By Kellie Tickner, Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital Administrator Due to complicated supply problems post-COVID, there is currently a shortage of feline vaccines in Australia, and this is expected to continue until early 2024. This has already had a major impact on shelters, with some having to close their doors to new cat and kitten admissions. […]

By Kellie Tickner, Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital Administrator SPRING is the time of year when many of us attend to our gardens and get out the weed sprays and snail baits. But be aware that while these products may save your garden, they may harm (or even kill) your pet, even if they are labelled […]

By Kellie Tickner, Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital Administrator Warmer weather awakens our native snakes as they seek out water and a food source. Over the past few weeks, we have seen a significant increase in the number of pets attending the hospital after ‘playing’ with a snake.  Snakes are generally timid creatures and stay away […]

By Kellie Tickner, Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital Administrator AS we prepare our get-togethers to celebrate the Panthers in the NRL grand final this weekend, it is important to remember your pets that may be hiding under the table waiting for the food and snacks to drop.  While party food is appropriate for people, that doesn’t […]

By Kellie Tickner, Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital Administrator SINCE January 2023, the team at Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital have joined forces with the RSPCA Outreach team and travelled across various regions of New South Wales. A joint collaboration between RSPCA NSW, Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital, Vets beyond Borders, Animal Rescue Cooperative, Petbarn Foundation and various […]

By Kellie Tickner, Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital Administrator SURROUNDED by open spaces, friendly owners and lots of wagging tails, dog parks are growing in popularity in suburbs across Penrith. However, sharing a public space with unfamiliar dogs and owners comes with its risks. Dog owners are responsible for ensuring that dog parks remain a safe […]

By Kellie Tickner, Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital Administrator LIKE toddlers, pets have a tendency to chew anything they can get into their mouths. This becomes a serious and potentially life-threatening problem if the objects are swallowed. We have seen various ‘foreign bodies’ ingested by pets which include toys, clothing, mango seeds, rocks and socks! Recently, […]

By Kellie Tickner, Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital Administrator JUST like human babies, puppies are born with no teeth. Their first set of baby teeth, or milk teeth, grow in between 3-4 weeks of age. When your puppy is around 4-5 months old, these teeth will fall out to make room for their permanent set of […]

By Kellie Tickner, Orchard Hills Veterinary Hospital Administrator As winter temperature arrive, we often see an increase in arthritis cases in both young and old pets. One in five dogs suffers from the pain and disability caused by arthritis. Cats can also suffer from the damaging effects of this condition and may have difficulty grooming […]

By Greencross Vets LOKI’S owner was just sitting down ready to snack on a piece or two of Cadbury Chocolate, when he turned away for a split second and 19-week-old puppy Loki had devoured the entire block! Unfortunately, chocolate contains theobromine which is slowly metabolised by animals and can be poisonous to dogs & cats.  […]