Why Elizabethan collars are no laughing matter

Cat wearing Elizabethan collar

Funny for us, not so funny for your pet. 

For some reason, everyone thinks Elizabethan Collars (e-collars) are a necessary evil for every surgery. The truth is that an e-collar is only needed on rare occasions. 

We do not dispense many e-collars at Eight Mile Plains Vet Surgery (EMPVS)! This is because for common surgical procedures, such as neutering, we don’t need to because our patients are provided with complete pain relief (analgesia). 

We use five different injections to provide complete surgical analgesia.  No pain = No e-collar! 

For neutering surgery, each patient receives four analgesia injections prior to surgery and one after surgery.  The four injections prior to surgery are: Long-acting Valium, Methadone, Ketamine and Pethidine. The post-operative injection is Meloxicam. 

Unfortunately it is common practice for many Veterinary practices to use little or no pre-operative analgesia!  This is why they use an e-collar for every surgical patient. 

So the good news is NO E-COLLARS at EMPVS! The bad news…. no more laughing at the Bat-Cat.  

Please feel free to direct any questions to info@empvs.com.au

Regards, Dr Simon

Teaching children to be safe around animals

Dr Simon and Milton at St John's

Teaching children responsible pet ownership and how to behave safely around animals is an important part of their broader development, particularly with 40% of households having at least one pet.

The AVA PetPEP (Pets and People Education Program) is an education program set up to do just that – it teaches pre and primary school students about the responsibilities associated with owning pets, and safe behaviour around animals.  

Dr Simon regularly conducts PetPEP visits to local schools and daycare groups.  They’re always fun and Milton loves being around the kids … not to mention being the centre of attention!

The image is of Dr Simon and Milton on recent PetPEP visits to St John’s Pre-School in Eight Mile Plains.

If you live in Eight Mile Plains, Rochedale, Mt Gravatt or Underwood and would like Dr Simon to visit your child’s school, get your school to complete the 2019 booking form and ask for the Eight Mile Plains Vet Surgery to conduct the visit.