Our qualified New Zealand online vet is available to answer your simple pet health questions and advise of suitable veterinary advice, however as this is something done in his own time please do not expect an immediate response. We suggest you re-visit this page in a few days to see if your question has been answered and posted right here!

We strongly suggest that you contact your local vet immediately regarding any condition or behaviour that is out of character for your pet. Our question and answers from our online vet are not meant to diagnose or replace advice given by your own qualified vet. We always recommend your contact your local vet for immediate information and qualified advice.

Please send your question for our online vet to us via our Contact Us page.

ask the vet

Why does my dog pee all over the place when we go for a walk?
It is considered normal dog behaviour for your dog to mark his/her territory when out for a walk. A dog or bitch 'marks' a spot by urinating. Because dogs communicate by smelling and urinating, it is common for your dog to leave many 'messages' for other dogs when you are out walking. This behaviour is more pronounced in dogs and bitches that have not been de-sexed. However, if your dog is peeing a lot at home as well, this may point to a urinary tract problem that would require immediate veterinary attention.

My puppy chews everything and someone has told me this could be because he is getting his permanent teeth. At what age does this happen?
A puppy is actually born with no teeth, however when they are a couple of weeks old they start growing what we call deciduous teeth. When your puppy is approximately three months of age he/she will start to have the deciduous teeth replaced with permanent teeth. Normally your pup will have finished 'teething' by the time she/he is eight months old.

I have noticed that my cat has small traces of blood in his stool. What could be causing this?
Depending on the age of your cat there are many physical problems and diseases that could be causing the bloody stool, including viruses, parasites, cancer, etc. You should make an appointment for your cat to see your vet immediately for a proper diagnosis.

My puppy has bad breath, what can I do about it?
Halitosis is the official name for bad breath, and only your veterinarian can determine if your pet has any dental or internal problems that will be causing this bad breath. Internal problems, such as diabetes, liver disease, kidney failure, oesophageal cancer and many others create odours that emanate from the mouth. If your vet finds no problem then an internal breath freshener can help or you might want to consider changing your dogs diet.

We have been trying to get our pedigree dog pregnant and she has been at stud with a male dog for four days, how do we know if she is pregnant?
I assume that you waited until your bitch was in season (heat) before leaving her with the other dog. Your bitch will need to be in season and receptive to conceive for the time spent with the male dog to have been successful! During the first half of pregnancy most bitches do not change much in appearance, however after the first month your vet can perform an ultrasound or blood test to find out if she is pregnant.