Our Blog

Dental disease is the most common issue we find when we examine your pets.  Did you know that 70% of dogs and 80% of cats over 3 years have evidence of dental disease? And did you also know that Mira Mar Vets has the most up-to-date dental equipment in the Great...

While most cases of bad breath in cats are secondary to dental disease, there are other health issues that can cause unpleasant oral odours too. Here’s a run-down of some of the more common reasons for whiffy breath in our feline friends. 1. Dental disease Dental...

Myth: It’s not that important for dogs and cats to have clean teeth. Here’s more information about dental hygiene in dogs and cats, and why it’s best for your pet’s quality of life and general health to have a solid dental hygiene maintenance routine in place early...

We get it - hearing that your pet needs to undergo a tooth extraction (or even multiple extractions) can be concerning. To help set your mind at ease, we’ve compiled a list of reasons as to why dental extractions aren’t something to feel overly stressed about. We...

Have you heard of idiopathic vestibular disease? This issue occurs most commonly in older dogs and can result in the sudden onset of rather alarming-looking symptoms. Here’s more about idiopathic vestibular disease, and what to do if your pet shows similar issues....

The case, pets, and veterinary professionals in this article are fictional and used for educational purposes only. Benjamin the 10-year-old whippet was left in the care of his 20-year-old human brother over a weekend while their parents Anna and Tom went away for the...

It’s not just our skin that can get a little dry and irritated over winter – the same thing can happen to our furry family members too! Here are our team’s best tips for supporting your pet’s best skin health year-round. Appropriate bathing Excessive bathing can dry...

Does your dog have patches of thickened, hairless skin on their elbows? And if so, are they an issue? Here’s more information on elbow calluses in dogs, and when they might require a vet check. What are calluses? Calluses are areas of skin thickening that form as a...

GP veterinary staff are often remarkably competent across a range of medical disciplines (routine health care, radiology, surgery, dentistry and laboratory test analysis - just to name a few!), and many go above and beyond to help the pets in their care. However,...

GDV (Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus), often called “bloat”, is an acute, life-threatening condition that large, deep-chested dogs can be particularly prone to. If you have a large or giant-breed dog, it’s best to be aware of the symptoms of GDV, and the measures you...

Toast the Maltese mix was hanging out with his four-year-old human sibling (and best buddy) Sage while she ate morning tea. When the front doorbell rang, Sage’s father, Dan, left the two companions in the living room for a minute while he went to answer the door. When...

It’s always good "eye-dea" to keep an eye on your pet’s eyes for any unusual changes, but it’s especially important in senior pets! Mature pets often develop a few benign (harmless) eye changes, but they are also at a higher risk of some problematic conditions. Here’s...

“My pet has a sensitive tummy. Can they still take pain relief for their arthritis?” Traditionally, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as carprofen, meloxicam or firocoxib have been used to help manage the pain and inflammation associated with...

Brrr, it’s cold outside! While cats are generally pretty good at finding the cosiest nooks around the house to stay warm, we’ve got some additional winter weather support tips to help keep older kitties (10+ years of age) feeling their best. Arthritis support With up...

“My senior dog has started weeing in the house overnight, when they always used to hold it all night – why?” If your doggo previously aced Toilet Training 101 but something has recently changed, it could be due to a number of wee-sons (sorry, we couldn’t help...

For many years, Mira Mar Vets have been dedicating one month of every year promoting the health and well-being of our older patients.   Senior Pets are considered older than 7 years of age, or 5 years old for giant breed dogs. We are very excited to announce that we...

Did you know that even basic blood tests can help us to diagnose certain issues in your pet, so that we can treat them more effectively? Even in simple cases such as tummy upset in a young pet (where we don’t really suspect other organ problems), we may still suggest...

While most owners are aware of the potential for swallowed objects to become stuck in their dog’s intestines, many are less familiar with the potential for oesophageal foreign bodies, i.e swallowed items that become stuck in the oesophagus (the pipe between the throat...

“My pet has been doing occasional little foamy yellow vomits – should I bring them in?” This is a common question fielded by our team! Here’s why your pet could be bringing up yellow vomit, and when they should be checked by our friendly vets. What does yellow vomit...

You may not have heard of AHDS (Acute Haemorrhagic Diarrhoea Syndrome) in dogs, but you may be a little more familiar with its previous name of HGE (Haemorrhagic Gastroenteritis)! Here’s more about AHDS, and why dogs affected with this condition should receive prompt...

Did you know that, as well as having general health benefits, the maintenance (or restoration) of optimal body condition in pets can be an important component of treatment for some common illnesses? Here’s when weight loss could be your pet’s gain! How does being...

When it comes to “You are what you eat”, did you know that this saying holds true for our pets as well? Interestingly, the “Five-a-Day Felix” report by the International Cat Care organisation found that for our feline friends, it’s also a matter of “You are how and...