Pet Owners Extreme Heat Forecast

******* EXTREME HEAT FORECAST ******

Melbourne’s forecast tomorrow is for extreme heat. Extreme heat causes significant stress for all animals.

To reduce the impacts of high temperatures on your pet, please ensure:

* the provision of a plentiful supply of clean cool water
* shade is essential if your pet is outside
* walk your dog early to avoid the hot mid day sun
* don’t over exercise
* never leave your pet in a hot car
* provide ice blocks and/or wet towels

If you are concerned your pet is be suffering from the heat get veterinary help immediately or one of our 24 hour Pet Emergency Centres in Melbourne:

Animal Accident & Emergency:

Essendon Fields: (03) 9379 0700
Point Cook: (03) 8368 7400

www.animalemergency.com.au

Valentines Day Chocolate Toxicity Warning

***Valentines Day Chocolate Toxicity Warning***

Valentine’s Day is a time to spoil our beloveds, woo our secret lovers, and remember to call our mothers which means that Melbourne households will be filling up with chocolate. We are asking all pet owners to be cautious of chocolate around your pets especially this weekend.

Older pets, or animals with pre-existing heart conditions, are more susceptible to the effects of chocolate poisoning and at higher risk of sudden death due to cardiac arrest.

The common clinical signs of chocolate poisoning are:

• vomiting
• diarrhoea
• increased thirst
• panting or restlessness
• excessive urination
• muscle spasms and tremors
• seizures
• increased temperature
• increased heart rate
• abnormal behaviour

 

Why Chocolate is dangerous to pets:

Cooking/baking chocolate and dark chocolate pose the biggest danger, as they contain the largest concentration of theobromine. A 10kg dog would only have to eat 50 grams of milk chocolate to show clinical signs of chocolate toxicity or as little as 30 grams of dark chocolate. Whereas a mere 15 grams of baking chocolate (containing 70% cocoa) could lead to chocolate toxicity. Keep in mind that if the chocolate contains other harmful ingredients such as raisins/sultanas, alcohol or macadamia nuts then it may cause further complications.

It contains the alkaloid theobromine, which has similar effects as caffeine and is poisonous in large amounts. The toxicity level of the chocolate depends on the type and amount that is consumed, as well as the size of the dog. Toxic doses are generally considered to be 100mg of theobromine per kilogram of body weight, with fatal doses often occurring at over 200mg per kilogram.

Ingestion of chocolate in dogs does often lead to significant illness and so should be taken seriously by pet owners and treated as an animal emergency. As with all things, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so if you believe your dog has ingested any amount of chocolate you should immediately consult an emergency veterinarian and bring it in for examination at a 24 hour animal emergency centre.

Essendon Fields: (03) 9379 0700

Point Cook: (03) 8368 7400

www.animalemergency.com.au

Veterinarian OPEN Public Holidays

24 Hour Vet Care Melbourne

Animal Accident and Emergency (AAE) is a purpose-built animal emergency centre servicing Melbourne.  It provides 24-hour animal emergency services.  There are two great locations – Essendon and Point Cook.  The centres are located to provide direct and easy freeway access.  Time is precious in any emergency.

Our Melbourne Vet Emergency Centres provide dedicated emergency care 24/7.  We are not just an after hours vet clinic.  Our whole focus is emergency and critical care.

If you have a Veterinarian emergency please contact one of our 24 Hour Pet Emergency Centres in Melbourne:

Essendon Fields (03) 9379 0700

Point Cook (03) 8368 7400

www.animalemergency.com.au

Chinaberry Tree Toxicity: Emergency Vet Care

This is the adorable Twiggy, a 7 month old Dachshund puppy who has received emergency veterinary care by Dr Jina Song for Chinaberry toxicity.

The Chinaberry tree is also know as White Cedar tree or “Melia Azedarach” and is highly toxic.

Twiggy presented at our Point Cook 24hr Pet Emergency Centre suffering an acute onset of vomiting.

Twiggy was most fortunate as her carers saw her eating the berries and rushed her to our centre. Her treatment was successful although she is continuing treatment due to expected complications from stomach insults from her ordeal.

The entire tree is toxic (bark, leaves and flowers) with higher toxin amounts in the berries.

Once eaten, your pet will quickly show varying signs:
– vomiting,
– tremors,
– seizures,
– diarrhoea,
– weakness,
– death (which can occur within 24 hours)

The fruit is highly toxic to animals and people, most likely causing death from kidney, liver failure and central nervous system problems.

If your pet ingests these berries please contact your veterinarian or one of our 24hr Pet Emergency Centres immediately.

‪Essendon Fields‬: (03) 9379 0700
‪Point Cook‬: (03) 8368 7400

www.animalemergency.com.au

‪‬

Permethrin toxicity in cats

A common cause of toxicity in cats presented to emergency vet clinics is the application and/or accidental exposure to canine insecticide and flea products containing the active ingredient permethrin.

Permethrin is part of the “pyrethroid“ class of toxins which affect the central nervous system. As a general rule, any product containing pyrethroids should not be used in cats as they are very sensitive to these toxins.

Clinical signs usually occur within hours of exposure and affected cats can exhibit signs of seizures, muscle tremors, shaking, drooling and vomiting. Affected patients require emergency vet care to control and treat seizures and muscle tremors.

If you have any concerns about your cat having come into contact with permethrin or pyrethroid containing products then do not hesitate to contact your local animal emergency hospital.

Essendon Fields: (03) 9379 0700
Point Cook: (03) 8368 7400

 

Our Emergency Vet Department – Melbourne

Along with being able to deal with any animal emergency, Animal Accident & Emergency also houses a critical care unit. This is complementary to our 24 hour vet – Melbourne pets requiring intensive care have access to experienced care around the clock.

Critically ill patients have access to central venous pressure monitoring, positive pressure ventilation or respirators, enteral feeding and parenteral feeding catheters and more.

Critically ill animals will likely need the assistance of a team of doctors.

Essendon Fields (03) 9379 0700

Point Cook (03) 8368 7400

 

Happy Labour Day – Pet Emergency Centres

 

Happy Labour Day from the staff at AAE

Pet Emergency Centre Essendon Fields (03) 9379 0700

Pet Emergency Centre Point Cook (03) 8368 7400

OPEN 24/7 including public holidays

www.animalemergency.com.au

Happy Labour Day from Animal Accident & Emergency Melbourne

Animal Accident & Emergency will be OPEN Labour Day!

Animal Accident & Emergency will be OPEN 24/7 over the long Labour Day weekend.

We have two Pet Emergency Centres in Melbourne which will be OPEN 24 hours on Labour Day.

Essendon Fields (03) 9379 0700 Point Cook (03) 8368 7400

Happy Labour Day!

www.animalemergency.com.au

Southpaws is Now Operating in Point Cook

 

Southpaws is excited to announce that we are now seeing cases and performing surgery at Animal Accident and Emergency in Point Cook.

Dr. Charles Kuntz is consulting on Friday mornings and operating on Friday afternoons.

AAE Point Cook is equipped with a new pencil cone CT scanner which provides excellent image quality with minimal radiation exposure. All types of surgical procedures including oncologic surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedic surgery (including arthroscopy) and soft tissue surgery will be offered at Point Cook.

Please call Southpaws on (03) 9553 1775 to book appointments. Email info@southpaws.com.au if you have questions.

As always Southpaws surgical consultations at Animal Accident & Emergency Point Cook are free-of-charge

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

Oliver 7yr Chihuahua has Congestive Heart Failure: Pet Emergency

 

 

Oliver  is a 7 year old Chihuahua has CHF (Congestive Heart Failure)

Yesterday, Oliver’s owner noticed an increased respiratory effort and brought him into our Essendon Fields Pet Emergency Centre.

Oliver was placed in an oxygen chamber and admitted for supportive care.

The leading cause of heart failure in dogs is chronic valvular disease, next is dilated cardiomyopathy and then congenital heart disease and heartworms.

What is Congestive Heart Failure?

CHF occurs when either the heart muscle or the heart values are diseased and the heart is not able pump blood efficiently. This causes a build up of fluid in the lungs and also sometimes the abdomen. Congestion the lungs means not enough oxygen is available to the body.

Symptoms:

• Coughing more than usual
• Having a hard time breathing or exercising
• Tiring easily
• Pacing before bedtime
• Swollen belly due to fluid build-up in the lungs and other organs
• Fainting
• Tongue or gum change to a bluish grey colour
• Weight loss

Unchecked  heart  problems can make things harder on your dog and even shorten their life span. Receiving the right  treatment and care your dog can go on to live a long life.

Sadly, Oliver’s heart disease will continue to progress and he is on medication for the rest of his life. The medication will give  Oliver a happy and comfortable life for as long as possible.

Oliver has gone today with his caring owner and the staff at AAE wish him all the best.

 

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kitty Treated with Radioactive Iodine- I131 Therapy

It’s time for a shout out to one of our patients!

Kitty is a very cuddly cat who has been under the care of Dr Linda Abraham for the last week. Kitty was referred from Altona Veterinary Clinic for treatment of an over active thyroid.

Kitty is one of the many cats that Dr Linda has treated with radioactive Iodine (i131) for Feline Hyperthyroidism. For most cats that are treated, their over active thyroid returns to normal and they loose the need for daily medication. Removing the need for daily medication greatly improves the health and well being for the pet and owner.

Animal Accident & Emergency Point Cook, is one of limited facilities in Australia that are licenced to perform treatment for cats. We perform the service weekly and are happy to discuss options for therapy with you.

Kitty will be discharged today.

For more information on I131 cat treatment click on the following link: I131 Radioactive Iodine Therapy

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

Have you Lost your PET?

Animal Accident & Emergency have a created a page for local lost pets within Melbourne.

What to do when you loose your pet:

• Walk or drive through your neighbourhood several times each day.
• Ask your neighbours
• Post a note on a your local BSS Facebook page
• Contact local animal shelters and animal control agencies.
• Contact local vet’s and 24 hour Pet Emergency Centres

For a list of local Animal shelters and Council number click on the attached link:

http://www.animalemergency.com.au/lost-pets.html

 

www.animalemergency.com.au

36 degrees today & tomorrow – Keep your Pets Cool

Tips to avoid heat stress/stroke:

• Provide a cool  shaded area

• Provide plenty of clean fresh water and extra water sources in case of spillage.

• Bring animals indoors on hot, with the air-conditioning or fan on.

• Do not exercise animals in hot weather conditions. Walk your dog very early in the morning or very late in the afternoon and avoid the hottest part of the day.
• Do not leave your dog in a vehicle – even when the windows are down dogs can still overheat and die.

 

If you think your pet is suffering from heat stroke, please call Animal Accident & Emergency or contact your local vet without delay.

 

Essendon Fields: (03) 9379 0700

Point Cook: (03) 8368 7400

 

Melbourne Vet OPEN Australia Day 2015!

OPENING HOURS FOR  AUSTRALIA DAY WEEKEND

Animal Accident & Emergency will be OPEN 24/7 over the long Australia Day weekend.

We have two Pet Emergency Centres in Melbourne which will be OPEN 24 hours on Australia Day.

Essendon Fields (03) 9379 0700
Point Cook (03) 8368 7400

Happy Australia Day!

www.animalemergency.com.au

Animal Accident & Emergency would like to introduce an Australian first: CT Scanner

An Australian First – Fidex CT Scanner

Animal Accident & Emergency would like to introduce an Australian first.  In December, AAE installed a CT scanner in our Point Cook 24Hr Emergency Centre.  The CT unit by Fidex is a major advancement in technology and unique in many ways.  Traditional CT units are common place in human and pet medicine.  They work by taking several hundred radiographs and then using computer programs to “join” the images together.  This allows the Doctor to look at body organs and structures in much more detail.

The new unit now operating at Animal Accident & Emergency uses the latest technology to combine a traditional style CT unit with an X-Ray unit and Fluoroscopy.  The combination allows us to combined three different devices into one unit.

At present you would need three different units to perform a CT, an X-Ray or a Fluoroscopic study.  The Fidex combines the functionality of the three different machines into one user friendly unit.  One of the functions we love is seeing the images in a 3D perspective.  It helps the pet owner visualise the problem that their pet has.  We can even strip back tissue layers which is great for planning for complex cancer surgeries.

  

The Fidex unit has some major benefits to patients.  It is able top generate X -Ray images using minimal doses of radiation.  This means that we can take radiographs or perform a CT and the amount of radiation that the patient experience is far less.  It also increases the safety for the Vet Team. 

The unit itself is environmentally friendly.  Traditional CT units require substantial amounts electricity to operate.  They require a specialised air-conditioning plant to prevent them from overheating.  Our Fidex uses minimal electricity, runs in any standard air-conditioned building and plugs directly into a normal PowerPoint.  This also dramatically reduces the running costs of the unit which means savings for pet owners.

The unit is small, compact but mighty and we were able to install it in a standard sized room.

Our Fidex unit is the first in Australia and is truly a unique installation.  The ease of use, lower radiation emission and speed of the unit means that we can provide sick pets with advanced imaging at a cost effective price.  It provides more options then currently available at most veterinary centres.

Our specialists and Emergency team are using the Fidex for a variety of sick pet conditions.  With trauma and road accidents, we can scan for internal bleeding as well as bone fractures.  Our Medicine Specialist Dr Linda Abraham is able to perform cancer scans which help identify forms of cancer within the body.  

The following are some of the used of the unit:

• Traditional X-Rays
• Looking at specific organ structure such as the lungs, kidney, liver, spleen, urinary bladder
• Used to help identify spinal problems
• Diseases of the nose
• Brain Tumours
• Head trauma
• Collapsing airways
• Angiography for heart disease
• Liver shunt identification
• Swallowing studies for oesophageal or gastric motility problems
• Elbow, knee and hip orthopaedic problems

To view the Fidex unit in action click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJQE1ZBkzvQ

For more information contact our 24hr Pet Emergency Centre: (03) 8368 7400

Vet Open New Years Day Melbourne

OPENING HOURS OVER THE NEW YEARS PERIOD

Animal Accident & Emergency will be OPEN 24/7 during the New Year period should you need us.

WE NEVER CLOSE

Essendon Fields (03) 9379 0700
Point Cook (03) 8368 7400

Wishing you and your fur babies a very Happy New Year.

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

 

Animal Accident Emergency Open Christmas & New Year Day

Vet Open Xmas Day Melbourne

OPENING HOURS OVER CHRISTMAS & NEW YEARS

Animal Accident & Emergency will be OPEN 24/7 during the Christmas and the New Year period should you need us.

WE NEVER CLOSE

Please call one of our Pet Emergency Centres:
Essendon Fields (03) 9379 0700
Point Cook (03) 8368 7400

Wishing you and your fur babies a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

Tips on how to keep your Pet Safe Over Christmas – Christmas Decorations

Here’s how to keep your pet safe and healthy over the festive season:

Christmas decorations, Tinsel & flashing lights
Dogs & Cat’s love tinsel, bubbles, flashing lights they see it as a “toy” to play with or carry in their mouths. But a nibble can lead to a swallow and hence lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration and possible surgery.

Safety tips for pets:

• make sure your Christmas tree is safely secured to the ground and cannot easily topple.
• put decorations up high where your pets can’t get them.
• use a mixture of lemon or orange extract and water in a spray bottle. (Most cats and dogs do not like citrus and will avoid).
• edible treats  on  your  Christmas tree such as candy canes or chocolate may be attractive to your pet and harmful if consumed.

In the event of an emergency on Christmas Day, call AAE After Hours Emergency Veterinary Hospital on:

(03) 9379 0700 – Essendon Fields

(03) 8368 7400 – Point Cook

 

Animal Accident & Emergency is open 24 hours 7 days a week, Melbourne Pet Emergency Centre.

www.animalemergency.com.au

Veterinary Emergency: Paraphimosis (Prolapsed penis)

 

Alfred was admitted to our Pet Emergency Centre for Paraphimosis (Prolapsed penis). Paraphimosis is the inability to retract the erect penis back into a normal position – into the preputial sheath.

Alfred’s owners had attempted to manually  fix the problem but with no success.

When Alfred arrived at our Essendon Pet Emergency Centre his prolapsed penis was very swollen/inflamed that our emergency vets needed to place Alfred under a general anaesthetic.

Causes of this condition can be from excess licking, sexual excitement or foreign bodies getting up under the skin(hair) and trauma.

If the swelling does not resolve within 30 minutes then immediate veterinary treatment is required due to tissue damage and urethral obstruction. In some cases the tissue of the penis dies off due to lack of blood supply and the dog requires a partial penis amputation.

In Alfred’s case our emergency vets had been able to replace his penis back into it’s normal position. He is a very sweet 5 month old Basset Hound puppy and the staff at AAE wish Alfred a speedy recovery.

If you have a pet emergency please contact one of Animal Hospitals located in Melbourne:

Essendon Fields: (03) 9379 0700

Point Cook: (03) 8368 7400

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

Intensive Care from a 24 Hour Vet in Melbourne

Intensive care from a 24 hour vet in Melbourne

  

Along with being able to deal with any animal emergency 24/7, Animal Accident & Emergency also houses a critical care unit at our Animal Hospitals. This is complementary to our Melbourne pets requiring intensive care, they have access to experienced care around the clock. 

Critically ill patients have access to central venous pressure monitoring, positive pressure ventilation or respirators, enteral feeding and parenteral feeding catheters and more.

Critically ill animals will likely need the assistance of a team of emergency specialist vets.

http://www.animalemergency.com.au/contact-us-1.html

 

Full Time Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian

Animal Accident & Emergency is seeking applicants for a full time emergency and critical care veterinarian. Our hospitals are purpose-built 24-hour emergency, critical care and referral facilities, with the latest up-to-date equipment. We have everything you will need to provide the best standard of care including multi-parameter patient monitors, in-house laboratory, ultrasound, endoscopy, digital radiography, mechanical ventilation, CT and fluoroscopy. The position will involve shift work at both our Essendon and Point Cook centres and would suit applicants looking to further their career within emergency and critical care.

 

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• A minimum of 2 years experience as a Veterinarian with a keen interest and/or background in emergency medicine
• Commitment to continuing education and willingness to learn
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skill
• Ability to work efficiently, independently and as part of the team
• Commitment for exceptional patient care

Our successful candidate will have access to the following:

• Ability for career advancement
• Structured internal training and clinical mentoring programs
• External continuing education
• Access to a great team of veterinarians and nurses
• Support from Registered Specialists, Registrars and Residents in Emergency and Critical Care
• Support from Registered Specialist in Internal Medicine.

Employment is shift based, with rotations involving day, night, weekend and public holiday shifts.

The standard working week is 37.5 hrs.If you are interested in working with a great team with plenty of support and challenging and rewarding cases, please send your application to jobs@animalemergency.com.au

www.animalemergency.com.au

24 hour Vet CARE Specialists

Animal Accident and Emergency (AAE) is a purpose-built animal emergency centre servicing Melbourne.  It provides 24hr animal emergency services.  There are two great locations – Essendon and Point Cook. 

Our Melbourne Vet Emergency Centres provide dedicated emergency care 24/7.  We are not just an after hours vet clinic.  Our whole focus is emergency and critical care.

If you require treatment for an animal emergency, Melbourne’s AAE offers:

• 24 hour emergency service Critical care and after hours vet emergency care
• Experience in veterinary emergencies
• Up-to-date equipment and purpose-built surgery
• 24 hour veterinarians

Crisis Care Specialists

Our services extend far beyond what would normally be expected of an after hours vet.  Our equipment and training allow us to provide an exceptional level of patient care.

http://www.animalemergency.com.au/about-us.html

How We Diagnose Snake Bite in Pets: Vet Emergency Melbourne

How We Diagnose Snake Bite in Pets

During summer we treat numerous pets with snake bite. It is a downside to living in Australia.  In the Melbourne region, the most common snakes are Tiger snakes.  Brown snake bites  also occur but are less frequent.  Tigers and Browns are very deadly.  Bites from these snakes may kill pets within minutes.  They have a mixture of toxins depending on the snake.  Toxins may include: Neuro Toxin (affects nervous system and causes paralysis);  Myotoxin (destroys muscles within the body); Coagulant Toxin (causes massive internal bleeding); Renal Toxin (affects kidney function).

To treat snake bite we use specific anti-venom therapy.  While some pets may survive without anti-venom, the length of recovery and complications including death is much greater for these pets.  Often these pets have had a minimal bite if they do survive.

Sometimes it is very easy to identify a snake bite – the pet was seen with a snake, starts vomiting and collapses.  Other times we need to run specific tests to identify a snake envenomation.

Within our 24Hr Pet Emergency Centres we keep a range of tests to identify snake bites.  We have specialised laboratory machines so that we can identify a snake bite quickly.  Sometimes there is not one test that we use, but a range of tests.

One of the most important tests is the Snake Venom Detection Kit (SVDK).  The SVDK was developed by CSL and is specific for all Australian venomous snakes.  The test looks for free venom in urine (or blood).  If you have been bitten, then within a short period of time, there will be free venom filtered into your urine by your kidneys.  The SVDK identifies this venom and tells us what type of snake has bitten the pet.  It means that we know that the pet has been bitten and what type of anti-venom should be used.

Some pets can play with a snake and not be envenomated.  The SVDK can be used to identify such pets and if the test is negative, we can avoid giving anti-venom which is very expensive.

We also use the SVDK to guide therapy.  If after receiving anti-venom, the test is still positive, it indicates that further anti-venom will benefit the pet.  If it is negative, then we know that giving further expensive anti-venom is not required.

We stock numerous vials of anti-venom as well as SVDK at both our Melbourne Animal Hospitals.  Vets now Open with immediate treatment for Snake Bite.  If you need further advice, please contact any of our 24Hr Pet Emergency Centres: 

Essendon 9379 0700

Point Cook 8368 7400

 

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

Tail Pull injury’s are commonly caused by cars running over a Cat’s Tail

Rufus is a 9 month old Choc Point Burmese cat who presented to Animal Accident & Emergency as a referral from his regular vet for ongoing care after being diagnosed with a tail pull injury.

What is a Tail Pull Injury:
It is a common injury caused when a car runs over the cat’s tail pulling apart the sacral-lumbar or coccygeal vertebrae and stretching the nerves that go to the bladder, rectum, and tail.

Signs: Tail hangs loosely – paralysed tail, urinary and/or faecal incontinence to partial loss of sciatic nerve function.

Treatment: Cats will need to be seen by a vet and hospitalised so the bladder can be manually emptied and receive treatment to attempt to heal the nerves controlling the urination and defecation. The tail may need to be amputated.

All spinal cord injuries require immediate veterinary attention. Protect the cat’s spine and use a blanket or towel to lift the cat onto a flat surface like a board before transporting to the vet.

Rufus is currently receiving critical care at our Essendon Pet Emergency Centre, the staff at AAE wish Rufus a speedy recovery.

Pictured above: Rufus enjoying a neck rub from Dr Nicole Trigg after his morning examination.

www.animalemergeny.com.au

Melbourne Cup Opening Hours – Emergency Vet

Animal Accident & Emergency will be open on Melbourne Cup Day.

You can contact our Pet Emergency Centres 24 hours, 7 days a week as we never close.

Our Animal Hospitals provide 24hr animal emergency at two great locations – Essendon and Point Cook. The centres are located to provide direct and easy freeway access. Time is precious in any emergency.

Our Emergency Centres provide dedicated emergency care. We are not just an after hours vet clinic.

Essendon Fields: (03) 9379 0700

Point Cook: (03) 8368 7400

http://www.animalemergency.com.au

Pet CARE: Heat Stroke is a serious Pet Emergency

 

We do see heat related diseases at our 24 Hour Pet Emergency Centres in Melbourne.Heat stroke is serious and is commonly seen in dogs. Heat stroke, is when the body temperature reaches above > 39.5°C. Dogs may die if their body temperatur…e reaches > 41.7°C.As an emergency critical care specialist centre, we see heat stoke due to:

1. Locking a dog in a car, even if the car windows are open it is too dangerous.
2. Exercising with a dog when there is excessive heat and humidity
3. Leaving your outdoor dog in the sweltering heat without adequate water or shelter/shade.

Some signs of heat stroke:
-Constant panting
-Dry gums that feel sticky to the touch
-Dark red gums
-Vomiting
-Wobbly
-Seizures
-Dark coloured urine
-Diarrhoea
-Difficulty breathing
-Collapse

If your pet is suffering from a heat stroke, then we need to see your pet as soon as possible.
• Cool them down with fans and water
• Phone us
• Drive to our emergency centres as safe as possible.

Essendon Fields: (03) 9379 0700
Point Cook: (03) 8368 7400

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

Intern rounds this week – Diagnostic Imaging.

Intern rounds this week at the 24Hr Vet Hospital involves Diagnostic Imaging.

Diagnostic imaging covers a wide range of tests including radiographs, ultrasounds, CT and MRI.  All of these test are important in the diagnosis of illness in pets.

Reading or interpreting diagnostic images is a skill that can take years of training.  In todays Intern rounds our team will be looking at a series of radiographs with our Medical Director (Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care).  The team will run use real case scenarios and patient images as they learn and improve their skills.

 

 

www.animalemergency.com.au

Insect bites/stings

An insect bite (such as a Bee or Wasp sting) requires exposure to relevant insects, thus, stings occur most commonly when your pet has been exploring in the park, your backyard, or even within your own home. Stings will occur more commonly on thinly furred areas, such as the face and paws. However, this does not mean that they cannot be affected elsewhere.

Insect bites will usually have both an allergic and toxic (poisoning) component. Symptoms of insect bites are quite variable; sometimes a sting will be inconsequential and you may not even notice that it has occurred while other times there may be a severe inflammatory reactions causing critical disease and even death.

Symptoms that may be attributed to stings can include: irritability, restlessness, itchy skin (especially face, paws and eyes), pain, swelling, redness, heat, wheals, vomiting, defecation, diarrhea, urination, salivation, weakness, collapse, seizures, increased breathe noises and difficulty breathing.

Usually if your pet has reacted badly to a sting in the past then they are likely to react in the same way, if not worse, in the future.

If your pet has any of the above listed symptoms, unexplained inflammation, or inflammation that you suspect may be attributed to insect bites, please seek veterinary advice immediately.

Animal Accident & Emergency is open 24 hours, 7 days a week at Essendon and Point Cook.

Always Open – We Always Care

 

Pet Emergency Clinic

 

Always Open, We always CARE

Animal Accident & Emergency, is an emergency veterinary clinic located in 2 convenient locations – Essendon and Point Cook. Our centres CARE for injured or sick pets anytime of the day. An emergency veterinary clinic is not the same as most vet clinics. Our aim is to work with your personal Vet to provide the best possible CARE for your pet.

We operate 24hrs a day and never close. Our team is ready to deal with all emergencies. Emergency and critical care is our core business and we often treat dogs or cats hit by a car (Trauma), dog or cat poisonings( Toxicities), breathing trouble (respiratory distress), or chronic medical conditions when your vet is not available.

Our emergency veterinary clinic is open 24-hours per day to attend to urgent conditions. We are always open including – vet open Sunday in Melbourne, we are open weekends, including all public holidays. If you need help, then please phone. One of our team, will be sure to assist you.

Essendon – 72 Hargrave Ave. Essendon Fields (inside the Essendon Airport Precinct)
(03) 9379 0700

Point Cook – 6 Wallace Ave Across from Oz Ten Bowling
(03) 8368 7400

School Holidays and Pets

School holidays and the winter break are now upon us. A lot of people at this time of year migrate North to enjoy some sunshine. Taking your pets on holidays can be lots of fun. If you are travelling with pets then please send us some great holiday photos for Facebook.

To make your travel easier remember the following:
• Always have fresh water and a bowl available when you travel
• Never leave your pet in the car – even for short periods
• Keep extra food with you in case you get delayed
• Some pets get travel sick – take them for a short test drive prior to a big journey to see how they cope
• Use a pet restraint inside the car
• Stop frequently for walks and toilet breaks
• Always keep a first aid kit available – YES we do sell them
• Look out for danger where you are holidaying – Some of the common problems that we do not have in Melbourne are Paralysis Tick and Cane Toads – Ask people where you are holidaying if they could be a problem.

Have lots of fun and enjoy the Holiday.

Always Open – We Always Care

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

 
Photo from: petfriendlyacc.blogspot.com

Pet Care: Limping or walking favouring one or two legs.

Limping (or lameness) can be caused by damage to muscle, bone or the central nervous system. The altered movement of the limbs may be in response to pain, altered nerve function or structural disruptions (such as not being able to fully bend a joint that has severe arthritis).

There can be a number of different causes for lameness which may relate to development, trauma, degeneration, inflammation, infection, nutrition and cancer.

Pain can be severe and result in little or no weight being taken by the limb (non-weight bearing, the leg is held off of the ground and the pet resists touching or movement of the painful region). If your pet is showing signs of severe pain, it should be examined without delay. Milder pain may result in reduced contact time of the foot with the ground or an adjustment to movement to avoid a painful position of the leg.

If you are unsure whether your pet needs to be seen today, telephone our staff for advice.
Whatever the time of day, our 24 hour pet emergency clinics are able to examine your pet and make recommendations for treatment. Pain relief will be given and investigation may also be recommended. This is likely to be by means of an x-ray although some cases may require advanced imaging such as CT or MRI.

Melbourne’s 24 Hour Animal Hospital – Always Open We Always Care

Pets and Paralysis Tick – Holiday Dangers

Holidays and Pets

One of the most common problems people face when travelling with pets is the Paralysis Tick. The paralysis tick is a small creature that grows to the size of a pea. In Australia we have some very dangerous species that can cause paralysis and death in our pets. They are most common where there is humidity. The Eastern coast of Australia is a common place to find theses ticks. As well as East Gippland in Victoria.

The ticks live on grass and then attach themselves when pets brush by. Signs can start within hours. Some dogs are resistant to the ticks but most dogs will start to show the following signs within 1-2 days:
• Trouble walking
• Panting or trouble breathing
• Vomiting
• Altered bark / voice
• Eventual paralysis and death
Paralysis tick from Wikipedia
The biggest cause of death is due to either paralysis of the chest muscles or from chocking on vomit (aspiration).
There is treatment: We stock an anti-tick toxin that helps to neutralise the tick venom. They do require 24 Hr Hospital care and some will require Intensive Care or Life Support.
There are several products that can help prevent ticks paralysis. If you are travelling then start these products well before you go or check with vets in the local area to find out what they recommend works best.
If your pet is unwell and you have been to a tick area, then you need to be seen. Our 24Hr Emergency Centres are one of few places in Melbourne that stock the lifesaving anti-tick toxin.
24hr help always available. Our Emergency Centres are open everyday. Let us Care for your pet it deserves the best.

Paracetamol Poisonong in Pets – Acetominophen

Paracetamol is a common household pain medication and is known by several names.  Panadol or Acetominophen are just a couple.  The linked article below from the  Pet Health Network  describes the toxic effects and dangers.  In our Melbourne 24 Hr Pet Emergency Centres and Animal Hospitals, we treat paracetamol toxicities.  Both our emergency centres carry the medications to help the liver detoxify the pain relief medications.

http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/pet-health/acetaminophen-toxicity-dogs-and-cats

Acetaminophen toxicity in dogs and cats

We hate to see our pets in pain, but can be dangerous to give our furry friends human medication

Posted April 17, 2012 in Pet Health

pet health, human medication, medication toxicity

Overview and Risk When your pet is in obvious discomfort, it can be tempting to give him or her a pain reliever like Tylenol®.  However, although it works when you yourself are in pain, it can be fatal to your pet.

The active ingredient in Tylenol® and other commonly used over-the-counter medications, such as Percocet®, aspirin-free Excedrin®, and various sinus, cold, and flu medications, is acetaminophen. Pets most commonly receive toxic amounts of acetaminophen because owners medicate them without first consulting a veterinarian. Pets have also been known to consume tablets that are dropped on the floor or left lying around.  While dogs are more often exposed to acetaminophen, cats are much more sensitive to this drug than dogs and a single regular strength tablet can be fatal.

Symptoms The effects of acetaminophen poisoning are very serious, often causing permanent liver damage with fatal consequences. The most common signs that you may notice in pets suffering from acetaminophen toxicity include:

• Brownish-gray or “muddy” colored gums, tongue or mucous membranes
• Labored and rapid breathing
• Swollen face, neck or limbs
• Hypothermia (reduced body temperature)
• Vomiting
• Jaundice (yellowish color to skin, whites of eyes) due to liver damage
• Lethargy, seizures and coma

Diagnosis and Treatment If you believe that your pet has ingested acetaminophen, seek emergency veterinary attention immediately. Your veterinarian will perform a chemical blood profile, a complete blood count, and a urinalysis to determine the level of toxicity so that a potential treatment can be prescribed.

In order for treatment to be successful, it needs to be immediate and intensive. Treatment may include intravenous fluid therapy, oxygen support and/or medications to reduce the effects of the acetaminophen and treat any damage that has been done.  Your pet will may be hospitalized for ongoing supportive treatment and to monitor the long-term effects, especially liver damage.

Prevention Pet owners should never attempt to diagnose and treat their pets with human medication, and should take precautions to keep household medications out of their pet’s reach to avoid a potentially harmful or fatal reaction. Never use human medications with your pet unless specially directed by your veterinarian

– See more at: http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/pet-health/acetaminophen-toxicity-dogs-and-cats#sthash.qsntluFi.dpuf

Pet Emergency: Vomiting

 

 

Vomiting is the forceful ejection of stomach contents from the mouth.  Acute vomiting is defined as vomiting of short duration (less than 5-7 days) whilst chronic vomiting has been present for longer.  There can be many causes for vomiting and some are less serious than others.  Recovery from non-serious causes, such as eating a different diet, is usually fast and requires little treatment.  The presence of blood in the vomit, continued vomiting in a pet that is becoming quieter than usual or is unable to keep any food or water down will require examination and assessment.  Very young animals can become dehydrated very quickly and they should be examined and treated early to prevent the dehydration from becoming severe.

If you are unsure whether your pet needs to be seen today, telephone our staff for advice.  Whatever the time of day, our 24 hour emergency clinics are able to examine your pet and make recommendations for treatment.  In some cases, investigation will also be recommended and this may be by means of blood and urine tests, x-rays and/or ultrasound examination of the abdomen.   These can all be performed in our clinics and depending on the test results, we will either prescribe appropriate medical therapy, recommend examination and management by our internal medicine specialist or advise surgical treatment.

When vomiting is non-responsive to medical treatment or has been intermittent but chronic, the emergency veterinarian or your local general practice will recommend investigation into the underlying cause by the internal medicine specialist. Again this is likely to involve blood and urine tests, x-rays or ultrasound examination of the abdomen, endoscopy and biopsy of the stomach and intestines. In some cases, surgery will either be recommended to complete the diagnostic testing or to treat the cause of the vomiting (for example removal of a foreign object, such as a sock, from the intestines).

Treatment recommendations will be made on the basis of the test results.  This may involve intravenous fluids if the patient is dehydrated, dietary changes and administration of medications (tablets or liquids to be given by mouth) or surgery.

 

 

www.animalemergency.com.au

 

Looking for a Vet in Parkville

Animal Accident & Emergency is a full service Pet Emergency and Critical Care Centre.   We are open 24/7 and often receive patients from Parkville.

As a Melbourne Animal Hospital we will care for your pet if they are sick or injured.  Our team includes Specialists in Internal Medicine and Emergency and Critical Care.

There is easy Access from the freeway and plenty of safe parking.  We are not just open after hours, we are a 24 hour vet hospital that specialised in Emergency and Critical Care.  Two great locations:  Essendon Fields and Point Cook.

 

http://www.animalemergency.com.au/contact-us-1.html