Darling Downs Vets

21/10/2026

Microchip Matters Week is on next week and we still have spaces available, call our small animal clinic at Oakey to book.

14/10/2026

Tony Fookes will be at our equine clinic Monday 26th to Wednesday 28th October to see horses. There are a few spaces left, please call 07 4691 9001 to book.

02/10/2026

We will be closed for business Monday 05/10/26 for the King's Birthday public holiday. We will be available for equine and livestock emergencies after hours 07 4691 9000, for any small animal emergencies please call Redvets on 07 4602 0652.

26/09/2026

Please note the Oakey line is down, please call our equine line for any large animal after hours emergencies on 07 4691 9001

15/09/2026

Doctors Bronte and Hannake attended a calving this morning that quickly turned into a caesarean and we think you can see why 😳 Luckily with prompt action bub was delivered safe and healthy.
Best guesses on what this big calf weighs? Weight will be revealed tomorrow!

09/09/2026

🐍🐍 Snakes are out and about again! There have been several snake sightings in the area in the last week, so it is important to be prepared for the coming snake season.

Time is of the essence regarding snake bites! If you have witnessed or suspect that your pet has being bitten by a snake, it is important to seek immediate veterinary attention!

CALL AHEAD!!!! Please call your local vet prior to your arrival so staff can ensure they are ready to assess and treat your pet as soon as possible. Prompt veterinary treatment is vital and increases your pet’s chance of survival.

Different types of snakes and the amount of venom that has been injected can cause patients to have a variety of symptoms including:

- Sudden weakness and collapse
- Muscle twitches or tremors
- Vomiting
- Dilated pupils
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Bleeding
- Excessive drooling
- Paralysis

If you suspect your pet has been bitten, your local vet can perform blood tests to determine if there are any signs of snake venom in their system and administer anti-venom treatment if required. In critical cases your pet may require referral to an emergency centre that can provide intensive care hospitalisation and 24 hour monitoring.

07/09/2026

We are now accepting mares for Artificial Insemination! Our highly experienced reproduction staff Dr Francois Viljoen and Nurse Sonya are pleased to be able to offer reproductive services within our Wellcamp equine hospital.

We are available for your mare reproduction services including mare fertility evaluations, ultrasonography, management of problem mares, artificial insemination (including fresh, chilled or frozen semen), post breeding treatments and pregnancy diagnosis. First time breeder? No problem! Feel free to give our friendly team a call on 07 4691 9001 to discuss package options and pricing for your mare and find out how it all works.

02/09/2026

Have you heard of pyometra?
"Ruby" is a 7 year old German Shepherd that presented with vaginal discharge after her heat 3 weeks prior. Ruby was still well but after examination was diagnosed with an "open pyometra" and booked in to have an ovariohysterectomy.

Pyometra is a severe life threatening infection of the uterus that affects unspayed female dog's and usually develops around 2 to 8 weeks after a heat cycle.

It can present as two types:
- Open Pyometra: the cervix is open so the pus drains out.
- Closed Pyometra: the cervix is closed and the pus is trapped in the uterus. This then causes a swollen painful abdomen and makes the animal unwell quickly.

Common symptoms: lethargy, loss of appetite, increased water intake, vomiting or diarrhoea, elevated temperature, painful abdomen (closed), bloody purulent discharge (open).

Treatment involves emergency surgery and supportive care. The best method of prevention is spaying your dog.

Ruby has recovered well from her surgical procedure and all thanks to her owners who sought prompt veterinary care. We wish Ruby all the best in her recovery!

14/08/2026

With the first foals of the season hitting the ground it’s a great time to refresh ourselves on the newborn foal milestones.

The first few hours of your newborn foal's life are critical and it is important to be able to identify those foals who may benefit from early veterinary intervention. Normal foals show a reasonably predictive pattern of behaviour after birth, and any deviations from this can be an early indication of a problem.

After birth a foal should:
- Be able to sit on its chest within 5-10 minutes.
- Have a strong suck reflex within 20 minutes.
- Should be able to stand within 1 hour and nurse independently within 2 hours of birth.
- Urinate within 12 hours.
- Begin to pass meconium (first manure) within 12 hours after birth.

Early recognition of abnormal foals allows us to increase the chance of successful treatment and in turn a healthier foal. It is important to seek veterinary care if any of the following are displayed:
- The foal does not follow the above timeline.
- Born prematurely.
- Foal shows altered behaviour such as lethargy or wandering aimlessly.
- Weakness feeding or nursing other parts of the mare or trying to suck on other objects such as walls or fences.
- Foal is straining to urinate or defecate.
- Showing signs of colic.
- Diarrhoea.
- Respiratory distress or struggling to breath.
- Foal becomes lame and/or has swelling of the joints.

It is advised that both the mare and foal be checked by a vet within 24 hours of foaling. A blood sample can be taken at this time to measure the immunity (IgG) levels of the foal. Low levels of IgG means that the foal will need to be given plasma intravenously.

Darling Downs Vets offers field vets that are available to come check your mare and foal post foaling, as well as in hospital intensive care management of unwell foals.

13/08/2026

Odie looks this handsome AND he's responsible? What a catch! He deserves patient of the week for being so wonderful when he came to visit us for his desexing this week.