All posts by petprofessionals

Dogs, The Pet Professionals

Can you recognise resource guarding in your dog?

Has your dog ever growled at you for picking up their favourite toy?

Several situations and even medical conditions can cause a dog to be aggressive. Today, we’ll be going over one of them, called resource guarding. 

 

What sort of things may trigger resource guarding?  

Some of the most common examples of items associated with possessive guarding behaviour include:

  • Food in your pet’s bowl;  
  • Food that was dropped or stolen;  
  • Treats;  
  • Toys; 
  • Bedding or space in beds/sofas. 

However, your dog might try to control access to anything he or she deems valuable. 

 

What is the root cause of this type of issues? 

There’s a very important period in puppies’ development, between three weeks and three months of age approximately, when they learn a number of important behaviours from their mum, littermates as well as interacting with their environment. 

During this period, young dogs are prone to some degree of possessive and attention-seeking behaviours as they grow and explore their boundaries and the world around them. 

As they reach adulthood and mature, however, they learn that there are better ways to play and get attention from their family. 

When this learning process is not encouraged, resource guarding has the chance to become highly disruptive. 

Usually, dog owners can easily identify aggressive behaviours related to highly valued items, such as growling, snapping or lunging.

However, recognising more subtle signs is just as important to try and avoid the development of overt conflict.  

Learning to recognise possessive behaviour in all forms, even the milder ones, will also help you decide if veterinary assistance is needed.

 

Beyond snapping and growling, you should also pay attention to: 

  1. Grabbing the high-value item, running away and evading contact when chased; 
  2. Being overly vigilant or fearful when there are movements if your pet is in possession of the item; 
  3. Freezing, standing over or blocking the item from whoever tries to approach it; 
  4. Eating stolen food very quickly to avoid anyone having the chance to intervene. 

These behaviours may be more difficult to recognise but should always be addressed as they can evolve into serious problems such as generalised anxiety or aggression.

If you are concerned about your dog or are struggling to manage unwanted behaviours, speak to your vet. They will see if there is an underlying disease that might be causing aggression and will work with you to solve this problem!

Would you like to know more about dogs? Check our Canine Courses:

Canine courses


 

Cats, Dogs, The Pet Professionals

The dangers of heatstroke

Sun, relaxation and plenty of adventures are the biggest draws of the season!

But with all the nice experiences we can enjoy during the warmer weather, there are some concerns that pet owners need to keep in mind.

One of the most important ones is heatstroke and how it can be dangerous, even deadly, to your pets!

Read on for an overview of how heatstroke can happen and what to look out for.

 

What is heatstroke? 

Simply put, heatstroke happens when a pet overheats without being able to regulate his or her body temperature back to safe levels.

Dogs and cats lose heat differently than humans do, as they produce very little sweat and mainly lose heat by panting. The evaporation of moisture in the oral cavity is critical for heat loss, but this can’t happen if the outside temperature is too high.

Common situations where overheating is likely to happen include:

  • Pets trapped in hot cars, regardless if they are in the direct sunlight or not or with windows open;
  • Days where it’s very damp and mildly hot, as humidity makes temperature regulation harder even when it doesn’t seem too warm;
  • Pets playing outside when the temperature is high and not having the chance to cool down;
  • Pets without access to any cool, shaded places or water.

 

How can you tell if your pet is suffering from heatstroke?

Incoordination, weakness, excessive panting and drooling are the first signs of heatstroke. These should never be ignored as they can quickly progress to sudden collapse, seizures and even death if the pet’s body temperature fails to normalise.

Please note that elderly pets and pets with certain health conditions like narrow airways, obesity or diabetes, are at a higher risk as they have more difficulty regulating their body temperature.

 

What to do when my pet is suffering from heatstroke? 

If it’s warm and you spot that your pet is in distress, move them to a shaded area immediately and cover them with towels soaked in cool (but not cold) water to help dissipate heat. Offer them sips of water to drink if they’re able to do so, and contact your vet as soon as possible.

Heatstroke is an emergency, and veterinary assistance should be sought without delay!

Horses, The Pet Professionals

Wounds in horses

Like any other animal, including ourselves, horses can suffer from a multitude of injuries that may result in open wounds.

Today, we’re covering three important aspects to consider when facing wounds in horses that can help you be prepared for an unexpected situation.

 

#1 – Vet contact information

This had to be top on our list! Always have your vet’s contact information near you in case of an emergency so that you can seek professional advice quickly.

Wounds in horses can look very dramatic with torn, dangling skin, showing muscles and tissues underneath, but often wounds that are small in size and not as gory in appearance may be the ones that will need attention and treatment more promptly.

 

#2 – Blood everywhere

If your horse is wounded, it probably means that there’s blood, and sometimes even a lot of blood! Don’t panic – horses are large animals, which means they also have a large volume of circulating blood. Putting it in perspective, a haemorrhage that would be fatal for a person is not likely to cause noticeable problems for a horse!

That said, instead of focussing on the amount of blood you are seeing, focus on locating the source of the bleeding and how the bleeding looks. If you see blood dripping, it is likely to be coming from a vein, which is easier to manage. However, if the blood is shooting, it’s probably coming from an artery, which comes straight from the heart with high pressure, and this situation needs immediate attention.

In either case, grab something you have at hand (if you have a first aid kit, grab a sterile dressing, if you’re out hacking in the woods, a piece of clean clothing will do) and apply firm pressure to the wound for a while to stop the bleeding.

 

#3 – Wound location and type

Wounds affecting the lower limbs should always be assessed by a vet. As the limbs consist mostly of bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels, there is not much support from muscles or other tissues in case of trauma.

This also means that a wound on a limb is more likely to affect a joint or tendon sheath, which can quickly compromise the horse’s overall health.

Head wounds and wounds affecting the eyes should also receive prompt veterinary attention, as there are many superficial and delicate vessels and nerves on the face.

As for the type of wound, appearance can be deceiving, and the smallest wounds can actually be the worst.

Puncture wounds are extremely dangerous as it’s not possible to assess their depth just by observing them. Puncture wounds on the limbs can easily affect joint structures, and when located on the body, they can cause internal organ damage and infections.

 

Remember, the way a wound heals is often influenced by the initial first aid applied, so don’t hesitate to contact your vet to help you! Also, always approach your horse with caution and be attentive to subtle signs, as pain can lead to aggression.

And if you’re interested in knowing what you can do in an emergency situation before professional advice and treatment can be obtained, have a look at our equine first aid course on The Pet Professionals’ site.

 

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

Equine courses

 

 

Cats, The Pet Professionals

Taking your pet to the ophthalmologist

Throughout the years, there have been several developments in veterinary medicine, and with these, specialisation in different areas of clinical practice.
Just like human medical doctors, veterinary surgeons can choose an area of expertise that they’re keen on and pursue further education and training on the subject. For instance, did you know that there are vets specialised in eye health?
And that is what we are going to address today – veterinary ophthalmology.

Veterinary ophthalmology

Vets can collect valuable information from conducting a thorough eye exam, which is not limited to the eye itself.
Systemic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, infectious diseases and others, can manifest through ocular signs, emphasising the importance of a meticulous physical examination, even when the problem seems to be localised.
And given that ocular signs can have multiple causes, from something as harmless as a speck of dust getting caught in the eye to something as severe as life-threatening hypertension, eye problems should never be overlooked.

So, as a pet owner, how can you recognise signs of ocular disease?

Common signs of eye disease include:
• Excessive tear production and tear staining
• Dry eye
• Eye discharge
• Excessive blinking
• Inflammation (red eye)
• Asymmetric eyes (different sized pupils, bulging, swelling, drooping eyelids, …)
But there are more subtle indicators that there might be problems with your pets’ eyes or vision, such as:
• Pawing at the face and other signs of ocular pain or discomfort
• Avoiding being touched on the head
• Avoiding bright places (increased sensitivity to light)
• Pain-related behaviours (aggression, hiding, …)
• Being startled when touched or bumping into furniture and other obstacles if there is vision loss.

Ocular problems and when to seek help

There are many eye-related conditions that can affect our pets, such as conjunctivitis and eye infections, which are common in kittens and unvaccinated cats (cat flu), cataracts, glaucoma, and cherry eye, to name a few.
A common ocular problem affecting dogs during spring and summer is foreign bodies (e.g. grass seeds). Foreign bodies are any kind of object that enters the eye and gets stuck on the eyeball surface.
Tear flow and blinking are sure to follow as these are normal mechanisms that protect the eye, aiding in removing these foreign materials. However, these may be insufficient, so if persisting, you should seek veterinary assistance to have the foreign body removed before complications (such as eye infections) develop.
These and other simple eye issues can usually be addressed by your regular vet, but if it’s something more complicated, your pet may need to be referred to a veterinary ophthalmologist.

If you have any concerns about your pets’ eyes or vision, don’t hesitate to contact your vet. As with most other health issues, the sooner the problem is addressed, the better!

Dogs, The Pet Professionals

Hypothyroidism in dogs

Have you noticed that your dog has been gaining weight despite eating the same amount of food, is less energetic, and his or her hair is thinning?

These are common signs of hypothyroidism, an endocrine disease of the thyroid gland that can affect dogs, especially after a certain age.

 

The thyroid gland

The thyroid is located in the neck, and it produces hormones that participate in many normal bodily functions, including (but not limited to):

  • Energy production;
  • Regulating body temperature;
  • Bone and cell growth.

As it has such an important role in everyday bodily functions, problems that affect the thyroid gland can have severe health consequences.

 

What happens when the thyroid gland isn’t working as it should?

Thyroid gland disease can cause an abnormal hormone production, either because it is:

  • Increased, which we call hyperthyroidism;
  • Or decreased, which we call hypothyroidism.

Dogs predominantly suffer from hypothyroidism, which is caused chiefly by immune-mediated destruction of the thyroid gland. However, we haven’t managed to figure out why exactly this happens.

Because circulating thyroid hormones are too low, you’re likely to see:

  • Weight gain without increased appetite;
  • Loss of hair all over the body but especially the trunk and limbs;
  • Decreased interest in playing and less energy generally;
  • Darkening and drying of the skin;
  • Higher chance of skin and ear infections.

 

Treatment and outcome

Even though hypothyroidism is a chronic condition, it can be managed through daily supplementation with the missing hormones.

Regular monitoring is essential to check if hormone levels are where they should be and make necessary therapeutic adjustments when needed.

With treatment, your canine companion can still live a long and happy life!

 

If you’ve spotted any of the signs mentioned above, schedule an appointment with your vet. If it is hypothyroidism, treatment should be started as soon as possible to avoid complications associated with this disease.

Would you like to know more about dogs? Check our Canine Courses:

Canine courses

 

Horses, The Pet Professionals

Equine respiratory disease

Fun fact about horses’ anatomy and respiratory system:

Did you know that whilst most other mammals, such as cats and dogs, have 13 pairs of ribs, horses usually have 18?

This means that their chest is longer, allowing it to accommodate a large set of lungs that have a capacity of around 55 litres, which is nine times superior to ours. This is one of the reasons why horses are capable of such strenuous exercise and work.

Lungs are an important part of horses’ respiratory system. It’s in the lungs’ alveoli that gaseous exchange occurs, allowing oxygen to enter the horse’s bloodstream and carbon dioxide to be eliminated from the body.

 

That said, today, we’re raising awareness of important conditions that can affect a horse’s respiratory tract, what you can do to keep your horse healthy and how you can spot respiratory issues at an early stage.

 

Common horse respiratory diseases

There are many diseases that can affect a horse’s respiratory system, which we can divide into two large groups:

Infectious diseases:

  • Viral infections, such as equine influenza and equine viral arteritis
  • Bacterial infections, such as strangles, and secondary infections

Non-infectious diseases:

  • Inflammatory airway disease
  • Recurrent airway obstruction

 

What can you do to promote your horse’s respiratory health?

Staying informed is key, so don’t hesitate to seek professional advice when needed and discuss any concerns that you may have with your vet.

Knowing how to spot indicators of respiratory issues is very important as well so that you can tackle these at an early stage.

Regarding infectious diseases, some can be prevented through vaccination. Vaccination protocols are recommended based on a number of factors, including age, lifestyle and environment, so you should discuss this with your vet to find out what would be best for your horse.

As for non-infectious diseases, the ones that we mention above have an allergic nature, which means that part of their management involves environmental changes to remove or minimise potential allergens in the air.

 

Spotting respiratory signs

There are obvious signs of respiratory disease that everyone can easily identify, such as nasal discharge, coughing, and reluctance to exercise (although this last sign can be caused by many non-respiratory problems as well).

But it’s also important to be aware of more subtle signs, such as an increased respiratory rate and other non-specific signs like altered behaviour, loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.

If you recognise any of these, contact your vet so that they can examine your horse as soon as possible and if necessary, start treatment straight away!

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

Equine courses


 

 

Cats, The Pet Professionals

Spring flowers for cats

Spring brings us some of the best experiences of the year! The days start getting longer and warmer, and the dreary weather of winter slowly makes way for springtime bloom.

Even though there are still plenty of movement restrictions, the spring green and extra light make everyone a little more cheerful, even though we can’t go on outdoor adventures quite yet. Despite that, our gardens and homes are alive once more with all sorts of plants and flowers, letting us safely enjoy all the good things about this season from home.

 

However, plenty of plants can be dangerous to our furry friends, especially their bulbs. Some of the most common examples are:

  • Lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis)
  • Foxglove
  • Ivy
  • Yew
  • Rhododendron and azalea
  • Oleander
  • Daffodil
  • Geranium
  • Hyacinth
  • Tulips

If you’re considering a revamp on your garden or just looking to add some colour to your rooms, don’t forget to check for plants that are pet-appropriate!

 

Lilium and Hemerocallis

We would like to take some time to talk about cats and lilies, which are often bought into our homes as gifts or decorations, as these can pose a deadly danger for our feline companions.

Lilies (Lilium) and daylilies (Hemerocallis) are the two groups that are the most toxic to cats. Many other species have ‘lily’ in their common name but might not be considered lilies.

A small quantity of any part of the plant is enough to cause severe harm, including the pollen. Even though your cats may not be interested in nibbling flowers or unpotting bulbs, they may still ingest pollen by grooming their coats.

Signs of lily intoxication

  • Drooling;
  • Nausea;
  • Vomiting;
  • Diarrhoea;
  • Disorientation;
  • Tremors;
  • Seizures;
  • Kidney failure.

Irreversible kidney damage is easy to happen, and the best way to avoid it is to not have any lilies in your home or garden.

If you suspect your cat has come in contact with a lily, do not hesitate to contact your vet! The sooner the treatment is started, the better the chances of recovering without losing kidney function.

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

Feline courses


 

 

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