to help our local rabbit owners and have vaccinated numerous pet rabbits in the past 2 months. We will keep you informed when we know more about the availability of the Calicivirus vaccine If you have any concerns or questions, contact Seaford Veterinary Hospital on 9785 2611 or Carrum Downs Veterinary Hospital on 9782 8766

On Sunday the 13th of December 2015, Dr Michelle Eads and Dr Paul Ross attended the market with our first stall at KCC park in Skye. Dr Eads spent and hard day examining alot of our new furry friend for free and all weasked for was a  gold donation to the Guide Dogs.

Whilst our fantastic nurses Sandra, Ebonee,Terri and Teagan gave free advise on pet care and gave away lots of show bags with heaps of goodies in them.

We would like to say a big thank you to Merial,Dermcare,Microchips Australia, Hills Pet food and Advance  Pet food for there help on the day.

We would like to say a big thanks to Anna at Dogs Victoia for organizing a great day

We hope to be back next year.

**** DUE TO NEW LAWS WE HAVE CLOSE THE PROGRAM DOWN. WE CAN NOT ACCEPT ANY KITTENS ANYMORE AT BOTH OUR CLINCS *****

Seaford and Carrum Downs Veterinary Hospitals are in support with the Advance Pet Adoption program. This allows us to adopt our kittens and cats in both our clinics

Our adopted kittens are friendly,healthy animals who want nothing more than to find a happy home.

All are kittens and cats will be adopted with the following :

- 1st F3 vaccination

- Microchipped

- Desexed

- Wormed

- Flea Control

- Advance Kitten Food

- Advance Kitten Pack

- Toy

Cost is

Male Kittens - $120

Female Kittens - $180

If you think you may have room for a new best friend, feel free to ring either of our clinics for advice. We do not have kittens all the time but if you are interested please contact either clinic and we can contact you when we have some kittens available.

Unbeknown to most people there are many common household products that are poisonous to our beloved pets. All of the products listed below are potentially fatal if ingested or applied to your animal. If you suspect that your animal has accidently or inadvertantly been poisoned by these toxins, please seek veterinary advise immediately. It helps us at the clinic if you bring the container that the product comes in with you so we can be sure of the active ingredient.

Paracetamol:
Causes very severe blood disorders in cats and dogs, and liver problems in dogs.

Rat bait:
Prevents the blood from clotting in both dogs and cats, resulting in massive internal blood loss. Clinical signs take atleast 2 days to develop after ingestion of the poison.

Chocolate and caffeine:
Most often seen around Easter time and usually in dogs (cat's are more fussy eaters!).
Causes heart arrhythmias, respiratory difficulty, vomiting, hyperactivity, muscle tremors, seizures.

Garlic and onions:
Cause blood disorders in dogs and cats.

Grapes and raisins:
Dogs only. Cause vomiting, diarrhoea and kidney failure.

Lily toxicity:
Cats only. The toxin is present in all parts of the plant (especially the flowers).
Causes vomiting, siezures and acute kidney failure.

Snail bait:
Any type of snail bait (molluscicide) on the market is potentially toxic to dogs and cats, even if it is marketed as 'pet friendly'.
Causes anxiety, restlessness, salivation, possible vomiting, muscle tremors, weakness/wobbliness, seizures.

Pyrethrins/Pyrethroids:
These chemicals are contained in many insecticides. They are relatively safe for use in dogs but are toxic to cats. We most commonly see cats with pyrethrin toxicity that have had dog flea products applied/used on them.
Causes shaking, wobbliness, hypersalivation, vomiting.

Both clinics accept all native wildlife to be assessed before deciding whether the animal can be rehabilitated. It is against the law to keep any native wildlife. After assessment of the animal we then refer the patient to our wildlife carer to aid in the recovery process.

HELPING NATIVE WILDLIFE

Baby possums - Baby possums are often in this seasonal change, have been found on the ground. Please quietly approach the possum, gentle wrap it with a warm cloth and call for help. Do not feed or give the animal water, the carer will attend to that.
Baby birds - Fledging day birds are again being seen on the ground - keep the cats and dogs away from them and leave them alone. Most birds learn to fly after they leave the safety of the nest, they need to attend to it.

Baby Owls - Fledging owls also in the seasonal change can be found on the ground too. It is OK to quietly approach it, cover it and placed into a quiet box for comfort. Keep in mind these birds are nocturnal, they must be put back where you found the owl so it’s parents are able to find it. It is best to try and find the closest tree branch the animal was found at to be kept away from cats and foxes. Note: Day birds can attack young owls and will kill them. If you are concerned about this situation and are afraid to touch the owl, place a washing basket over them to protect. Also keep your cat indoors at all times.

Snakes and lizards - Lizards do their own thing and are harmless, keep your dog away from them though. Keep well away from snakes and make sure your cat or dog are well away. Please call a snake catcher if you see one on your property and if it is a danger to you and your family.

Echidnas - Echidnas are often seen on warm days foraging for food in gardens and on roadsides. Leave them alone as they know where they are.
Penguins - seen on beaches - If you see a penguin on the beach please call for help immediately, a penguin on the beach is in trouble. Do not try to help it yourself you must call a wildlife carer.

Seals - If you see a seal on the beach, leave it alone, it is there for a reason. Seals actually come on shore for a number of reasons. If it looks injured call for help. Otherwise do not go within 5 metres of the animal. They can move very quickly and have a severe bite when provoked.

INJURED WILDLIFE
If you do find a injured animal or bird and if it is safe to do so, place a towel over the animal, quietly but quickly scoop the animal up into the towel and place animal into a warm but safe ventilated container. If in business hours please take them to your nearest vet.
Please do not under any circumstances handle a injured fruit bat, call immediate help if you see one.*Be very cautious when it comes to koalas, kangaroos and birds of prey as well as some sea birds when handling them*
Enquiries regarding wildlife please contact Belinda on: 0407 918 297

A microchip is a permanent form of identification that contains a unique identification number that is linked to your address and contact information. Inserting a microchip is a very safe procedure. The microchip itself is approximately the size of a grain of rice and is implanted between the shoulder blades by injection. If your pet is lost and scanned for a microchip at a veterinary clinic or by the council we are able to check a national database for owners contact details for your pet to be returned home safely. Local council laws require your pet to be identified with a microchip before registering with your local council.

Central Animal Records - www.cars.com.au

Australasian Animal Registry - www.aar.org.au

Pet Safe - www.petsafe.com.au

Home Safe ID - www.homeafeid.com

Pet Address -www.petaddress.com.au This site is useful if you do not know which company your pet is registered with. Enter the microchip number and the site will find the company for you.

Nurses have to explain why we need to see your pet in order to get continued repeats of a prescribed medication. It is one of the hardest thing to explain as we are not over servicing, we are bound by laws and the welfare of your animal and this means we need to see your pet every 6 months.

Some of the reasons why we have to ask questions.

- Your Animal has a disease which needs to be controlled properly, which means blood tests, ear swabs (Cytology) and eye tests.

-Drugs have side-effects.Artritis medication can cause liver damage and gastric ulcers. Heart medications can cause kidney damage and prednisolone can cause weight gain, infections and diabetes. 

- It is a legal requirement That S4 (Prescription only)

It is often necessary to medicate pets with drugs & specific medicines. Similar to human medications some drugs have legal restrictions on their use and can only be dispensed under certain restrictions. Repeat scripts are available only on approval by the veterinarian. Please call before hand so the medications will be approved and readily available to pick up. In some instances your pets may need to be re-examined before repeat scripts can be dispensed. All medications will be Labeled with your pets details with the administering details

Chemotherapy & Your Pet The diagnosis of cancer in a pet is a stressful time for all pet owners. Not only is the diagnosis in itself a potentially frightening prospect but treatment, which may include chemotherapy, can be equally daunting. Nearly all of us have had our lives touched by someone who has been diagnosed with cancer and has endured chemotherapy as part of their treatment. In many people, the side effects of chemotherapy can at times seem worse than the disease. However, in the case of pets with cancer, the fear that your pet will spend most of the time being ill as a result of chemotherapy is unfounded.

Chemotherapy may be used as the sole treatment for certain types of cancers or it may be used in combination with other treatments such as surgery and radiation. It is generally recommended for cancers that have already spread to other areas of the body or that occur at more than one site simultaneously.

In addition chemotherapy may be used for tumors that cannot be removed surgically or to shrink large tumors prior to surgical removal.

Chemotherapy offers a pet with cancer the chance to improve their quality of life, potentially providing prolonged remission ( and sometimes Cure) and reducing the chances of the cancer spreading elsewhere.

Compared to people,pets who receive chemotherapy experience fewer and less severe side effects because lower drug doses and fewer combination drugs are used compared with humans medicine. In addition, most side effected are predictable and pre-emptive treatment generally significantly reduces these potential problems.

How much does chemotherapy cost ? This is a question that is best answered on an individual basis as it depends on the size of your pet, the number and types of drugs used for their particular chemotherapy protocol and the need for any monitoring tests. It can be expensive but if you are concerned regarding potentional costs, we can often tailor a protocol for your pet that will provide some benefit while keeping within your budget.

So if you are faced with the diagnosis of cancer in your pet remember that treatment options including chemotherapy exist. Therefore before making any decisions about you pets future it is always best to discuss all the options with your attending veterinarian first.