Clive Cottage Veterinary Clinic

25/06/2026

🐱FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease) 🐱

Cats can be very good at hiding when something isn’t right, which is why changes in their toileting habits should never be ignored.

FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease) is a common condition that affects a cat’s bladder and urinary system. It can be uncomfortable, painful, and in some cases become a life-threatening emergency.

Some signs to watch for include:

* Frequent trips to the litter tray
* Straining to urinate
* Passing only small amounts of urine
* Blood in the urine
* Urinating outside the litter tray
* Excessive licking around the ge***al area
*Seeming unsettled or uncomfortable

🐾 If your cat is unable to pass urine, especially if they are a male cat, this is an emergency and they need veterinary attention immediately.

How can you help prevent urinary problems?

🐾 Encourage drinking
Many cats don’t drink enough water. Water fountains, multiple water bowls, and feeding wet food can all help increase water intake.

🐾 Keep stress levels low
Cats love routine! Changes in the home, new pets, visitors, or moving house can sometimes trigger urinary issues.

🐾Keep litter trays clean
Most cats are quite particular about their toilets. Aim for one litter tray per cat, plus one extra.

🐾 Feed a good-quality diet
Some cats may benefit from a specially formulated urinary diet, especially if they have had urinary problems before. For more information ask one of our Vet Nurses.

🐾 Maintain a healthy weight
Keeping your cat active and at a healthy weight can help reduce their risk.

The good news is that many urinary issues can be managed successfully when caught early. If you notice any changes in your cat’s toileting habits, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 06-65 12345.

25/06/2026

Meet Taylar – Our Newest Veterinary Nurse!

We are delighted to introduce another wonderful team member to the Cottage Vets family. Please meet Taylar!

We are incredibly grateful to have Taylar on board and know many of you will enjoy getting to know her as much as we have.

Born and raised in Havelock North, Taylar has always had a passion for animals and their wellbeing. During her final year of high school, she completed a Gateway placement at a veterinary clinic, where she realised she could turn her love for animals into a lifelong career. She went on to complete her Diploma in Veterinary Nursing through EIT before beginning her career in a veterinary clinic in the Manawatū region.

Taylar quickly discovered a love for surgical and hospital nursing, finding it especially rewarding to care for patients through their recovery and see them return home happy and healthy.

After spending time away, Taylar found herself missing Hawke’s Bay and decided to return home, joining the Cottage Vets team to continue growing her nursing career. Her warm personality, caring nature, and enthusiasm for learning have already made her a valued member of our team.

Outside of work, Taylar enjoys spending time with her partner and friends, travelling, trying new foods, fishing, and of course spending time with her much-loved German Shepherd, Zeus. At two years old, Zeus is full of character, a little bit sassy, and will do just about anything for a tennis ball! 🐕

Taylar is excited to continue expanding her knowledge and caring for the pets of Hawke’s Bay, and we know our patients will be in wonderful hands with her.

02/06/2026

🦎 Not your average patient at Taradale Cottage Vet Clinic! 🦎

Meet Missy, a gorgeous Leopard Gecko who visited us with a lump near her eye, poor appetite, weight loss, and shedding issues.

With the help of vet nurse Anna, Dr Alistair carefully removed an abscess and got Missy on the road to recovery! 💚

19/05/2026

Big news for Taradale pet owners! 🐾

Taradale Cottage Vet Clinic is officially open!

From routine check-ups and surgeries to ultrasounds and advanced diagnostics, the team is here to help with almost everything your pets need. Dogs, cats, birds, turtles, lizards and more are all welcome through the doors.

Owner Alistair says the goal has always been simple, providing a great level of care and service for every animal and owner that walks in.

The team has loved becoming part of the Taradale community already and is excited to be here for the long run.

If your furry, feathered or scaly family member needs care, pop in and say hello 👋

15/05/2026

A huge thank you to Josh for taking the time to visit our new Taradale Cottage Vet Clinic and creating such an amazing video showcasing our clinic and team. We truly appreciate the support and effort that went into helping share our story with the community 💚

Taradale Cottage Vet Clinic is proudly the sister clinic to our much loved Clive Cottage Vet Clinic, and we have been overwhelmed by the warm welcome and support from the Taradale community so far.

Thank you to everyone who has popped in, booked appointments, shared our posts or simply stopped for a chat. It honestly means the world to our team.

Please don’t hesitate to drop by, say hello and meet the team. We’d love to see you and your furry, feathered or scaly family members

12/05/2026

🐾 Meet Amanda and Meg 🐾

If you visit our Clive or Taradale Cottage Vet Clinic, chances are you will be greeted by Amanda’s warm smile and friendly personality

Amanda grew up right here in Hawke’s Bay and attended our lovely local Clive School before studying Primary Education at Massey University.

Before joining The Cottage Vet Clinic, Amanda worked as both a primary and early childhood teacher and later spent 19 years helping run her family’s plasterboard fixing and plastering business.

We have been very lucky to have Amanda as part of our team since December 2021. Her caring nature, friendly chats, and calm presence make both clients and pets feel welcome the moment they walk through the door.

Amanda absolutely loves chatting with clients and giving cuddles to all the pets coming through the door. So next time you are in clinic, make sure to stop for a chat

(And yes… we think Meg may secretly be the real boss of the household 😂)

11/05/2026

Beautiful Tama the Bulldog puppy came in for his final vaccination and microchip this week 💙

This was Tama’s second visit to the Taradale Cottage Vet Clinic, and he already started to feel much more comfortable and relaxed with the team, which is so lovely to see 🥰

Tama was so brave, and now the exciting part begins. Exploring the world and being introduced to all the wonderful sights, sounds, people, and experiences life has to offer.

One of the main questions we get from clients is:
“When can we start walking our puppy?”

From a veterinary perspective, puppies are generally considered safe to walk in public areas around 7 days after their final 16-week vaccination, as this gives their immune system time to respond fully to the vaccine.

But don’t worry, there are still MANY safe and important ways to socialise your puppy before then! Early positive experiences are incredibly important for building a confident, well-adjusted dog 🐶✨

Some great ways to socialise your puppy includes:
🐾 Puppy preschool classes
🐾 Car rides and short adventures
🐾 Meeting calm, vaccinated dogs you know and trust
🐾 Visiting friends and family
🐾 Hearing different sounds (vacuum cleaners, traffic, kids playing, thunderstorms etc.)
🐾 Walking around in your arms or in a puppy stroller
🐾 Gentle handling of paws, ears, mouth, and brushing at home

We highly recommend Puppy Preschool with Sara at:
🌐 https://www.1ststepspuppypreschool.nz

We would LOVE to hear from our community too
Do you have any other safe and creative ways you socialised your puppy before vaccinations were completed? Share your ideas and photos below 👇

Enjoy every moment. They grow up so quickly 💕

01/05/2026

🐾 Open Day at Napier SPCA - Adoption Event 🐾

Love this initiative in our community

🐶🐾 Open Day 🐾🐱

This Sunday 3rd May, we are open to the public for a special open day - for the last day of our 50% adoption discount campaign.

Cats and dogs will be available for viewing - however with dogs, we would like people to please call the Centre on 068357758 so we can book a time slot to ensure everyone has a chance to come in. 🐕

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday between 10am-2pm. Some of our cats prefer quiet environments, so please remember to bring soft voices, and your patience - as our open days are usually quite popular! 🐾

28/04/2026

18/04/2026

Come down to see us at Hastings Bunnings , grab a snag and help a paw ! 🐈 🩷🖤🩷🐈🩷🖤🩷🐕