Wild North Veterinary Hospital

09/10/2026

Wild North Vet and Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary are at the RSPCA NT Canine Carnival! Come down and see us, get a free sticker and learn about having wildlife safe dogs🐕

30/09/2026

🐰 🐹 IS YOUR RABBIT OR GUINEA PIG GETTING OLDER?

This October, Wild North Vet is offering a Senior Rabbit & Guinea Pig Health & Wellbeing Assessment.

Rabbits over 6 years and guinea pigs over 4 years are more likely to develop age-related problems such as:

🦴 Arthritis & joint disease
🦷 Dental disease
🫘 Kidney disease
🚽 Urinary tract problems
🍑 Gland impactions
⚖️ Weight and mobility changes

Early detection can make a big difference to your pet’s comfort and quality of life.

🩺 SENIOR HEALTH PACKAGE — ONLY $250

The package includes:

✔️ Comprehensive veterinary examination
✔️ Diet & husbandry advice
✔️ Dental examination
✔️ Screening radiographs
✔️ Full Blood Analysis
✔️ FREE joint health treats to take home

Package value: over $750 — October price just $250!

Give your senior small companion the health check they deserve. ❤️

📞 Contact Wild North Vet to book your senior rabbit or guinea assessment. 📞 08 7926 8909

Available during October 2026. Conditions apply.

29/09/2026

08/09/2026

🐢 13 MONTHS LATER . . . 🐢

This Northern Snapping Turtle (Elseya dentata) was found wandering the streets of Palmerston and brought into care. She was missing her back right leg, most likely from an old crocodile bite, but the injury had healed beautifully, and otherwise she was strong and healthy.

A screening radiograph taken before planning her release, however, revealed something unexpected… a fish hook lodged in her stomach. 🎣

Removing it required a transplastron celiotomy, where we carefully cut through the underside of her shell creating a flap in the plastron directly over the stomach. The hook was removed and the shell flap was secured back into place. An oesophagostomy tube was also placed in her neck so we could provide food and medication while she recovered.

Unfortunately, the plastron flap did not reattach as expected leaving a large defect in her shell.

Turtle shells are made of bone. Around 50 bones, including the spine and ribs are fused together and covered by an outer layer of hard plates called scutes, made of keratin. Fortunately, this bone can slowly regrow across these defects — but it takes a LOT of time and patience.

For the next 13 months, she remained in care. Initially, she needed regular bandage changes and wound management. Once the wound was stable, she moved out to a large rehabilitation pond, where she could enjoy a more natural environment while her shell continued to heal.

And finally… she was 100% healed! After 13 long months in care, this tough little turtle was returned to the wild 💚

08/09/2026

**Update *owner found*

Stray Chicken 🐔 ❤️🏠

Found in Rapid Creek now At Wild North Veterinary Hospital.
Call 📲 08 7926 8909 if she yours

05/09/2026

🐸 The Fascinating Giant Frog🌿

Back in May, this Giant Frog (Cyclorana australis) was found on a construction site after being dug up by earth-moving equipment. He was rescued by NT Fauna Solutions and brought to Wild North for assessment.

On examination, he was remarkably unscathed. His only significant injury was a dislocated toe on his right hind foot.

Unfortunately, the toe could not be saved, so surgery was performed to remove it just above the dislocation. He healed beautifully and was soon ready to head home.

But there was one important consideration: the timing of his release.

Like many frogs in the Top End, Giant Frogs survive the dry season through a process called aestivation. Using their powerful feet, they burrow deep into damp soil and form a waterproof cocoon around themselves.

The frog sheds the outer layer of its skin, but instead of discarding it, the dead skin layers are bound together with waxy secretions from the frog’s glands. This forms a protective cocoon around almost the entire body, leaving only tiny openings at the nostrils. 🐸

Inside this cocoon, the frog reduces its metabolism by 70% and waits out the dry season until the rains return.

So, releasing him into dry ground too early could have put his survival at risk.

Fortunately, thanks to the exceptionally wet conditions we experienced last wet season, the soil was still damp when he was ready for release. After discussions with experts at Charles Darwin University, we were confident he could safely be returned to suitable habitat, and would not have to wait out the dry season in care.

A lagoon close to where he was originally found was chosen as his release site, giving him the perfect opportunity to disappear underground and settle in for the dry season. 💚🐸

A huge thank you to NT Fauna Solutions for rescuing him and to the experts who helped us make sure his release was timed and located appropriately.

03/09/2026

🎉 2 YEARS OF WILD NORTH! 🎉

This week at Wild North Veterinary Hospital we are celebrating our 2nd Birthday!

In the past two years, we’ve had the privilege of providing specialised veterinary care to 2228 wildlife patients, across the Top End. From radiographs, blood tests and surgery to rehabilitation and release, our team provides comprehensive veterinary care to wildlife in need.

We’ve made it through TWO cyclones, which brought huge influxes of wildlife into care, particularly orphaned baby birds and flying fox pups in the days and weeks that followed. 🐣🦇

This year we opened our dedicated Wildlife Rehabilitation Ward, giving us even more space and resources to care for wildlife during their journey back to the wild. 🦘🌿

Plus every week, we get to care for the amazing pet birds, reptiles, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice that are such an important part of our community. ❤️

We created Wild North to provide dedicated veterinary care for unusual pets and wildlife in the Top End and we couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved together.

A massive THANK YOU to our clients, carers, rescue groups, shelters, supporters and our incredible team. 🙌

Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary Wildcare Inc NT Fisheries NT NT Fauna Solutions HATS NT DACS Inc Territory NRM A Safe Place For Meow Inc

We love what we do. We love the animals we care for. And we love being part of this community. 🐾❤️

Here’s a little look at some of our highlights from the past year… 👀📸

Happy 2nd Birthday, Wild North! 🥳🐾

28/08/2026

Who's who in the wildlife ward this week . . . . 🦅🐢🦇🦎🐦❤

26/08/2026

A Long Road to Freedom 🌳 💜 🪽

Two months ago, a juvenile Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) came into our care after being found beside the road near Dick Ward Drive and rescued by Graham and Nicholas from Wildcare Inc NT

Known as “Jab Jab Binks”, or “Jabs”, he had a severe wound through the leading edge of his left wing, damaging both the propatagium skin and tendon; structures essential for flight.

Jabs underwent a difficult surgery to repair the tendon and wing, followed by weeks of cage rest, bandaging, medication and plenty of fish! 🐟

Four weeks later, his wing had healed beautifully and he was beginning to fly. With Wildcare carefully monitoring his parents movements, we returned Jabs to the mangroves where they had been nesting, in the hopes they would be reunited.

But things didn't go to plan.

A nearby grass fire and bulldozing on the adjacent property occurred shortly after his release, and his parents stopped returning. For 10 days, Graham monitored Jabs twice daily and provided supplementary fish while we hoped they would return.

Eventually, we made the difficult decision to bring him back to hospital.

With a team effort by members of Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary, Woollybutt Wildlife Rescue, and Wildcare, plus an impressive supply of fishy bribes 🐟😂, we managed to catch Jabs and bring him safely back to Wild North.

The good news? He was thriving. His wing looked fantastic, he was in excellent condition and he had actually gained weight!

Now Jabs has a new home, he has been moved to a safer inland lagoon where he can continue learning to fly and self-feed, with supplementary fish provided by the wonderful landowners.

Sometimes getting wildlife home isn't as simple as opening the cage door, but seeing them return to the wild where they belong makes it all worth while. 🏡 💜 🍃

Special thanks to all the wildlife carers and rescuers involved, Darwin Wildlife Sanctuary for sponsoring the petrol for his relocation, and Fisheries NT for supplying the fish during his hospital stay.

20/08/2026

🦅 “Get This Tail Wrap Off Me!” 😂 🌿

This Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata) came into our care after being hit by a car, suffering fractures to both scapulae (shoulder blades).

Fortunately, the fractures were minimally displaced, meaning surgery wasn’t required. Instead, he was placed on strict cage rest for four weeks while receiving supplementary feeds and pain relief.

After four weeks, radiographs showed excellent healing, and he was more than ready to stretch his wings! He was moved into a large flight aviary in our rehabilitation ward, where he could rebuild his strength and practise flying.

Last week, we were thrilled to return him to the wild in bushland close to where he was originally found. 💚

When raptors are in hospital, their long tail feathers can easily become damaged, so we use a “tail wrap” to protect them during rehabilitation, which is removed just prior to release. After nearly eight weeks without access to his precious tail feathers, Baz had clearly had enough! 😂

As soon as he was back in the trees, all he could think about was grooming. He vigorously preened every feather, removing the smell of hospital life and getting himself ready for his return to the wild.

Then, with his feathers beautifully groomed, he soared high into the treetops where he belonged. 🦅🌳