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My pet has diarrhoea. What's the quickest way to help his tummy return to normal?
Diarrhoea in dogs and cats is a nightmare for every pet owner who experiences it - you wake up one morning to find stinky effluent dribbled and splattered across the floor. And often, just as it is being cleaned up, your pet has a repeat episode!
Diarrhoea in dogs and cats is a nightmare for every pet owner who experiences it – you wake up one morning to find stinky effluent dribbled and splattered across the floor. And often, just as it is being cleaned up, your pet has a repeat episode!
A pet having diarrhoea is an unpleasant ...
View Article What to do when your pet goes missing
When you realise your pet is missing, it can send you into a panic. Carefully read through this step-by-step information, which will help you to prepare for what to do if your pet goes missing.
I’ve just realised my pet is not in my house or yard. I think they are missing – what should I do?!
Pets can go missing for many reasons: jumping out of the car when you’re making a pitstop, running after other dogs while at the dog park, esc...
View Article My pet has just had an operation. What is the best way to help them recover?
Your pet has just had surgery. Read these tips to learn how to provide the best post-op care to ensure they recover faster and in a comfortable, healthy way.
Whether your pet has had emergency surgery (after a medical emergency, or injury in a fight or accident) or an elective procedure (like a spay or neuter), they will need time to return to relative normal after being under anaesthesia and for their wounds to heal. It’s imperative to support ...
View Article Preventive pet care for the next three years
The best way to ensure your pets' health is through prevention: preventing disease, preventing unwanted behaviour, preventing parasite infestation, and preventing poor health in general. Use this proactive preventive pet care approach and - with the vet's
I wish I could prevent my pets from getting sick – both for their health and for my budget. Is there a way to prevent pet illnesses?
Many pet owners will only contact the vet when their dog or cat has a health emergency; when their pets get sick enough to warra...
View Article Distemper in dogs
In light of the recent canine distemper outbreaks in Gauteng and the Overstrand Municipality (September - October 2025), please read our article on the seriousness of canine distemper and how you can protect your dogs from becoming infected.
"My dog has a runny nose and really bad diarrhoea. They seem feverish, won’t eat and are coughing and wheezing."
When a dog shows signs of eye and nasal discharge, lack of appetite, weight loss, fever, diarrhoea, cough or wheezing/trouble breathing, a...
View Article 5 Rare diseases in cats
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in cats, taurine-deficiency dilated cardiomyopathy and retinopathy, feline papillomatosis
The vet’s role is to ensure the health and wellbeing of their patients; to heal their wounds and treat their illnesses. Therefore, it can be challenging to be confronted by diseases or conditions that are not often seen in cats, requiring differential diagnosis and the solving of complex pu...
View Article 5 Rare diseases in dogs
Ectopic ureters, canine uveodermatologic syndrome, achromatopsia, immunoproliferative systemic intestinal disease and dermoid Sinus
Every day, veterinarians are confronted with diagnostic challenges in the form of dogs with symptoms and no way to tell them where it hurts. There are some diseases and illnesses that vets see often, like ear infections, hip dysplasia, allergic reactions, dental disease and hot spots. But then th...
View Article My dog is shaking her head and pawing at her ears. She flinches when I touch her head.
Ear infections in dogs and cats are one of the most prevalent complaints veterinarians see in their patients, and they are often recurring. Read more about the primary and secondary causes of ear infections, the symptoms, how they are diagnosed and how th
Ear infections in dogs and cats
You may notice a foul odour emanating from your dog or cat’s ears, or maybe the pinnae (ear flaps) are red and warm, or you can see a dark discharge (or pus) or inflamed ear canal. However, it would be your pet’s behaviour that alerted you to ...
View Article My dog's skin is inflamed and itchy, and he won't stop scratching himself
Up to 15% of dogs are affected by atopic dermatitis, in which an environmental allergen/s triggers a persistent itch. Self-mutilation and secondary infection are usually what send pet owners to the vet looking for answers.
Most dogs will sit on their rump and have a scratch behind their ears or relieve an itch on the trunk of their body. They will then stand up, shake off, and continue on with their day. A dog with atopic dermatitis will spend the majority of their waking hours scratching themselve...
View Article How dogs and cats keep warm in winter and cool in summer
We answer your questions about dogs' and cats' ability to thermoregulate - or control their body temperature. This is important information for keeping your pets cool in summer and warm in winter.
South Africa has the perfect temperate climate to keep dogs and cats safely comfortable during all seasons. However, in some parts of the country, it can get very cold in winter and very hot in summer. During weather extremes, we need to be aware of pets’ wellbeing: are they warm enough or ...
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