Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Jun 2

There are many types of roundworms that could infect mammals; but the 2 most common types found in domestic cats are:

Toxicara felis:
Kittens can be infected after birth by their mothers milk. Towards the end of her pregnancy, hormones trigger any dormant larvae in her muscles to pass into the mammary glands. These larvae migrate through the milk glands and straight into the stomachs of the newborn kittens.

Once ingested, these larvae grow inside the kitten and can become adult worms while the kitten is still young - obviously they will use the nutrition from the milk instead of the kitten itself.

The kittens can also ingest futher larvae from infective eggs in the environment (on their bedding, etc) or more commonly, through the bitches milk until they are weaned. 

Kittens with a heavy burden of worms will have their growth stunted, and very likely have distended, swollen bellies and will often vomit and have diarrhoea.  Severe infections of worms have been known to totally block the intestines.

However, kittens should have naturally expelled all their adult worms by 7 months of age. Any eggs or larvae ingested after this time won’t become adult worms in the gut, but will pass through the intestine wall into the body of the kitten (now an adult cat) and settle as their resting state (as cysts) in the muscle tissues.

Any eggs that were ‘passed’ by these kittens or the queen onto the ground or bedding, usually in faeces, have very protective cases and can survive outside for up to 2 years waiting to be eaten or licked up by an animal or human (not washing their hands before eating).

If these eggs are ingested by any animal other than a dog (their specific host) they will not become adult worms in the body - it is host specific to only cats.

However instead, they will travel through the body to the muscle tissue and remain temporarily inactive in a ‘cyst’. This animal (or person) then becomes their temporary host as the worm larvae are hoping that one day, when this ‘animal’ dies, it will be eaten by a cat (or other animal that is then eaten by a cat) and they can complete their lifecycle.

Basically this worms job is to live in the female cats muscle tissue until she becomes pregnant so it can infect her kittens.

Toxicara leonina:
This roundworm will infect both cats and dogs as part of it’s life cycle, but it is not a zoonosis - it has not been known to pass to humans in it’s live state.

There is no infection before birth from the mother to her unborn young, or through the mothers milk - infection is commonly seen in young adolescent animals as they begin to explore their enviroment and ingest eggs or temporary hosts containing inactive larvae (i.e; a cat eating an infected mouse or beetle, or a dog eating undercooked offal and game).

There are normally no outward clinical signs of light or heavy infestation with this worm, as they are well tolerated by both cats and dogs, so you wouldn’t know that your pet even had them!

A good a reason as any to regularly worm your cats!!!

posted by admin on May 7

Why not create a fun game to teach your kids or friends about dog breeds?

In the same way that wildlife books help you identify random plants by following a simple flow chart - you could split up and identify common - or not so common - dog breeds.  Or cat breeds, rabbit breeds or horse breeds etc…..

Obviously, it is far easier to learn something new when it is simple and you get fast results - so using technical terms is out of the question as well as things that can only be found out through serious study!

This should be fun!

The Key:

Now you need to decide whether this is for the very beginner - or whether they have a certain amount of doggy knowledge as otherwise this could become quite tedious - or just make 2.

The basic one assumes that they know no breeds at all - and the other can be more specific to rare or unusual breeds - after all if they know what a dalmation looks like - they won’t be using your guide anyway!

Now to get started you need to group your dogs in appearance related groups rather than show groups - as people who see a dog in the street might not know whether it is a working breed or toy dog - so go for looks alone - and start with the simple and most obvious breeds to get them out the way.

For example you may want to filter out Dalmation and Komandors straight away as they are unique in their looks and can’t be mistaken for anything else.  You could also look to be filtering out whole colour groups, like the blues, tri-colours and black and tans - as these groups are easy to spot and can then be further reduced to split up your Dobermanns from your Manchester Terriers.

You could also go on coat type early on if you wanted - although this might be better for later stages - however, a Mexican hairless and a Chow are also very easy to spot!

Problem Areas?

Yes, I know a German Shepherd can be white, black, black and tan, sable, long-haired or normal-haired - but you leave these till you need them - rule out the Maltese, Patterdales, Rottweilers, Collies and Shelties first before proceeding to the more variable breeds.

Try out different ways on scrap paper first as there will be more than one way to get to the same answer - and certain breeds may be at the end of several threads depending on your style of filtering.

Here’s a simple one to give you the jist.  Lets take a Rottweiler, GSD, Maltese and a Sheltie.  Now more than one could be black and tan; more than one could be white and more than one could be long-haired - so how do you filter them out?

Well, here are 2 ways:

1) Has it got very short hair - Yes - Rottweiler (leaving GSD, Maltese and Sheltie)
No: Could you pick it up easily? - No - GSD (leaving Maltese and Sheltie)
Yes: Is it White? - Yes - Maltese - No: it’s a Sheltie

2) Is it really fluffy? - Yes - Maltese
No: Could you pick it up easily? Yes - Sheltie
No: Has it got long hair? - Yes - GSD
No: Rottie

I know that this is only a small group and assumes that all the dogs are present - but it gives you an idea of how to avoid lengthy questions or variable breed descriptions.

These keys can also be used for the very basic teaching or breeds even - like how to tell the difference between all the common pet rodents, pet reptiles or caged birds etc.

It doesn’t have to stop at German Shepherds!  

posted by admin on Apr 27

Would you know what to do if an animal in your care collapsed?  Or a member of staff was seriously injured?

We all hope that these things will never happen to us - but they may well do and it is best to be prepared.  If you run a business that leaves animals in your care and you employ staff, work with volunteers or come into contact with the public - you should really get yourself trained up in case of emergencies.

And it isn’t just for work that you should get qualified either - it is for your own friends, family and pets.  Imagine being able to save a life in exchange for 1 day a year taking a First Aid course.

Animals First:
If you are a dog walker, groomer, sitter, owner or work in an animal shelter - you should really know the basics for animal health and safety.  Yes - the trained or experienced staff aren’t that far away and can come to the rescue - but sometimes it is the first few minutes that are the most important - so need you to act fast.

Sometimes - seeing that something is going to happen in advance is even better!  But you can only do this if you know what you are looking out for.

So, find a local course with a veterinary or animal care college and sign up!  You won’t ever regret going on a course - only not going!  And imagine the way you will feel if an animal dies in your care - then the course fee won’t seem that much in exchange for an animals life.

People Too:
It isn’t just your animal customers that might benefit from your help - while out walking or driving or when visiting a clients home - you could find a human in need of emergency assistance.

If you have taken an Emergency First Aid course you will know how to assess the situation in an instant and make sure that that person gets the best first aid that you can offer - and the basic checks only take about 15 seconds.

Such a short amount of your time could actually have saved their life.

Don’t Be A Stranger:
Why do you have to take this for work anyway - you might not even meet any humans in your day to day working hours?  Well, think of your family and friends.  People you know can have accidents too you know - so take the course for them if anything.

You can never know too much about emergency first aid!

posted by admin on Mar 26

Losing your pet must be one of the most dreaded experiences for a pet owner.

But you don’t have to face it alone - you just need to plan ahead.  Or get someone else to do it all for you!

Now, you may be wondering how can someone else reunite you with your lost pet - but finding your pet can be achieved with just one simple step.

Bearing in mind that there are a number of ways that you can make sure that your pet is reported to you as ’safe’ before you even lose them - you need to understand hoe the whole process works.

For example - nothing can make your pet be found any faster than it could be found in the first place.  You can have a collar, tag, microchip, tattoo, name tag in the coat or a giant flag with your details on it hanging off your dog or cat - but it still won’t be found until it is found!

What you can do though is make sure that the moment it is found - is one minute before you get the call!

Check, Plan and Prepare:
It’s all right having a microchip or a tag on your pets collar - but if your contact details aren’t correct or the best number to contact you on - then there will be an inevitable delay in you finding out your pet is safe and well.

For example, if a vets scan your chip to find you details and you have since moved - they will be ringing a wrong number until they either give up or someone else answers and tells them you have moved.  And if the number you have given on your dogs collar is your home number - you won’t hear them call you as you will be out and about local parks looking for your dog - and so will miss the call.  Lost cats are found during the day too - so make sure your work number is on there instead of your home number if you are a 9-5 commuter!

Silly little things could make all the difference in the rush to find your pet again.

Ask Others:
Asking all your neighbours is a great way to find a lost cat - but you will ultimately be calling up all your local vets, pet stores and rescue centres to ask around.

But - if your pet is chipped, then as soon as it is found by any of these or are taken to a vet at any time, they will call you.

However, if you want to call all these people up you are wasting a lot of time and effort for them as well as you!  They have to listen to all your details and write them all down in a folder - and sometimes these are volunteers doing this - so why not find a company that will contact them all for you in 1 go.

People like PetAmberAlert will fax or text your pets details to everyone on their books in your area in an instant - solving all your worries in one call!  Especially if you have lost your pet while travelling or on holiday - as you won’t know all the local vets and centres to call?

Or, just make sure you never lose you pet in the first place!

posted by admin on Jan 5

Could you be risking an animals life with your careless parking?

When you pull up to your local vets for an appointment - do you think of just your pet - or the effects of your parking on others?  I’m sure not many people think about the health of the other animals at the vets - but maybe it could help you out one day if everyone made this a priority.

For example - what if your pet was really ill and unable to walk far - but all the spaces close to the vets front door were filled by other patients?  What can you do to get your pet inside for urgent treatment?

And how annoyed would you be if you found out that the owners of those cars were just here for routine vaccinations, could have parked further away from the entrance and walked in, or caught the bus even! 

And how much more annoyed would you be if the owners of those cars had already had their vaccines and were leaving their car there while they went for walk to the local park!

Plan Ahead:
Of course, there are many people who do only think of themselves - but if patients all start to adopt a sort of ‘unwritten rule’ about parking, then patients would get a much better deal when they arrived.

I always wanted to park out of the sun as my dog had a bad heart and she would overheat easily - but other people would park there as they didn’t want to get a hot steering wheel and dashboard instead!  Leaving my dog to suffer on the way home…..

Elderly animals and pets should be able to park closer to the entrance than others just out of basic courtesy - and able-bodied owners and pets should feel happy to park further away and walk in - just because they can!

I would have walk her in if I could!  Instead I had to always book the first appointment of the morning so that the sun wasn’t at it’s hottest if I had to park out of the shade.

Other Considerations:
Added to the normal parking available - make sure that you don’t park in a restrictive location either!

For example, no matter how late you are for an appointment - you should never block an entrance or park on clearly marked ‘No Parking’ areas - even if they are big enough for a car!

Sometimes these spaces are essential for staff, pet ambulances or turning vehicles - and you could be stopping all those activities, sometimes to the detriment of someones pet.

You may think that it is quite simple for someone to come and get you from the waiting room if necessary and you can move your car then - but imagine if your pet had been involved in an accident, was bleeding and was going into shock - but you couldn’t get into the carpark as someone had parked there ‘just for a few minutes’.

Those vital minutes could help save your pet - but you have to leave your pet unattended in the car to run to the reception to find out who owns the car, there will be some more wasted  time discussing why they have to move it, then another few minutes for them to get someone else to hold their pet while they run to the car, then they have to find another place to move their car to before you can get yours up to the entrance - all the while your pet is bleeding out.

Would you think that leaving your car there for a few minutes was such a harmless action now?

posted by admin on Dec 31

Have you ever needed a vets appointment at a certain time - and there isn’t one!

It’s probably because there are some people in the world who think that if they don’t turn up to an appointment - it doesn’t matter; they won’t get charged for it.

Well, of course it matters!

Even though your kind vets have not set a charge for missed appointments - it doesn’t mean that they are free by any means.

Your Vet:
Not surprisingly - your vet still gets paid whether you attend your appointment or not - as do the receptionists and the many other nurses and staff at the practice.

You just don’t directly get to pay for that time you just wasted.  It comes off in little pieces all around the surgery - including the service you can be offered, the equipment you can use and of course the cost of medication and treatments in general.

The money you would pay for your appointment is only a small part of the surgery as a whole and if you don’t turn up without having called in advance - you set off a chain of events.

However, don’t just think that your actions have caused this alone - but you can guarantee that around 30 people a month don’t cancel their booked appointments - and this all adds up.

Start The Ball Rolling:
I am going to use arbitrary figures here that add up simply and they do not in anyway represent true costs and figures.

So your appointment may have cost £20, and with your vaccination or treatment for £20 on top of that.  However, if you don’t turn up - they can’t fill that appointment at the last minute - so they lose that £40.  And let’s say that those 30 people all do the same as you leaving the vets £1200 a month - that’s £14,400 a year - basically a whole member of staff.

So now imagine your vets needs to either get rid of a receptionist or trainee nurse to cover that loss.  This means that they may well take longer to answer your original phone call as there are less people on the desk, or they may have to reduce the number of operations they can do a week as they have less nurses to care for the animals afterwards.

Alternatively, they could try to get that money back by charging more for their appointments and treatments so that they can keep a full team. 

Neither of which would make them the vet of choice - yet you may have left them no choice.

The Results:
It might cost you 10 pence and 2 minutes of your time to ring ahead and warn them that you can’t attend - and so they could fill that ‘empty’ appointment and keep their money coming in, but without that call - you could be costing them a lot more.

I know it all sounds a bit of a huge fuss to just you as an individual - but it is never just you - it is always multiplied up to a grander scale.

And, think of those sick pets and owners who have difficulty getting their animals to the vets - the appointment you are not going to turn up to could have been perfect for them - but now they are going to have to wait until next week to see a vet when they needn’t have to.

Even calling to tell your vets on the morning of your appointment that you can’t make it could create an opportunity for another person to fill that gap and keep everything running smoothly.

If too many people just don’t bother - then maybe your vets won’t be so cheap, friendly, or as customer-focused when you next call for an appointment!

posted by admin on Oct 26

Should You Buy Products Online - Or Through Your Vets?

You mights be saving some money by buying your wormers and flea products online - but could a visit to your vet spot a health problem in your pet that you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise?

Sometimes doing something from home saves you a lot of time - as long as you don’t have to be in for the postman - but does it really save you anything in the long run?

Your Vet:
We all know that a trip to the vets can cost a fair bit of money - but they do more for you than you might think.

When you pet has it’s annual check up or a booster, the vet will also be looking for signs of other illness or aging that you might think is just ‘normal’ as you only have that 1 dog and you see it every day, so can’t always spot changes.

It is possible that you vet could spot something that needs a closer look, or can identify some problems that can be easily rectified to make you pet healthy again.

If you have pet insurance anyway - then a trip to the vets shouldn’t be a worry!  Yes, you have to pay the first so much for the consult - but any problems they find will no could be claimed on your policy - so shouldn’t be a worry - and means that you can make sure your pet gets the best treatment without worrying about the cost!

And this means that you can spot things early and get them treated, rather than catching them when it’s too late and having to try much more aggressive or expensive treatments at the last minute!

Why They Cost More:
And don’t forget that the vets have overheads!  I mean - how will they see you for a vaccination appointment if they don’t have a surgery building? 

How will they treat your pet in an emergency if they haven’t got staff on site overnight or the latest equipment?

Just in the same way you need to pay a bit more in a local store than supermarket prices to keep your local store open - you really need to buy your pet products from your vets if you want to keep that open too?

It’s almost like a membership fee.  You pay that little bit more for basics to make sure that your vets has enough money in the kitty to keep trading.

And just in the same way that only the strong survive on the high street - only the vets that make enough money will be able to stay open and treating your pets.

So, if you value your vet surgery and want it to stay just around the corner and taking care of your pets every needs - then isn’t it worth that little bit extra on a packet of Drontal or Frontline?  They need you and you need them!

I mean what good is a local pharmacy or a giant Tesco going to do for you when your dog becomes ill or needs an x-ray?

posted by admin on Aug 10

Not many people think of cat breeds when they think of cats - to most people; Cats are just Cats!

So, what I have done is to put together a list of the 5 most popular cat breeds in the the UK today, and a little description of each one.  This way you can get an idea of what is out there.

1) The Persian:
This long-haired cat breed always wins hearts!  With it’s flowing coat that comes in a huge variety of colours and it’s gentle nature (if properly groomed!) can make almost everyone go ‘ahh!’.  They have a long history of being a show cat and love to be pampered and to just sit on a lap or cushion and be stroked!

2) The Siamese:
This breed is the noisy one of the bunch!  They love to be heard over everything else - and can be very persuasive pets!  Their very short coat makes for low maintenance in that department, but they are very active - and very long-lived so can keep you on you toes for over 16 years!  Modern breeding has made for a much more ‘pointy’ cat - but the older style is still very in demand.

3) The Maine Coon:
A highly desirable large cat - and ever so family friendly.  One of the oldest known cat breeds from the US - this breed is found all over the world even today.  It’s thick insulating coat is great for all weathers, and it’s relaxed attitude wins it many human friends!  Once thought to be a cross between domestic cats and raccoons (!), this large breed cannot be mistaken for a standard moggie!

4) The British ShortHair:
Recently overtaking the Persian in UK show registrations, this very soft and very colourful breed is really increasing in popularity.  With huge eyes and a thick cuddly appearance - they make the most adorable kittens!  The males are considerably larger than the females and develop the large ‘jowls’ on their faces as they mature.  The blue colouring was so widespread at one point that it gained it’s own name: the British Blue - still winning shows today! 

5) The Ragdoll:
This delightful breed of cat is one of the most relaxed.  Not wanting to chase birds and rodents al the time, or destroy furniture and curtains by climbing all over the place - these cats make great indoor pets.  They all have striking blue eyes - the brighter the better for showing - but all stem from one American breeder with a single male and 2 females!

There are plenty more cat breeds out there, but hopefully this gives you an idea of those breeds you are likely to see for sale near you.

posted by admin on Jun 4

It’s not a case of whether you lose your pet - it’s more about getting it back!

Many pet owners don’t seem to realise how terrible it is to lose a pet, and just because their little pet seems to always be at home or is rarely off the lead - they assume it can never get lost.

It can - and many many many pets every year get lost - and only a few ever make it back home.

The Problem:
Well, I have worked for animal rescue centres and veterinary surgeries and the number of times we get a phone call to say that someone has lost their black cat, or their pedigree dog.

Now, I don’t know if you know this but there are about a million black cats that all look - well, black.  And let’s be honest, there really isn’t much difference to the layman’s eye between 1 Yorkshire Terrier and the next - I mean they are bred to all look roughly the same, aren’t they?

And, obviously unless you call every vet, rescue centre, pet store or well being neighbour, you might not ever be matched up to your pet again.  Say for example your cat had been asleep in a car that drove off 20 miles before the cat jumped out - would you have called the vets that far from home?

What if your dog got lost while you were out in the local woods and ended up following another owner to the car.  They might not find you or want to leave your dog alone - so thinking they are helping might take your dog with them and report it to their own vet - which is completely on the other side of the woods to you! Or you are on holiday, miles from home?

And don’t think your pets collar will help either - many owners don’t put their full details on them anyway - and many tags - and collars - can (and do) fall off!

We know that animals get lost all the time whether you want to believe it or not - but what if there was a way to give you pet an unmistakable, unremovable id tag that will bring them home everytime?

That’s A MicroChip!
A tiny chip can easily and cheaply be implanted into your pet - from cat to rabbit, ferret to horse and dog to tortoise - and you need never worry about getting your pet returned to you when it is found.

They just need the one chip implanted and that is it for the animal!  There are no ongoing costs for the owner - but obviously you need to keep your contact details updated everytime they change so if they need to contact you, they have the best number!

Every veterinary surgery or rescue centre will ALWAYS scan a found animal looking for a microchip as this is the fastest and easiest way to find the owner.  So as long as your lost pet turns up in one of these places - you will be reunited.

They will also scan these animals if their owners are asking for it to be microchipped for them or when an abandoned animal arrives in a shelter.  This has lead to some amazing reunions!

A lost or seemingly abandoned animal may sometimes be adopted in by a new home, and when that new owner wants them ‘chipped or finally takes them to a rescue centre - your details will pop up as the rightful owner!

Also, if a pet is injured or killed on the road and taken to a veterinary surgery, it will also be scanned for a chip.

June 2010:
This month is national MicroChipping Week in the UK - so make sure you take advantage of surgeries and rescue centres offering reduced implantation - and plenty of them are!

I mean, it is to their advantage too. The sooner they can find out about any existing medical conditions an injured ‘lost’ pet has - the sooner they can offer the best treatment. And rescue centres don’t want to raise valuable donations looking after your dog for a week while you try to find it! They would rather it was home the same day, back with it’s owner rather than scared stiff in a noisy kennel!

Also, if your pets are already ‘chipped - take this as a gentle reminder to update your Chip Company with the correct contact details!

It will be the best thing you ever did for your pet!

posted by admin on May 6

Welcome to Part II of this article discussing the reasons your pet may suffer from bad joints - and how to prevent this damage and discomfort.

Hopefully, the previous point all made sense to you, and have highlighted how easy it is too affect your pets life by simple decisions. Well, here are the final 2 to make sure you have the best partnership with your pet, for as long and as healthy as possible.

5) Excessive Weight:
This one is totally in your control - and there is no excuse for an overweight young animal!

With correct feeding and exercise, you pet should maintain a healthy weight for it’s breed - and your veterinary nurses and vets will be able to offer you all the advice and assistance you need. Nobody wants to see an animal in pain (which an overweight animal could well be) - so keep the weight off and you will extend it’s lifespan and make him a happier pet!

Some illnesses and medications can cause an animal to gain weight, but you can still make sure that it has a limited effect on it’s health. By offering controlled and low impact exercise you can reduce the strain on your pets body - rather than still taking it on day-long walks or running it along side you on a job or bicycle ride!

6) Age Related Problems:
Although you may think that it is inevitable that an elderly pet should get ‘a bit stiff’ it doesn’t have to be the end result for your pet.

If you are able to care for your pet from day one with alertness to their needs and great preventative care, you can reduce the chances of bad joints in old age.

For example, if you select a breed that doesn’t have hereditary joint problems, you are on your way to a healthy pet. Or if you select a breed that is known for joint problems but have had the parents and grandparents checked for low incidence, then again, you are reducing the risks.

And by the way - actions like this can help prevent all dogs and cats from having hereditary problems - as if you are not buying litters that are not guaranteed to be healthy - then they won’t breed them again, eradicating these potentially ‘bad’ genes. I mean who wants to buy a puppy or kitten that will be in pain for most of it’s potentially shortened life? Try to remember that nearly all puppies and kittens are ‘adorably cute’ - so don’t go on looks - go on health.

In terms of accidents - if you control your pet properly through it’s life - you will reduce injury through accidents, and if you control it’s food and exercise, again, you can reduce damage to joints in the same way.

Getting your pet insured from Day 1 can also work in your advantage. If you pet is born with a congenital defect (present from birth) then having them insured will guarantee that they have the best medical treatment available as all expenses will be paid for by the pet insurance company - not you. That way they can have all the scans and tests necessary to treat an improve their health.

Similarly if your pet gets an infection and you take it straight to the vets and they are not restricted by your wallet - they can deal with the problem asap and with the best available treatment, restricting it’s long term effect.

‘Aging’ is just the accumulation of all these effects. If you pet has had a healthy active life with little long-term illnesses it may well age very slowly - but if it is overweight and plagued by injury and illness, it will age quickly.

So, whether you are thinking of buying a new pet, or you have just acquired one - I hope this has given you a few things to think about and plan for in the future with regards to the health of your new pet.