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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Horses

Foaling

 

Foaling, also called parturition, is a very important stage of a mare’s life and it is just as important for the owners.

The correct recognition of the stages of labour and knowing what to expect is fundamental to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Now, luckily, most mares will give birth successfully without needing any intervention.

Knowing what to expect and how long the stages of labour last will help owners decide if help is needed or if everything is progressing normally.

Normal labour is divided into 3 distinct stages:

  • First stage: When the foal shifts and positions their head and forelimbs extended into the birth canal. The mare may be quite restless, very nervous, sweating on the flanks and in pain due to uterine contractions becoming more severe. Depending on the animal, she may have no observable signs or be in a lot of distress for several hours. This stage ends with the rupture of the allantoic membrane and there will be the release of allantoic fluid – this happens around 1 to 4 hours after the start of the first stage;
  • Second stage: The foal is born! A foal’s normal presentation is with their head tucked between their extended forelegs. Other positions might require veterinary assistance so this should be checked. The mare will lay down on her side and rise several times, even when the foal is already partially out. This is due to the very strong uterine and abdominal contractions required to give birth. After the foal’s shoulders are out successfully the mare will usually rest a bit before delivering them fully. Foetal membranes should rupture when the foal tries to get up and move around – should this not happen, they should be ruptured by hand (except for the umbilical cord!) to allow for the foal to clear their nasal passages and breathe. This period usually lasts around 30 minutes but may continue for an hour. If it overextends a veterinary surgeon should be called.
  • Third stage: After the foal is born, the placenta has to be expelled from the uterus. This usually takes somewhere between 1 to 3 hours but it may continue for up to 8 hours – if the placenta is retained for too long it might cause severe issues but its important to not pull the placenta forcefully to get it out.

In summary, let things progress undisturbed for as long as possible but if any of these phases takes too long, if the foal isn’t in their proper place in the birth canal or if you see them or their mother struggling too much, don’t hesitate and call your vet at once.

And there you have it! After all of this excitement, hopefully there is a healthy young horse just dying to explore the big wide world.

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Cats

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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Uncategorized

Antifreeze – Deadly and Delicious

Cold winter days have already arrived and, soon enough, antifreeze, which has been lying about in garages and homes will be back in use.

This means that there will be a much higher chance of our pets contacting it, either through spills or because your furry friend decided to investigate it closer, so we would like to remind pet owners to be very careful with how to handle and use it.

Antifreeze is made up of ethylene glycol, a fairly non-toxic compound that drastically lowers the freezing point of water and is tremendously useful in many places but especially in car engines. However, the biggest problem is when it is ingested this compound breaks down in the body, causes severe metabolic acidosis and reacts with calcium to create crystals that accumulate in the kidney, damaging it severely.
Unfortunately, antifreeze has a sweet taste, so this means that, if your dog finds it, they might actively ingest it or might even try to seek it out.

If you suspect your pup has ingested antifreeze, you need to take immediate action and take them to the vet! Only very small quantities are needed to cause extensive damage, but chances of a good recovery improve the sooner they are seen.

What can you expect if your pet has ingested antifreeze? Difficulty walking correctly, stupor, vomiting and lethargy followed by an apparent recovery around 12 to 24 hours later. However, about 2 to 3 days later kidney failure will set in with severe depression, coma, seizures and eventually, death.

Keep your pets away from this dangerous compound by keeping packages well out of reach and quickly cleaning any leaks or spills that might occur.

 

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Cats

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.

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

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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!

Horses

Mud Fever

With the colder months fast approaching, it’s always good to remember some things that might affect your horses during this weather.

Mud Fever is actually part of a series of conditions that make up Equine Pastern Dermatitis (EPD) and it can be caused by many different factors.

This condition shows up during spring and winter and to better understand it, we need to know that mud fever isn’t a diagnosis exactly, it’s how the pastern reacts to damage.

That is to say, there is an underlying cause that needs to be investigated when we realise that our horse has signs compatible with mud fever.

EPD can have several forms:

  • Mild – Lack of hair in the area, dry scales and crusts. Might also have thicker skin, itchiness and pain (This is what we readily recognise as Mud Fever)
  • Exudative – Reddening of skin, lack of hair with the presence of pus or other exudates. (Also called grease heel or dew poisoning)

Owners of draft breeds like Clydesdales or Shires know they might be prone to a third form of Equine Pastern Dermatitis which features the proliferation of excessive tissue in the form of nodular lesions because of issues in the lymphatic system that drains fluids from the limb. This form, more frequent in draft breeds, is commonly called grapes or verrucous pododermatitis and it may progress to the entire lower extremity. The prognosis for this condition is poor because horses often develop secondary infections, it has a poor response to therapy and eventually becomes debilitating for the horse.

There are many root causes of Mud Fever, and Equine Pastern Dermatitis like:

  • Genetic and environmental disposition
  • Infectious agents, physical or chemical irritants, cancer

This is perpetuated by secondary bacterial and parasite infections, pathologic changes to the skin and a less than ideal environment.

Be on the lookout for these important changes during these seasons. Treatment and positive resolution depend on identifying what is causing Mud Fever and fixing it, so don’t hesitate to contact your vet!

Via: “Mud Season” by RogerGoun, was built upon and is licensed under CC BY 2.0

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Cats

The Working Feline – Farm Cats

Not all cats out there are looking for a comfortable lap, a spot of sunshine or to serenade their humans with cheerful meows. Some of our feline friends prefer a more distant relationship with people, so they aren’t suitable pets to keep in more restricted home environments but they still need a safe space to live.

Feral or semi-feral cats in rescue centres, shelters or just out on the street need a home as much as the fully house bound kitties and one good way to provide for their needs of low human contact while still having a support structure is by finding them a nice farm to live on.

It’s a literal millennia old tradition! Scientists believe that our agricultural roots (which attracted plenty of rodents) in the Crescent Valley about 8000 years ago were what made their wild ancestors join our lives. So, if it worked for the wild cat, it could also work for the feral cat.

The goal is to provide these cats with warm and cosy shelters, a stable supply of food, parasite control and veterinary help if needed but at the same time give them the space to approach the friendly, resident humans on their own terms.

It’s very important that these kitties are neutered and be on the lookout for issues like feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) infections, which are typical of outdoor cats and multicat situations.

Everyone wins! Cats who would otherwise never find homes will be lovingly cared for and in return, you might just see vermin issues on your farm resolved!

Is it your farm (or stable or garden centre! They aren’t picky) that could make a feral or semi-feral cat a certified farm cat? Contact your local rescue centre or shelter and inquire about cats that can’t be rehomed to normal domestic homes.

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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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