Category Archives: Cats

Cats, Dogs

Taking your pet on holidays

Summer vacations are always fun but can be even better with the company of your furry friend! If you are planning to take your pet with you on holidays check out this list to help you prepare for the upcoming adventure.

1: Plan ahead.

If you want to have a stress-free holiday with your pet then this is the way to start.

2: Make sure your dog responds to basic commands.

It is important for dogs to be familiar with and respond to simple commands such as sit, stay, come and settle down. Dogs are friendly social animals by nature, but not all people love dogs like we do. It is important to respect other people’s personal space so that everyone can enjoy their relaxing time.

3: Schedule a check-up appointment with your vet.

If you want everything to go smoothly on your holiday, you should take your pet to the vet to ensure that he or she is healthy and able to go on this journey with you. This appointment will be important to check:

  • Your pet’s health status;
  • Electronic identification (microchip);
  • Passport and other documentation (if needed);
  • Vaccination status;
  • Worming treatments status;
  • Flea/tick treatments status;
  • Other treatments or tests that may be needed (this is especially important if you are travelling to a foreign country).

If your pet has motion sickness, your vet can prescribe some medication to make your pet more comfortable during your journey.

4: Booking.

When booking a place to stay you should always check if pets are allowed. If the answer is yes, there are still other things to verify:

  • How many pets are you allowed to take? This is important if you have more than one pet.
  • Is the pet allowed to stay in the room/bungalow/cottage by himself? If not, do they provide a pet sitter?
  • Is there enough space for your pet to run and exercise?
  • Are there any restricted areas where your pet is not allowed?

5: Itinerary planning.

If you want your furry companion to be part of your adventure, make sure you visit places that are pet-friendly. It is also recommended to get the contact information of a local vet just in case something happens (e.g. bee sting allergic reaction).

6: Packing!

Make a list of all the items you have to take with you so that nothing is left behind. The list should include: food and water bowls, your pet’s bed, your pet’s toys, poo-bags (or litter tray), your pet’s lead and collar with identification tags, your pet’s food and treats, medication and documentation. Many of these things can be bought later on but pay special attention to your pet’s food. Keep in mind that sudden changes in your pet’s diet can cause digestive upset.

7: Plan the journey

If your pets are not used to car rides, it’s a good idea to take them on short trips before the big one so they can get accustomed with the experience. It is also very important to keep your pet in a crate or secured with a dog harness for safety reasons. Make sure you make frequent stops along the way for bathroom breaks, for you and your pet to stretch your legs and to get some fresh air. Don’t forget to keep a bowl with you so you can offer your pet some water. Remember to never leave your pet locked inside your car alone, even if it is in a shaded area and with the windows open.

If you and your pet are flying, make sure to check all the airline’s recommendations.  For more information, you should also check https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad.

8: Get settled.

Try to make your room/cottage/bungalow feel like home. Find a place to put your pet’s bed, bowls and toys. A walk is the best way to explore the new environment and get acquainted with the new space. Dogs are creatures of habit so, if possible, stick to their feeding and walking routines.

9: Keep your pet safe.

Although you might love the idea of allowing your pet to explore freely and have some fun, you should always keep an eye out to see that he or she doesn’t get into trouble. Be especially careful with cliff edges, streams, wild animals, poisonous plants and other potentially dangerous things that your dog might chew and swallow.

Enjoy your holidays!

Cats, Dogs, The Pet Professionals

Happy Easter!

We wish all our members and pets a very Happy Easter and we hope it is a very joyful time for you all!

But please don’t forget:

  • Chocolate is best out of reach of any pets as it contains theobromine which is toxic, particularly to dogs;

 

  • Sweets and cakes with raisins, sultanas, currants like hot cross buns or grapes can cause severe kidney damage in dogs if they are ingested;

 

  • Some beverages, sweets and even some brands of peanut butter have xylitol, a common sweetener that can be deadly to dogs;

 

With everyone having fun it is very easy to lose track of things that might be accidentally left at pet level. If you suspect your pet has eaten something that he or she shouldn’t have, or you realize something might be wrong, please don’t hesitate to take them to the vet!

Have a safe Easter!

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Keep those lilies away from me!

Many of us love lilies, they are beautiful flowers that spruce up any bouquet, especially during Spring and Easter. However, lilies are highly toxic to cats, so much so that we consider every part of the plant to be potentially deadly.

There are many species in the Lilium and Hemerocallis genus that are very dangerous to have around cats but some of the most common are: Easter Lily, Japanese Show Lily, Tiger Lily and Rubrum Lily, but there are many others.

Even the ingestion of small bits of the plant can cause severe damage to the kidneys. This can include just nibbling on some leaves or petals or even the cat grooming pollen off his or her fur.

Lilies are not only gorgeous basket and bouquet flowers, but are also a mainstay in our gardens, which means your cat, if they have outdoor access, may run into them well away from your home.

Toxins produced by these plants harms kidneys and, if left untreated, in most cases it will end in renal failure. Animals show signs around 6 to 12 hours after exposure. You may see vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, difficulty walking and/or seizures.

If you suspect your cat may have come into contact with lilies you must take him or her to the vet immediately; receiving treatment as soon as possible is fundamental to a full recovery.

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How much do you know about kittens?

If like us, you can’t help but liking cats, you’ll surely agree that it is very hard not to be affected by kittens. Their playful personalities and never-ending cuteness are not easily ignored. This is why we would like to share with all the feline lovers out there some interesting facts about kittens!

When these adorable fur balls are born they cannot see, or hear, or walk. They can weigh from 90 to 110 g, gaining 10 to 15g a day. Kittens will only start seeing the world around them and responding to sounds at about three to four weeks after they are born. It is also around this time that they start passing urine and faeces without any help from their mother. Until they are capable of doing this by themselves, their mother has to lick their genital area in order to stimulate elimination.

Kittens are born without any teeth and these only start to break through when they are about two weeks old. Cats have two sets of teeth, and their first set is made of 26 baby teeth. These will gradually be replaced by their deciduous (permanent) teeth. All 30 adult teeth should have erupted by the time a kitten is six to seven months old. They start nibbling on solid food at around three to four weeks, and by the time they are eight weeks old, the transition between their mother’s milk and solid food will be completed.

One of the most important stages of a cat’s life takes place between three to nine weeks of age, and what happens during this time will influence how they will deal with their surrounding environment throughout the rest of their lives. We’re talking about their socialisation period. It is very important for kittens to enjoy lots of positive interactions and experiences during this sensitive time. Kittens should be gently handled by different people, and exposed to a wide variety of objects, animals, places, and situations. This is the best time to get them used to children, to the sound of the vacuum cleaner, to cat carriers, and car rides.

It is recommended for kittens to be rehomed at around 8 weeks of age so they have had time to build up their socialisation skills with their mother and siblings. If you are getting a kitten from a breeder, it is important to make sure your breeder will keep this critical period in mind and will provide the kittens with many positive and varied interactions.

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Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is one of the most frequent hormonal disorders in cats, especially of older cats. The thyroid is a gland that sits in front of the throat and controls an immense number of metabolic processes.

Cats, much more so than dogs, can have nodules in the thyroid that produce an excess of thyroid hormones, but these nodules are usually not malignant. The mechanism behind the enlargement of these structures is largely unknown, but since the large majority of these nodules are not cancerous, it’s much easier to manage! In fact, only about 2% of all hyperthyroidism cases in cats are due to a thyroid carcinoma.

It’s no surprise then that the signs of hyperthyroidism are multisystemic. This disease can cause:

  • Vomiting;
  • A big appetite but not weight gain;
  • Weight loss;
  • High heart and breathing rates;
  • Aggression and/or hyperactivity;

Pay close attention to these changes in older cats! The average age of hyperthyroidism is around 13 years and is uncommon in cats younger than 6 years old.

If left untreated, hyperthyroidism can cause severe heart and kidney damage and even death so if you think your cat might be suffering from this condition, contact your vet!

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The Science Behind Colourpoint Coats


Some of our most recognisable and charismatic cats are colourpoint cats!

The cream coloured body with the darker extremities shows up on breeds like the Siamese, Tonkinese, Birman, Himalayan and many others. This type of coat can have many different types of colours, anywhere from a cream body paired with a strong contrasting black to a smooth white and soft brown ‘lilac’ point.

This type of fur colour is quite special in cats as it is the result of a mutation of one of the enzymes that is responsible for producing melanin, a dark pigment responsible for coat colour. Technically, these cats have a very particular form of temperature sensitive albinism.

The enzyme, called tyrosinase, is mutated and will only work at temperatures cooler than the core body temperature. This is why the places that have a darker colour are extremities, face, ears and scrotum in male colourpoint cats as they are the only regions where tyrosinase will be active to produce melanin.

Amazing how a little genetic mishap gave some of our most popular kitties their unforgettable colour!

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Cats, Dogs

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! We hope this was a productive and amazing year and we hope 2018 is even better! Wishes of all of the best this season has to offer from all of us here at The Pet Professionals.

While the New Year brings a lot of fun for us humans, don’t forget the challenges many pets face during these days.

Fireworks are everything but fun for our pets. The loud bags and whizzes are often terrifying to them and many cats and dogs get so scared they often run off in panic. Don’t forget to microchip your pet and/or update your details with the microchip company.

Creating a comfortable den for your pets to hide and feel safe when they are scared, is an easy and effective way to help them cope. This area should be away from any doors or windows, and should be covered with a duvet or a blanket to muffle out the loud sounds.

Taking your dog out for walks during the day and keeping your cat indoors is also a good idea if fireworks are expected. Closing doors and windows as well as turning the TV or the radio on can help muffle the sounds.

Other options include anxiety-support supplements, products and behaviour modifying techniques that make a huge difference in reducing your pet’s stress levels.

Talk to your vet to know what would be the best approach for you and your pet.

Help us spread the word about these issues and hopefully more pets will enjoy a safe and happy Christmas.

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Cats, Dogs

Merry Christmas to all!

 

A very Merry Christmas from all of us here at The Pet Professionals! We hope this season is filled with joy and warmth! We also want toremind all owners to keep their pets safe during Christmas and New Years’ celebrations.

Delicious foods and beautiful decorations seem to be everywhere right now. It’s important to keep in mind that our four-legged friends should not have access to many of these foods and that it is really worth keeping a close eye on them during this time of the year.

Chocolates and sweets are a big part of Christmas and these can be poisonous to pets. Chocolate contains theobromine, a substance that is toxic for them and the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is to a pet. Certain types of chocolate such as dry cocoa powder, dark chocolate and unsweetened (baking) chocolate should be kept out of their reach at all times.

Sweets not only have incredibly high levels of sugar but many often contain xylitol, an artificial sweetening agent that is also poisonous, even if ingested in very small amounts. Xylitol can be added to tea, to several other baked goods and it is even used in some brands of peanut butter.

Mince pies, Christmas cake, and Christmas puddings are not recommended since they are full of raisins and sultanas, which are also known to cause kidney problems in dogs.

Get some healthy treats ready for your furry companions and avoid feeding them with leftovers from Christmas meals. Although delicious, our Christmas feasts are high in fat which can lead to digestive issues and contribute to the onset of pancreatitis.

Pets usually love Christmas decorations, especially curious and playful cats. However, tinsel, string, ribbons and any other ornaments being chewed or swallowed are not only a choking hazard, but can also cause intestinal blockage. Cats and dogs nibbling on plants such as mistletoe, poinsettia and holly is also to be avoided as these are mildly toxic for them.

Help us spread the word about these issues and hopefully more pets will enjoy a safe and happy Christmas.

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Big Hearted Felines – Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Many of us have heard about dilated heart disease in our daring dogs, a disease that is especially prevalent in giant breeds, but did you know that our cats also have a type of specific heart disease that is much more common to them and quite uncommon in dogs?

In dogs, the most common issue is that the heart has enlarged chambers and it compromises the normal rhythm of the heart and fluid dynamics in the circulatory system. In our cats however, it’s the heart muscle itself that gets too big. We call this the hypertrophy of the heart muscle and it usually happens on the left ventricle.

While it might sound like having a bigger heart muscle would definitely aid in the heartbeat, what really happens is that the wall becomes so thick it makes the flow of blood throughout the heart much more difficult.

We are not 100% sure why cats develop this sort of cardiomyopathy and several causes might exist but we do know that some breeds of cats like the Ragdoll and the Maine Coon are more predisposed to the condition. Research has revealed that it’s most likely a genetic deficiency in the protein of the heart muscle of these cats.

What to look out for in cats that might hint to a heart problem:

  • Difficulty breathing due to congested lungs;
  • Not wanting to play around or move much;
  • Vomiting;
  • Collapsing;
  • Lack of appetite;
  • Sudden paralysis of hindlegs due to embolisms in the arteries of the leg;

Clinical signs and severity of disease can vary a lot, some animals might never show any signs while others might suffer from sudden death due to heart failure.

As soon as you suspect something might be wrong, take your cat to your vet as soon as possible. There are several things that can be done to help them out and to lessen the progression of the disease.

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What to do when your cat is lost?

 

Many of us have been in this very situation: your cat ran off for some unsanctioned outside fun, or they haven’t returned in a couple of days, or something spooked them and they escaped into the great outdoors and now, you don’t really know what to do.

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can try that will help improve the chances your feline friend will find you again:

  • Tell your microchip database immediately;
  • Post up posters in the neighbourhood with a good photo and ask people to check their sheds and garages;
  • Contact vets and rescue centres as they may have picked up your cat;
  • Speak to your closest neighbours personally and ask them to check their sheds/garages for you and keep an eye out;
  • Keep the cat flap or other usual entry points wide open in case they try to return;

Scared cats, especially indoor only cats that ventured out into the great open world, might be holed up somewhere very silently in a panic and are not responsive when you call.

It might even happen they are right next door, squeezed into some quiet corner waiting for an opportunity to leave so don’t forget that direct searching, especially in neighbours’ properties, might make the difference between recovering your cat safe and sound or not recovering them at all.

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