Pegasus Post: July 13, 2023

Thursday July 13 2023 5
SCHEME: New Brighton mall will see the return of the community
guardians.
Community guardians
a ‘positive presence’
• From page 1
Donovan said with the plans of a council-led
upgrade of the mall, demolition of
the Westpac building, a community-led
2.5 million ‘village green’ project, and a
proposed upgrade of hospitality and retail
spaces near the foreshore, having the unit
would be a great presence.
“Their presence aims to lower the incidence
of crime and anti-social behaviour.
Their positive presence would help provide
reassurance to locals and visitors that if
something were to happen there would be
someone there with eyes on the ground
and liaise with police.”
Donovan said the hope was to make
more of a difference in the community.
“Perfection is key to making sure we
support businesses and build confidence
with locals and visitors.”
A BUSY WEEK
away from the clinic
Steve, Connor and myself recently
attended the NZL Veterinary Conference
in the Capital. My very first vet
conference, attending with my son. Was
a fabulous 3 days reconnecting and
sharing ideas with colleagues, learning
new medical treatments and more
about diseases, visiting the trade stands
and formulating our “wish lists”, and
spending time with Connor.
Steve tested Pomeranians through to
Great Danes, checking for diseases such
as:
• Distichiasis - an extra row of eyelashes
that are directed towards the cornea
(window of the eye)
• Cataracts - cloudiness of the lens which
is normally like a clear marble in the
middle of the eye
400-plus goals to
help beat cancer
A ICE HOCKEY player has
scored more than 400 goals for
a good cause.
Ashton Whittle, 8, has so far
raised $453 for the Canterbury
West Coast Cancer Society
to help fund free services for
people with cancer.
Ashton took part in the
society’s Shoot for the Moon
challenge to score 384 goals and
raise $384. Why 384? Because
the moon is about 384,000km
away from the Earth.
The goals were counted
during his Saturday games for
The Spiders at the Alpine Ice
Rink in Waltham, at his weekly
practices, in his practice goal
at home, and on his air hockey
table.
“Mum found out about the
challenge and asked me if I’d
like to do it,” Ashton said.
“I thought that would be fun
because I like shooting goals in
ice hockey.”
Ashton’s mum Anna Wilson
also plays ice hockey. She said
apart from Ashton’s great-aunt
having had cancer as a teenager,
their family has not been
directly affected by the disease.
“It’s good to try and do
something for other people,”
Wilson said.
Ashton started ice skating
when he was only two and has
played ice hockey since he was
four.
READY: Ashton Whittle plays hockey at the
Alpine Ice rink in Waltham.
•To sign up to take part in the Shoot for
the Moon challenge or sponsor Ashton, visit
www.shootforthemoon.org.nz
I attended lectures on heart disease in
cats and dogs, airway disease ( BOAS)
in the Brachycephalic dog breeds,
anaesthetic regimes for cardiac and
respiratory patients, nutrition in heart
disease and the coughing dog. I actually
love being back in lecture theatre,
soaking up new knowledge, new
medications and what’s new in research.
In veterinary medicine you can never
know enough, and I realised early on
that to get the most of my job and help
as many patients as I can, I was going to
have to keep up the study and constantly
keep improving and bettering myself.
Which is what I have done for 33 years.
It’s the degree that just keeps on giving.
Steve also recently held an “eye testing”
day in Auckland, organised and run
by the Auckland Poodle Club. It was a
jammed packed, fun day, with 104 dogs
in attendance to have their eyes checked
by Steve for inherited diseases. Steve
started at 8am, finishing at 4pm with
only a 10 minute break. I joined as Steve’s
secretary, uploading patient details and
making sure the microchip numbers
matched the dogs.
• Retinal Dysplasia - the retina is the
“nerve” at the back of the eye that
collects all the visual information. Retinal
dysplasia with when the retina is not
formed properly when the puppy is an
embryo being formed
• Progressive retinal atrophy - a disease
where the retina starts to “die away”
when the dog is an adult. It is a little bit
like macular degeneration is people.
• Glaucoma - is an increase in pressure
within the eye caused by a blockage of
the internal drainage angle. This is nearly
always a nasty painful disease in dogs.
Steve has organised more clinics around
the country to eye test breeding dogs.
It’s very important for the specific breeds
and breeders that hereditary conditions
are identified are not passed on to future
generations.
Dr Michele McMaster BVSc
Open 7 days Cnr Hoon Hay & Coppell place ph: 338 2534
e. reception@mcmasterandheap.co.nz www.mcmasterheap.co.nz