Salmonella remains an important disease risk on Irish farms, affecting both animal health and farm profitability.

The most common clinical signs of salmonellosis in cattle are diarrhoea and abortion, with Salmonella Typhimurium commonly associated with diarrhoea and Salmonella Dublin a major cause of abortion.

Following infection, cattle may recover and develop immunity, but some animals can become carriers. These carrier animals can continue to shed Salmonella bacteria either continuously, intermittently, or remain as hidden (latent) carriers, allowing infection to persist within a herd.

The impact of Salmonella goes beyond treatment costs and animal losses. Infection can have significant long-term effects on productivity and profitability, including:

Production losses may include:

• Reduced milk yield
• Fewer calves produced per cow per year
• Reduced daily weight gain
• Poor thrive and reduced performance

Protecting Your Herd Before the Risk Period

Salmonella Dublin abortions in spring-calving dairy herds typically begin to increase in autumn, with cases often peaking around November. To ensure adequate protection, pregnant heifers should receive their primary vaccination course, or a booster vaccination, at least 2–3 weeks before this higher-risk period.

Bovilis® Bovivac S Vaccination Protocol

Cattle aged 6 months to adult:

• Two 5ml doses given 21 days apart
• Annual booster vaccination recommended 2–3 weeks before the main risk period (typically around September)

Calves from approximately 3 weeks to 6 months:

• Primary vaccination course of two 2ml doses, 21 days apart

Vaccination should form part of a wider Salmonella control plan, alongside good hygiene, biosecurity measures, and effective herd management practices. Together, these measures help reduce the risk of infection and protect herd health.

Protect Your Herd. Protect Your People.

Talk to our farm team today about creating a Salmonella vaccination plan for your herd.

A Great Day Out at the Belgooly and Bandon Shows

May was a busy and enjoyable month for our team as we attended both the Belgooly Show and the Bandon Show with our information stall.

These events provided a fantastic opportunity to meet members of the local community, catch up with many of our regular clients, and introduce ourselves to new faces.

It was wonderful to see so many familiar pets and owners stopping by for a chat throughout both days.

We were delighted to hand out plenty of freebies and share advice on animal health and wellbeing with visitors. The dog shows were a particular highlight, and we were proud to sponsor and present prizes to some deserving canine competitors at the Bandon Show.

A big thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello. We had a fantastic time at both events and are already looking forward to next year’s shows!

We had the best time visiting the kids from Scoil Eoin, Innishannon recently!

We were so impressed with their animal care knowledge as well as their interesting questions.

We discussed Pet Summer Safety tips, performed teddy bear surgery and listened to some happy hearts!

Thank you so much for having us!

From Murmurs to Miracles, Inside the World of Animal Cardiology at Glasslyn Vets

At Glasslyn Vets, we know that every heartbeat matters — especially the furry, whiskered, or occasionally ferret-shaped ones. Our independent cardiorespiratory referral service is here to help pets with heart and breathing problems get the expert care they deserve. Dogs, cats, ferrets… if they’ve got a ticker, we’re here to keep it ticking happily.

Top-Tier Diagnostics

We use a range of advanced diagnostics to get to the bottom of what’s going on inside your pet’s chest, including:

• Echocardiography
• Blood pressure monitoring
• Radiography
• Haematology
• Biochemistry, including electrolyte panels

We work closely with referring vets, teaming up to provide a specialist service that blends experience, precision, and a genuine fondness for small creatures with big personalities.

What We Commonly Investigate

From the straightforward to the “hmm, that’s interesting…” our service handles a wide variety of conditions such as:

• Congenital defects
• Pericardial effusions
• Acquired heart diseases including:
  • Dilated cardiomyopathy
  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • Degenerative valvular disease
• Tracheal collapse
• Feline asthma
• Chronic bronchitis
• Lungworm

Meet the Heart Hero: Denise Philpott
Denise Philpott is an advanced practitioner in cardiorespiratory veterinary medicine. She graduated from the Free University of Berlin and has since brought her skills to both first-opinion and referral practices across Ireland and England.

Since earning her Certificate in Veterinary Cardiorespiratory Medicine in 2014, she has been an active member of the Veterinary Cardiovascular Society. She was also involved in the RAPID CAT 2 study, which explored how simple clinical parameters may help vets more easily distinguish cardiac from non-cardiac causes of breathing difficulties in cats. (In short: making life easier for both stressed kitties and the humans caring for them.)

Give us a call if you have any questions or would like to book your pet in for a consultation.

Back in August, we came together for a charity walk to honour of our wonderful colleague and friend, Don Cullinane. It was a day filled with laughter, stories, and connection — with our team, friends and family walking side by side in his memory.

Today, we had the privilege of visiting the two incredible charities receiving the funds raised: RNLI Kinsale and Bandon Community Hospital. We were met with such kindness and gratitude at both locations.

The RNLI team gave us a tour of their phenomenal facilities — we were blown away by their dedication and the life-saving work they do.

At Bandon Community Hospital, we were welcomed into a truly beautiful, homely space that radiates care and compassion. It’s clear how much this place means to the community.

We were proud to present a cheque for €5,851.50 to both, made possible by the generosity of our customers, suppliers, friends, and colleagues. Your donations matter — they help fund vital equipment, support frontline staff, and ensure these services continue to care for those who need them most.

Thank you for helping us turn remembrance into impact. Don would be proud

On 12 June we hosted a fun family open day at our Macroom clinic.

It was a fun filled afternoon with free pet consults and goodie bags, hamper raffles, complementary coffee, sandwiches and cakes and a tour of the updated clinic. For the young ones we offered face painting and teddy bear surgery.

We also had the honour of having staff there from the CSPCA to discuss the adoption process and answerring questions.

We love hosting these events to meet new and exsisting clients, doting on our furry friends and also inspiring some future Vets and Vet Nurses!

Special thank you to the CSPCA, Dansa Coffee, Pickles, Castle Hotel, Duggans, Nutravet, C+M, MSD, Interchem and Trustvet for sponsorring prizes, joining us and offering your services 🙂

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our cherished colleague, Don Cullinane, early this morning (May 9th) following a brief illness. Don was our Financial Controller and Practice Manager but Don was more than that, he was a trusted friend and confidant to everybody in our team here at Glasslyn Vets.

His loss leaves a profound void , as he was not only an exceptional professional but also a generous, fun and supportive spirit.

Through the years, Don’s invaluable advice and friendship touched us all, and his contributions to Glasslyn were truly immeasurable.

We are forever grateful for having had the privilege to know and work alongside Don. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and all who are grieving his departure.

May he rest in peace, knowing the lasting impact he had on each one of us.

Watch our Vet Cathal discussing Calf Health