Monthly Archives: March 2021

Cats, Dogs, The Pet Professionals

Preventing pet theft

If there’s one good thing that came out of this pandemic, it would have to be a strengthened relationship between ourselves and our pets.

Pets have provided us with an unparalleled source of company and support in these challenging times, which we believe to be related to the increased demand for pets that we’ve seen in the past year.

However, as with any other situation in life, there are positives and negatives, which leads us to today’s blog post about pet theft.

According to the charity DogLost, reports of pet theft have increased by 170% in the last year.

As pet owners, we can only imagine how horrifying it must be to have your pet stolen, so we’d like to share our top four tips to help you keep your pets safe.

# 1: Safety while out and about

Before taking your dog for a walk, make sure that they are wearing their ID tags.

There are a number of precautions that you can take while out on a walk with your dogs to maximise your safety, including:

• Walking your dogs on a lead in public places
• Walking your dogs around other people, in well-lit places
• While playing fetch, not throwing their toys too far away
• Avoiding having a fixed walking routine
• Avoiding posting your location on Social Media
• Not leaving your dogs tied up outside when you go into a shop

#2: Pet training

There is one command that can be invaluable in these situations, which is a good recall. If you’re out playing with your dog off lead and you notice a stranger approaching, call your dog and keep them near you and out of other people’s reach.

#3: Home safety

Unfortunately, we can’t help but mention that not all cases of pet theft occur on the streets or in public gardens and that there are individuals who will break into your home to steal your dog if they find the opportunity to do so. If your pet is home alone, make sure to leave the doors locked and your windows secured. If you have an alarm, remember to turn it on.

#4: Identification

This will not prevent your pet from being stolen, but having your pet microchipped will be instrumental in reuniting you after they are hopefully found. Make sure that your contact information is updated with the microchip company as well as your vet.

One last thing worth mentioning is that dogs of popular breeds such as French bulldogs and Pugs, for example, as well as unneutered dogs, may be at increased risk of theft.

However, pet theft is something that can happen to anyone, so we hope that you follow our tips and never have any problems with this type of crime.

Horses, The Pet Professionals

Equine grass sickness

Equine grass sickness (EGS) has caused significant losses in the horse, pony and donkey population, especially in the UK, which is the country with the highest incidence of this terrible disease. As it has a 95% mortality rate and no known cause, this condition is of great concern to owners in affected areas. 

Horses aged between two and four years are the most affected, however, it can occur in animals of any age from four months onwards. It happens almost always in animals with access to grass pasture, yet researchers have identified a few grass sickness cases in horses that had no access to grass. Because the cause is still under investigation, it’s hard to say why even some horses with no access to pasture had these issues, but it is thought that hay might have brought in the yet mysterious causal agent. 

What we do know is that EGS destroys the part of the nervous system responsible for gut motility and the type of damage it causes has researchers searching for a toxic cause, such as bacteria like Clostridium botulinum in the soil. 

 

Signs 

Grass sickness has three primary forms: acute, subacute and chronic. They share a lot of the same signs, but the prognosis and treatment options are very different. 

In general, you can find: 

  • Drooping eyelids; 
  • Depression; 
  • Muscle tremors; 
  • Difficulty swallowing; 
  • Distended abdomen; 
  • Weight loss; 
  • Colic; 
  • Sweating in patches. 

 

Unfortunately, animals that display either the acute or subacute form are not likely to survive more than a few days. 

However, horses with a milder chronic form of this disease might not only survive but can also make a full recovery, so prompt intensive nursing treatment should be sought. 

 

 

Seasonality and risk factors 

A strong correlation to any particular season has not been observed, as cases can occur at any month of the year though EGS peaks between April and July. 

The risk factors are still under study, but animals that have undergone severe stress (travelling, breaking, mixing with strange horses, among others) and that have access to grass fields where the soil has been mechanically disturbed, has a high nitrogen content or a high number of horses, might increase chances of developing grass sickness. 

Usually, only one animal is affected, but outbreaks where several horses fall ill simultaneously are possible. 

 

Due to a still elusive cause, equine grass sickness remains a very complicated illness to manage and prevent! If you have any concerns about your horses or the conditions of your pastures, don’t hesitate to contact your vet for further information.

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

Equine courses

 

Cats, The Pet Professionals

Feline skin and health

What is so great about a cat?

There is no right answer to this question as there are so many facets of this species that fascinate us – their independent nature, yet the strong bond that unites us, their elegant grace, yet their clumsy antics, their ruthlessness as predators, yet their gentle affection towards their favourite companions.

But today, we’re going to focus on one, which is their silky, lustrous coat.

The coat and skin can tell us a lot about a cat’s health, as there is a number of diseases, and skin conditions that can manifest with skin lesions.

Before we get into it, here are three curious facts about the skin:

  • It is one of the body’s biggest organs;
  • It is composed of three different layers, each having a specialised cellular population and function;
  • In conjunction with the coat, it is the first barrier of defence against all kinds of external aggression (sunlight, temperature, bacteria, chemicals, trauma, …).

 

Healthy coat and skin

For your cat to have a healthy coat and skin, there is one essential factor: adequate nutrition. Feeding your cat with a high-quality, nutritionally balanced diet, containing essential fatty acids, zinc and other minerals, will not only promote your pet’s overall health but will result in a beautiful coat and healthy skin as well.

Dermatological problems

However, even with proper nutrition, there are some diseases that can affect your cat’s skin and coat that you should be aware of as a responsible owner.

As we have mentioned before, these can be either directly related to the skin or can be a manifestation of an underlying condition that also create skin changes.

Let’s go over some common examples:

Localised skin conditions

  • External parasite infestations, such as fleas and mites
  • Contact allergies
  • Traumatic injuries, such as cutaneous wounds, and infections
  • Acne

Systemic diseases that manifest with cutaneous lesions

  • Hormonal diseases, such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Food allergies
  • Stress-induced alopecia

As all of these can cause similar skin lesions, the only way to know which is one affecting your cat is with the help of your vet.

 

Common cutaneous signs include:

  • Erythema (redness)
  • Dry skin, scaling and crusts
  • Thick or thin, non-elastic skin
  • Broken skin, inflammation and infection
  • Itchiness
  • Poor coat
  • Alopecia (hair loss)

If you recognise any of these or notice that your cat is excessively grooming, biting or scratching themselves, don’t hesitate to seek veterinary assistance.

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

Feline courses