Killarney Vets

12/05/2026

As the weather cools down, we often see older dogs becoming stiffer and less comfortable.

Did you know around 4 out of every 10 dogs show signs of arthritis pain? Many dogs suffer in silence because the signs can be subtle and are often mistaken for “just slowing down with age”.

While arthritis is a progressive disease, there are many ways we can help manage pain and improve your dog’s comfort, mobility, and quality of life ❤️

We can help support your pet with arthritis through physical examinations, mobility assessments, ongoing monitoring, weight management, and tailored long-term treatment plans designed to keep them as comfortable, active, and happy as possible.

If you think your dog may be showing signs of arthritis, book an assessment with our team today.

05/05/2026

Late gestation radiographs for Nala 🐾

Nala is a German Shepherd, approximately 8 wks pregnant at the time of this x-ray. With whelping just around the corner, foetal skeletons are sufficiently mineralised for us to estimate litter size by counting skulls and spines.

How many puppies are in there? 👀

Comment your guess below ⬇️

23/04/2026

Killarney Vets will be closed this Saturday for ANZAC Day.

We will still have a veterinarian on call for emergencies. If your pet requires urgent care, please call the clinic and follow the prompts.

Lest we forget 🇦🇺🇳🇿

23/04/2026

Cat found on Cedar St in Killarney.

Please give us a call if you recognise this cat and know who the owner might be!

18/04/2026

Wellness appointments are not just about vaccines, parasite controls, or performing desexing and dental procedures.

They’re about building a complete clinical picture of your pet while they’re healthy, so we have a true baseline to compare against as they age.

Blood sugar, liver function, kidney function, immune system... Senior pets especially benefit from routine health screening, as many conditions (kidney disease, endocrine disorders, chronic inflammation) develop gradually and can be missed without diagnostics.

Book an appointment with our team to discuss tailored health screening for your pet! 🐈🐾🐕

09/04/2026

Boss's lucky escape! 🍀

In March, Boss had a very close call after a mustering accident, where he ran onto a stick that penetrated his chest.

His owners did the right thing and brought him straight in without removing it.

Because of the location, we needed to determine whether the stick had entered the thoracic cavity. We performed a series of contrast radiographs, which confirmed the injury was confined to the outer ribs.

We were able to safely take him to surgery, remove the stick, and thoroughly clean the wound.

Boss spent a couple of days in hospital on fluids, antibiotics and pain relief. He has made a full recovery and is already back to work. 🙌🏼

Video of stick removal in comments! 🫣

01/04/2026

Our Easter Egg competition winner is…

Wishing all our wonderful clients and their families a happy and safe Easter! 🐣 🩷

Just a reminder that we are open from 9-1 on Easter Saturday and are otherwise closed for the public holidays.

If your pet needs urgent care during this time, emergency services are still available. Please call the clinic on (07) 4664 1344 for assistance.

And remember, keep chocolate and sweet treats well out of reach of your pets! Even small amounts can be toxic.

29/03/2026

Last chance to enter our Easter Egg competition! Comment your guess in the post below. Winners announced on Wednesday the 1st of April 🤩🐇

🐣✨ Our Easter Egg Challenge is back! ✨🐣

Pop in, have a look, and take a guess of how many easter eggs are in the jar - or drop your guess in the comments below!
* if commenting, please like this post & follow our page to be in the draw.

The closest guess WINS!

📝 Drawn on 1st April before Easter Friday

Goodluck! 🐇🍫

21/03/2026

Late-night calving call for Dr Matt that turned into a team effort 🐮

A first calf heifer presented with dystocia. Manual traction and episiotomy were attempted, however the calf would not budge. The calf was in normal presentation, position and posture, but just too large! (consistent with foetomaternal disproportion).

Dr Kaitlyn joined in on the fun, and a left flank caesarean section was performed under standing local spinal nerve block.

A great outcome with both cow and calf alive and doing well post-operatively 👏🏼

16/03/2026

This cow had a massive abscess on her right hind leg - the smell was amazing!

10/03/2026

⚠️🚨 Increase in Three-Day Sickness Cases 🚨⚠️

We are currently seeing an increase in Three-Day Sickness (Bovine Ephemeral Fever) cases in the Killarney district. A number of the cases have been quite severe, particularly cows that have been down for more than 3 days or are lying in lateral recumbency.

3d is a viral disease of cattle spread by biting insects. Herds that have had limited recent exposure may have lower immunity, which can lead to more severe outbreaks.

Early stage:
• Sudden high fever (often >40°C)
• Stiff, arched back
• Sudden drop in milk production
• Abortions or mismothering of calves

Later stage:
• Severe muscle stiffness
• Lameness
• Swollen joints
• Cattle going down and refusing to move

Heavier cattle are often more severely affected because their weight makes it harder for them to stand once they become weak or stiff. If cattle remain down for prolonged periods, muscle and nerve damage can occur, which significantly worsens prognosis.

Treatment focuses on supportive care, including:
• Anti-inflammatories to control pain/fever and nerve/muscle compression
• Calcium, phosphorus, glucose and magnesium injections
• Electrolytes via oro-gastric tubing to rapidly correct dehydration, as some animals may have temporary paralysis/swelling of the tongue and throat and may refuse to drink
• Good nursing care; shade, comfortable ground, hay
• Vaccination prior to spring/summer - please advise if you would like us to order these in for your herd

If you suspect 3d sickness in your herd, please contact us. We can also confirm the diagnosis by submitting blood samples to the laboratory if needed.