CareVets Hobsonville

✨ Patient of the Week - Stanley ✨

Another SPCA kid this week!
Stanley came into Hobsonville SPCA at 5 weeks of age, in need of some intensive love and care. Clinic coordinator Amanda put her hand up to foster this little guy (how could you say no to that face??)

Fast forward a few weeks and Stanley has more than doubled in size! This boy is sweet natured and loves to cuddle, he is also crate trained and toilet trained.

Stanley is almost ready for his next adventure and will be available for adoption shortly, through the SPCA website.

If you are interesting in becoming a foster parent, reach out to [email protected]

✨ Patient of the Week - Marvel ✨

This patient of the week is very close to our hearts ❤
Marvel came into Hobsonville SPCA back in January. He was emaciated, dehydrated, and in a lot of pain. He was an entire male, who had extensive cat fight wounds over his body and a large abscess covering his shoulder blades.

Despite the state he was in, Marvel sat patiently, letting the team do whatever they needed to make him better. He was even smoochy! It was like he knew we were trying to help him and we became determined to get him better so that he could enjoy the good life that he deserved.

Marvel's road to recovery was difficult, he ended up staying in hospital for two weeks and having multiple surgeries to treat his abscess. During this time, nurses Tia and Catherine constructed elaborate enclosures to give him more space and came up with activities to cheer him up and provide mental stimulation.

Finally, after six weeks of recovery, Marvel was ready to find a forever home. He was adopted almost immediately by a lovely couple who recently shared this photo with us. We can safely say that Marvel has landed on his feet and will be enjoying the good life for the rest of his days!

Throughout September and October we are offering WOF's for you pet.

This includes a nose to tail health check, Complete Blood Count and Biochemistry blood tests, and a blood pressure check for $279.

You will also go in the draw to win one on three $1,000 travel vouchers!

Bookings are essential and can be made by contacting the clinic on 09 416 2277.

Did you know oral disease has become a top health problem for dogs? 🐶🦷

Here are our top tips for preventing dental problems and keeping your canine’s smile in tip-top form:
✅ A nutritious diet
✅ Chew treats can help remove plaque and provide stimulation for the gums.
❌ Watch out for wood – throwing sticks to dogs or letting your dog pick up a piece of wood can result in splinters and gum damage.
❌ Don’t let your pet chew on hard materials like stones or even some types of bones. They can wear down and even break teeth, damage gums, and lead to infection.

Until the end of August, we're offering FREE dental checks with a nurse at our clinics. Bookings are essential, get in quick! 📅✅

>^.^< We are giving away ONE pack of BRAVECTO® PLUS for Cats - 3 months flea and tick protection PLUS worm treatment, in one spot-on. >^.^<

Simply post below a photo of your cat’s usual place to snuggle up in winter – and could be leaving some flea friends behind. It’s that easy!

Competition closes Wednesday 21st August at 5pm. Winner selected and notified with a reply from us on their comment by Thursday 24th August 5pm. Please beware of scammers pretending to be us.

GOOD LUCK

✨ Patient of the Week - Louie ✨

Louie is a beautiful 5 month old Burmese boy who came in last week for de-sexing. He just wanted to be held all day and the team were happy to oblige!

Back at home, Louie forgot all about his surgery, and got straight back to playing with his 3 year old human sister.

Ugh - That Breath!

Have you ever regretted smooches with your cat or dog? Recoiled at the fish breath? 😵🐟 Many people think it's normal. Well, it's not!

Bad breath in our pets, often called halitosis, is most commonly caused by periodontal disease. This can and should be treated as it will continue to get worse, can lead to other health issues, and most importantly, can be causing your pet pain that you may not be aware of (dental pain can be some of the most uncomfortable, as I'm sure you'll agree).

If you think your pet has bad breath, let's talk about it - we're here to help you help your best bud. 🐶🐱💕

For the rest of August, we're offering FREE dental checks with a nurse at our clinics. Bookings are essential! 📅✅

Let's Talk About Dental Discomfort

Have you experienced dental pain? It's often touted as one of the worst. Just by looking at you, most people wouldn't know anything was wrong. You might still eat fairly normally and carry on with some painkillers until your dentist appointment.

But what about your pet? 🐶🐱 How can you tell if they're experiencing dental pain? They can't just tell us! 🦷😔

Periodontal disease is widespread among pets and can cause serious discomfort, often without us even noticing.

Your pet is there for you when you're in pain, so let's make sure they're not hiding any of their own. Let us help check out those chompers - here's to no more dental pain! 🐾💕

For July and August, we're offering FREE dental checks with a nurse at our clinics. Bookings are essential! 📅✅

✨ Patient of the Week - FREYJA ✨

Freyja is a 14 week old, rare Pixie-bob Cat - we had to look it up too!
Pixie-bob's are thought to be the descendants of domestic cats crossed with American Bobcats. They are known for having polydactyl paws (extra toes) and a short, bobbed tail.

We can't wait to see Freyja back again for her next vaccination!

Tips For Reducing Your Cat Or Dogs Stress When Visiting The Vet

Before your appointment:

- Acclimate your pet to the carrier or car
- Allow your pet a toilet break to relieve themselves (unless advised otherwise by the vet)
- For dogs, take them on a small walk to help burn off some of that energy
- Have cats or small dogs in a comfortable carrier that is a suitable size for them
- Have large dogs on a lead that they are used to
- Bring an item of clothing with their favourite persons scent on or spray a blanket with a calming pheromone like Adaptil or Feliway
- Avoid feeding your pet close to the appointment. This will help reduce any nausea they might get when travelling in the car.
- Bring their favourite treats along

In the car:

- Play calming music on a low volume, avoid loud music or sounds
- Talk to your pet in a calm, positive tone to help them stay calm
- Look at using the calming pheromones in the car by spraying the seat/foot well space

Highly anxious animal??

- Remain calm, your calmness will help keep them calm
- Practice handling your pet and placing them in a carrier/into the car
- Bring your pet along to the Vet Clinic to say hello, have a cuddle and a treat. This will help desensitise them to the clinic.
- Talk to your Vet about dispensing medications, to help reduce anxiety and stress, that you can give at home before coming into the clinic

Hidden Surprises! 🙀

Did you know it's easy to miss dental issues just by looking at a pet's mouth with the naked eye?

This kitty appeared to have a healthy set of teeth at first glance. However, radiographs revealed significant dental damage! 🦷

Thanks to this advanced imaging, we know exactly what needs to be fixed - no more dental pain for this cat! 💕

Don't forget, we are offering FREE dental checks with one of our fantastic nurses for all of July and August. Bookings are essential!

✨ Team Member of the Week - YOGI ✨

Yogi doing his best to show our patients that there's no need to worry, by enjoying some classical music and a snooze 😴

What To Do With A Stray Cat

Cats often have quite a large home range and commonly roam around the neighbourhood. If you find a healthy cat that you suspect could be a stray, the first thing to do is confirm that the cat is unowned by following the steps below:

- Put a paper collar with your details on the cat. The owner will hopefully get in touch with you to reassure you that the cat is owned.
- Ask the neighbours.
- Create a flyer and distribute around your local area.
- Post on local social media pages.
- Scan the cat for a microchip at a vet clinic or an animal shelter.
- Post on animalregister.nz/lostpet and check TradeMe's Lost and Found section

If you have tried all of the suggestions listed, but were unable to find the animal’s owner, contact your local SPCA who are the best people to help the lost little one.

FREE Dental Checks!

Here’s something to smile about 😸

Bad breath? Sore mouth? Or just want to be sure there’s nothing going on? Let’s get those chompers checked!

For the months of July and August, we are offering FREE dental checks with a nurse at our clinics. Bookings are essential!

✨ Patient of the Week - BLUE ✨

Nine week old Rottweiler puppy, Blue, waiting for her vaccination appointment with Dr. Jim was just too cute to resist!

✨Meet The Team - Catherine ✨

Catherine is our all-round superstar, lead nurse in training. She is a recent vet nursing diploma graduate and has been working with us for two years now.

She is the proud fur-mother to 3 male cats, and is a firm believer in animal welfare and providing the highest level of care. Catherine always strives to continue learning and developing her skills, and loves sharing what she learns with the team. She has been the driving force behind some of our recently implemented feline friendly initiatives.

On her days off, Catherine likes to relax with cross stitch, baking, and documentaries about serial killers and world disasters.

✨ Patient of the Week - MORTY ✨

We saw Morty recently for treatment of a nasty wound on his leg which may have been the result of a cat fight.

Morty was the sweetest, friendliest boy during his stay in the hospital and nurse Tia made him comfortable by providing hidey spaces, a cosy bed, and lots of treats. Even though he enjoyed his bed, Morty made sure to greet everyone who walked past with lots of smooches.

We will be closed this Friday 28th June for Matariki ✨
The clinic will reopen on Saturday 29th June 9am-1pm.

✨ Patient of the Week - ABBY'S PUPPIES ✨

We saw Abby for an x-ray early in her pregnancy to determine how many pups she might be carrying, and recently we got to meet them all for their first vet check and vaccination!

Abby (and her humans) have done a fantastic job raising these beautiful, healthy pups who are now heading off to their forever homes. It was a lovely treat for the team to get to cuddle them all before they go.

We have a new Bravecto giveaway in clinic!
All Bravecto purchases in June and July will be in with a chance to win.

✨ Patient of the Week - SPENCER ✨

We got to see GORGEOUS Spencer this week for his puppy vaccinations!

Spencer is a 16 week old Cocker Spaniel and his colouring is called Blue Roan. His mum says he is settling in well at home and is overall the most relaxed puppy, with the odd moment of puppy madness.

We didn't see any naughty puppy antics during his visit - just those big puppy dog eyes that made us want to give him all the treats! 😍

✨ Patient of the Week - ROCKY ✨

This senior gentlemen is 15 years old and recently had surgery with Dr. Heenal Mehta to remove a mass on his elbow.

Rocky is pictured here, recovering from anaesthesia, on an orthopaedic bed, with his favourite blanket from home.

He is continuing to recover well at home, with lots of love and care from his dedicated owners.