Anything For Animals

posted by admin on Jan 1

Unfortunately, Pet Insurance is individual, so you need to find the best one for you and your pet.

Whether you have a dog, cat, parrot, snake, gerbil or horse - you need to know that your pet’s health is covered - whatever happens.

However, there are different types of pet insurance available and so you need to search around for the best one to cover you and your pets - and this isn’t necessarily the most expensive or the cheapest options.

If we use dog insurance as an example; you need to check your insurance covers all the things relevant to your lifestyle and everything relevant to your dogs ongoing needs.

For example, some insurance policies won’t cover your dog if you take it to work with you.  Some insurance policies won’t cover certain dog breeds or certain dog ages. 

And some will only pay out a certain amount of money for each individual illness.  So, if your dog has an eye problem when they are 2 years old and you use up the alloted amount of cover treating it; if the same eye then gets sore again at any time - the insurance company won’t be obliged to pay any more for it.  You will have to pay it all yourself. 

Things like this could be a problem with certain dog breeds which may have hereditary eye problems like entropian, retinal dysplasia or other more general problems like elbow or hip dysplasia.

And obviously it’s not just dogs with these insurance issues - as there are certain things that will be specific to other species - like eventing horses, working ferrets, hunting owls, female anythings used for breeding, show animals, and so much more.

That is why the best thing you can do when insuring your pets is to ask an expert.  Insurance companies offer a variety of levels of cover depending on what you need and what you are willing to pay for it.

However, as they offer different things - it is up to you to make sure you are happy with what you are paying for - and you have checked that it covers ALL that you need AND want.  For example if you want all conditions to be covered for everything, then you need to make sure that you find the exact policy which does that.  You can’t just sign up to what looks ok and than get angry when you aren’t covered.

It’s that same as buying a house - you can’t pay for a one-bedroom flat and then start complaining that they won’t add a second bedroom onto it 2 years later.

There are even different policy clauses for different countries (as they all have slightly different animal control laws), so if you live in Australia; then get pet insurance Australia specific.

The ‘best’ insurance is the one that suits your needs and your budget - there is no ‘one-size fits all’ approach to pet insurance.

So speak to an expert about your policy requirements and they will get you covered for everything you need - or want.  

posted by admin on Jun 20

Taking your dog for a walk in the countryside is great for your dog - but not for everyone else!

Dogs love the outdoors; the smell of the countryside, the space to run around, and time with you - but you mustn’t forget that it isn’t just about you and your dog.

There are many ways in which you and your dog could ruin the countryside for other users, make some people’s walks less enjoyable, scare wildlife and livestock, reduce the numbers of certain species and spread disease!

The countryside doesn’t sound too nice now does it? 

But it doesn’t have to be that way.  Just by following a few simple guidelines - both you and others can stay safe and have a great day out.

1) Understand the meaning of ‘under close control’:

Unless you can instantly get your dog to return to you or stand still immediately on your command - then your dog isn’t under close control.  This means that if you dog decides to chase sheep, run close to a road, scare ground nesting birds, ruin someone’s picnic or approach a young child - you can’t stop it.

And that is the very essence of ‘under control’.  So this means that whenever you are close to other people, roads, livestock, wildlife, walking through a farm or garden or when told to control your dog by a polite sign - you MUST put your dog on a short lead.

Saying ‘Sorry’ after the event just isn’t good enough in all the above circumstances. 

Never assume that any other countryside visitors want to ’say hello’ your dog either - just because he is cute; never assume that he won’t run off into a farm building, eat someone’s food or that they ‘always comes back eventually’. 

It isn’t fair on other countryside users, landowners or farm animals.

2) Dispose of Dog Waste considerately:

Picking up dog waste isn’t always the best thing to do - especially if you are then going to throw the full bag in a hedge!

Because your dog is under close control - you will always know when it is fouling in the countryside - and you must by law - deal with it appropriately.

If you are in a car park, public green space, farm yard, garden, picnic area or park - you must without a doubt collect the waste somehow and dispose of it in a bin or be prepared to take it home with you.

If you are on a footpath or public space where other walkers will pass by, then you need to move the waste from their path.  Either you can pick up the waste in a bag and take back to your car, or you can flick the waste into a hedge with a stick to degrade naturally.  You can’t pick up the waste and then throw it in a hedge! 

Not only is this technically littering, but the waste will not biodegrade inside the bag and voluntary litter collectors cannot get to the flung bag easily themselves - and pulling the bag will no doubt split it open!  And of course the plastic bag could suffocate wildlife!

If you are in farmland or grazing areas you should always pick up the waste as the bacteria in dog waste can pass on disease and worms to livestock (and other dogs) and of course rain can wash the waste onto the food crops!  Neither of which is desirable!

Even a well trained dog cannot know these things - so you will be held fully responsible for its actions. 

posted by admin on May 26

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

Toxicara canis:
Puppies can be infected before birth by their mothers (bitches). Towards the end of her pregnancy, hormones trigger any dormant larvae in her muscles to pass into the uterus. These larvae migrate through the flesh of the unborn puppies into their liver and lungs.

Once born and breathing, the puppies will cough these larvae up and normally swallow them stright back into their own intestines where they become adult worms.

The puppies can also ingest futher larvae from infective eggs in the environment (on their bedding, etc) or more commonly, through the bitches milk (dormant roundworms would have migrated to the mammary tissues and were also triggered by the bitches hormones).

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

However, puppies will 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, but will pass through the intestine wall and settle into their resting state (as cysts) in the muscle tissues.

Any eggs that were ‘passed’ by these puppies or the bitch onto the ground with 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 stay in the gut to become adult worms.

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

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

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 dog!!!

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 Apr 1

You must have heard of a doxipoo, a morkie, a zuchon or a pekepoo?

But should we be creating these crossbreeds for fun?  We are messing with years and years of diligent breeding to create specific dogs that look and act a certain way - and have centuries of history - just to make a one-off cute new puppy!

If we go back to the original ‘designer dog’ which was the labradoodle (labrador x poodle) there was a new purpose needed.  A non-moulting large dog that was intelligent enough to work with the blind - a moult-free Guide Dog.

We took an existing guide dog and bred it with with a similarly sized non-moulting dog - the standard poodle.  The result was a labrador-sized hypo-allergenic Guide Dog - well a small proprtion were.  Not every labradoodle retains the non-moulting gene, or the labrador sized gene, or the easy to train gene - so can’t be used at all. 

This is exactly the same for these new designer dogs.

People originally started working breeds along the non-moulting route for all sizes - as there are 4 different sized poodles as well as bichon frises and their clan who don’t moult as much as normal dogs either - and account for a lot of the ‘poo’ and ‘oodle’ breeds, like cockerpoo, yorkapoo, roodles and schnoodles.  But then something happened.

Rather than crossing breeds to gain any sort of benefit - people just thought it was fun to be the first to cross anything at all.  There were pugs with beagles, yorkies with shih-tzus, chihuahuas with daxies and King Charles spaniels with corgis.

It was all done in the name a novelty.

And of course - these designer dogs are just one-offs.  They aren’t true breeds - they are cross-breeds by definition and can’t breed true.  This means that if you breed a cockerpoo with a cockerpoo - you won’t necessarily get a litter of cockerpoos!

True breeding takes years and a formal pattern of breeding with certain individuals - you can’t just keep shoving 2 dogs together just because they look the same!

This happens now with bad breeding - for example, by breeding any old German Shepherds together you do still get a litter of German Shepherds - but they might not make very good pets or have any of the normal German Shepherd traits.  The reason is that most bad breeders only manage to get second-hand dogs or bitches - or the individuals that the breeder didn’t want to keep themselves - hence a bad gene pool!

Now imagine a whole country full of people who have decided that they want a designer dog to carry around with them in an over-the-shoulder bag.  Are these the type of people who can realistically control breeding to make sure that these breeds stay true?  Or will their efforts only further confuse the breeds and end up making mongrels instead?

The Genetics Are Tricky: 
If you cross a yorkshire terrier and a maltese, you get a morkie (apparently) - so lets say that all the puppies are somewhere between 75% yorkie/25% maltese and 25% yorkie/75% maltese.  This is a very wide range of numbers!  But needless to say people won’t think that this is a problem.

However the very nature of cross-breeds is they are just that - a cross between 2 breeds.  So if you then breed them with either a yorkie or a maltese - they are no longer morkies are they?  They might be 87% yorkie and only 13% maltese.  Breed them again with a maltese and you might not notice any yorkie at all - but breed them with another morkie or a yorkie and you will start to see shared traits again.

This could lead to all sorts of problems down the line in terms of true breeds though.  Will it come to a point where you can’t 100% tell which breeds you are breeding?  What if someone took that Yorkie with a hint of maltese and assumed that it was pure yorkie and bred it as such - it would still hold some maltese genes.  The breed is no longer pure.

I thought the reason that people liked a certain breed of dog was because it was just that - a specific breed of dog.  However, with all these designer cross-breeds lurking about - filling up classified and rescue centres - it might not be too long before there aren’t any pure small breeds anymore.

Pedigree papers will become gold dust as dogs that look like bichons, cocker spaniels and poodles - aren’t.  There will be no other way to tell which is which unless you get a DNA test!  But then pedigree dogs aren’t the most expensive or most sought after breeds anymore - people want a cross-breed!

Some people might say that pedigree dogs have been over-breed and have inherent diseases caused by our ‘breed standards’ and that it is good to get a non-pedigree.  But then we go ahead and start breeding dogs in our back yards based purely on what they look like - or what they sound like more often than not!

We are basically creating our own breed standards - but with no rules at all…..

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 Mar 9

We all love puppies - but here are a few tips for your search!

Buying your first puppy can seem so easy; you choose a breed you like then see the cutest little puppy ever - and buy it!

But there are a few things to bear in mind before you take that little ball of fluff home with you.

Rule Number 1:
The most important thing to remember when buying a puppy is that all puppies are cute!

All of them will tug at your heart-strings and you will come up with some little thing about them that means ‘they are the one’.  However, you need to be sensible about these things as not all cute puppies will be perfect for you as they grow up.

When you start looking for puppies for sale, you will find 3 types of puppy:

1) Puppies from a breeder who has many different breeds of puppy
2) Puppies from a breeder who only breeds that 1 type of puppy
3) Puppies from a family pet who has only had this 1 litter

Buying your puppy from the 2) and 3) examples is fine and usually (with 2) the breeder has had years and years of experience handling, breeding, showing and training your chosen breed or (3) the family pet was used just once for breeding so that the family can keep one of the pups for themselves because they love their existing dog so much!

The breeder in example 1) has no doubt been breeding dogs for the money.  They no doubt can tell you a lovely story about this and that - but someone who breeds numerous breeds of dog will predictably breed the most popular puppies - because that’s where the money is.

I mean isn’t that the breed that you are looking to buy?

Great breeders will use the best stud dogs and the kindest bitches to make sure that they are improving the breed and ‘weeding out’ bad genetic traits like hip dysplasia or skin problems - other breeders will just breed which ever 2 dogs they have at the time - regardless of health or behavioural issues.

You can still get your dream puppy from a good breeder - but they might ask you a few questions about you first - well, wouldn’t you want to know the type of person you are selling your puppies to?

So if you are searching for dogs for sale in your local area - then at least do it properly.  There are hundreds of breeders out there to chose from and take your time looking for the healthiest, disease-free individuals.

You wouldn’t buy a car that might have been badly made, or rush into choosing that new kitchen without learning a bit about the manufacturers and fitters would you?

And your dog should be with you for 8-18 years - longer than that car or kitchen - so get it right first time! 

Remember: All puppies are cute - but are they all healthy…….

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 Jul 20

We all get a bit hot in the warm weather - and we shed our layers and drink cold drinks.

So imagine your dog on the same hot day.  It can’t shed it’s coat or roll up it’s sleeves - and it can’t drink cool drinks or decide to stop in the shade or stay home.

So think about your dog before you take it out and watch it for signs that it is too hot.

However, there are 2 things you can do to make sure your dog never gets too hot unnecessarily and they are both very simple.

1) The Car:
Never leave your dog in a car in hot weather - even with the windows open!  You would think this piece of advice was the most obvious thing in the world - but people still do it! 

Dogs usually don’t settle when alone in the car either - making them even more stressed and so liable to heat up faster anyway.

Add this to a full furry coat and soaring temperatures inside a vehicle and you could very well have yourself a collapsed dog - or even a dead one.  Dogs really do die in hot cars - so don’t make yours suffer.

If you HAVE to drive your dog somewhere in the sunshine, have a strong breeze flowing through the car or the air con on - and plenty of water available in a non-spill bowl of course.

Equally, don’t leave your car parked in full sunshine wherever possible.  Find a tree or building to hide your car behind and/or invest in 1 or 2 of those thick window shades to keep the sun out - they work a treat!

2) Mad Dogs:
What ever possesses people to take their dogs out for a walk in the hottest part of the day (11am -2pm) is beyond me!

I can’t see any sense in taking your hairy friend out when the sun is at it’s hottest - just because we want to sit in the sun for hours - your dog certainly will have other ideas!  It would rather be at home asleep on a cold floor out of the sun!

Yes, some dogs do love to sit in the sun occasionally - but not after a long walk there and another long walk back in the sun - without a drink either!

Why not walk it earlier in te morning or later in the evening - and make it a walk for your dog, stopping and sniffing etc.  Don’t just take your dog where you want to go whenever that is.

And if you have short-nosed breeds, long-haired breeds, overweight dogs (be honest), or dogs with heart murmurs - you could be doing them more harm walking in the heat than you would if you didn’t walk them at all for the day.

If your dog is continually panting on a calm walk - it is too hot.  As dogs only ’sweat’ by panting - they will be losing water from their bodies fast!  So if your dog is drooling and panting in the sun after just walking - it could be in serious trouble. 

Stop walking, get in the shade and give your dog a big drink of water.  Don’t move on until it has fully recovered - or get a taxi home.  Why take the risk with your pets health?

Many dogs are diagnosed with heart problems in the hot weather.  It’s not that hot weather triggers heart problems - its just that people put extra stress on their dogs hearts by getting them too hot!

Cool Tricks:
Obviously, if you think that there is absolutely no way around taking them out in the hottest hours, then try some preventative steps on your journey - and take water with you at all times!

For example, make sure that you walk on the side of the road that is in shadow at the time, so your dog isn’t actually walking in the sun itself. 

Leave yourself longer to get to your destination, so that you can walk slowly and stop frequently in a shaded area to cool off part way.

Don’t be tempted to make your dog run around in any way.  Even if it usually loves chasing balls in the park - don’t ask it to do it in the boiling sun!  It will still want to chase things to please you - so don’t ask it to when it’s hot as it could easily overheat your pet!

Book an appointment to be clipped or bathed and groomed to thin out the coat.  Even short-haired dogs can benefit from a good grooming and a trim in the summer - and it could keep them that bit cooler when out on walks.

Now - go and fill up the paddling pool!