Balmain Village Veterinary Clinic

26/09/2026

Baby Ringtail Possums: How You Can Help 🦘💚
Every spring we see more orphaned or injured baby ringtail possums arrive at the clinic.
If you come across one:
Check whether it’s injured or in immediate danger (roads, dogs, cats).
If safe to do so, place it in a warm, quiet box lined with a towel.
Search the surrounding area for mum or a nearby nest if it can be done safely.
Avoid feeding or giving water — baby possums require specialised care.
Call your nearest vet or licensed wildlife rescue organisation for advice.
The sooner a baby ringtail receives appropriate care, the better its chances of being successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

24/09/2026

22/09/2026

Handsome man deciding he needs a well deserved treat after the scales

19/08/2026

Meet Hugo, our 2-year-old Labrador who came to see us after vomiting up ¾ of a tennis ball. 😳

But despite getting part of the ball up, Hugo still wasn’t feeling quite right (vomiting every 2hrs) so we decided to investigate further with an X-ray.

And that’s when we discovered Hugo had a friend hiding in his tummy… 🎾👀

It turns out Hugo hadn’t stopped at just eating one tennis ball — he had somehow managed to swallow a second tennis ball completely whole!

With a foreign body still sitting in his intestines, we emergency intestinal surgery, remove his friend and he was able to begin his recovery. ❤️‍🩹

This is a great reminder that even when your pet vomits up part of a foreign object, there can still be more hiding inside. If your pet has swallowed something they shouldn’t have, or continues to vomit or seems unwell, veterinary assessment is important.

Thankfully, Hugo is now fully recovered living his best — although his tennis-ball privileges have been revoked 🎾

30/07/2026

🐀 Possum… or Rat?

When this little visitor was initially mentioned on the phone we thought, “It’s a baby possum!”

Plot twist… it wasn’t a possum at all—it was a rat! 🤯

It also sparked a great reminder that Australia is home to many species of native rats, so not every rat you see is an introduced pest. Correct identification is important, as native rodents play an important role in our ecosystems.

This little one wasn’t a native rat in the end, and not very healthy; but it was a great opportunity to learn🌿

13/07/2026

Double the Burmese, double the mischief, double the cuddles. 🐾💕

Beautiful sisters Nala and Coco stayed with us for a little holiday while also having their desexing procedures done. Both girls were absolute superstars during their surgery and stay, although Nala was a little more vocal about her thoughts on the post-op e-collar… 😹

Nala had us getting creative, so we put together a little recovery bodysuit and kept a close eye on her to make sure she was healing comfortably. Meanwhile, her sister Coco very quickly accepted her “party hat” and wore it like the true little champion she is! 🎉🐱

With plenty of TLC, comfort, and cuddles, these two were back to their gorgeous selves in no time. We loved having Nala and Coco stay with us and can’t wait to see their sweet faces again🌸

06/07/2026

🦜 Bird Flu (H5 Avian Influenza) Update 🦜

Australia has now confirmed a small number of cases of H5 bird flu in wild migratory seabirds, including recent detections in New South Wales. At this stage, there is no evidence of infection in commercial poultry or the wider agriculture industry, and the risk to the public remains low. (Ag, Fisheries and Forestry⁠)

As pet owners, you can help reduce the risk by:
🐾 Keeping dogs on a lead and preventing them from sniffing or picking up sick or dead birds.
🐱 Keeping cats indoors where possible, as cats are more susceptible if they hunt infected birds.
🚫 Never handling sick or dead birds yourself.
📞 Reporting sick or dead wild birds to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline (1800 675 888).
🩺 Contact your veterinarian if your pet has had contact with a wild bird and develops signs such as lethargy, fever, difficulty breathing or neurological symptoms.

While the risk to our pets is currently considered low, prevention is the best protection. Our team is here if you have any questions or concerns. 💙🐶🐱