Peculiar Prostatic Problem

Benson, an eight year old entire male Border Collie, recently came into our Waimate Veterinary Centre because he was unwell, arching his back and not eating.

A large mass could be felt in his abdomen so an ultrasound was performed. This revealed that Benson's prostate was dramatically enlarged, containing a number of small cysts, and was attached to a very large cyst.

Delicate surgery to remove the large cyst was required. The smaller cysts were drained and Benson was castrated.

Prostatic enlargement is very common in older entire male dogs and can lead to constipation, difficulty urinating and occasionally more sever problems. Castration allows the prostate to shrink and is often the only treatment required. This is a simple day procedure with huge health benefits to your male dog so contact you Veterinary Centre today to book your dog in.

Benson recovered well from surgery however he will need to be on medication for some time to come.

Slug Bait Toxicity Alert

Pet poisonings are always very distressing for the pet, the owner and even the vets! Slug bait is a common household item toxic to pets and autumn is one of the recommended periods for its use.

Slug bait acts as a nerve agent and has very sudden onset of action, typically within about an hour of being eaten.

If your dog does eat slug and snail bait it is important to contact your vet ASAP because death can occur very rapidly. At the Veterinary Centre we have successfully treated dogs for slug bait poisoning with quick diagnosis and treatment (usually by inducing vomiting) being key to full recovery.

To avoid poisoning make sure you keep slug bait out of reach of your pets or buy a pet friendly version of this product.