News & Advice

While vaccine reactions are rare, they do sometimes occur. The benefits of vaccinating far outweigh the risks of any side effect from a vaccine that is easily treatable and much less severe than the disease itself. Just like us, each pet is different, and yours will have varying risk factors based on their breed, age […]

The routine administration of vaccinations to pets has been one of the most significant factors in the reduction of serious dog and cat infectious diseases in New Zealand. This approach has resulted in excellent disease control for infections that were once considered important causes of sickness and death. Although all veterinarians agree vaccines are necessary, […]

Overseas, there are several highly infectious and potentially fatal diseases that can affect your rabbit. Fortunately, in New Zealand (NZ) there is only one major disease we need to vaccinate for A vaccine has been produced that will protect your rabbit against the NZ form of viral haemorrhagic disease (calicivirus). To ensure that your rabbit […]

Most core cat vaccinations aim to help prevent at least three diseases in kittens and cats: Feline Panleukopenia (FPV), Feline Herpesvirus 1 (FSV1), and Feline Calicivirus (FCV). Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV, also called Feline Distemper or Feline Enteritis) is a highly contagious virus of the parvovirus group, with a high mortality rate. It is extremely “hardy” […]

There are many diseases which can be fatal to dogs; however, we can aid in the prevention of these diseases using very effective vaccines. The core vaccine helps to protect against the dreaded Parvovirus, which is the most commonly known virus to affect puppies. Distemper and Hepatitis are also covered by the core vaccine but […]

As the weather cools and winter sets in, many pet owners notice subtle changes in their animal companions. These changes—like stiffness, reluctance to move, or increased sleep—could be signs of arthritis, a common but often overlooked condition in both dogs and cats. Arthritis isn’t just for older pets While arthritis is more common in senior […]

Making the most of the dry period to reflect, review and reset As the season winds down and most cows head off to winter grazing, there is a natural sense of relief. But while the cows rest, your collar data is still working. This stretch is the ideal time to press pause, dig into the […]

Think Johne’s disease, think cattle? Think again! Johne’s disease is a bacterial infection resulting in untreatable wasting and death of adult animals. It is a challenging disease to control due to its very long incubation period, poor test accuracy and long environmental survival. This has implications for disease management and means our only realistic target […]

It has been just over a year since Lepto 4-Way™ was introduced to the market. To recap, a nationwide survey of dairy farms revealed a new strain of leptospirosis present on many farms across New Zealand. In response, Lepto 4-Way™ was developed and launched. The uptake from Vetlife clients has been excellent, with many making […]

Wondering what FPT is? It stands for ‘Failure of Passive Transfer’. When calves are born, unlike people, they have not received any antibodies to fight disease via the placenta. To get these antibodies, they need to absorb them through the gut by drinking their dams’ colostrum. Unfortunately, there are many reasons why this does not […]

Regular dental check-ups are important for two reasons. Firstly, like people, to assess dentition and wear and secondly, because we ride them with bits and bridles, so it’s important to make sure (normal) sharp dental edges aren’t interfering with the cheeks or tongue when wearing tack.   A routine dental procedure, now more commonly performed with […]

We often hear about the importance of enrichment for our pets. But what exactly is enrichment, and why is it so crucial? While all pets need some form of enrichment, let’s focus on man’s best friend – our dogs. Dogs have natural instincts that have been honed over thousands of years. When humans domesticated dogs, […]