Pet Info
Click on each heading for full information
Effect of fleas on cats
DID YOU KNOW? For every adult flea, there are 500 potential fleas at various stages in your house. Read More...
Is your best friend finding it hard to move?
You may think that your best friend is getting old, or is just stiff because of the winter chill factor. However, your best friend could actually be suffering from arthritis. Arthritis is a painful and debilitating condition that affects 1 in 5 dogs over the age of one. Read More...
Watch out for bees!
In summer there are lots of bees about and of course many dogs like to chase them. While bee stings in dogs are usually not life-threatening, some dogs will have an allergic reaction of varying degrees. You may or may not witness your dog being stung. Read More...
Fighting Felines
Our feline friends are territorial by nature, so at some stage most of them get involved in a cat fight...some more frequently than others...! Read More...
The Importance of Vaccination
Whether to vaccinate and what we should vaccinate against has in recent years caused a lot of debate in human medicine. A similar debate has taken place in the veterinary field. Our aim is always to provide adequate protection for our pets without 'over vaccinating'. Read More...
Murmurs from the Dog Kennel
As your dog grows older, the risk of heart failure grows too. The signs of heart disease can be subtle and can be mistaken for normal changes due to ageing. Read More...
Pre-Anaesthetic Blood Testing
At Bayfair & Papamoa Vets we pride ourselves on the level of care and safety we are able to provide for our patients, especially when general anaesthetics are necessary. However, there is a risk with any general anaesthetic procedure, and one of the services we offer to help minimise this risk is pre-anaesthetic blood testing. Read More...
Arthritis - Pentosan Polysulphate
Arthritis is a disease, which causes inflammation and damage to the joints. Joint damage can dramatically affect your pet’s mobility, level of activity and quality of life. The early sign of arthritis is stiffness. This then progresses to obvious lameness and joint pain Read More...
Ringworm
Ringworm is a fungal infection and not a worm. The disease is highly contagious and is seen most commonly in cats and dogs, particularly when young Read More...
How healthy are your pet's gums?
Did you know that – just as in humans – gum disease is very common in pets as well, with typically 85% of pets over the age of three affected! Read More...
The Oestrus Cycle
Most female dogs come into heat at about 6 months of age. However, they can come on as early as 4 months and as late as 12 months. From then on they will cycle approximately every 6 months. Read More...
Canine Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary passing of urine. This can range in severity from occasional small urine leaks to inadvertent voiding of a large puddle of urine. Read More...
Idiopathic Vestibular Syndrome in Dogs
The dog's vestibular system tells them where its body is, helps with balance, and coordinates head and eye movements. Vestibular disease is any abnormality of that system. Idiopathic Vestibular Syndrome is a common form of vestibular disease in older dogs, of unknown cause. It's not a life threatening disease, and often resolves itself. Read More...
New member of the family
Are you thinking about taking on a new member of the family? If so, give us a call or pop in to chat with one of our friendly members of staff. Read More...
Should my pet see the vet?
A common question asked by pet owners is whether their pet is in need of medical attention. This is a difficult question to answer over the phone and the rule of thumb is that if YOU are concerned you should bring your pet in for a consultation. Read More...
Slug & Snail Bait Poisoning
For those enjoying a spot of gardening and wanting to get rid of those pesky snails and slugs, consider the health of your pets. Metaldehyde containing slug and snail baits, eg Slug Slam™, Blitzem™, can be quite toxic especially to dogs that seem to have little regard for the deterrents added to the bait. Read More...
Kennel Cough - Is your dog protected?
Kennel Cough is a very contagious respiratory disease of dogs. It is mainly seen when dogs are grouped together, for example at boarding kennels, breeding kennels, rescue shelters and dog training classes. In our area, it seems to pass from dog to dog contact on the beach as well. While it is not usually life threatening, it can be a very unpleasant illness for the dog and owner. Read More...
Antifreeze Alert
Antifreeze is tasty but also highly toxic to pets - poisonings can occur even if they lick up small spillages from the ground. Unfortunately, by the time the animal gets to the vet clinic, it is often too late, due to the severe kidney failure it causes. Symptoms include depression, dehydration, excessive drinking, and neurological signs. Please be careful in winter when changing your antifreeze, and dispose of it responsibly! Read More...
Chubby Canines and Fleshy Felines
It's easy to make light of having a podgy pet (pun intended!) but the reality is there are serious repercussions for overweight and obese pets. Read More...
Grass Seeds - The Scourge of Summer!
A long walk with your dog is one of the pleasures of summer, but pesky grass seeds can prove a real problem at this time of year. Read More...
Why is my pet scooting?
More than you ever wanted to know about anal glands! Impacted anal glands are one of the main causes of scooting. The other possible causes include fleas, worms, and skin allergies. Read More...
A Very Thirsty Cat....
Is your older cat spending a lot of time at the water bowl recently? Increased thirst and the associated increased urination may be a symptom of kidney (renal) disease. Read More...
10 Ways To Save Money On Vet Bills
When we decide to introduce a pet into our lives we make a commitment to do the best we can for it regardless of the cost. Unfortunately, we can be unprepared for unexpected vet bills when the pet has an accident or experiences health problems. Read More...
Rabbit Poison
One of the joys of living in the Western Bay of Plenty is enjoying our beautiful coastline and beaches with our canine companions. However high rabbit numbers in the Papamoa area have been destroying the dune vegetation, and Environment Bay of Plenty have laid baits as part of their annual rabbit control programme. Read More...
Pet Vision
We are often asked what do dogs and cats see in terms of colour. Our pets rely heavily on their senses but see the world slightly differently than we do. Read More...
Itchy Dog
A pet with itchy skin is more than just a minor annoyance. It can lead to real discomfort for both pet and owner! That’s why it’s important we try and identify the cause of the irritation if possible. Read More...
Is Your Cat Losing Weight?
Has a previously paunchy puss taken on a more slender physique?!! Many people put this weight loss down to ‘old age’, not realising there may be an underlying disease we can manage. Read More...
Hook Line and Sinker
Enjoying a spot of fishing is one of those activities many of us enjoy. But fishing and all the paraphernalia associated with it has a few dangers for our pets, as Ollie’s tale shows… Read More...
Ear Infections in Dogs
Dogs are quite often affected by ear infections and in some cases they can be difficult to treat – requiring a cooperative dog (for ear drops) and a diligent owner. Read More...
Detecting Eye Disease
Dry eye is a common disease in dogs which is caused by a lack of tears. It has been shown to affect 1 in 22 dogs. Read More...
Hairballs
Hairballs are a common problem, and most cats will produce them. They occur as a result of your cat grooming its coat and swallowing the loose hairs, which accumulate in the stomach or upper intestine. Read More...
Patella Luxation
Have you noticed your small breed dog running with a skipping or hopping step? Or running on three legs, holding one back leg up? This could be a sign of a subluxating patella. The patella or kneecap should sit in a groove in the bone (the trochlea groove) in the centre of the knee joint. It is held in place by the patellar ligament, and when the knee bends it slides along this groove. Subluxation or dislocation occurs when the kneecap pops out of this groove. Read More...