Kowhai Vet

24/06/2026

23/06/2026

💛 It's all thanks to you! 💛

We've just completed another month of our 'Skip PayWave, Support a Cause' initiative.
We're grateful to everyone who joined in, enabling us to make a donation to charity.
Instead of tapping with PayWave, many of you made the conscious decision to help us support charity instead - by dropping a token in a jar.

As promised, we'll be donating the equivalent of these avoided PayWave fees to the charity with the most tokens - making a difference together.

🎉 The charity winner for May was The Animal Cancer Foundation and the donation cost was $100.

Thank you for getting behind this initiative with such enthusiasm. Let's continue to turn small change into big impact throughout 2026!

22/06/2026

Reya discovered a treat puzzle in reception while waiting for her appointment... and she was determined to crack the code! 🐾🧩

After a few curious sniffs and plenty of puppy problem-solving, she worked out exactly where the goodies were hiding. Watching puppies explore, learn, and build confidence through enrichment activities like this is one of our favourite things.

Well done, Reya - puzzle master in the making! 💛

16/06/2026

Did you know?.. Cognitive decline is a recognised medical condition 🧠

As our pets age, changes in behaviour may be signs of cognitive decline (similar to dementia in people).
One tool veterinarians use is the DISHAA assessment, an owner-led scoring system which helps identify changes that may indicate Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS).

DISHAA stands for:

🔹 Disorientation:
Getting lost in familiar places, staring at walls, seeming confused.

🔹 Social Interactions:
Changes in how your pet interacts with family members, other pets, or visitors.

🔹 Sleep-Wake Cycles:
Restless nights, pacing, vocalising, or sleeping more during the day.

🔹 House Soiling:
Accidents indoors despite previously reliable toilet habits.

🔹 Activity:
Reduced interest in play, wandering aimlessly, repetitive behaviours, or appearing "stuck."

🔹 Anxiety:
Increased clinginess, nervousness, vocalisation, or signs of stress.

Many owners assume these changes are simply "old age," but the earlier cognitive decline is identified, the more options we have to help maintain comfort, confidence, and quality of life.

If you've noticed any of these changes in your senior pet, keep a diary of what you're seeing, take video's of the behaviour and bring it up with your veterinary team. Small changes can tell us a lot.

Growing older is inevitable 💛 Struggling through old age doesn't have to be.

11/06/2026

How comfortable is your pet?
Understanding pain scoring at home...

One of the challenges with pets is that they can't tell us when something hurts. Instead, we look for changes in their behaviour, mobility, and daily routines. That's why veterinarians often use pain scoring systems to help assess a pet's comfort level and monitor changes over time.

You can do a simple version at home by scoring a few key areas from 0–4:

0 = Normal
1 = Mild change
2 = Moderate change
3 = Significant change
4 = Severe change

🐾 Mobility

How easily do they get up after resting?
Can they manage stairs?
Are they limping or moving stiffly?

🐾 Daily Activities

Are they still going for walks willingly?
Do they play, explore, or interact as usual?
Have they stopped doing favourite activities?

🐾 Comfort at Home

Can they settle and rest comfortably?
Do they frequently change position?
Are they restless, pacing, or unable to get comfortable?

🐾 Mood & Behaviour

Are they still greeting family members?
Have they become withdrawn, quieter, or grumpier?
Do they seem less interested in affection?

🐾 Appetite & Grooming

Are they eating normally?
For cats especially, are they grooming themselves as usual?
Have you noticed changes in weight or appearance?

Add the scores together and record them weekly. The actual number is less important than the trend over time. A pet that scores 4 one month and 10 the next may be experiencing worsening discomfort, even if the changes have been gradual.

📹 A useful tip: take short videos of your pet walking, getting up from bed, or climbing steps every few weeks. Because we see our pets every day, it can be difficult to notice slow changes, but videos often reveal differences that are easy to miss.

Pain scoring is particularly valuable for:
🔹 Senior pets
🔹 Pets with arthritis
🔹 Long-term orthopaedic conditions
🔹 Chronic pain patients
🔹 Pets recovering from surgery

If you're concerned about your pet's comfort, a veterinary pain assessment can help identify whether pain may be affecting their quality of life and what options are available to improve it.

Pain isn't always obvious but small changes can tell a big story.

10/06/2026

Little Soya the whippet arrived with delight,
Curious nose and eyes so bright.
She explored reception, so nimble and new,
With gentle hellos for the whole clinic crew.

The scales got a sniff, the floor got a scan,
She checked every corner as fast as she can.
Then pats and treats helped her settle right in,
And soon her first visit felt more like a win.

We fell in love with her sweet puppy grace,
And the gentle expression she wore on her face
We'll look forward to seeing you back someday,
As you grow up healthy and ready to play!

07/06/2026

Is Your Pet Still Enjoying Life?

As our pets age or live with chronic illness, it can sometimes be difficult to know how they're really feeling. They may still wag their tail, purr, or greet us at the door, but subtle changes can indicate they're no longer enjoying life as much as they once did.

A Quality of Life (QOL) assessment is a helpful tool that allows owners and veterinary teams to look at a pet's overall wellbeing, including:

🐾 Comfort and pain levels
🐾 Mobility and ability to move around
🐾 Appetite and hydration
🐾 Interest in family, play, and daily activities
🐾 Hygiene and ability to toilet normally
🐾 More good days than bad days

Quality of Life assessments aren't just for end-of-life decisions. They can help us identify when a pet may benefit from changes to their pain management, treatment plan, environment, or daily routine to improve their comfort and happiness.

Sometimes the changes happen gradually, making them easy to miss when you see your pet every day. A structured assessment can help provide a clearer picture and guide important conversations with your veterinary team.

If you're noticing changes in your pet, or you're simply unsure how they're coping, we're here to help. A Quality of Life assessment can be a valuable starting point for ensuring your beloved companion continues to enjoy the best possible quality of life.

04/06/2026

In the soft glow of the recovery bay,
The world feels distant, drifting away.
Bear, still sleepy from her surgery,
Curls up for cuddles with nurse Bri.

And though she should be resting still,
Bear’s tail won’t pause, it never will -
A steady thump of joy and grace,
Lighting up the recovery space.



(We had the pleasure of helping to care for Pet Dentistry referral patient Bear!)

01/06/2026

Little Luke with spots so bright,
Visited Kōwhai Vet today,
Brave and curious at first sight,
Then sleepiness drifted his way.

Curled up on the consult room chair,
Soft and warm without a care,
Tiny snores and floppy paws,
Melting hearts with every pause.

Vaccines done, cuddles complete,
Dreaming softly, snug and sweet.