01/02/2010

WINTER 2010 - featuring 'Is your pet happy?'

IS YOUR PET HAPPY?

Our main focus for the coming year is to concentrate on making pets happy. We believe ensuring all pets have the ‘five freedoms’ goes a long way towards making our animals happy. These freedoms are:

• 1. Freedom from hunger and thirst
• 2. Freedom from pain, injury and disease
• 3. Freedom from discomfort
• 4. Freedom to express normal behaviour
• 5. Freedom from fear and distress

EXPRESSING NORMAL BEHAVIOUR

Understanding how an animal behaves and survives in the wild helps to guide us when caring for them in a domestic situation.

For example rabbits in the wild have acres in which to exercise. Our pet rabbits should be given enough room in their hutch and have regular access to a run to maintain their naturally lean physique – just like that of a wild rabbit. Wild rabbits live mainly on a diet of grass and they also select and choose plants which help keep them healthy – for example dandelion leaves for a healthy urinary tract, gnawing fruit tree branches for good teeth hygiene etc. Domesticated rabbits therefore need their diets to be carefully selected to ensure a good balance which in turn ensures healthy teeth and bodies.

Dogs and cats in the wild traditionally hunt for their food. This gives them much needed exercise and mental stimulation. Making dogs and cats ‘work’ for their food is a great way to stimulate their brains. Treat balls are available for both dogs and cats; a game of ‘hide and seek your dinner bowl’ is another popular past time – use your imagination. Walking our pets (cats and ferrets can be included here) is good for our health and theirs. For dogs in particular it allows them the freedom to sniff new smells, socialise, bond with their owners and have interesting and exciting experiences.

Different species of birds have different dietary requirements. There are seed eaters, insect eaters, meat eaters etc. In the wild they have to seek the correct kinds of food. Normal food-finding behaviour can be achieved in the cage too by placing suitable food between the cage bars or hanging food from the cage ceiling as opposed to always feeding from a bowl. Toys are important stimulants but should be chosen to help your bird express naturally occurring behaviour.

Our rodent family must not be forgotten. In the wild they are natural burrowers and again hunters for food. Little cardboard tunnels, boxes of shredded paper, hidden food stashes, climbing opportunities – the possibilities are endless. Take the time to consider what makes your pet tick and then make them the happiest pet around!

FREE WELLNESS NURSE CHECKS

BOOK A FREE WELLNESS NURSE CHECK FOR ANY OF YOUR PETS

• Basic health check: weight, teeth, feet, ears, eyes, development etc
• General advice: diet, parasite control, exercise, grooming, behaviour etc
• Photograph: picture of your pet stored on our records should you need one
• A free gift

OUR CHALLENGE: HELP FOR HEROES

Staff at Bay Vets have committed themselves to the Yorkshire Three-Peaks Challenge on Saturday, 17 July 2010 in aid of the Help for Heroes appeal.

The 25 mile circular challenge walk starts at Horton-in-Ribblesdale, visiting the three highest peaks in Yorkshire—Pen-y-ghent (691m), Whernside (728m), and Ingleborough (723m). This long walk is demanding. The total climb is some 5,200 feet, and the footpaths can be very wet and boggy in some places, rugged and rocky in others. A strict training regime may be in order!

Help for Heroes support members of the Armed Forces who have been wounded in the service of their country. They provide practical direct support to those servicemen and women wounded in the line of duty in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Watch out for collection boxes and sponsorship opportunities in the run up to the event. Donations can also be made online via the official website: www.justgiving.com/bay-vets

PETS AND POISONS

PREVENTING POISONING IN THE HOME:

• Keep all medicines out of reach and keep human and veterinary medicines separate—Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Paracetamol and Carprofen. Ibruprofen is particularly poisonous to dogs and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, gastric ulceration and kidney failure. Paracetamol is often given to pets in a caring but misguided attempt to relieve pain. It is highly dangerous for cats—just one tablet is enough to cause severe illness or death. Signs of poisoning include depression, vomiting, swelling of the face and paws and a bluish discolouration of the skin.

• Some foods can be toxic. Do not allow animals access to food intended for human consumption—These foods include chocolate, onions, grapes, raisins, sultanas, avocados, certain nuts, liquorice, xylitol-sweetened (artificial sweetener) foods and sweets. The severity of chocolate poisoning depends on two things; the amount of chocolate ingested but also the type of chocolate (i.e. milk or dark). The amount of Theobromine in milk and dark chocolate differs considerably, which is reflected in the toxic dose for dogs. Chocolate is also toxic to other species (for example cats, rodents, rabbits etc). It causes vomiting and diarrhoea and as theobromine is a diuretic, animals may become severely dehydrated.  Some animals become hyperactive and develop a high temperature, high blood pressure and a very fast heart rate.  Muscular rigidity, tremors and convulsions may also be observed in some extreme cases. Fruits such as grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas can cause renal failure in dogs.  Some seem able to eat large quantities without any effects, while others develop renal failure after as little as a few grapes or a small handful of raisins.  Dogs may initially develop vomiting and diarrhoea and then renal failure 24 - 72 hours post ingestion.  It is possible cats are also susceptible. Xylitol is extremely harmful to dogs and may cause low blood sugar and liver damage. It is frequently found in sugar-free chewing gum and sweets and increasingly found in pharmaceutical products such as nicotine replacement gums and medicines.

• Some plants are hazardous. Keep houseplants and floral displays out of reach of pets—Lilies (any Lilium species) are very poisonous to cats. It is believed all parts of the plant are poisonous—even a small exposure to the pollen can be potentially very dangerous to a cat (the cat will groom the pollen off its coat if it brushes past the flowers). Less than one leaf ingested by a cat can cause kidney failure. Signs to look for are prolonged vomiting, not eating and depression.

• Prevent access to gardens where pesticides or fertilisers have recently been used, especially slug pellets and rodent baits— Metaldehyde, used to kill slugs, is usually found as blue or green pellets. Inquisitive pets can eat these causing salivation, twitching, unsteadiness on their legs and convulsions. Some rat poisons prevent blood from clotting and exposure to these substances causes excessive bruising and bleeding. Place baits in narrow tubes to prevent easy access to them by your pet.

• Use the correct insecticide for your pet— Permethrin is an insecticide commonly found in some flea treatments available in shops and supermarkets. Cats are very sensitive to Permethrin and even a therapeutic dose for a dog can be fatal to a cat. Some ‘spot-on’ treatments contain very concentrated solutions of Permethrin. Always use the correct formulation of drug suitable for the weight and species of animal you want to treat. When prescribing products suitable for your particular pet, our staff provide important information on the effectiveness, correct application, duration and advisable safety measures.

Signs of poisoning develop quickly so urgent treatment is needed. The quicker veterinary treatment is sought the more chance we have of saving your pet from death. Always bring a sample of the poison and packaging with you.

ANTI-FREEZE POISONING IN CATS

Anti-freeze products, which these days are used all year round, contain a chemical called ethylene glycol, which is very harmful to cats. Due to its sweet taste many cats will drink the toxin, but poisoning can also occur when the coat or feet are contaminated. Acute kidney failure usually occurs within the first 24 hours of poisoning, however clinical signs can be apparent within the first 12 hours. Signs of toxicity include an increase in thirst and urination, vomiting, lethargy, seizures, rapid shallow breathing and cardiac rhythm disturbances. If your cat is showing any of these signs you should contact your vet immediately. If left untreated, anti-freeze toxicity will result in death.

ORAL CARE MONTH

Pedigree is sponsoring a national Oral Care Month for dogs which will take place during March. Canine periodontal disease affects over 80% of dogs in the UK, yet only 2% of owners follow a regular oral care regime for their dog. Bay Vets are offering free dental checks for all dogs with free Dentastix samples to reward them for coming to visit us. Together with our usual email and waiting room reminders, there will be national advertising campaigns to remind you nearer the time.

LOCAL CHARITIES: WOLFWOOD

Bay Vets support a number of local animal charities, helping to care for and protect a large variety of animal species. We work closely with Wolfwood Kennels—ever since they set up in 2007, and provide all their veterinary requirements.

Wolfwood are devoted to the rescue and rehoming of the least wanted dogs from the area and are constantly expanding their work with wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. They have a good working relationship with local Dog Wardens, the Police, Dog Behaviourists, Dog Pounds and Animal/Wildlife Rescue Centres in various part of the country.

On a one to one basis experienced staff work with prospective owners to ensure successful and happy rehoming. All dogs are routinely wormed and treated for fleas, fully vaccinated, identity chipped and neutered (if old enough). British wildlife rehabilitation and release was lacking in North Lancashire and South Cumbria until Wolfwood began taking in injured animals and birds, rehabilitating them and returning them to the wild—a very rewarding job! In the past most injured wild animals and birds had to be euthanased through a lack of local facility and resources.

To meet the challenge of further developing the Wildlife Rescue programme a significant increase in regular finance is needed. Wolfwood is a registered charity (charity number 1133826) and receives no funding. They apply for grants to assist their work and have opened a shop on Bowerham Road in Lancaster.

Their website is regularly updated with all the latest news and details on the many dogs they hope to rehome—www.wolfwood.co.uk. If you can support them in any way - items for the shop, blankets and bedding, volunteer work, financially or if you are looking to give a dog a happy, secure new home - you can contact them on 07931220094 or why not call into the shop.

Links for this article

• help for heroes
• help for heroes - bay vets
• wolfwood

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