UQ VETS

20/06/2025

🚨 Calling all vet techs and vet nurses! 🚨

Join us on 4 July 2025 for an exclusive RECOVER CPR Certification Workshop covering Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) techniques.

Learn how to give your patients the best chance of survival with evidence-based CPR training designed by the RECOVER Initiative and approved by the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC).

💡This hands-on workshop is strictly limited to 32 attendees
🎟Workshop registration fee: $300 per delegate

Don’t miss this chance to sharpen your skills and earn your official veterinary CPR certification!

📍 Spacing is limited – secure your spot now!

This workshop is an addition to our annual Veterinary Nurse and Technician Conference is taking place on Saturday 5 July and Sunday 6 July at the University of Queensland, St Lucia campus, Brisbane. The conference registration fee differs from the workshop.

🐾 To learn more about the CPR workshop and conference, visit:
https://veterinary-science.uq.edu.au/event/4514/veterinary-nurses-and-technicians-conference

🎟 To register now, visit:
https://payments.uq.edu.au/UQPCET101/booking?UDS_ACTION_DATA=YCsjdDRNLANOLlsFRkJDAFsgQnQ-XEYbL0JEVwEyJksJQF1V

ℹDisclaimer: The dog pictured is a resuscitation model used for teaching

12/06/2025

Setting puppies up for success with their first health check, vaccination and microchip🐶💜🩺

Litter consultations are not just about vaccinations and microchips. While these are extremely important, we also want to set the foundations for the health of your future pet.

We typically have these first consultations with puppies around 6 – 8 weeks of age. These consults include a full physical examination on each puppy to make sure they’re fit and healthy or to flag anything we might want to keep an eye on. Our team can talk you through diet, flea, tick & worming treatments, socialisation and any other unique puppy questions you might have.

Our students get to help us create a paw-sitive experience during the appointment with plenty of treats and cuddles, which as you can imagine, is also very rewarding for them too!

Vaccinations help protect pets from potentially life-threatening diseases. Puppies will still need to complete their course of puppy vaccinations once they've moved to their new home. We’ll equip the breeder with all the im-paw-tant information they will need to pass on to the puppy’s new owners.

While getting their first vaccination, puppies are also microchipped. While microchipping is a legal requirement, they also help reunite lost pets with their family. It's so important to update your pups microchip information when you bring home your new family member or when you’re moving.

If you're expecting a litter or welcoming a new pet into the family, make sure they start life off on the right paw!

☎️To book an appointment with our team call 5460 1788.

05/06/2025

📣Attention all Veterinary Technicians and Nurses!

The 2025 Veterinary Nurse and Technician Conference is taking place on Saturday 5 July and Sunday 6 July at The University of Queensland, St Lucia campus, Brisbane.

Join us for two dynamic days of learning, networking, and inspiration, featuring internationally renowned speakers Megan Brashear and Amy Newfield. Topics will cover everything from blood pressure, sepsis, and respiratory emergencies to leadership, team dynamics, and thriving in veterinary medicine. The lectures will be AVNAT approved (pending).

✨ Special Workshop Opportunity! STRICTLY LIMITED to 32 participants

On Friday 4 July, don’t miss the RECOVER® CPR Rescuer Certification Workshop—an intensive, hands-on course in Basic and Advanced Life Support. (Note: prerequisites and separate registration required.) RACE® approved for 6 Hours.

Early Bird Registrations closing soon! For full program details, pricing, and to register:

🐾 To learn more, visit:
https://cdn-au.mailsnd.com/63332/ibwX_pWf3i0rxZyVaotDa3rrvrakEhJryd6T3FmMWcA/1747982404/2548846.pdf

🎟 To register now, visit:
https://payments.uq.edu.au/UQPCET101/booking?UDS_ACTION_DATA=YCsjdDRNLANOLlsFRkJDAFsgQnQ-XEYbL0JEVwEyJksJQF1V

27/05/2025

It’s Reconciliation Week – and this year’s theme, Now More Than Ever, is a powerful reminder to keep listening, learning and standing together.

As many of our clients would know, Marty is a friendly and familiar face of the UQ VETS team. Below, she recently shared a piece of her story with UQ 🐾💜🩺

It’s Reconciliation Week – and this year’s theme Now More Than Ever is a powerful reminder to keep listening, learning and standing together.

We’re proud to share a yarn with Martina, a proud First Nations staff member making a real difference at UQ Gatton.
📍 Primary Care Vet Nurse | Front of House Nurse Coordinator
🐾 UQ VETS, School of Veterinary Science

Q: Can you tell us a little about your background?
🗣️ “I have Aboriginal heritage through my dad, who was from Jinjin in Queensland. My family connections are with both Kalamunda and Dubbo. My background is something I carry with pride – not just for me, but for my kids and future generations.”

Q: What does Reconciliation Week mean to you?
🗣️ “It’s a time to reflect on my family, my heritage, and the strong, intelligent Indigenous women in my life who’ve been through a lot and come out the other side. I’m grateful for their strength and leadership.”

Q: What drives your work at UQ?
🗣️ “I’ve been here for about nine years now, and I’m passionate about creating a supportive space. I’m part of UQ’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee as the professional staff representative, and also on the School of Veterinary Science’s EDI Committee. I want people – especially First Nations students – to know they can reach out to me.”

Q: Any advice for First Nations students thinking about a career in animal care or veterinary science?
🗣️ “It can be scary. It is hard work. But we are more than capable, and we absolutely can do it. Whether you’re going through an RTO or university, don’t be afraid to take that step. And if you ever want support – reach out!”

Martina’s days involve everything from triaging emergency patients to coordinating front-of-house teams – all while making space for others to feel seen and supported in the vet science world.

We’re so thankful to Martina for sharing her story and for being such a strong advocate for First Nations students and staff at UQ.

16/05/2025

🦔🤔 Have you noticed more echidnas on the move lately? Well, you're not alone!

Echidna breeding season typically takes place during the Australian winter (June to September), but they seem to be on the move early this year. With this increased activity, they run the risk of being kidnapped (echidnapped) by well meaning members of the public, or injured by cars or domestic animals as they cross roads and backyards. So, how can you tell when to leave them alone and when to seek veterinary care?

𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹:
🦔 Frothing and bubbling at the nose. Echidnas thermoregulate by producing "snot bubbles". When these bubbles pop they moisten the beak. The moisture draws heat from a blood filled cavity within the beak and, as the snot evaporates, it cools down that blood.
🦔 Ticks. Echidnas are natural hosts for many tick species, such as the echidna tick (Aponomma concolor) and paralysis tick (Ixodes holocylus). Unless they appear visibly unwell with a very heavy tick burden, it's normal to see a handful of ticks in between their spines and they typically don't cause harm.

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
🦔 Presence of blood in the "snot bubbles". This could be due to a significant injury to the beak, like a fracture.
🦔 Many broken spines. This could be an indicator that an echidna has experienced serious trauma (like being hit by a car) and may be hiding internal damage.

This young female echidna (aka snot bubble artist) presented to the avian and exotics service with multiple broken spines and asymmetry to the tip of her beak. When anaesthetised, echidnas lose conscious control of their spines and can be safely handled and examined. On radiographs, we identified a minor fracture at the tip of her beak. This has a good prognosis for healing, and as long as she's still able to eat and drink she'll do well with rehabilitation and release. She was given pain relief and sent to a wildlife carer to rest and heal. Here's hoping she'll be fit for release by this winter, where she can find a mate and contribute to our local echidna population. 🩺💜

04/05/2025

OPEN Labour Day for Urgent & Emergency care 💜🩺

If you require urgent veterinary care over the long weekend, our team is available:

🐾Small Animal Hospital: Open 7am to 10pm for emergencies and wildlife (7 days a week)
🐮Production Animal Service: On-call Emergency service available
🐴Equine Specialist Hospital: Emergencies only

☎️If you have an animal emergency, please visit your nearest vet or call our emergency team +61 7 5460 1788.

UQ VETS is available for routine and specialist care weekdays and is open for emergencies on public holidays and weekends.

25/04/2025

🐕🐴🦜🐍🩺Happy World Veterinary Day🧑‍⚕️🐈‍⬛🐄🐓🐐

Today, we celebrate our veterinarians, veterinary graduates, and the veterinary community who dedicate their lives to the health and well-being of animals 🐾❤️

🌍 Theme for 2025: " Animal Health takes a team .” 🌍

Veterinarians go beyond treating animals— their expertise ensures not only healthy pets but also safe food, disease prevention, and human well-being. Let’s recognise and appreciate the remarkable work of our veterinary community! 👏

We celebrated with our team earlier in the week! Thank you to Randlab for putting on a delicious BBQ 🍔

🐾 To all veterinarians: Thank you for your compassion, expertise, and dedication. You touch lives, one paw/hoof/claw at a time. 🌟👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

24/04/2025

OPEN ANZAC Day for Urgent & Emergency care 💜🩺

If you require urgent veterinary care over the long weekend, our team is available:

🐾Small Animal Hospital: Open 7am to 10pm for emergencies and wildlife (7 days a week)
🐮Production Animal Service: On-call Emergency service available
🐴Equine Specialist Hospital: Emergencies only

☎️If you have an animal emergency, please visit your nearest vet or call our emergency team +61 7 5460 1788.

UQ VETS is available for routine and specialist care weekdays and is open for emergencies on public holidays and weekends.

19/04/2025

It's dental time for the Easter Bunny's sidekick - the Bilby! 🦷🐰

This little bilby lives in captivity and has routine dentals every 12 months. Preparing a Bilby for a dental isn't all that different to preparing a dog, cat or even a guinea pig. Dental problems put an additional strain on already endangered bilby colonies, so having regular check-ups is an important part of this bilby's overall health care.

Our hospital is open over the long weekend for emergencies only. If you require urgent veterinary care, our team is available between 7am and 10pm 💜🩺

☎️+61 7 5460 1788.

17/04/2025

The Easter long weekend has arrived 🐰🍫

Our hospital will be open for emergencies only. If you require urgent veterinary care, our team is available between 7am and 10pm 💜🩺

If you’re enjoying all the yummy treats that come along with the Easter festivities, it’s important to make sure your pets aren’t indulging in the same chocolatey treats as you!

Chocolate contains ingredients that are toxic to pets. Depending on the size of your pet and how much chocolate they eat, some pets can experience poisoning with symptoms that range from vomiting and diarrhea to seizures and, in worst cases, death.

❌ If you are hiding chocolate as a surprise or setting up an Easter egg hunt, make sure no pets have access to your secret chocolate stashes!

If you are concerned your pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have, please contact your vet or our emergency service on +61 7 5460 1788.

11/04/2025

We recently celebrated the Welcome to Clinic Ceremony for our final-year Veterinary Technologist students! 🐾🏥🎉

Our Vet Tech students will be joining us in the clinic from Monday. When you come in for your next appointment keep an eye out for our friendly students in teal scrubs ready to help you and your animal companions.

Commencing clinical rotations is a huge milestone for our Vet Tech students. This is an essential part of the three-year program which extensively covers theoretical and practical skills creating integral members of the veterinary healthcare team.

A massive thank you to our sponsor, EAC Animal Care, for supporting the event and congratulations to all the students for achieving this tremendous milestone! We look forward to seeing you in our Animal Hospitals soon💜🩺🐴🐶🐮🦜

14/03/2025

What a spectacle! 👀🐍

This 2 year old scrub python came to see our Avian and Exotics service when her owner noticed her painful demeanor and bulging eye. Dr. Jess quickly identified that she also had dysecdysis, an incomplete or abnormal shedding of her skin, which had resulted in her retaining her spectacle: the scale that covers the eye. Due to suspicions over the health of the eye beneath that retained spectacle, we opted to explore the situation further under an anaesthetic.

Being a whopping 3.63m (or two students) in length and 11.8kg in weight, it took a team to keep her spine supported while anaesthetising her. We even needed to extend our procedures table to fit all of her comfortably! Dr. Jess was able to drain the build-up of fluid from beneath her spectacle (subspectacular space) and unblock her nasolacrimal duct (the duct that drains fluid from the subspectacular space into the mouth), but once the retained spectacle was removed we identified her eye itself had ruptured and needed to be enucleated.

Luckily, this scrub python is a pet that doesn't necessarily need both her eyes to thrive. While anaesthetised, we also helped remove the remainder of her incomplete shed and sent her home with a glow-up. This case sheds light on the importance of ensuring our scaly family members continue to shed appropriately, and the health concerns that can occur if they don't 💜🩺