Forth Valley Veterinary Clinic Blog

Our top tips and useful information regarding pet and animal health…

Caring for the older Horse
Alana Robertson Alana Robertson

Caring for the older Horse

An older horse can be worth its weight in gold. They’ve been there, done that and can be super schoolmasters for young or beginner riders. They deserve the very best of care! 

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Obesity in Horses
Alana Robertson Alana Robertson

Obesity in Horses

Obesity is a very common problem in horses. Recent studies report that an estimated 33% of domestic horses are overweight, placing them at a much higher risk of diseases such as Osteoarthritis and / or joint disease. Osteoarthritis remains today’s the leading cause of pain, poor performance, retirement and even early loss of life among our horses

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Vibriosis
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Vibriosis

Vibriosis is a venereal disease of cattle caused by a bacterial infection with Campylobacter fetus subspecies venerealis. It is widespread throughout the Australian cattle herd and is regarded as a very common cause of infertility and sporadic abortion in all cattle breeding areas.

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Bull Testing
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Bull Testing

Whilst it is important to ensure your cows are in good condition and have plenty of feed, it is also vital to remember the other key player in your mating success - bulls.

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Supplements for your Horse
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Supplements for your Horse

Thinking a about a joint supplement for your horse? Here’s our guide to choosing supplements that may save you an enormous amount of time and money!

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Different Surfaces for Limb Conditioning
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Different Surfaces for Limb Conditioning

Why is a variety of surfaces important for soundness? 

Your horse’s ability to perform at his best, and avoid injury, is strongly influenced the surface he trains upon. 

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Keeping your horse Sound and Supple during the winter months
Alana Robertson Alana Robertson

Keeping your horse Sound and Supple during the winter months

Spring is on its way, but wintery conditions remain in the southern states of Australia. Our paddocks are muddy, it’s cold, it’s windy and it’s wet. We still need to take extra care warming up and cooling down our horses. Here’s our top five tips to keep your horse sound and supple: 

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Equine Dental Health
Alana Robertson Alana Robertson

Equine Dental Health

Horses need quality dental care throughout their lives just as we do. Without appropriate dental care problems such as tooth root disease, problematic wolf teeth, gum disease, sharp points and cheek ulcers can arise.

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What Options are there to help protect my pet’s teeth ?
Alana Robertson Alana Robertson

What Options are there to help protect my pet’s teeth ?

A specially formulated tooth diet will help reduce the amount of tartar build up on teeth. These biscuits are a structured fibre mesh, which act like a brush, cleaning the teeth as your pet eats. It is best fed as a complete diet – it is fully balanced and available for cats and dogs. We recommend Hills t/d

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What Causes Dental Disease ?
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What Causes Dental Disease ?

Some things increase the risk of dental disease, these include: 

Age - Older pets are more prone to dental disease – more time = more plaque etc. Interestingly, many clients report back to us that the behaviour changes thought to be due to old age disappear after a dental treatment – the changes had all been due to pain and these had gone once the pain had been eliminated after their pet’s dental treatment! 

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Dental Disease
Alana Robertson Alana Robertson

Dental Disease

For most of us, caring for our teeth and gums has been part of our daily routine for as long as we can remember. What many of us don’t consider is that we should be doing the same for our pets! 

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What is Epitalis Forte for Horses ?
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What is Epitalis Forte for Horses ?

Epiitalis® is an exclusive active ingredient that’s patented for its revolutionary cartilage repair and pain relief properties. It’s the “superpower” of joint health. 

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To Clip or not to Clip
Alana Robertson Alana Robertson

To Clip or not to Clip

inter has definitely arrived and with it our horses’ thick coats. Contrary to popular belief, the growth of winter coats is stimulated by not the colder temperatures, but by the reduced amount of day light. A thicker coat will keep your horse warm but it does present some challenges if they’re in work. They’ll sweat more easily and hosing them down can leave them cold as they take longer to dry. 

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How do we diagnose Arthritis?
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How do we diagnose Arthritis?

Arthritis can be quickly and easily diagnosed by our experienced team of Veterinarians. We perform a range of physical examinations to assess whether your loved horse or pony may be suffering from arthritis.

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Osteoarthritis - What exactly is it?
Alana Robertson Alana Robertson

Osteoarthritis - What exactly is it?

Like humans, horses can suffer from osteoarthritis (commonly known as arthritis). And, as with humans, it doesn’t just impact the very elderly. Horses of all ages can also suffer from this incredibly painful condition. 

So, what exactly is osteoarthritis? As the name suggests, ‘osteo’ refers to bone, and ‘itis’ refers to inflammation. A degenerative disease, it progressively gets worse over time if left untreated. 

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Diagnosing Pancreatitis
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Diagnosing Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is a disease caused by inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a small fleshy organ located between the stomach and small intestine. The pancreas has many functions related to digestion and the regulation of blood sugar levels.

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Dogs Can Read Minds ?
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Dogs Can Read Minds ?

Owning a pet enriches your life in so many ways. Yet many people remain unaware of the physical and mental health benefits that can come when we embark on the human-animal bond. 

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Physical Therapies and Rehabilitation in Animals
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Physical Therapies and Rehabilitation in Animals

Physical rehabilitation therapies have become very popular in small and large animals. After major surgery, we humans are referred for physical therapy to help restore normal body mobility, movement and function

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SDMA Blood Testing
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SDMA Blood Testing

Your cat’s kidneys play a vital role in maintaining their health. They help control blood pressure, regulate the bloodstream, produce important hormones, enzymes, and red blood cells, as well as remove metabolic waste from the blood.

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Our staff are wildly passionate about animals and making sure your pet is living its healthiest and happiest life

Back that passion with expert qualifications and a love of learning, and it’s safe to say your fur family is in very safe hands.