Our vets are focused on maintaining pet health, not just addressing disease. However, if your pet does fall unwell, then prompt treatment means less pain for the animal and less cost for you. Signs of disease in animals can vary immensely from lethargy to vomiting to toileting issues. Monitoring for such signs is important to ensure pets are not suffering in silence.

In exotic pets like reptiles, birds, rabbits and rodents, many health conditions stem from sub-optimal husbandry and living conditions. Speak to our exotics expert about how to best look after these animals to help ensure they stay happy and healthy.

Annual health checks may address:

Behaviour: excess barking, toilet accidents, or changes in temperament

Blood tests: to evaluate the function of internal organs and circulating blood cells

Breathing: coughing, shortness of breath, sneezing or nasal discharge

Coat and skin: hair loss, pigment changes, lumps, itchy spots, shedding, matting or anal sac problems

Dental health: home care routine and any mouth odours or pain

Ears and eyes: any discharge, redness or itching

Exercise: how much, what kind and any change in physical ability

Feet and legs: limping, weakness, toe nail problems

Nutrition: what your pet eats, how often, what supplements and treats are given, and changes in water consumption, weight or appetite

Preventative health: Parasites (fleas, ticks, mites and heartworms) and vaccinations

Stomach and intestines: vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, gas, belching or abnormal stools

Urogenital: discharges, heats, changes in mammary glands or urination difficulties

Whether you are looking for a lameness examination or would like a second opinion, our surgeons are here to help. They perform a lot of surgery in the dedicated sterile surgical theatre, covering everything from routine desexing to advanced orthopaedics and foreign body removals.

We pride ourselves on skilled surgeons and safe anaesthetics. Our gold standard approach means every case has a dedicated anaesthetist monitoring yours pet’s vital signs like blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, temperatures, and breathing. Each patient also receives an i.v. catheter, crystalloid fluid therapy (drip), endotracheal intubation and multi-modal analgesia. After surgery patients are transferred to our dedicated recovery ward where they are closely monitored until they are back on their feet.

80% of pets over 3 years of age suffer from dental disease. Our hospital offers a full range of dental services from routine scale and polishes to complex extractions aided by the latest digital technology in dental x-rays.

Dental health is a big deal for your pet. Infected gums and tooth roots can be painful and the smell can affect the whole family! Bacteria from these infections can be absorbed into the bloodstream, posing a health risk to vital organs like the heart, liver and kidneys.

After every dental procedure our staff will show you how you can help your pet with their dental hygiene and prevent any more nasty infections.

What are the signs of dental disease?

• Bad breath
• Chattering teeth
• Difficulty chewing
• Drooling
• Change in food preferences
• Red gums
• Calculus on the teeth

Most sick animals are able to be treated as out-patients, meaning they are provided medication and then go home. However some animals require hospitalisation to restore them back to full health. We have dedicated dog, cat and rabbit wards to help make these stays as comfortable as possible, and our highly trained medical nursing team will tend to all your pet’s medical needs. They are also a loving bunch and are sure to provide plenty of cuddles as well.

For some owners leaving their pet in hospital can be a difficult decision. In most cases we encourage visiting your loved one when they are in our hospital, and sometimes this is an important part of their treatment. If you are feel uncertain about leaving your pet in hospital, then our compassionate vets will be happy to discuss the different considerations so that you can make the right choice for you.

Pets, like humans, are very sensitive to changes to their eyes, and in most cases these changes require urgent attention. Our veterinary staff have the knowledge to help keep your pet’s vision 20:20 and also work closely with specialist ophthalmologists to provide a full range of eye care.

Signs of problems to the eyes may include:

• Discharge
• Redness
• Closing the eyelids
• Itching
• Pain
• Opacity
• Reduced vision

An ocular emergency!

This farm-pug was grabbed during play by one of his friends and as a result his globe prolapsed out of its socket. Fortunately our skilled surgeons were able to replace the eye and perform a temporary tarsorrhaphy. This rapid response was crucial in maintaining his vision from this eye and he made a full recovery.

The skin is considered our largest organ and is one of the most common sites of illness in pet animals. Whether you have an itchy dog or a parrot picking its feathers, our vets are here to help your pet feel better in its skin.

Signs of skin issues include:

• Redness
• Pimples 
• Hair loss
• Redness
• Crusting
• Thickening
• Pigmentation
• Growth / lumps
• Ulceration
• Bleeding

Bad ears

Ear infections are common in pet dogs in the Northern Rivers and if left untreated, many of these animals suffer from chronic discomfort. Itching at the ear, redness and ear discharge are all cause to have a vet examine your pet’s ear.

Ever wonder how vets diagnose illness in pets without being able to speak to them? Imaging like x-rays and ultrasound are some of the key tools!

Our hospital has state-of-the-art digital radiograph (X-ray) facilities which enable rapid and accurate diagnosis of your animal. We also have a high resolution ultrasonography that facilitates painless non-invasive visualisation of internal structures including the heart and gastrointestinal tract.

Finding the truth

This beautiful girl went missing from home and was brought to us as a stray. As you can see by the radiographs taken, she had dislocated her elbow. Our surgeons were able to place the joint back in its correct position, and with plenty of pain relief,  a splinted cast, and lots of TLC she went on to make a full recovery. Fortunately she had a microchip and so we were able to reunite her with her lovely owner who was worried sick!

The hospital has invested heavily in a wide range of in-house laboratory machines so that our vets are able to rapidly determine the correct diagnosis in real time, instead of waiting for samples to be sent to central laboratories. In some cases this can save a life!

Our laboratory can perform a multitude of tests including:

• Biochemistry
• Haematology
• Cytology
• Serology
• Automated urinalysis
• Refractometry
• General light microscopy

Whether it is separation anxiety or digging, behavioural issues take a huge toll on the human-animal bond and if left unaddressed can greatly reduce the overall happiness of owners and pets.

Behavioural issues are complex and require a detailed understanding and the entire environmental of that animal. This is why our vets start with an extended 45 minute consultation to ensure they can help your pet.

Common behavioural issues include:

• Separation anxiety
• Aggression
• Excessive barking
• Destructive behaviour

Help us conserve our precious native wildlife. We work with local wildlife rescue groups to try and treat and rehabilitate wildlife that can safely be returned to the wild. 

Over the past two decade countless birds, reptiles and small native mammals from our local environment have been helped by our team. These animals may never say thanks nor pay their vet bills, but helping them is a part of why we love our job!

Microchipping is an important method to help identify your pet in case they get lost.

Registering your cat or dog is a requirement in NSW (under the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998). Follow these simple steps to register your cat or dog for life in NSW: 

• Microchip your cat or dog by 12 weeks of age or before being sold or given away
• Register your cat or dog prior to 12 weeks of age  
• Desex your dog by six months of age and your cat by four months of age for discounted lifetime registration fees. (Note some dogs are recommended to have a later desexing, speak to one of our friendly vets about this)

Read more here

Vaccinations are an important way to help avoid serious diseases in you pets. Routine vaccination is recommended for all dogs, cats and rabbits, and you can read more about the Australian Veterinary Associations recommendations here.

At Ballina Coast Vets we create a vaccincation protocol specific to each animal based on the the most up-to-date scientific research.

Please phone the hospital or pop in and have a chat to discuss a suitable protocol for your animal.

Help us conserve our precious native wildlife. We work with local wildlife rescue groups to try and treat and rehabilitate wildlife that can safely be returned to the wild. 

Over the past two decade countless birds, reptiles and small native mammals from our local environment have been helped by our team. These animals may never say thanks nor pay their vet bills, but helping them is a part of why we love our job!