Which way does your dog wag its tail ?

According to research happy dogs wag their tails more to the right (from the dog’s point of view), while nervous dogs wag it more to the left. It is thought that dogs may learn to do this when meeting other happy or nervous dogs in the park.

Our Pet of the Month for October is an incredibly lucky little cat called Skitz. He was brought in to the vets as emergency after been attacked by an animal. On arrival there was evidence of an injury to the right fore limb as it was swollen. He was put on fluids for the shock of the attack.

Once he was more stable he was sedated to take x-rays of the injured leg. X-rays showed that there was a complete fracture of the right radius and fracture of the ulna. A survey x-ray was also taken to check there were no internal injuries. Skitz was also showing possible nerve damage to the back legs from a crushing injury but after a couple days he regained nerve function.

The vet decided that the best treatment for Skitz was to wait for the swelling to go down before they could operate on the broken leg. So after several days Mr Young repaired the fractures by placing pins inside the fractured pieces of bones to hold them together. The pins are held in place by an external fixator cement bar to ensure the bones will heal in the correct position. This type of fracture repair allows all his weight to go through the bar whilst the bones heal.

Skitz treatment was complicated further by the fact that he had an over-active thyroid , which can affect bone healing, so Skitz had his thyroid glands  surgically removed at the same time as his fracture repair.

Skitz needed a few days after surgery to recover in the hospital, when he was  encouraged at least once a day to go for a walk to use the leg.

More than 80% of owners say their pet is afraid of firework noises. Signs of stress in dogs include trembling, shaking, hiding behind furniture, barking excessively, and trying to run away. Cats are much better at hiding their anxiety, but symptoms may include excessive meowing, refusal to eat, hiding, or vertical scratching and spraying.

Often mild reactions to fireworks can be managed with a pheromone (scent) spray; called Feliway in cats and Adaptil in dogs. These products can be purchased from our surgeries.

More severe reactions in dogs may be managed with a combination of sound desensitisation, using CD’s such as Soundsscary, and Adaptil.  Occasionally tranquilizers may be prescribed after consultation with your vet, but these are generally used as a last resort.

Further tips for reducing firework anxiety include:
i. Provide a den or hiding place; this works best if it is a place previously chosen by your pet when they have been frightened before.

ii. Plug a Feliway diffuser or Adaptil diffuser close to the den at least a few days before the fireworks start.

iii. Try to ignore behaviour such as whining and crying, panting or pacing.   Pets can pick up on their owner’s anxiety, and if you try to soothe them it can reinforce the belief that fireworks are something to be afraid of.  It is also important not to scold them.

iv. Close doors and windows, close curtains and turn on music or the TV to mask some of the noises.

v. Keep cats indoors and have them microchipped in case they escape.