Category Archives: Dogs

Cats, Dogs

Have a great Guy Fawkes Day!

Firework season has officially started! Normally, this is not met with much joy from our pets and it’s not hard to understand why.

If you’ve done all the preparations prior to Bonfire night such as behaviour modification, introduced specific medication to help with anxiety, purchased a very fashionable thunder jacket and trained with your pet to minimise stress and fear there are still many things that can be done today to help ensure a calmer day.

We leave you with some helpful suggestions:

  • Build a nest! Grab a cage or a sturdy box and drape it with some thick blankets or other noise muffling materials and place it where your pet feels comfortable
  • Keep microchip information updated! Many pets run away in fear and get lost, and a current chip could be the difference between a happy reunion and being lost permanently
  • Let them have access indoors or to a comforting location! Don’t trap them outside with no way to hide and let them access whichever rooms they feel most comfortable in
  • Distract them! Put on the TV or some music that doesn’t stress them out and try to play with them or engage with them using fun toys

We hope you have a great Bonfire night and don’t forget! Check under your bonfires and make sure there are no friendly hedgehogs snuggling for warmth.

Cats, Dogs

Happy Halloween!

We wish you a merry, scary Halloween! We are sure it will be a night filled with delicious treats, spooky costumes and lots of fun!

Having said that, there are a couple of things that can sometimes be dangerous to our pets:

  • Sweets are toxic! Many contain chocolate or a sweetener called xylitol, so keep them well away from your pets
  • Pet costumes are great but take care to make sure they don’t hinder movements, are overly annoying or might hinder breathing or seeing
  • Sweet wrappers can obstruct the digestive system of any unwary pet so keep your hard-earned sweeties well away from your furry friends

With all of these things in mind, we are sure this tale of a spooky Halloween will go very smoothly for humans and pets alike!
Happy Halloween, everybody!

Dogs

Mushroom Menace!

Few things are as good as long walks through the dazzling Autumn colours of the great outdoors with our daring doggies.

In the spirit of keeping everyone healthy during the Autumn months, we just wanted to remind everyone that mushrooms are in season and that several of these species are highly toxic to our dogs.

Keep your dog away from any and all mushrooms you may find and this includes not just when you’re out for a nice walk but also the ones that may be growing in your garden. While the majority of mushrooms have no toxicity or at most cause mild problems, the ones that are indeed highly toxic can cause serious harm or even death to an unwary pet.

Distinguishing between them is something that should only be attempted by experts and even so, just to be on the safe side, don’t let your dog take a bite out of any of them (And don’t do it yourself unless you are confident you can identify them correctly!)

Many of the poisonous species produce toxins called amanitins and these are highly hepatotoxic, causing lethal damage to the liver and other organs. There are other types of toxins that produce digestive alterations and even mushrooms that produce hallucinogens. Hallucinogen ingestion will cause loss of balance, odd vocalisations, increased aggression and higher body temperature.

There are no specific antidotes! Animals require immediate, aggressive therapy to improve their chances of survival, so if you suspect your daring dog has eaten something they shouldn’t, take him or her to your vet without delay!

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Cats, Dogs

Atopic Dermatitis: an itchy bother of unknown cause

Atopic dermatitis is a skin disease of dogs and cats, but for our pooches, it’s one of the most common allergic skin diseases right alongside flea bite hypersensitivity.

I’s estimated to affect in about 3 to 15% of the canine population and it occurs due to an exaggerated response to environmental factors and substances that are usually no bother like pollens, moulds, mites and many other things.

In dogs, we believe that it’s an inherited predisposition and while it can show up anywhere in the world and in every dog, some breeds might be more predisposed to developing this condition than others. Because this allergy relates to environmental factors, different breeds might be affected differently.

In the UK, these breeds are:

  • Boxer;
  • German Shepherds;
  • Labrador and Golden Retrievers;
  • Many breeds of terrier but especially West Highland White Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers

Of course, having a pooch of any of these breeds won’t mean they will have atopic dermatitis but it is a risk factor.

What to expect from a dog that has this condition? A *lot* of itching!

There are a lot of different degrees of severity to it and may even be a seasonal issue but the chief complaint is intense itching, scratching and even injuries due to self-induced trauma. Recurrent otitis and conjunctivitis might also happen.

The areas that are the most likely to be affected are in between toes, muzzle, around the eyes, axilla, ears and groin. You can find your pet scratching or trying to get to these areas a lot and there might be little hair there, bumps on the skin or a reddened or thick skin.

Unfortunately, without adequate management, it is usually quite likely to get worse. Not only worse in terms of being itchier and maddening for your pet but secondary infections with bacteria and yeast can show up to make matters worse.

If you see your pet with very intense and recurrent itch, foul smelling ears, loss of hair and red skin take them to the vet! While it cannot be cured, there is therapy that can afford great quality of life to your furry friend.

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Dogs

An important message to dog owners: Beware of Grass Seeds!

Grass seeds look fairly harmless don’t they? Unfortunately, some of these seeds are a potential hazard for dogs that can lead to expensive and unwanted visits to the vet!

These seeds can get caught in your dog’s fur very easily as they are shaped like small darts with thin bristly fibres. This particular shape causes them to keep progressing in one direction, which is usually towards the dog’s skin. It won’t stop there, as it can break the skin, and as time goes by it can burrow deeper and deeper. As you can imagine this will cause a lot of pain, tissue damage, and eventually it will drag a nasty infection with it.

In most cases grass seeds enter through the dog’s paws and ears, although they can get caught anywhere on a dog’s fur, and can even find their way up a dog’s nose. Dogs with grass seeds lodged on their paws tend to start licking the affected paw excessively, a red lump may appear between their toes, and it’s not uncommon for them to become lame.

When grass seeds get caught on our dogs’ ears they can progress through the ear canal and can even damage their ear drum. Affected dogs tend to suddenly start shaking their heads after a walk and frantically scratch their ears while looking quite painful and miserable.

The degree of damage caused depends on their location and on how quickly the problem is diagnosed and treated. In some cases the grass seed is very hard to detect and animals in pain need to be sedated in order to investigate the affected area properly.

An undetected grass seed can randomly migrate under the dog’s skin, often leaving nothing more than a small hole behind that resembles an insect bite. There have been cases where the seed kept migrating until it actually reached the dogs’ abdomen and lungs.

These seeds are commonly found during the summer months so now is really the time to be extra careful. The best way to avoid any grass seed issues is to carefully check your dog’s fur after walks, especially their ears and feet. Long haired dogs are more likely to get these seeds caught on their fur so keeping their hair short can help.

If you can, avoid walking your dog in fields with grass seeds and schedule an appointment with your vet as soon as you notice any suspicious signs such as head shaking, ear scratching or paw licking!

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Cats, Dogs, Horses

Pet insurance: is it really worth it?

This is a thought that has probably crossed every caring and loving owner’s mind: Is it worth getting your pet insured?

Responsible pet ownership has costs. From diet to preventative care (vaccinations, neutering and worm/flea treatments), having a pet means spending money and when considering the possibility of adding another monthly fee for insurance, pet owners wonder if the benefits are worth the expense.

Deciding whether or not you’re getting pet insurance may be one of the most important decisions you’ll ever have to make about your pet. Many of our furry companions are blessed with wonderful lives that require nothing more than a few visits to the vet for check-ups and routine treatments. Others are not so fortunate and may experience unpredictable injuries, accidents, and diseases. Older pets are expected to have some health issues and more than often these conditions are chronic, extending throughout the remaining of their lives.

The amazing quality of health care and treatment approaches to a wide range of conditions available for our pets these days comes with a cost and depending on your pet’s illness, adequate veterinary care can become quite expensive. It is at this point that the costs covered by pet insurance can make a huge difference.

Insurance has been lifesaving for many pets allowing them to receive the best possible treatment (instead of a cheaper option to control spending), supporting owners with the costs of a condition that is chronic and that therefore requires recurrent treatments to manage, and with conditions which are treatable but sadly expensive.

If you choose to get insurance for your pet, keep in mind that it doesn’t cover preventive treatments. It covers accidents, injury, and illness. It is very important to do some research and compare pricing. See what’s covered and under what conditions from different providers, in order to get the best insurance for you and your pets, at the most affordable price.

We recommend having a good look at the veterinary fees that are covered as well as insuring this coverage is renewable for the following years. Keep older pets and the possibility of dealing with chronic conditions in mind. Policies with lifetime coverage and no limit to claim for each illness are also recommended. Some providers also offer pensioner discounts or better prices for owners with more than one pet.

Ultimately, it is up to each owner to choose what’s best for them and their pet. We hope this post brings you more information on what insurance is about and helps you decide!

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Dogs

Blood in a dog’s urine

Spotting blood in a dog’s pee is usually an alarming finding for pet owners. This is definitely a sign that should not be ignored but there are several conditions that can cause the appearance of blood in a dog’s urine. More than often the reason behind it can be treated.

The presence of an abnormally high number of red blood cells in your pet’s urine causing it to turn from a clear or yellow colour to a reddish-pink colour, is also called haematuria. In some cases, haematuria is not visible to the naked eye and may only be detected when your pet’s urine is examined through a microscope.

The list for the most common causes of haematuria is long but it typically includes urinary tract infections, the formation of urinary crystals and sometimes of bladders stones (urolithiasis), prostatic disease, trauma, and urinary tumours.

Bacterial urinary tract infections are common in our canine friends (particularly in females) and pooches struggling with recurrent bacterial infections have a higher chance of developing urinary stones or uroliths. These are literally rocks that are formed within our pet’s urinary tract. These uroliths can block a dog’s urethra, causing urinating difficulties, and if they become big enough, they can even be palpated through a dog’s abdomen.

Prostatic disease in males includes a wide range of issues such as inflammation (prostatitis), abscesses, cysts, and neoplasia (benign or malignant). All tumours located in the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra can cause the appearance of blood in urine.

It is very important to take your pet to the vet for a thorough investigation of the cause or causes of haematuria. It’s not uncommon for a dog to have more than one issue causing these clinical signs.

Although it may not be the most exciting aspect of our dogs’ lives (for us humans, at least), keeping an eye on our dogs’ urine is one of many ways to monitor their health. Any changes in frequency, quantity, colour, and detecting any kind of discomfort while urinating can be an indicator of a potential health issue.

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Cats, Dogs

Spinal walking

Did you know that paraplegic animals with irreversible spinal cord injuries, especially in the lumbar portion, can sometimes recover locomotion?

It might sound a bit impossible – If the communication between brain and the muscles in the legs is severed than how can our pet still walk? That’s where the sensational spinal cord comes in!

The brain and the spinal cord are two more or less separate entities that communicate with each other, and together they make up the central nervous system. The brain controls much more complex functions but the spinal cord has some aces up its sleeve, one of which allows for what is called ‘Spinal Walk’.

Spinal walk is a type of acquired involuntary motor function seen in animals with varying degrees of spinal cord injury, even sometimes in cases of complete injury! In essence, even though the brain is no longer sending any signals to the pelvic limbs, there are specialised structures in the spinal cord that can generate patterns and replicate a functional gait. We call this an involuntary motor function because the hind legs are not being controlled by the brain but instead there is a spinal cord reflex that allows for walking. This type of walking is a bit uncoordinated and jerky but animals are able to walk unaided for as long as they want, and can get themselves back up in case they fall down.

Will all animals with spinal cord injuries develop spinal walk? Unfortunately, which animals will develop the capacity for spinal walking is quite variable. It will depend, for instance, on the type of injury to the spinal cord and if there are other diseases that might affect nervous system structures.

A recent study in dogs that attempted to correlate physiotherapy with acquiring spinal walk has had promising results that show that perhaps physical therapy techniques may aid our lovely pooches to spinal walk. Other studies have attempted to better characterise spinal cord injuries and figure out what treatment best fits what type of injury.

Have questions about spinal cord injuries and treatment options? Give your vet a call, they will be more than happy to walk through the best options for your four-legged buddy!

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Dogs

Mycotoxin poisoning in pets Keep your pets away from any mouldy leftovers!


Did you know that your waste bin can hide dangerous and unexpected poisonous substances for your pets? Let’s talk about mycotoxin poisoning in pets.

Most humans know that eating decomposing mouldy food is not the best idea, not only because the flavour might not be very pleasant but also because it can make you sick. The same cannot be said for our four-legged canine companions, who will often eat the most surprising things with a very happy look on their faces.

Not all moulds are poisonous but the mould that normally grows over certain decomposing foods such as bread, cheese, pasta, walnuts, and other decaying matter like compost can be life-threatening if ingested by our pets.

When these foods start decomposing inside our rubbish containers they provide the ideal environment for the proliferation of different types of fungus such as Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium spp.. These fungi don’t take long to grow and they produce toxins which can be very poisonous if ingested by our pets, even in small amounts. All it takes is for a curious dog to lick some mould residue from the inside of an unwashed food caddy for the toxins to cause serious illness.

Mycotoxin poisoning is an acute toxin induced gastroenteritis that can also cause neurotoxicity. Affected animals present abdominal pain, vomiting, liver damage, uncoordinated movements, muscle tremors, seizures, and a dangerous increase in body temperature.

Affected animals can show signs within just 30 minutes of eating the poisonous mouldy food. Depending on the amount ingested and how early the animal is treated, this type of poisoning can be fatal.

If you notice any of these signs on your pets it is very important to take them to the vet immediately. The sooner they are diagnosed and treated, the better are the chances for a full recovery.

The best way to avoid your pet from ever having to go through this is to go over your daily recycling routine and ensure your dog never has access to any potentially dangerous leftover foods, rubbish bags or waste containers.

Image: “jedi puppy kitchen tricks” by lecates, was built upon and is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

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Cats, Dogs

Keep your pets safe and have a great Easter!


We bet you are all looking forward to the Easter weekend! Spending quality time with your family, your friends and with your pets is always a happy thought, especially during such a lovely time of the year. Don’t forget that there are several traditional Easter foods that can be dangerous for our pets!

In order to avoid any accidents or unscheduled visits to the vet, we would like to remind pet owners of all the foods that should be kept away from pets during this time of the year.

The first item on our list is definitely chocolate. From Easter eggs to chocolate bunnies, chocolate seems to be everywhere during Easter. This is great for humans with a sweet tooth, but it’s not so great for our furry companions since chocolate is dangerous for dogs. Chocolate contains theobromine, a substance that is toxic for them and the consequences of this type of poisoning depend on the type of chocolate and the amount ingested. The higher the amount ingested and the higher the cocoa content, the more toxic the chocolate.

Our dogs can easily take advantage of a moment of distraction and snatch a chocolate egg or a box of chocolates. Common signs of chocolate poisoning in dogs include digestive upset (vomiting, diarrhoea), restlessness, incoordination and seizures.

Next on our list are grapes, raisins, currants, and sultanas. These are also toxic for dogs, often leading to kidney failure. It is still not known what is the substance that causes these effects and some dogs are able to eat these foods without any side effects. However, it has been proven that grapes, raisins, currants, and sultanas are in fact poisonous for dogs and many have sadly died after eating them. They are commonly used in cakes and hot cross buns so please make you keep your dog away from these.

It is also recommended to keep sweets in general away from our pets. Many sweets contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener often used in chewing gum, tea, coffee, baked foods, and even in some types of peanut butters. Xylitol is poisonous to dogs affecting the liver, the digestive system, the heart, the nervous system and it can lead to death.

Last but not least, please remember to keep your cats away from lilies. These plants are very popular during spring. Unfortunately, some lilies (particularly the Lilium and Hemerocallis genera) are extremely toxic for our feline friends. All parts of these plants are poisonous, including their pollen. This means a cat can simply brush by the flower and then lick the pollen off the fur to be affected. Clinical signs of lily toxicity in cats include salivation, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, tremors, seizures, and kidney injury which can lead to death.

Image: “Basket full of trouble” by BigDuff, was built upon and is licensed under CC BY 2.0

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