Health
Animal Health Centre
Preventive care, common conditions, symptoms, emergencies and when to call a veterinarian.
Part of the vet content hub — health, nutrition and training together. Got a specific question? Ask the AI veterinary assistant.
All Animal Health Centre articles
35 articles
Preventive carePet Vaccinations Explained
What core and non-core vaccines protect against, how schedules work, and why protocols differ between countries.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
ParasitesFleas, Ticks and Worms: A Practical Prevention Guide
How common parasites actually spread, how to treat them properly, and why treating the animal alone often fails.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-19
Dental healthDental Disease in Dogs and Cats
The most common disease in adult pets, why it is genuinely painful, and what actually prevents it.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-19
Chronic conditionsPet Obesity: The Most Common Preventable Disease
Why excess weight shortens life, how to assess body condition honestly, and how to manage safe weight loss.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-19
EmergenciesHow to Recognise a Veterinary Emergency
The signs that mean go now, the signs that mean call today, and how to prepare before it happens.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-19
Skin and allergiesItchy Skin and Allergies in Dogs and Cats
Why itching is a symptom rather than a diagnosis, and how vets work through the common causes.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Digestive problemsVomiting and Diarrhoea: When to Worry
Distinguishing a self-limiting upset from something that needs urgent veterinary attention.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-19
Chronic conditionsChronic Kidney Disease in Cats
One of the most common conditions of older cats, and one where early detection genuinely changes outcomes.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-19
MobilityArthritis and Mobility Problems
Osteoarthritis is common, under-diagnosed and very treatable — and animals rarely limp until it is advanced.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
AquaticsAquarium Water Chemistry and the Nitrogen Cycle
Most fish illness is a water quality problem. Understanding cycling is the core skill of fishkeeping.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-19
Reptile healthMetabolic Bone Disease in Reptiles
The most common husbandry-related illness in captive reptiles, and how correct lighting and diet prevent it.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Chronic diseaseChronic Kidney Disease in Cats: What the Stages Actually Mean
Why chronic kidney disease is so common in older cats, how the IRIS staging system guides treatment, and what owners can realistically do to support quality of life.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-21
Chronic diseaseOsteoarthritis in Dogs: Spotting the Slow Slide Owners Often Miss
Osteoarthritis can cause lameness, stiffness or changes in activity and behaviour. These signs need veterinary assessment rather than being dismissed as ageing.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-19
Symptoms and diagnosisRecognising Pain in Cats: A Species That Hides It Well
Cats evolved as both predator and prey, and that history has left them with a strong instinct to mask pain — here is what to watch for instead of waiting for an obvious cry.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
EmergenciesBloat (GDV) in Dogs: A True Emergency Every Owner Should Recognise
Gastric dilatation-volvulus can kill a previously healthy dog within hours — knowing the signs and acting immediately genuinely saves lives.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-15
DentistryDental Disease: The Most Under-Treated Problem in Pets
Why the majority of adult dogs and cats have painful dental disease, what actually prevents it, and why anaesthesia-free cleaning is not a substitute.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-15
Emergency careBuilding a Pet First Aid Kit That Is Actually Useful
What belongs in a home and car kit, what to leave out, and how to use the first fifteen minutes well while you arrange veterinary care.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-19
Chronic conditionsHyperthyroidism in Older Cats: Signs, Tests and Treatment Choices
Why a hungry, thinning older cat needs a blood test, and how medication, diet, radioiodine and surgery compare.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Emergency careUrinary Blockage in Male Cats: Why Straining Is an Emergency
A male cat straining in the litter tray with little or no urine may be blocked. Here is why it can be fatal within a day or two and what prevention looks like.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Small mammalsRabbit Dental Disease: Why Hay Keeps Teeth Healthy
Rabbit teeth grow throughout life. Learn how diet causes most dental problems, the early signs, and why regular checks matter.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Senior petsCaring for a Senior Dog: Comfort, Checks and Quality of Life
What changes as dogs age, which checks catch problems early, and how to judge quality of life honestly.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Emergency careHeatstroke in Dogs: Recognise It, Treat It, Prevent It
Heatstroke can kill a dog in under an hour. Learn the early signs, the first aid that actually helps, and the situations that put dogs at risk.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-19
Common conditionsAnal Gland Problems in Dogs: Signs, Causes and Care
Scooting, licking, odour and painful swelling can have several causes. Learn what to record, when to call the vet and why routine home expression is not the answer.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-21
Common conditionsHairballs in Cats: What Is Normal and When to Worry
The occasional hairball is normal for a grooming cat. Frequent vomiting, gagging with nothing produced, or a cat off its food is not.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
SurgerySpaying and Neutering: What to Expect Before and After Surgery
What actually happens on the day, how to prepare, and how to nurse your pet through a smooth recovery.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
ParasitesTicks and Tick-Borne Disease: Checking, Removing, Preventing
How to find and safely remove ticks, which diseases they carry, and how to choose prevention with your vet.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Home checksHow to Count Your Pet's Resting Breathing Rate
A simple home check that helps vets monitor heart disease and spot trouble early.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Veterinary careUnderstanding Your Pet's Blood Tests
What common blood tests show, and why a single result slightly outside the range isn't always a worry.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-21
Home careHow to Give Your Cat a Tablet
Calm, step-by-step ways to give cats tablets, plus alternatives if your cat refuses.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Veterinary careCaring for Your Pet After Surgery
Practical recovery care after surgery: written discharge instructions, wound protection, medicine records, safe rest and signs needing veterinary help.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-21
Digestive healthHairballs in Cats: When to Worry
Occasional hairballs can happen, but frequent vomiting is not normal and deserves a vet check.
Petarium Editorial · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-21
EmergenciesHeatstroke in Dogs: Prevention and First Aid
How dogs overheat, which dogs are most at risk, the warning signs and what to do on the way to the vet.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Dental careDental Disease in Cats: Signs, Treatment and Home Care
Gum disease and tooth resorption are very common in cats. Learn the subtle signs and what home care can help.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
EmergenciesGut Stasis in Rabbits: An Emergency Guide
When a rabbit stops eating or producing droppings, it is an emergency. Here is what to look for and how to prevent it.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07
Veterinary careChoosing a Vet for Reptiles and Other Exotic Pets
Find a practice with genuine exotic-species experience, ask the right questions and prepare for a reptile's first visit.
Petarium Editorial · 3 min read · Updated 2026-10-07