West Gippsland Vet Care Drouin

24/04/2025

🐕‍🦺 If you’ve got a senior canine companion, you’ll know how important gentle, regular exercise is for their mobility and well-being.

Before starting a new exercise routine, we recommend a health check with our vets to address any age-related aches and pains.

Once your pet gets the green light, safe activities include:

✅ Shorter, more frequent walks with plenty of sniff stops
✅ Wading in shallow water 🌊
✅ Gentle games of fetch with soft toys

Quality of life for all patients is our goal!

23/04/2025

🦷 DENTAL MONTH 🦷Why does my vet want dental x-rays of my cat?

Here at WGVC we recommend full mouth dental x-rays for all our patients. With cats, the dental x-rays are VERY important to identify changes to the teeth. Cats are not small dogs!

Cats often have resorption of their teeth and/or fusion of the roots with the bone of the jaw with dental disease that can be very painful. We can only see this fusion of the roots and jaw bone on dental x-ray. A tooth with this fusion may only require removal of the top of the tooth (crown amputation) but without an x-ray we may think we need to fully extract the root as well- which is time consuming, difficult and unnecessary.

Dental x-rays are also important for abnormalities such as extra roots but this is much less common in cats. Cats can also get bone loss around the teeth (periodontal disease) and tooth root abscesses like dogs do, which also require dental x-rays to diagnose.

22/04/2025

🍎 We all deserve a treat now and then, and that includes our furry friends!

To keep your pet feeling their best, we recommend sticking to healthy treat options.

✅ Cooked, skinless chicken or turkey breast
✅ Chunks of springwater tuna 🐟
✅ Plainly cooked sweet potato cubes
✅ Dog-safe fruits like blueberries or chopped apple

For more advice on the best pet diets, consult our diet-diligent team.

17/04/2025

We hope you don't need them, but Gippsland Pet Emergency is there for you all weekend. We wish you and your pets a very Happy Easter 🐰 🐣

Did Someone Say Chocolate?!
Gippsland Pet Emergency is open right through Easter to care for your pets—especially if they've snuck a few Easter eggs!

We are available 24hrs from 8am on Good Friday, April 18 until 8am on Tuesday, April 22.

No matter the emergency, don’t hesitate to call us. We’re here when you need us the most.

17/04/2025

🐱 A little extra fluff may be cute, but being overweight can seriously impact your cat’s health.

Obesity in cats increases the risk of diabetes, urinary tract disease, respiratory issues, and arthritis. It can also, sadly, shorten a pet’s lifespan.

Overweight cats also struggle with grooming, often needing extra help to stay matt-free and clean (yikes!).

For an assessment of your cat’s health and body condition, book a consultation with our knowledgeable vets. 🏥

15/04/2025

At West Gippsland Vet Care we have over 200 years combined experience and we pride ourselves in providing Excellence in Animal Care.

15/04/2025

⏳ Short on time? Here are some pawsome tips from our team to efficiently exercise your energetic dog:

✅ Short bursts of intense exercise, like fetch or tug-of-war
✅ Swimming for water-loving dogs 🏊‍♂️
✅ Mental stimulation with long-lasting dental chews, puzzle toys, and obedience training
✅ Structured activities like flyball, agility, or doggy daycare for sociable dogs

For personalised advice on safe and effective exercise options, consult our canine-cluey vets. 🐕

14/04/2025

🤢🐰 !Easter toxicities! 🐰🤢

The Easter bunny may create the perfect hiding spots for your little ones to find, however, your pets also love to sniff out those scrumptious treats! If you think your pet has ingested something they shouldn't have these coming holidays, give the clinic a call immediately!!

Chocolate 🍫
Ensure any chocolates or chocolate containing goodies are kept high out of reach (alas, packaging will not deter!). Chocolate ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, a racing heart, increased thirst or restlessness.

Hot cross buns 🍞
Raisins and chocolate are common additives to the delicious treats, but both are toxic for your furry friends. Raisins contain a toxin that can cause damage to your beloved pets' kidneys.

Any accidental ingestion should be acted upon quickly by giving us a call 📞
Show us your pics of your Easter friends in the lead up to this weekend!

10/04/2025

🐾 Did you know that using feeding toys regularly can benefit your cat’s health?

Feeding toys provide an outlet for your cat’s natural hunting behaviours and make mealtimes more stimulating. This can help reduce behavioural issues such as anxiety, hyperactivity, or aggression.

Additionally, slowing down mealtimes is great for maintaining a healthy weight! 🍽️

For more tips on keeping your cat in top condition, consult our knowledgeable team.

09/04/2025

🐾STAFF PROFILE 🐾

🐾Name: Izzy

🐾Position: Veterinary nurse

🐾Pets: a slightly insane one year-old tortie kitten called Olive and a goofball Golden Retriever named Bentley 🐈‍⬛🐕

🐾What inspired you to become a Vet nurse?

I have always wanted to be a vet but since going on placement while studying veterinary technology, I found nursing was my passion and one true love. Just getting to be the “wheels behind the scenes that keeps everything turning” is so rewarding 🙌🏼

🐾What’s the best thing about your job?

Returning our patients back to their families after a stay in hospital brings me so much happiness.
But being the patients advocate is the best part of my job, allowing their voices to be heard when they can’t tell us what’s wrong 🫶🏼

🐾If you could give any advice to pet owners what would it be?

Treasure their lives, as they may not always be in all of our lives but we are almost always in all of theirs❤️

09/04/2025

Sweet Callie melted our hearts today!
After her dental, she gave us a little paw shake to say “thank you”—how polite is that?
We’re so proud of how brave and sweet she was. Way to go, Callie!

08/04/2025

🐾 While it’s tempting to throw sticks for your dog to fetch, this is a bit of a “sticking point” for pet safety!

Unfortunately, some canine patients have suffered painful mouth or throat injuries from grabbing a bouncing stick too hastily.

If your dog loves fetch, we recommend safer options such as frisbees, balls, or other toys designed for dogs to grab and carry safely. 🎾

For more information on safe exercise options for your pet, consult our play-proficient team.

06/04/2025

Paralysis ticks - the ins and outs 🐶🐈

Little Dolly here was a lucky survivor! After a weekend away at Omeo with her family, an engorged paralysis tick was found several days after returning home. She spent 3 nights in hospital after becoming severely affected by the paralysis tick and developed life-threatening pneumonia. Dolly is extremely lucky and pulled through, back to her bubbly, bright self!

TO DO:
- Prevention is key! Ensure your pet is on a high quality tick prevention (that covers paralysis ticks), whether they are an inside or outside pet. Ticks can travel multiple ways, including on clothes, in camping gear or in vehicles. Talk to our staff for recommendations on what best suits your furry friends.
- Know where they live. Paralysis ticks inhabit areas east of Traralgon and along the east coast of Australia and in river systems. Mallacoota is a paralysis tick dense area. Ensure your pet is on prevention BEFORE travelling to, or near, these areas. Even if your pet is not travelling with you, the ticks can unknowingly be brought back with you and find your pet.🚗
- Know the signs. If you have travelled to paralysis tick areas with or without your pet, watch them for signs including weakness, unsteadiness on their feet, breathing difficulties or abnormalities, changes to their 'voice' and vomiting or regurgitation. Call the clinic immediately if you have any concerns after visiting tick areas.⛺️

DO NOT:
- Do not agitate or stress the tick. When stressed, paralysis ticks will release more neurotoxin into your pet. This can include pulling, poking or applying something to the tick.
- Do not disregard a tick. If you find a tick, even if your pet is not showing any signs, it is very important to have them checked by a vet ASAP. 🚨
- Do not forget prevention! There is now a year long flea and tick injection available, ask our staff for more information.

If you are concerned or have any questions, our friendly staff are more than happy to answer any queries you may have!🐾📞

05/04/2025

🐾 We’re at the Baw Baw Pet Expo today! 🐾

Come down and meet Dr. Sarah, Dr. Chris, and our amazing vet nurses, Mikayla, Geselle and Ella!

🐶 Guess the number of treats in the jar for your chance to win!
🐱 Chat with us about your furry friends and get expert advice.

We can’t wait to see you! 🐾✨



https://facebook.com/events/s/2025-baw-baw-pet-expo/4061423850851770/

04/04/2025

🐾Staff profile 🐾

🐾 Name: Mikayla

🐾 Position: Veterinary Nurse

🐾 Pets : Two dogs - Remi a Border collie and Pippa a Australian Shepherd 🐕🐕

🐾 What inspired you to become a nurse?

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always had a passion for caring for animals and I knew I would love working alongside them in some way, shape or form.
When I started working at West Gippsland Vet Care, I immediately knew it was the right industry for me🫶🏼

🐾 What’s the best thing about your job?

My favourite part about coming to work is working alongside a great team. I love how we are able to improve our patients health and make them as comfortable as possible 💛
I also enjoy the fast pace emergencies and working with critical cases.

🐾 If you could give any advice to pet owners what would it be?

Owning a pet is a lifelong commitment not just a phase.
Their needs will evolve as they age, so be prepared to adapt and provide the care they require throughout their lives🐈‍⬛🐈.

03/04/2025

🐱 If your cat is elderly or spends most of their time indoors, they’ll likely need a helping hand to prevent painful nail overgrowth.

Cats who aren’t able to keep their claws in check with natural outdoor activities usually require a nail trim every 4–6 weeks.

If you’re not sure how to do this, we’d recommend a consultation with our lovely nurses. We can regularly trim your cat’s nails for you or show you the best feline-friendly techniques for doing it at home. ✂️

With our help, you’ll be nailing your cat’s manicures in no time!

01/04/2025

🐶 Rainy day? No problem! If you’d rather not don a raincoat for a soggy dog walk, you can still help your pup burn off energy with these fun indoor play ideas:

✅ Tug-of-war games with a strong tug toy
✅ Playing fetch down a hallway
✅ Working on obedience training
✅ Hide-and-seek games with treats hidden around the room for your dog to sniff out
✅ Filling up a puzzle toy or lick mat with food or treats
✅ Making a “lucky dip” game using an old cardboard box, lots of scrunched-up paper, and sprinkled treats

For more advice on keeping your dog in tip-top shape mentally and physically, consult our canine-competent team. 🐾