http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz en-us Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:57:08 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/post/163465/leading-large-animal-care-oscar-porras/ He is passionate about proactive animal health and is also a great resource for Filipino staff on farm, able to speak both major languages and help bridge any communication gaps. Fellow production animal vet Jackie caught up with Oscar to dig a little deeper into his background and what he brings to the team... ... Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:41:06 +1200 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/#post163465 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/post/163464/colostrum-management/ Alongside providing nourishment, it contains antibodies that act as messengers from the mother’s immune system, reflecting the diseases she has been exposed to before the calf is born. These antibodies help the calf recognise ‘foreign invaders’, allowing it to respond to disease-causing bacteria quickly - either preventing illness altogether or significantly reducing its severity. Calves that don’t receive enough good-quality colostrum so... Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:35:47 +1200 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/#post163464 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/post/161818/new-crypto-vaccine-for-the-toolbox/ Cryptosporidium parvum (Crypto) is a gastrointestinal parasite that causes diarrhoea (scours) in calves, generally within the first four weeks of life. It is one of a number of pathogens that can cause diarrhoea in this age group. Others include Rotavirus, Coronavirus and Salmonella. Typically, Crypto presents as mild to severe diarrhoea lasting several days. The worst cases often die quite quickly – sometimes as fast as 12 hours after onset of obvious clinical si... Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:03:12 +1300 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/#post161818 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/post/161814/dry-cow-therapy-legislation-changes/ There is now new Dry Cow Therapy (DCT) legislation that will come into effect on the 1st January 2027, to further reduce New Zealand's antibiotic use in farming.This won't affect us too much until dry-off next year. However, like many things, it will probably take us that long to get our heads fully around all it entails!Ultimately, we will no longer be able to blanket-treat whole herds with DCT.For many of you, the change back to individually-selected DCT for only a portion of the herd, with te... Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:36:15 +1300 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/#post161814 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/post/160851/seeing-more-with-ultrasound/ Ultrasound is a safe, radiation-free imaging tool that uses sound waves to create live images of your pet’s soft tissues and organs. It’s commonly used to investigate concerns such as vomiting or diarrhoea, loss of appetite, weight loss, difficulty urinating, to assess organ health, or to check trauma-related issues like internal bleeding or fluid build up in the chest or abdomen.Because ultrasound shows movement as it happens, it helps our vets understand not just w... Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:56:31 +1300 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/#post160851 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/post/160847/clear-answers-with-x-rays/ X-rays are a fast, non-invasive way for our vets to look inside your pet’s body and understand what might be causing pain, illness, or changes in behaviour. They’re commonly used to investigate things like internal injuries, tumours, fractures, dental disease, and swallowed foreign objects - especially when time matters. Because many problems can’t be seen or felt during a physical exam alone, X-rays help us get clearer answers sooner, so we can make the right deci... Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:43:42 +1300 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/#post160847 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/post/160844/why-an-in-house-laboratory-matters/ Our in-house lab allows us to run a wide range of tests without sending samples away. This includes blood and urine testing, cytology and more. Because these tests are done in-clinic, results are often available within minutes, not days. External labs can take from 24-72 hours. That speed really matters. In emergency situations, such as toxic ingestion, sudden collapse or serious injury, fast results help our vets make informed decisions and begin targeted, potentially life-s... Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:26:08 +1300 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/#post160844 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/post/160166/a-look-at-liver-biopsies/ It's a procedure performed under local anaesthetic to retrieve a small piece of liver tissue. We typically biopsy 10 random cows of variable age and production status from a herd, to get a sample that represents the farm as a whole.... Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:58:30 +1300 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/#post160166 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/post/160164/preventing-facial-eczema/ Facial eczema is a disease associated with the fungus Pithomyces chartarum, which grows on dead grass at the bottom of short pasture.In hot, humid weather it produces spores containing the mycotoxin 'sporidesmin'. This is toxic to the liver and bile ducts in cattle and sheep. When the liver and bile ducts are damaged, phytoporphyrin (a waste product from breaking down the chlorophyl in plants that are consumed), cannot be excreted and builds up. High levels of phytoporphyrin cause hypersens... Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:40:17 +1300 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/#post160164 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/post/127278/keep-your-furry-friend-smiling/ Nothing warms your heart more than your happy, smiling dog welcoming you home at the end of the day. Just like us, to keep that happy smile, cats and dogs rely on healthy teeth and gums for their overall health and wellbeing.The build-up of dental plaque (a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth) can lead to oral health issues in your pet, such as gingivitis, periodontal disease and tooth loss.... Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.vetclinicmorrinsville.co.nz/blog/#post127278