Welcome to 2025!

We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and are enjoying a great start to 2025!

Over the festive season, some of our team enjoyed some well-deserved time off, while others worked through but appreciated the public holidays and some downtime to recharge.

We celebrated the end of the year with two great events: our clinic Christmas party in late November and a Secret Santa shared lunch just before Christmas. For Secret Santa, it was amazing to see the thoughtful and creative gifts you can find for $20 or less! Our Christmas party included an exciting round of laser tag, followed by dinner and margarita-making lessons at Mexico—a fun-filled afternoon and evening organized by nurse Leticia and customer care team member Lauren.

Helping Our Feathered Friends

Recently, we’ve seen an increase in birds being brought to the clinic. If you find a fledgling bird, here’s some advice from BirdCare Aotearoa:

• Fledglings are learning to fly: It’s normal for them to hop around on the ground as they develop this skill. Parent birds will continue to care for them, even if you don’t see them nearby immediately.
• When to leave them alone: If the fledgling is healthy, uninjured, and not in danger, leave it where it is or move it gently to a nearby bush.
• When to intervene: If the bird is sick, injured, or you’re certain the parents aren’t around, place the bird in a ventilated box with a towel and take it to BirdCare Aotearoa. If you’re unable to, you can bring the bird to us.

Cats and fledglings don’t mix! Please keep cats indoors or supervised during fledgling season.

For more information, check out BirdCare Aotearoa’s Facebook page or give them a call at 027 816 9219 between 8 AM and 4 PM daily.

Beat the Heat: Summer Tips for Pets

With summer here, heatstroke is a real risk for pets. Here’s how to keep them safe:

Signs of heatstroke:

• Rapid breathing or pulse, panting, drooling, brick red gums/tongue
• Vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy

If you suspect heatstroke:

• Move your pet to a cool, ventilated area and sponge with tepid water.
• Avoid cooling them down too quickly.

Prevention tips:

• Provide plenty of fresh water and shaded, ventilated spaces.
• Avoid exercising pets during the hottest parts of the day—early mornings and evenings are ideal.

Car safety: Never leave pets in a parked car. Temperatures can climb dangerously high within minutes, even on mild days.

Special considerations:

• Flat-faced dog breeds (e.g., Bulldogs, Pugs) are more prone to heatstroke due to their breathing difficulties.
• Regular grooming helps pets shed excess fur and stay cool.

Puppy Preschool is Back!

Did you get a new puppy over the holidays?

Join our fun and informative Puppy Preschool Classes starting Tuesday, January 21st, from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

Our knowledgeable nurses and customer care staff will guide you and your puppy through four weeks of learning, bonding, and building confidence. Classes are held in our reception area and are a fantastic way to socialize your pup while introducing them to new sights, sounds, and experiences.

Puppy Preschool also helps with desensitization and creates positive associations with visiting the clinic, setting the stage for a lifetime of stress-free vet visits.

To sign up, contact us at 094783924 or email info@ecbvet.co.nz

Thank you for trusting us with your pets’ care. Wishing you all a safe and sunny summer!