8th March 2021
Distemper (known as ‘hondesiekte’ in Afrikaans) is a viral disease that is completely vaccine-preventable. By making sure your puppy is up to date with all their vaccinations and thereafter their annual vaccinations, he/she will be protected against the distemper virus. This disease is highly contagious and spreads through contact with infected animals or objects, through […]
1st March 2021
Feline herpes virus (FHV, FHV-1) is one of the most common causes of acute upper respiratory tract infections (Snuffles) in cats. The virus is highly contagious and is easily transmitted between cats. This occurs through direct contact with saliva, eye and nasal secretions. Inhalation of sneeze droplets and sharing of food bowls or litter trays […]
5th May 2020
Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) in cats causes serious disease by compromising the body’s ability to fight off any infection (immunosuppression). FeLV is also responsible for other conditions such as cancer, anaemia and seizures. Feline Leukaemia Virus in cats: how infection occurs The FeLV virus is secreted in saliva, stool, urine and faeces of infected cats. Therefore, […]
4th March 2020
Will the Coronavirus affect my pets? This is a question more and more pet owners are asking as the virus spreads across the globe. The World Veterinary Association confirmed that a dog in Hong Kong had tested positive for COVID-19 (Coronavirus). The dog belonged to a 60-year-old woman who is currently in isolation and being […]
27th February 2020
Coronavirus or Covid-19 has dominated global headlines for weeks and as the virus spreads across continents, pet owners are beginning to ask if their pets are at risk. Coronavirus: are my pets at risk? As with any major health crisis, there’s a lot of misinformation doing the rounds but according to the World Health Organisation […]
27th January 2020
Coronavirus is a virus passed from animals to humans. This transfer of disease between species is called zoonoses. There are more than three dozen we can catch directly through touch and more than four dozen that result from bites. Bacteria and viruses that are deadly to one type of creature can evolve quickly to infect […]
18th December 2019
Tummy trouble is a generic term used to describe a host of gastro-intestinal ailments which can be mild or serious. Symptoms vary from vomiting to diarrhoea and loss of appetite or constipation. What’s causing my pet’s tummy trouble? Acute gastroenteritis This is very common and is characterised by sudden vomiting and diarrhoea. This is usually […]
2nd December 2019
Vaccinations are regrettably controversial. Thousands of parents (now known as anti-vaxxers) are choosing not to vaccinate their children against deadly diseases because of a single (now disproved) study that suggested a link between vaccination and autism. And the same is happening with pet parents. Veterinary clinics are experiencing anti-vaxxers too. We understand that some pet […]
20th September 2019
The risk of rabies in South Africa is particularly high. It is endemic in our country. Rabies is the deadliest disease on earth. It’s fatality rate is 99.9%, with more than 95% of deaths occuring in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Dogs, and not farm animals as we like to believe, pose the greatest risk […]
Department of Health COVID-19 updates available at www.sacoronavirus.co.za
