ARC Vets (2025)

23/04/2025

Meet Pixie 🐶🐾

Pixie, an 11-month-old female desexed Border Collie, presented to our ARC Central Emergency department for neck pain and wobbliness. She was transferred to the Neurology Team the next day for evaluation.

Unfortunately, overnight her neurological signs had worsened, and she was almost tetraplegic (minimal movement in all 4 limbs) with difficulty breathing normally. As this is an emergency, Pixie had an urgent MRI scan and was found to have lots of bleeding around her cervical spinal cord. NOT good!

At the level of C3-4, Pixie had a large blood clot that was causing severe compression of her spinal cord. Pixie was taken to surgery and had a ventral slot surgical procedure performed, with an incision into the dura (durotomy) to carefully remove the blood clot. We were prepared to put Pixie on a mechanical ventilator after surgery, but she defied all expectations and began to improve almost immediately. No ventilator required! She was discharged within 3 days and at her 2-week recheck was almost back to normal!

An in-depth workup was performed to try to figure out what caused her bleeding, but no cause was found. It will forever remain a mystery!

Pixie continues to do well at home and is back to her normal activities.

Pixie's mum shared some gorgeous photos of her incredibly photogenic pooch on a google review, along with these words:

"I cannot express enough gratitude to Dr. Georgina and her incredible team at ARC. When Pixie suffered an idiopathic spinal cord hemorrhage, they provided exceptional care and expertise that ultimately saved her life. Dr. Georgina is an amazing surgeon, her skill, compassion, and dedication gave Pixie the best chance at recovery. The entire team was incredibly supportive, keeping me informed and making sure Pixie was well cared for every step of the way. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us, I highly recommend ARC to anyone in need of top-tier veterinary care!"

Making an animal walk again, it doesn't get much better than that 😍 We are so grateful we get to do what we do!

We ♥️ you Pixie!

22/04/2025

Staff Pet Profile- Dr Sarah Hill's cat "Pip" 😻

Meet Pip, who was fostered by ARC North medicine specialist Sarah and her partner Danny at the end of last year following being brought into the clinic as a stray. After making herself right at home, she soon became a failed foster and an official family member.

Pip loves to launch herself off the stairs and fly down the corridor or alternatively race up her cat tower. In between her crazed escapades, she can be very cuddly and enjoys sleep-ins at the weekend.

21/04/2025

A wee funny to mark the end of the long weekend 😂

On a more serious note, however, let's touch on vomiting in cats:

Most cat owners will be used to seeing their cat vomit from time to time without being too concerned (hence the cartoon). Usually, the occasional vomit is a result of a minor issue such as overeating or playing too vigorously immediately after dinner time.

However, if your cat is vomiting more frequently and losing weight, it can be a sign of a more serious condition which requires immediate veterinary attention.

Chronic vomiting (lasting a number of days to weeks) can be due to gastrointestinal or systemic (whole body) disorders.

For a nice wee article about vomiting in cats, check out: https://www.purina.co.nz/articles/cats/health/digestion/cat-vomiting

20/04/2025

A bit of Easter-themed cuteness for you 🐣🐰

We hope all of our patients and their families are enjoying the long weekend!

18/04/2025

If your pet falls ill over Easter, we are here to help 24/7 🦸‍♂️

We can be busier than usual over the holidays. Please treat our hard-working team with kindness as they endeavour to help all the animals in need as quickly as possible.

The New Zealand Veterinary Association advocates pet owners follow P.E.T. when their pet is unwell in an emergency:

If your pet is unwell or hurt and your vet clinic is closed, please follow these three steps:

1. Pause - Think for a moment about whether your pet needs emergency care or could be seen by their vet during normal business hours.

2. Emergency call- Phone your regular vet clinic for advice (if they are open) if you think your pet needs emergency care or you’re unsure. Or you can reach our ARC Vets emergency team day or night by phoning (09) 281 5815 ext. 1

3. Take - Follow the advice you receive to either take your pet to an emergency service provider or book an appointment during normal business hours.

17/04/2025

🐰Happy Easter!🐣

The ARC Vets team wish you and your family (furry and human!) a wonderfully happy and safe long weekend.

There are a few hazards around this holiday to look out for with pets:

- Easter eggs and chocolate
Chocolate contains both caffeine and theobromine (a chemical compound found in the cacao plant) which can be fatal to our pets.

- Hot cross buns
Most hot cross buns contain a mixture of dried fruits (including sultanas and raisins) which can cause kidney failure in both dogs and cats.

If you suspect, or know, that your pet may have eaten something they shouldn't have, we recommend you take them to your vet immediately as there is a small window within which vomiting can be induced to avoid toxin absorption. Our team are available 24/7 over the long weekend. Just call (09) 281 5815

And a tip for easter egg hunts: keep your pets locked safely away from the hunting area and make note of how many eggs you hide (so you can be sure they all get found!)

16/04/2025

Pet owner appreciation 😍

Lauren's dog came to see our surgical team after he ruptured his Achilles tendon. We have seen him repeatedly for rechecks and bandage changes since he underwent surgery. Our team are always pleased to see him and try to keep his bandage "accessory" looking trendy with some colourful bandage art.

Sometimes, it's the little things ❤️

Thanks for sharing your appreciation of our efforts, Lauren!

16/04/2025

Congratulations to Pepper! 🐾

Pepper is a 5-year-old female desexed American Staffordshire Terrier. It is now 4 months since she had a total hip replacement performed on her left hip joint by one of our specialist surgeons, Dr Phil Hyndman.

It's fantastic to see her back to full activity and enjoying the beach again. And best of all, she is no longer requiring daily pain relief. All of her family's hard work is now paying off! Life changing stuff 😍

If you're interested in knowing more about hip joint surgery, check out this wonderful resource available on our website:

https://arcvets.co.nz/resources/the-hip-joint/

15/04/2025

Look at this beautiful Ruru/Morepork who has been with us the last couple of days 🦉

Aren't they beautiful birds? 😍

14/04/2025

🏆 There's still time to vote for your cat, dog or your favourite vet clinic for the inaugural "Pawsies" awards" 🐾

Navigate to this page to cast your votes: https://www.southerncrosspet.co.nz/pawsies

ARC Vets would be super-stoked if you voted for our hardworking team in the vet category (Both ARC North and ARC Central are listed!) 😍

You have until 16th April 2025 to nominate your cat, dog or vet clinic team – the Pawsies are open to EVERY cat and dog owner (aged 18 or over) in New Zealand - you don’t have to be a Southern Cross Pet Insurance customer to enter.

14/04/2025

Staff pet profile- Dr Ryan Cattin's cat "Archibald" 😻

Archibald, or Archie as he is more commonly known, is a 3-year-old male neutered Burmese cat who owns ARC North Internal Medicine Specialist, Dr Ryan Cattin, and his family. And yes, we typed that correctly. Because Archie really rules the roost and thinks the humans are his property.

Archie's personality shifts between aggressively affectionate and playfully mischievous in his behaviour. He is very patient and tolerant of Dr Ryan’s two young kids, who adore him, and keeps the family amused with his kleptomaniac tendencies and “gifts” he brings home. He has proudly presented the family with knitted dolls, bags of dog treats and dug-up potatoes of unknown origin, amongst other items 😯 This behaviour is both a source of amusement, and embarrassment and has prompted some interesting conversations with owners of neighbouring properties 😂

It's just as well, however, that Archie is owned by two veterinarians, as he has a penchant for eating anything string-like, which gets him into trouble.

11/04/2025

Going above and beyond ❤️

Our team do everything within their power to ease the stress of vet visits for our patients, and their worried owners. And if that means hopping inside the oxygen cage to reduce stress for an oxygen-dependent patient, then so be it!

One of the team sneakily videoed this clip of Emergency and Critical Care nurse Ashleigh inside one of our oxygen cages with 11-year-old poodle cross "Daisy" doing some nursing care with her 😍

Daisy was recently hospitalised to address a number of health concerns including heart disease, fibrosis of her lungs and also tracheal collapse (main windpipe collapse). She also has "Cushing's Disease" where her adrenal glands produce an excess of Cortisol (stress hormone).

Thankfully, due to the care of our team and a regimen of medicines, Daisy is doing really well! What a sweet wee trooper 🤩

10/04/2025

🎉🐾 Happy National Pet Day, fur lovers! 🐶❤️

Today we celebrate the unconditional love, joy, and laughter our furry friends bring into our lives!

Share a pic of your pet below and let them shine! 🌟✨

Also, let’s spread the love by supporting local shelters and rescues too. Every paw counts! 🐕‍🦺🐈

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened”. – Anatole France

09/04/2025

🏆Vote for your favourite vet clinic, cat or dog in the Pawsies Awards 🐾

🙋‍♀️ Pssssst ARC Vets would LOVE it if you voted for our hardworking team in the vet category (Both ARC North and ARC Central are listed!)

This year the team at Southern Cross Pet Insurance have introduced the Pawsies Awards, to celebrate the joy our cats and dogs bring to our lives, and of the mahi that Aotearoa’s vet clinics do to keep our pets healthy.

The Southern Cross Pawsies are not just about good looks. They’re about character, personality and, in the indispensable vet category, it’s about the care and service vet clinic teams provide our furry family members. And there are some great prizes up for grabs!

So, does your cat have personality plus? Is your dog the floofiest of all the floofs? Are the team at your vet clinic the most dedicated, caring bunch in the country?

It’s time to make your nominations and be part of the fun! Navigate to this page to cast your votes: https://www.southerncrosspet.co.nz/pawsies

You have until 16th April 2025 to nominate your cat, dog or vet clinic team – the Pawsies are open to EVERY cat and dog owner (aged 18 or over) in New Zealand - you don’t have to be a Southern Cross Pet Insurance customer to enter.

08/04/2025

✨ Did you know our ARC North clinic has GOLD cat-friendly accreditation? ✨

Gold is the highest standard of accreditation awarded to vet clinics by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) 😺

Cat Friendly Clinic is an accreditation programme which has been developed to raise the standards of care and welfare of cats in the veterinary clinic.

Attainment of the coveted "Gold" accreditation means we have made special accommodations in our building facility and also have certain diagnostic and treatment processes in place to minimise the stress of veterinary care for our feline patients 🐈

The video shows our different entrances at ARC North for cats and dogs, and a warm welcome from Receptionist Maddy, who is always ready to welcome any patient with a smile 😊

Note: we're working on the accreditation process for our newer clinic, ARC Central (there's a lot of paperwork!)

07/04/2025

Pet owner appreciation 😍

Bailey came to see our surgical team for work-up of a hindlimb lameness and a recurrent swelling behind her eye. She's such a sweetheart, as is her lovely, appreciative owner 🐾♥️

05/04/2025

Staff Pet Profile- Dr Jessica Romine's cat "Fivian" 😻

Fivian (named as a play on her FIV+ status, which isn’t slowing her down one bit at age 12!) came across the Pacific with Jessica when she moved to NZ in 2020.

Originally a stray picked up on the street cats of Detroit, she’s now fully domesticated and embracing the spoiled indoor cat life. A shockingly chill cat who doesn’t scratch furniture, always goes in the litter tray, chats with anyone who comes over, doesn’t jump on counters, and generally sleeps through the night…basically an angel who has ruined Dr Jess and her husband for any future felines who display normal cat behavior! 😂

She also happily took to leash and harness and accompanied Jess and her husband on a month-long van tiki tour around the South Island, winning hearts and minds as she went! What a well-travelled puss-cat who enjoys a pampered life when many owners less 'in the know" may not have given her the chance.

Note: FIV stands for Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus

03/04/2025

Friday Funny!

This one's a tad rude 😳, but hopefully it still tickles your funny bone!

ARC Vets

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