|
|
AUTUMN
2008 |
|
Firework
Fright!
Bonfire night can be a scary time for pets and it is important
to prepare for this stressful time. Here are some tips for
pets that find the whole experience of fireworks rather overwhelming:
1. Make sure that dogs and cats are indoors and any pets
that live outside (e.g. rabbits) are covered.
2. Give your dog a quiet place to hide at any time when there
are fireworks or other loud noises. Keep the windows and curtains
in this room closed, and provide a comfy bed with lots of
blankets to hide under. We also recommend installing a DAP
diffuser in or near this hiding place as a source of additional
comfort. DAP (short for dog appeasing pheromone)
decreases stress levels in dogs. It comes as a diffuser that
should be plugged in two weeks before the event to take maximum
effect.
3. Your reaction to your pet's fearful behaviour is important.
Reassurance encourages your pet to continue displaying a behaviour
whether it is sitting or displaying fear. So reward your pet's
calm behaviour with cuddles and treats. However if your pet
is fearful, stay relaxed and act as a good 'role model' and
carry on as if nothing is happening.
4. Music can be played to mask the sound of fireworks, or
leaving the television on can also help.
For further advice on all methods available to help your
pet with bonfire night, please speak to one of our practice
staff who will be very happy to help.
|
|
Diets:
Keeping your pet healthy |
OUR PETS are members of the family and, just
like ourselves, feeding them a balanced diet is one of the
key things we can do to keep them fit and healthy. Better
still — with Life Stage Diets it is now possible to
feed them a correctly balanced diet for every stage of their
lives.
Puppies and kittens will benefit from junior/growth
diets. These tend to be higher in energy and protein to
aid controlled growth (avoiding obesity) whilst having the
correct mineral balance to help bones and joints develop
correctly. This is particularly important for large and
giant breeds of dog, and they therefore require their own
specially formulated puppy food.
|
Adult dogs and
cats (between around 12-18 months and 7-8 years) require an
adult/maintainance diet - helping to keep pets healthy and
active during their middle years. Dietary changes may be needed
at times of increased activity or during pregnancy.
In older animals, senior foods are ideal.
These usually have a lower energy content to avoid weight
gain as pets grow more sedentary. Fibre levels are maintained
to avoid constipation, and protein and mineral levels are
altered to reduce the workload of ageing kidneys, liver and
heart. Essential fatty acids and other products may also be
added to help to keep the skin and joints healthy.
Pets with particular disease problems may also benefit from
specific 'prescription' diets, specially formulated for a
variety of conditions including diseases of the kidneys, liver,
heart, joints, skin
|
Feeding
Rabbits
Good quality hay and grass should form the basis of |
 |
your rabbit's diet;
this is very high in fibre and promotes optimum dental
health. To supplement the hay, a selection of fresh
food and small quantity of commercial rabbit food (preferably
pelleted to avoid selective feeding) may be fed.
|
and teeth. For pets with obesity, specially formulated low
calorie diets are also available.
Life stage diets, together with a growing range of prescription
diets, help your pets to live lives that are as long and healthy
as possible. Please ask us for more information and we can
help you choose the best diet for your pet.
|
|
Start
now if you are planning a trip for 2009! |
 |
DID YOU know
many owners are now taking advantage of the Pet Travel Scheme
and taking their dogs and cats on holiday and to live in other
countries with no need for a stay in quarantine on the way
back?
Now is the time to start planning as it takes 7-8 months
to fulfil the requirements of the scheme. Your pet will need
to be microchipped, vaccinated against rabies and
subsequently blood tested to prove that sufficient
immunity has developed. You additionally need to allow six
calendar months to elapse (from the date of the successful
blood sample) before your pet can re-enter the UK under the
scheme, and then only after certain tick and
tapeworm treatments have been carried out
and certified before arrival in the UK.
Please contact us for further information or advice - but
don't delay! |
| Arthritis:
is your pet affected? |
|
| ONCE again, the shorter
days and cooler weather signify the beginning of the
Autumn months. However this time of year holds many
potential hazards for our pets.
Despite the cooling weather, fleas
unfortunately do not take |
|
holidays and are still a major problem at this time
of year! So now is definitely NOT the time to lower
your guard against these irritating tiny pests!
Harvest mites
are another cause of irritation in later summer / early
autumn. They are active in long grass
and will swarm onto passing pets
where they tend to congregate on the eyelids,
ears, feet and abdomen. |
|
They are easily identified as bright orange "dots"
adhering to the skin, and are often the cause of great
irritation.
As the weather cools down, bees
and wasps become dozy and are easily
caught by dogs and cats. Unfortunately they can still
give nasty stings to your pets.
Antifreeze
is also a potential hazard for many pets at this time
of year. When getting the car ready for the winter,
any spilled antifreeze should be cleared up promptly
— it's very tasty but extremely toxic.
Remember also to keep pets indoors in the evenings
to avoid firework
injuries.
Dogs with noise phobias may benefit
from medication to help relieve anxiety associated
with
|
|
fireworks. Habituation to loud noises over a long period
of time can also be helpful.
|
Finally, turning to rabbits,
if you haven't had your rabbit vaccinated
against Myxomatosis
and VHD
yet, |
act now! These usually fatal illnesses can easily strike
in the Autumn.
|
|
| 
NORMAL joint function is something that most
of us take for granted in our pets. However arthritis (or
degenerative joint disease) is a relatively common problem,
particularly in older pets.
In the majority of cases arthritis occurs secondary to a
lifetime of wear and tear on the joints. Arthritis may also
occur following joint trauma or due to malformation of the
joint, for example Hip Dysplasia - see above
right for x-rays.
The joints that are most susceptible to arthritis are those
associated with limb movement; these joints are called synovial
joints. The ends of the bones which meet at these joints are
covered by very smooth articular cartilage. The joints are
lubricated with synovial fluid - allowing friction-free movement.
Arthritic joints typically show progressive breakdown and
thinning of the cartilage lining the ends of the bones and
formation of secondary new bone around the joint.
|
| 
Normal hip joint
Arthritic hip joint in a dog with hip
dysplasia. Secondary new bone (arrowed) can be seen
around the joint. |
Affected joints usually appear stiff, swollen and painful.
Typical signs include: difficulty in getting to their feet
after rest, and (for dogs) problems getting in and out of
cars and often a reluctance to go on walks. |
So what can be done?
Even those pets that are only mildly affected can benefit
from treatment, and the most effective approach involves several
factors. Weight loss alone can be effective
for animals that are overweight; this along with a combination
of regular gentle exercise and massage is also helpful. Special
diets can help to slow the progression of the disease and
food supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate
may help to reduce pain and inflammation.
Finally, many pets benefit from pain relief given by medication,
and with a number of medicines available, we can choose the
right one for your pet.
So, if you suspect that your pet may be suffering from arthritis,
come and discuss this further — we can help you to help
him!
|
| 
Feeding a balanced diet with regular exercise and active
weight management can make a huge difference to your pets
mobility. |
| Pet
Insurance: are you covered |
 |
YOU look after your pets and make sure
they have regular health checks, vaccinations, appropriate
diets, worming and flea control.
But what about pet insurance?
It's a worrying fact that in an
average year, one pet in three will require veterinary
treatment for some form of illness or accident.
And with the cost of diagnosis and |
treatment for a variety of conditions running into three
and even four figures, pet insurance has never been more relevant.
With appropriate pet insurance we can hopefully ensure that
decisions regarding the best course of treatment for your
pet can be made on the basis of need rather
than cost. Don't take
any chances — get your pet insured today!
|
 |
Although we tend to think of traumatic surgical
events (such as a fractured leg), as the main reason for
pet insurance, many medical conditions |
such as skin infections, ear disease, kidney or heart disease
- to name just a few!), can also be very costly to treat.
|
|
| |
This newsletter
is kindly sponsered by |
 |
|
|
