Welcome to Darwin! There are a few things that are different here than in most other parts of Australia when it comes to caring for your dog, we will explain the main ones in this article.

Vaccinations

There is a disease dogs can get in Darwin that isn’t vaccinated for in most other places in Australia: Leptospirosis australis. We also see a lot more cases of…

Heatstroke in Darwin Pets

With the recent very hot weather in Darwin, we have treated a significant number of dogs with heatstroke. Heatstroke occurs when the pet’s body temperature increases to a point where they cannot cool down, and it can be a life threatening condition. Immediate treatment is required for heatstroke. Some breeds, such as bracycephalic (short-nosed)…

Heartworm is a parasite which is passed from animal to animal by the bite of a mosquito.
Darwin's warmth and heavy rain creates the perfect breeding ground for mosquito-borne diseases like heartworm.

We have recently diagnosed cases of Heartworm infection in dogs at All Pets Veterinary Hospital, and there have also been numerous cases of Heartworm infection reported in other tropical…

Arthritis (osteoarthritis) is a degenerative joint disease, where the cartilage within the joint is worn away, leading to inflammation and painful, aching joints.

You may notice that as your cat gets older, they aren’t as nimble as they once were. It’s easy to assume this is just a natural part of ageing; however, just like humans and dogs, cats can suffer from arthritis.

Cats…

We are seeing lots of dogs with ticks at the moment!  

Ticksare very common in Darwin, particularly at this time of year. If you are seeingticks on your dog, they are most likely brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalussanguineus). 

Thankfully we don’t have the paralysis tick in Darwin, but thebrown dog tick can still be a big nuisance. The…