Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Cane toad spray

Cairns Pet owners love the idea of a spray which kills cane toads humanely, and have asked where to get it: here are the product details.
If you can't find, if you can't find it let us know and we can order it in.

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic

HopStop®

hopstop can

HopStop® spray is a convenient and effective way to control cane toads. When used properly, it’s safe for people and pets, and is humane for the toads. HopStop® has been developed for use in home gardens and similar outdoor settings.

Be sure it’s a cane toad!

It’s important to be sure that your target is a cane toad, not a native frog. Native frogs are an important part of our national biodiversity, and are under threat in many ways, including from cane toads. They are also legally protected fauna, and must not be harmed.

If you’re not sure you’re dealing with a cane toad, take a moment to look at these pictures and check key features of the animal. Cane toads have distinctive

  • bulging ‘poison gland’ areas on their shoulders, and
  • a bony ‘M-shaped’ ridge over their nose, but
  • do not have suckers on their toes.

Cane toad - front Cane toad - side

If you still can’t decide, there are other websites that could help you – there are pictures of the native frogs from your region at http://www.frogsaustralia.net.au/frogs/bioregions.cfm and more pictures of cane toads at http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/4982/2172/

How to use HopStop®

Full directions for using HopStop® are on each can. You should read and understood them before using the product. The directions provided below are a guide to using HopStop®, but you should also read the more detailed ones on the can.

  • Shake the can briefly and gently before use. Before using the can for the first time, remove the tear-off tab from the top of the trigger.
  • Hold the can upright about 20-30 cm from the toad and spray the toad for 2-3 seconds. The toad will hop for a short time, then stop moving and flatten into a ‘hunched’ position. If you think that a lot of the spray missed the toad, apply another short spray. Large toads (more than 10 cm long) should be sprayed a second time.
  • Where possible, let the toad stay where it stops moving. It will lose consciousness and then die there. The dead toad should be collected 1-2 hours later, and placed into garbage. Do not directly handle toads whether they’re dead or alive – wear gloves, or use an implement such as a pair of tongs.
  • HopStop® should only be used outdoors. Do not use it inside buildings or other enclosed areas, and do not inhale the spray. Do not spray it towards yourself, other people or animals, and avoid direct application to plant foliage. Do not spray it into or over dams or fishponds.

Hints on using HopStop®

HopStop® has been trialled successfully in a wide range of locations and settings. However, knowing a few basic aspects of toad behaviour can also assist with its use.

  • The toad will try to hop away from you and the spray. A toad that is close to a feature such as a wall, fence or rock has fewer routes for escape, and can be a prime target.
  • The toad will react to being sprayed by trying to hop to cover. Watching where it hops, and allowing it to find a place to settle quietly can be more effective than chasing it. Chasing the toad is likely to alarm it, causing it to panic and try to hop further and faster.

Precautions when using HopStop®

HopStop® is supplied in a pressurised dispenser, and should be treated like any other aerosol product. The contents of the can are highly flammable and the product should not be stored or used near any sources of ignition, naked flames or any incandescent material. Do not smoke while using HopStop®. Store the can in a cool place away from direct sunlight. Avoid contact of HopStop® with your skin, eyes and clothes. Wear suitable clothing, and wear gloves when using the product or handling toads. In case of accidental skin contact, wash the affected area immediately with soap and water. In case of eye contact, wash eyes immediately with water.

First Aid

If poisoning occurs, contact a doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (Tel: 131 126).

Warnings

Do not puncture or incinerate the can even once it is empty. Keep the product out of the reach of children. Deliberately concentrating and/or inhaling the contents could be harmful or fatal.

Where can I buy it?

HopStop® is available in Australia in major hardware stores.

HopStop® is a product of Pestat Pty Ltd, made under license by Hopstop Australia Pty Ltd.

HopStop® Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).

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Pet food donated to flood and cyclone victims (for their pets)

Queensland flood victims have been given a helping hand by volunteers and donors who have organised pallets of pet food to ensure they have enough food to feed their pets, even after they lost everything.  Its a reminder that while the floods and Cyclone Yasi are old news, the devastation remains in affected communities.


Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.
 

Flood of pet food donations

WHILE people all over Central Queensland opened their hearts and wallets for flood victims, wildlife carer Kayren Chapman spared a thought for the animals.

Kayren Chapman and her dogs Mindy and Trident sit in front of some of the pallets of donated pet food.

Allan Reinikka

WHILE people all over Central Queensland opened their hearts and wallets for flood victims, wildlife carer Kayren Chapman spared a thought for our furry friends.

With the help of fellow wildlife carer from Bribie Island Sally Angel, Kayren and her partner Peter Kummerfeld set about organising pet food to be given to flood victims, to ensure they’d be able to continue looking after their pets.

“We wanted to stop the RSPCA from getting an influx of cats and dogs because people wouldn’t be able to feed them having lost everything,” Kayren said.

What started as a simple request to local businesses for help on Facebook became a huge operation as Sally set about getting some bigger companies involved.

Sally was able to enlist the help of Cornett’s IGA, Premier Pet Foods and Nestle and had around 20 pallets of food trucked to Rockhampton by couriers Followmont and Sanders.

“It was a tremendous response,” Sally said.

“I was just glad I could help out.”

Kiven Moring, whose home on Port Curtis Road was affected by floodwaters, was very grateful for the assistance which helped his family feed their two dogs.

“It was a big relief of not having to spend all that sort of money on worrying about the pets,” Kiven said.

“We could put that into cleaning up the house and the yard.”

Kayren said they had received about 20 tonnes of pet food to give away.

She handed out flyers to let people know the food was available and had a huge response.

“People came to our house and for those that couldn’t come to us, we delivered,” Kayren said. “It was a pleasure to help out all the people in their time of need. Each one of them showed their appreciation.”

Pet friendly rentals hard to find in wake of cyclone, flooding

Cairns Pet owners faced difficult decisions as cyclone Yasi approached: as if worrying about your home and family wasn't enough, people considering evacuating their homes (or facing forced evacuations) needed to plan for their pets too, as pets are not accepted by evacuation centres.  Even shelters like the RSPCA in Cairns needed to be evacuated.  Now, elsewhere in Queensland, families whose homes were damaged by Queensland floods or Cyclone Yasi are struggling to find rental accomodation which accepts pets (a difficult job at the best of times).  This highlights the importance of planning for pet ownership (thinking of possible complications) and better community planning in the face of disaster.


Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

Disasters should cause 'no pets' policy rethink: RSPCA

Caitlin Milne
February 10, 2011

Many pets were shut out of new buildings when their owners relocated after the floods.

Many pets were shut out of new buildings when their owners relocated after the floods.

The RSCPA has called on landlords to show leniency and relax 'no pet' policies as struggling pet-owners seek temporary housing after recent disasters.

RSPCA Queensland spokesman Michael Beatty said while the task of reuniting pets with their owners in flood or cyclone affected areas had been "significantly successful", they were now concerned about residents searching for temporary accommodation.

Mr Beatty said the outlook was grim for owners whose homes were damaged or "wiped out" from the disasters and had to turn to rental properties with a strict 'no pet' policy.

"We urge landlords who have previously had a no pet policy to show a bit of compassion to those people who rent their temporary accommodation,” he said.

“This obviously applies to people whose houses have been badly damaged or wiped out by the floods and need to find temporary housing.”

Although he was unaware of anybody being turned away by landlords, Mr Beatty said the RSPCA expected it would become an emerging issue.

“We may need to do what we did in Rockhampton and set up temporary animal shelters during this time," he said.

“RSPCA Queensland set up two temporary shelters to look after pets displaced by the Rockhampton floods and they fulfilled a vital role, but we really urge land lords to make an exception.”

Property Owners Association of Queensland president Bruce McBryde said it was up to prospective tenants to negotiate with landlords to relax the policy.

“I guess people who have no pet policies have generally got them because they realise that people who have pets tend to cause lots of wear and tear,” he said.

“So it is part of the initiative - if you have a good quality property in a good condition that you have kept pet-free, having a pet in for even a small time will involve a fair bit of cost for the landlord, which tenants usually aren't willing to pay.”

Mr McBryde said although he was a pet-friendly landlord, others had their own reasons for their policies.

“Landlords who don't want pets, clearly don't want pets,” he said.

“In terms of costing, it costs more to maintain a property that has pet access to one that doesn't, [so] I guess it's about negotiation.

"Most people are reasonable, but if you want to have a pet on a property that's designated pet free you certainly have to be willing to pay the extra costs.”

Mr McBryde said having pets was a long term commitment and owners needed to be responsible for their animals.

“People with pets can choose places where people want pets. If that means paying more or not having the same access to facilities, that's part of the cost with having pets,” he said.

Mr Beatty said the RSPCA was still working to reunited animals with their owners and that Queensland councils had shown compassion in not setting a time frame for unclaimed animals to be put down.

“Originally Brisbane had a time frame, Ipswich didn't,” Mr Beatty said.

“But it is to the best of my knowledge that all councils are showing compassion and holding animals from flood and cyclone affected areas ... and have not started to process the animals as of yet.”

To list a pet with the RSPCA Queensland Lost and Found service, phone 1300 363 736 or 07 3426 9999 or visit www.rspcaqld.org.au.


 

Cairns pet owners have new weapon against cane toads

Cairns pet owners and other residents know what a pain cane toads are, especially if your pet (usually dogs) chase and bite the venomous creatures.  Toads have venom glands on their back and pets which bite or eat a toad may suffer vomiting, seizures or even death.  Cairns Vets regularly treat dogs, especially terriers for cane toad poisoning when the toads hop out in wet weather or at night.
A new product is available to humanely kill cane toads which could help reduce numbers in suburban yards.


Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.
 

Spray will make cane toads croak

February 22, 2011

A SMALL Canberra bio-tech company has developed a household aerosol that will kill cane toads in less than a minute.

''It's completely humane, there's no twitching, writhing, foaming at the mouth, turning blue or anything at all traumatic,'' the spray's inventor David Dall said.

''It's not toxic to people or family pets, and won't contaminate the garden with chemical residue. You spray the toads, they hop a bit slower, stop hopping and become unconscious. It kills them in their sleep.''

Dr Dall's company Pestat, developed the spray to help prevent family pets being killed by toads in suburban yards.

Cane toads have poison glands on their shoulders, which can kill dogs and cats that pick up toads in their mouths. The toad venom causes rapid heartbeat, convulsions and death within minutes.

''We're hoping people will use this spray rather than golf clubs and cricket bats to kill cane toads,'' Mr Dall said.

The lemon-scented spray, called Hop Stop, sells for just under $20 and has taken almost two years of chemical testing to reach the retail market. It went on sale in Queensland yesterday.

''Its active ingredient, chloro-xylene, is is already in use in personal care products,'' Dr Dall said.

CANBERRA TIMES


Monday, February 21, 2011

Cairns pets injured, killed and lost after escaping yards

Cairns Vets regularly see pets which have been injured while roaming the streets after escaping from their yard: today we saw a dog with a broken leg.  While this will be expensive, he should survive, and it could be worse.  On one occasion we had an owner lose two dogs in one day: both were seperately hit by cars and killed or euthanased due to their injuries.  Make sure your pet is kept in an escape proof enclosure, and that they are microchipped, tagged and registered.  You can have your pet microchipped (or have the chip read) at any of our clinics, at Aeroglen, Gordonvale or Cairns Vet Clinic on Pease St.  Ph 4032 9999 for an appointment.

Cairns Regional Council publishes photos of impounded pets here

 

309701.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
16/02/2011 10:40 am
Location Found:
McLeod ST CAIRNS CITY
Description of Animal:
Female brindle staffy
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309701
309699.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
16/02/2011 10:49 am
Location Found:
Scott ST BUNGALOW
Description of Animal:
Male ginger Cat
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309699
309709.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
17/02/2011 04:35 pm
Location Found:
Jensen ST WHITFIELD
Description of Animal:
Female, wearing pink collar
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309709
309704.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
17/02/2011 09:00 am
Location Found:
Rigg ST WOREE
Description of Animal:
Staffy cross Brindle female young adult
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309704
309706.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
17/02/2011 10:10 am
Location Found:
Waverley CT MOUNT SHERIDAN
Description of Animal:
red staff cross puppy male with red collar and name tag Chopper
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309706
309720.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
20/02/2011 02:00 pm
Location Found:
Graham ST EDMONTON
Description of Animal:
Labrador gold male adult
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309720
309721.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
21/02/2011 07:10 am
Location Found:
Cardamon ST MOUNT SHERIDAN
Description of Animal:
Male Bully cross pup Tan and White
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309721
309729.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
22/02/2011 01:25 pm
Location Found:
Glenrowan ST WHITE ROCK
Description of Animal:
Shihtzu cross Grey & White Male
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309729
309731.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
22/02/2011 03:10 pm
Location Found:
McCoombe ST BUNGALOW
Description of Animal:
Male Terrier, Cream curly coat
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309731
309725.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
22/02/2011 10:51 am
Location Found:
Trinity Beach RD TRINITY BEACH
Description of Animal:
Male collie wearing black collar no tag
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309725
309727.JPG Date Impounded: Time Impounded:
22/02/2011 12:00 pm
Location Found:
Charlotte CL WOREE
Description of Animal:
Husky Grey & White male adult
Contact: 4044 3044 and quote CCC ID No. 309727

To release an animal from Council’s pound you will be required to:

  • Provide officers with satisfactory proof of your identity (eg drivers licence).
  • Pay all impoundment fees owing. Impoundment fees are calculated on a daily basis
  • Provide proof of current animal registration if applicable. If proof of registration is not provided, registration fees will be required to be paid in addition to impoundment fees.

Collection times at Council’s pound located at 145 - 161 McCoombe Street, Bungalow are 5.00pm-5.30pm Weekdays, and 2.00pm-2.30pm Weekends and Public Holidays, or by contacting Mossman Office, Front Street, Mossman on telephone 4099 9444.

Payment may be made at Cairns Regional Council's Customer Service Centre 119-145 Spence Street, Cairns, Smithfield Library or Earlville Library Mossman Office during normal business hours prior to collection of the animal. EFTPOS and credit card facilities are available at these locations. Please show your receipt when collecting the animal. Payments taken at the pound are strictly cash only.

View more information on responsible pet ownership.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Dog Ear Infections

Cairns dogs often suffer from ear infections during the hot, humid
summer months. The combination of the ears not drying out after

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

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