Routine Visits and 24/7 Emergency Service

SmartVets Animal Hospital

All hours phone: 07-5715003; Mobile 0212163120 

511 Cameron Road, Tauranga, (Between 10th &11th Ave)

                                         Pet Emergency

If you are concerned about your pet because it is suffering in pain or exhibiting unusual activity and behaviour, never hesitate to contact your veterinarian or the nearest animal hospital for further advice to determine if  your pet’s health problem is life threatening and requires emergency care. While not all your pet’s health conditions need emergency veterinary care, it is always to better to call and find out with professional help. Some conditions that commonly require immediate veterinary attention are as follows:

  • Your pet is showing signs of difficult breathing such as laboured, shallow or rapid breathing, anxiety, vomiting, sneezing or collapse (unable to rise). Breathing difficulties can be life threatening and result from several conditions lung disease, asthma, and blockage of airways, allergic reactions or heart failure.
  • Your pet has severe or continuous bleeding. Lack of sufficient blood circulating throughout the body curtails the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to vital organs and can lead the patient to the state of shock. This condition can become deadly if it is not treated properly.
  • Your pet has been unable to pass urine or stool totally or shows obvious signs of pain during urination and defecation.
  • If you suspect your pet has fractured bones.
  • You notice you pet has obvious signs of pain or extreme anxiety.
  • Your pet has sudden bouts of watery bloody diarrhoea or vomiting. Often diarrhoea and vomiting result due to gastroenteritis caused by bacterial or viral infections. Severe dehydration caused by diarrhoea or vomiting is life threatening. 
  • Your pet has ingested toxins, drugs, chemicals or other poisonous substances.
  • Your pet’s eye is injured.  
  • Your pet is unconsciousness.
  • Your pet has heatstroke. Heatstroke occurs as a result of severe external heat that your pet is unable to cope and can lead to multiple organ dysfunction.
  • Allergic reactions which are often characterized by fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, swollen face, breathing difficulty, weakness or collapse.
  • Trauma (sudden and sever injuries for example being hit by a vehicle, a fall from a height or blunt force)
  • Seizures


Preventative health care
Benjamin Franklin’s quote “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” holds equally true when it comes to pet health. Preventative pet healthcare includes multifaceted measures taken for disease prevention in pets, as opposed to treatment of disease per se. Some examples of the preventative healthcare are as follows.

  • Proper nutrition
  • Vaccinations
  • Regular check-ups
  • Parasite control  

Proper nutrition is often the first step in preventative care and the best thing about it is that it comes at little to no additional time or cost. Good nutrition not only maintains your pet’s good health thereby enhancing both quality and quantity of your pet’s life, but also provides therapeutic support to your pet in case of disease or injury.  

Vaccination protects your dogs and cats against a range of serious and potentially infectious diseases. Getting your puppies and kitten properly and fully immunized is one of the most effective ways to keep them healthy and happy. Vaccination schedules vary depending on factors such as type of vaccine, risk of exposure to a disease, age and overall health of your pet.

Your pet needs regular check-up or wellness examination to stay healthy. How often should your pet see a veterinarian to get such examination depends on your pet’s life stage, type or breed. For example puppies and kittens require more frequent check-ups compared to adult pets.  During routine check-up your veterinarian will perform physical examination of your pet. Additionally he/she might also recommend blood, faecal or urine test to rule out or detect the presence of an underlying disease that is in its early stages.  Similarly, information on your pet’s diet, exercise, lifestyle, general health is also collected. Based on all the information from a wellness examination, your veterinarian will make recommendations that address the specific health needs of your pet.

Parasite control comprises a vital part of the preventative health care in pets. Broadly parasites in pets may be categorised as external parasites and internal parasites and it is common for your pet dog or cat to become infected with any of these parasites at some point in its lifetime. Depending on type of the parasite, the life stage of your pet or its overall immunity status, effects of parasitic infections my range from simple irritation to fatal conditions if left untreated. Several parasites of your pets cause zoonotic disease which means such diseases can be spread to human from animals.