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Gateway Vets ltd

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Gateway Vets ltd

Gateway Vets is a independently owned vet practice in Geraldine, Canterbury providing veterinary care

27/08/2026

After weeks of hard work, dedication and a few fewer treats… we have our Biggest Loser Champions!

Congratulations to Stella Boas who dropped from 36kg to 34kg (5.56% of her bodyweight) and Tuff Robinson who dropped from 8.1kg to 7.9kg (2.47% of her bodyweight)

Stella’s weight transformation is shown from the first to the second photo. The third photo is of Tuff

We would like to say a big thank-you to all of our entrants, and to Hills for providing the prizes

25/08/2026

Kaitlyn, one of our techs, met a very cute little friend out on farm today!

This little cutie is a Hereford × Gelbvieh, which is a versatile, multi-purpose German breed of cattle (pronounced "GELP-fee")

But there’s just one problem… she needs a name!

Drop your best name ideas in the comments below 👇

13/08/2026

BIGGEST LOSER UPDATE: DISQUALIFICATION ANNOUNCEMENT

After a thorough investigation (and one very revealing ultrasound), we have some shocking news…

Our “obese” Labrador has officially been DISQUALIFIED from the Biggest Loser competition.

Thankfully, before she started her Biggest Loser weight loss journey, we realised she was, in fact, pregnant!

It seems she didn’t need our help finding love after all… she found her own handsome fella to share her snacks with, and things moved along rather quickly!

Once her pregnancy was confirmed, she was transitioned onto an appropriate, well-balanced diet to support both her and her growing family. We’re thrilled to report she has since welcomed 8 healthy puppies into the world!

Congratulations to our newest mum—you may not have won Biggest Loser, but you’ve certainly won Mother of the Year!

Fun fact: Not every round tummy is caused by excess weight. Pregnancy, fluid build-up, organ enlargement, or other medical conditions can all cause an enlarged abdomen, so it’s always worth having your pet checked before starting a weight-loss plan.

11/08/2026

August mayhem is well and truly underway!

The team has been flat out from calving, disbudding, and scanning as you can see from the footage we recently captured from an autumn-calving herd. See if you can spot the calves heartbeat on the scanner 🐮

10/08/2026

In the last week of the biggest loser competition it is time to introduce our cat contestants. They may have started as four independent cats, but they’ve now formed an elite support group whose main hobbies include napping in sunbeams, supervising humans from the bench, and acting as though they’ve never been fed a day in their lives.

The snack negotiations are officially over. These four fluffballs are trading second breakfasts for sensible portions, adding a few more laps around the house, and proving that chasing toys burns more calories than chasing the sound of the treat bag.

The results for their first weigh in were:
Oshie: 6.2kg
Tuffy: 8.1kg
Monty: 7kg
Minnie: 4.95kg

Feline Fact: Cats only need a small number of extra calories each day to gain weight. In fact, just a few extra treats can be the feline equivalent of a person eating several extra burgers every day!

31/07/2026

Another week, another biggest loser introduction. Jake is a Jack Russell who seems to have mistaken “working dog” for “professional treat tester.” Once bred to chase foxes, this little legend is now more interested in chasing the sound of the food bag opening.

Don’t let the short legs fool you though—underneath all that “extra insulation” is a feisty Jack just waiting to rediscover the zoomies. With a new diet, we’re confident this pint-sized pooch will be back to living life in the fast lane. At his weigh in at the beginning of the month, Jake was 7.7kg.

To check if your pet is obese or overweight, you should be able to easily feel your pet's ribs without pressing on the pet and your pet’s stomach should be tucked in

24/07/2026

Meet two Labradors at different stages of their Biggest Loser journey.

Ripp (black) 43.7kg: A true weight-loss veteran who’s already waved goodbye over the last year and a half to an incredible 10 kg! Turns out the secret isn’t eating less tennis balls—it’s sensible portions, more exercise, and a whole lot of determination.

Cora (golden) 31.5kg: The new recruit. She’s only just getting started, but every lean Lab was once a Labrador who thought “just one more biscuit” sounded like an excellent idea.

One is leading the way, the other is chasing close behind (hopefully not chasing the treat jar). Together they’re proving that it’s never too late to make healthier choices—and they’ll be feeling the benefits with every kilogram they lose.

To check if your pet is obese or overweight, you should be able to easily feel your pet's ribs without pressing on the pet and your pet’s stomach should be tucked in

20/07/2026

Is Your Colostrum Programme Setting Your Calves Up for Success?

Did you know that a recent New Zealand study found that, on average, one in three calves (33%) experience Failure of Passive Transfer (FPT)?

FPT occurs when a calf doesn't absorb enough antibodies (immunoglobulins) from colostrum during the first few hours of life. Because calves are born with little to no immunity, they rely entirely on colostrum to provide the antibodies needed to keep them healthy until their own immune system develops.

Calves that experience FPT are at a much higher risk of disease and death early in life. The impacts don't stop there—FPT is also associated with significantly lower growth weights. As adults these animals are more likely to produce less milk and have reduced reproductive performance, impacting their lifetime productivity within the herd.

So, how can you make sure your calves are getting the best possible start?

● Feed calves a minimum of 10% of their body weight (approximately 3–6 L) of gold colostrum, within the first 6 hours of life. Splitting this into two feeds can help maximise antibody absorption.

● Not all gold colostrum is created equal!
Check your colostrum quality using a Brix refractometer. Aim for a Brix reading greater than 22% to ensure you're feeding high-quality colostrum with adequate antibody levels.

● Blood test calves between 1 and 7 days of age to assess whether enough antibodies have been absorbed. Blood testing early in the season is one of the best ways to confirm your colostrum programme is working—or identify where improvements can be made before more calves are affected.

Our Vet Techs can easily collect blood samples while they're already out disbudding calves, making it a quick and convenient addition to your calf management programme.

A small investment in monitoring passive transfer can have a lasting impact on calf health, growth, future milk production and reproductive performance.

If you'd like to arrange blood testing or discuss your colostrum management this season, get in touch with our team! We also stock Brix refractometers in the clinic. Happy calving!

17/07/2026

Time to introduce our third biggest loser contestant; Stella! This lovely Lab has never met a snack she didn’t like! Whether it’s breakfast, second breakfast, or “accidentally” helping clean up after dinner, she’s always happy to lend a paw. With those irresistible puppy-dog eyes, she’s convinced her family that treats don’t have calories. Cheer her on as she works towards a healthier, happier future—one wag, one walk, and one less biscuit at a time!

Did you know: Dogs that maintain a healthy body weight have been shown to live up to 2 years longer than overweight dogs.

15/07/2026

Thank you to everyone that came along to our talk on Monday. Was great to see you all. For those of you that missed it here is a quick summary of what was covered:

Metritis
* 25% of cows carry endometriosis before mating starts
* Early detection and treatment gets cows back in calf sooner, a higher six-week in calf rate, fewer empties, and more days in milk
* We recommend checking cows in groups every 2-3 weeks. Cows that have higher grades should be rechecked to identify if they require follow up treatment

Salmonella
* Most farms in South Canterbury are at risk for salmonella due to having large herd sizes, changes in feed during the season, and having high producing cattle.
* Salmonella is more likely to be spread by carrier cows that intermittently shed and have recovered or are not showing clinical signs. Contaminated feed is an unlikely source (this time the ducks are innocent).
* There are multiple strains of salmonella. S.Brandenburg mainly causes late term abortions (but can still lead to sickness). The other strains mainly lead to sick and scouring cows (S.Bovismorbificans, S.Typhimurium, and S.Give)
* S.Give is not currently in the vaccine so vaccinated herds are still at risk of an outbreak
* There is still a risk of infection of vaccinated strains on vaccinated farms. However, the vaccine significantly reduces the chances of an outbreak, the extent, and severity of the outbreak. The vaccination is the best form of prevention.

Address

5 Woodbury Road
Geraldine
7991

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+6436939060

Website

http://gatewayvets.co.nz/

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