Monthly Archives: January 2016

Cats

Overweight cats

Cats 16 - Overweight cats

Cat obesity affects one out of three adult cats in the UK and it is very important for owners to be aware of this problem. It is recommended for pet owners to monitor their pets’ weight and body condition, so they can act and help their pets return to their normal weight, if necessary.

Being overweight can have a significant impact in your pet’s life. They will feel tired and breathless with only mild exercise and many cats will struggle with their daily grooming. Overweight pets are also at a greater risk of developing more serious health issues such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, lower urinary tract problems, constipation, respiratory problems, heart disease, heatstroke and even reproductive disorders.

The primary reason for a cat to gain weight and eventually become obese lies in the fact that they are consuming more energy than they are expending. There are several factors that contribute to this problem: age, level of activity, lifestyle (indoor or outdoor), neutering, and of course, their diet.

There is a lot you can do to help your feline friend become fit and healthy. Please remember that food is only part of the cause – your cats’ environment and lifestyle will also affect their weight. In particular, lack of exercise can pile on the pounds, so it’s a good idea to encourage your cat to stay active in order to burn off any excess energy.

Here is what we recommend:

  • Daily playtime to encourage exercise: many cats enjoy climbing, scratching towers and spending time chasing a ball or a ‘fishing’ toy; you can also put some of their food into a special feeding ball, which they’ll need to play with to release the food inside
  • Portion control: try not to overfeed your pet by following the guidelines on the food package
  • Seek veterinary assistance: your vet can help you start introducing some changes to your cat’s usual routine, as well as recommend a specific lower calorie diet that can help you manage your pet’s weight.
  • Treats: be responsible with the amount of treats you feed your pet with; choose healthy treats

It is very important for your cat’s weight loss to be slow and steady, as a rapid weight loss is dangerous and can also lead to serious health problems. Follow your vet’s advice and remember that the treatment for obesity is focused on weight loss and on maintaining a healthy weight in the long term.

Would you like to know more about cats? Check our Feline Courses:

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Cats, Dogs

Has your pet ever eaten something he or she wasn’t supposed to?

Dogs 39 - Has your pet ever ate something he or she wasn’t supposed to
If there is one thing pet owners should keep in mind is to be careful with what their pets have access to.

Our pets can eat the most unbelievable things and in relatively large amounts. Vets know this very well as they are the ones who frequently treat these cases. That is why we wanted to share with you some of the stories from the “They ate what?!” contest.

This competition has been running since 2006 in the United States and showcases the unusual and often funny situations lived by veterinary surgeons and pet owners, when their pets decide to eat things they really shouldn’t.

The X-ray that won first place in 2015 belonged to Zeus. Zeus is a one year old Doberman who loves to chase golf balls. Apparently Zeus also loves to eat them. When his owner noticed Zeus wasn’t eating and not feeling quite like himself he took him to the vet. An X-ray showed this mischievous dog had swallowed 26 golf balls!

The X-ray that won second place belonged to a 10-week old Labrador, who had eaten the end of a fishing pole and the X-ray that won third place found a door hinge in 6-month-old lab.

Among the extraordinary entries you can also find the X-ray of a cat who swallowed several small coins or Yogi the cat’s X-ray that showed he had eaten more than 30 hair ties and other string-type objects. Danner, a 4-month-old male English cocker spaniel, was found by its owner “looking full and feeling crunchy”. The poor dog’s abdomen felt and sounded like a bag of rocks. It turns out the Danner had ingested 2.6 pounds of rocks!

Last year’s entries of this competition are equally impressive. A 3-year-old Grate Dane ingested 43 and half socks and Cody, a 10-month-old golden retriever swallowed a light bulb. You can have a look at their stories and incredible X-ray’s at:

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/2015Xraycontestwinners/

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/2014-X-Ray-Contest-Winners/

Please be careful with what you leave lying around your pet. Although it doesn’t seem to make sense to us, unfortunately many pets will eat unusual items!
Would you like to know more about cats and dogs? Check our Feline and Canine Courses:

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Horses

Looking after your horse during winter

 

Horse-32---Looking-after-your-horse-during-winter
Winter can be difficult for horses especially if they are kept outside all year round but they will cope better if their owners provide them with extra care and attention.

A safe and stable field shelter is a great option for horses kept outside to have somewhere to go when the weather gets worse. It is very important to keep it clean, dry and with an area of clean bedding.

If possible try to keep an adequate working routine as it is very important for your horse’s health and wellbeing. Working horses and horses that are turned out will not have as much to eat outside and will need more food so don’t forget to always adjust feeding accordingly. It is always a good idea to keep an eye on your horse’s body condition score. To put it in a simple way, in a horse with a normal body condition score you should be able to feel the horse’s ribs when applying a light pressure with your hand on their ribcage.

If you can feel your horse’s ribs easily the horse is underweight and if you need to press a little harder to feel the horse’s ribs, your horse is probably overweight. Thin horses will be more susceptible to the cold and will lose weight in order to keep their body temperature.

Check on your horse twice a day and if possible, visit your horse early in the morning as this means you’ll have daylight if anything needs to be sorted out. Make sure there is always clean and unfrozen water available for your horse. Studies have shown that horses will drink a lot more if the water is slightly warm so please do not hesitate to add some warm water to your horse’s water buckets just to take the chill off. An adequate water intake is very important to keep their intestine working properly and to prevent colic.

Depending on your horse’s age, breed, on how much work your horse is doing and how sheltered your fields are, a rug may be recommended. Owners should remove their horse’s rug once a day to check underneath and make sure everything is looking normal.

It is also recommended to keep an eye on any signs of mud fever. Mud fever is common during this time of the year. If a horse stays wet and muddy for too long it could damage their skin, leading to the appearance of cracks and scabs usually on their lower limbs. This skin condition can lead to an active bacterial infection.

The best way to prevent mud fever is to clean the mud and dirt from your horse’s legs using tepid water and towel-drying them afterwards.

Our last recommendation is to make arrangements with someone you trust and has some experience to take care of your horse if you are delayed or if you cannot be there for some reason.

Would you like to know more about horses? Check our Equine Courses:

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