Monthly Archives: July 2015

Cats

Cats and milk

Cats 5 - Cats and milk

Many cats seem to love drinking milk and will react very enthusiastically when their owners offer them that treat. However, what many cat owners are not aware is that milk might not be the best thing for your cat.

Cats only really need milk when they are very young. To digest lactose, the sugar in milk, cats need an enzyme called lactase and this enzyme’s activity declines when cats grow up. After weaning, they gradually lose their ability to digest lactose, often becoming lactose intolerant.

For these cats this means that when they drink milk and the lactose in it reaches their intestines, it cannot pass through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. The lactose will remain on the intestines, drawing water from the intestinal walls and cause the gut flora to become unbalanced. By this time fermentation sets in and large amounts of gas are produced. All of this causes abdominal pain, occasionally vomiting and diarrhoea.

Some cat owners often try to offer their cats goat’s milk but it has just as much lactose as cow’s milk, so it is very unlikely to be any better. Our recommendation for all cat owners is to stop giving milk to your cat, if he or she feels abdominal discomfort or gets diarrhoea. The truth is that cats only really need water and good quality food to be healthy.

If your cat really loves milk and you are reluctant to deprive him or her of that treat you can always buy “Cat Milk” (lactose-free milk) from pet food stores, vets or supermarkets, which is basically milk that had most of its lactose removed and is less likely to cause these harmful reactions.

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Cats, Dogs

Health benefits of pet ownership

Dogs 32 - Health benefits of pet ownership
Most pet owners have probably already heard or read somewhere that there are many health benefits associated with pet ownership. Although there is still controversy over these results, many scientific studies have been suggesting that pets can bring advantages to their owner’s health.

Studies have shown that people with pets had lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels when compared to people who did not have pets, even when matched for weight, diet and smoking habits. It has been proved that pet owners will exercise more on average (even if it is just mild exercise) than people that do not have pets. This makes perfect sense given that responsible pet owners will spend time and energy caring for their pets and dog owners in particular, will take their canine friends for walks.

It has also been proved that dogs can reduce stress. Stroking a pet or simply having them in the same room can temporarily lower a person’s blood pressure. Other studies suggest pet owners have a lower cardiovascular risk and among the humans that have suffered a heart attack, pet owners seem to have higher rates of survival.

There also seems to be lots of benefits for children. Studies have suggested that growing up with pets can decrease the chances of suffering from asthma, ear infections and reactions to airborne allergens.

The benefits for children don’t seem to stop there. Pets can not only be a playful companion but they also play a very important role in the development of a child’s personality. Pets teach children important life-skills such as taking responsibility, managing their time, sharing and caring for others. Some studies have reported that children who grow up with pets become more nurturing and empathetic adults.

More research is necessary to fully clarify these findings. One thing is certain. Pets can help their humans from a psychological perspective. Pets are excellent topics to start a conversation and pet owners find themselves sharing stories about their pets with other pet owners, without even making much effort for that to happen. Just the fact that pets can help us make friends can indirectly, help reduce our feelings of isolation, depression and enhance other positive feelings such as self-esteem and self-worth.

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Dogs

Heatstroke in dogs

Dogs 31 - Heatstroke in dogs

Warm weather means enjoying outdoor activities and for dogs and dog owners alike these are great news! It’s time for pleasant walks outside, outdoor sports and even going for a swim! However the summer heat can be a bit too much for our furry companions so this is an excellent time to remind owners how to recognise the signs of heat stroke and what they should do if they see a dog in distress.
A dog suffering from heat stroke will present excessive panting, drooling an abnormally high heart rate and an anxious behaviour. As the condition progresses the dog may seem confused, uncoordinated and their gums and tongue turn red. Some dogs will present vomiting and diarrhoea. In a small amount of time the dog can collapse, go into shock and ultimately die.

Many of these incidents happen because people are not aware that dogs can’t handle high temperatures very well. Unlike us, dogs can only sweat through their foot pads and they lose body heat mainly through panting. This means that they are unable to lower their body temperature as efficiently as a human would and it means that if the air around them is hot as well, panting becomes very ineffective.

If you notice any of the previously mentioned signs on a dog the first thing you need to do is to remove the dog from the heated area immediately. Then you must gradually bring the dog’s temperature down and take it straight to the vet. Offer the dog frequent but small amounts of cool water at a time and apply cold, wet towels directly to the dog’s skin in the abdominal area, groin, head and neck. You can also use cool fans and air conditioning to help dissipate the heat.If possible, take the dog’s rectal temperature every 10 minutes. As soon as it reaches 103°F (39°C) you can stop with the cooling efforts since from that point on the dog will be able to stabilise its temperature on its own.

Ideally you should proceed with the cooling measures on the way to the vet. Dogs suffering from heat stroke go through severe dehydration, which can cause internal organ damage. Even if a dog seems to have recovered after the cooling process, it is still recommend to be brought to the vet as soon as possible.
This information is very important for all dog owners. If owners are able to quickly recognise the first signs of heat stroke they will be able to act immediately and save that dog’s life!

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Horses

Equine castration

Horse 26 - Equine castration
Equine castration is a very common procedure in which the veterinary surgeon removes both testicles from a horse under the effect of anaesthesia. This procedure is usually carried out for management issues and to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

Stallions often become very difficult to handle as they get older. They may try to establish herd dominance by fighting with other male horses and they will also try to mate with the females, leading to unexpected and unwanted pregnancies. This procedure removes the testicles, which are the primary source of hormones, decreasing the horse’s display of male sexual behaviour. After neutering horses become more docile and a lot more manageable. The procedure will also prevent other problems such as testicular tumours and inguinal hernias.

Colts can be castrated at any age but if owners want to avoid the appearance of sexual behaviour, horses should be castrated by the time they are two years old. Vets often prefer to castrate earlier as it this usually means less risks and complications.
The procedure can be done at your home or at a veterinary surgery. It is usually carried out during autumn to avoid the flies or during spring to avoid the wet winter weather.
Your veterinary surgeon will always do a complete physical examination on your horse to make sure he is fit for surgery. In addition, it is very important for the horse to be protected against tetanus. If the primary course of vaccinations is not complete, tetanus antitoxin will be administered at the time of castration to provide immediate protection against the disease.

There are different techniques to perform this procedure. The surgery might take place with the horse standing and under heavy sedation or more commonly with the horse lying down. In general this is a safe surgery and castrated horses experience very few postoperative complications, but as with any operation there are risks. Although the incidence of anaesthetic deaths is low it can occur in healthy horses and for no apparent reason. Other risks include post-operative bleeding, injury as a result of a poor recovery once the anaesthetic wears off, scrotal herniation and infection.

Some swelling around the area after the surgery is normal and it usually takes 3-5 days to disappear. The wound can take up to 3 weeks to heal and the horse is usually able to return to work after a month.

Most wounds heal without any complications but it is recommended to monitor the horse closely after surgery. If you notice that the swelling seems to be getting worse or lasting longer than expected, if you notice any material protruding from the incision site, excessive bleeding or if the horse seems depressed and with lack of appetite, contact your veterinary surgeon for advice.

It’s very important for horse owners to remember not to turn their colt out with mares for three months after the procedure as they will potentially remain fertile during this period.

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