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Firework Season Is Nearly Upon Us 

Follow These 10 Tips To help Your Pet Cope

1. Ensure your pet is safely inside and secure doors, windows and cat flaps.
2. Allow your dog or cat to hide in a bolthole where they feel safe. You can further increase this feeling of security by using a plug-in diffuser which releases canine (D.A.P.) or feline (Feliway) pheromones.
3. Make sure your dog or cat is microchipped. If they do escape, frightened animals can easily get lost.
4. In the run up to the firework season, ensure dogs are used to being taken for walks early in the evening and cats are provided with litter trays.
5. Draw curtains, play music and/or have the TV on to help mask the noise of the fireworks.
6. Ignore any fearful behaviour and do not try to comfort your pet. A dog may pick up on your anxiety and this can make the problem worse. Cats prefer to be left alone to cope on their own.
7. Do not punish your pet. This only confirms that there is something to be afraid of.
8. Try not to go out while the fireworks are going off. Seeing you acting normally will help your pets feel more settled.
9. Speak to your vet. D.A.P. Spray can be used to give dogs additional support on the night of the event.
10. After the firework season contact your vet to ask about treatment for your dog’s fear of fireworks. D.A.P. and the Sounds Scary CD therapy pack have been scientifically proven to be an effective combination for treating firework phobias in dogs.    
    

Lungworm is on the increase                                 

Angiostrongylus vasorum, also known as French Heartworm, is responsible for a condition that affects dogs known as angiostrongylosis, which over the last few years seems to have been on the increase. Unfortunately, if left untreated this disease can represent a very serious risk to a dog’s health. On a positive note, increasing awareness amongst owners and vets of the condition and availability of effective treatment and preventative measures mean vets are better placed to manage the disease.

Dogs catch angiostrongylosis by eating infective worm larvae. These are generally only found in infected slugs, snails and occasionally frogs. While most dogs do not eat slugs and snails on purpose, they may do so by accident - e.g. when a slug or snail is sitting on a bone or a favourite toy! Outside water bowls or the practice of feeding dogs outside might increase the risk of them eating a slug or snail. Some dogs take great pleasure from eating these miniature ‘treats’, and they are likely to be most at risk.

The worm prefers warmer temperatures – something the UK seems to be experiencing lately – which might account for the increasing number of cases seen in recent years. Foxes can also be infected, and the increase in urban fox populations might be another reason for the increased prevalence.

There are many symptoms to be aware of, although an infected dog may appear totally healthy. Persistent coughing, reluctance to exercise, depression, weight loss, fits, vomiting, diarrhoea and persistent bleeding from even insignificant cuts are all possible signs. Dogs under the age of two appear to be more susceptible than older dogs, even though dogs of all ages and breeds can be affected.

The wide range of symptoms can easily be confused with other illnesses so contacting us is important in case any of the above signs have been noticed. Early diagnosis followed by appropriate treatment gives the best prognosis for what can be a very serious problem. If you would like advice on prevention of this disease please call us to discuss- there is now a monthly ‘spot-on’ treatment we can use on dogs to prevent lungworm at the same time as fleas, mites, and other worms.

Blood Donor Information For Owners
Posted by Administrator (admin) on Nov 08 2007 at 5:38 PM
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If not from our own experience, then from watching shows like ER & casualty, we are all aware of the extensive use made of blood & blood products nowadays in human medicine. Many of us also give blood on a regular basis to help ensure that stocks of blood will always be available for those who need them.

Well, what is not so commonly known is that vets also use blood to help sick pets, and this means that we need donors too! Unfortunately, there is no national blood service for pets, and it is up to us – you & your own vet- to try to ensure that there are blood supplies available for those pets who might need them.

Blood products in pets are usually only administered to those who are very sick indeed, for practical reasons like cost & availability of donors.

    * Wouldn’t you like your pet to be one of those who can make a difference & save a life?
    * What you and your pet have to do
    * Your pet must be in good body condition & over 1 year old but younger than 8 yrs of age
    * Your pets must be healthy and not on any long term medication
    * Your pet must be fully vaccinated, & regularly treated for worms and fleas- we can advise you re treatments but these should be proper veterinary medications rather than over the counter products.
    * You MUST be prepared that we may call you at night or at weekends to ask your pet to donate.

What will we do

We will take a sample initially to check your pets blood group & see if they are suitable to be a blood donor

For cats, we will also test them for the presence of FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) & FeLV (feline leukaemia virus).

We will provide your pets annual check up AND vaccination FREE OF CHARGE whilst your pet remains on the donor list

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR VET TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF YOUR PET BECOMING A LIFE-SAVER