Author Archives: gray_ealingvets

Avoiding pet poisons

We are proud to offer an emergency service at Young Veterinary Partnership. Unfortunately some clients have to use our emergency service when their pet is poisoned. Whilst this is a situation we hope you won’t have to go through with your precious pet, poisons that are harmful to pets are commonly found in everyday household substances and products. We hope this newsletter will help you to understand some of the common poisons and explain what you should do in an emergency to minimize the risk to your pet.

There are a few keys things we may ask over the phone which help us to assess the immediate situation.

When do you think the toxin was ingested/in contact with your pet? Some specific toxins may have an anti-toxin which we can administer.
What was it? Bring any packaging with you if you can.
Make a note of any clinical signs such as vomiting, diarrhoea, shaking, seizures, drooling, altered mentation (behaving strangely), burns/ulcers in the mouth, pain, increased thirst, heavy breathing or difficulty breathing.

Poisonous foods:

Raisins, Grapes, Onions, Chocolate, Alcohol, Leeks, Garlic.

Poisonous Plants:

Lillies, Rododendron , Azalea, Marijuana, Pointsetta, Yew, Deadly nightshade.

Other Poisons:

Rat poison, Paracetemol/Ibuprofen (paracetamol is IMMEDIATELY FATAL to cats), Chewing gum (zylitol), Anti-freeze (ethylene glycol), Permethrin (poisonous in cats and at high quantities in dogs – often found on supermarket anti-flea products), Weed killers / herbicides (Paraquat/doquat), Blue-green Algae, Batteries, Lead, Insecticides (Organophosphates), Slug bait (Metaldehyde), Psoriasis creams (Vitamin D analogues), Bleach, Strong detergents.

What we can do:

If the toxin was ingested up to 2-3hrs ago we can administer a small injection which will make your pet vomit. This stops any further toxin being absorbed into the stomach and intestines. After this we may try to feed your pet some adsorbents such as activated charcoal. Adsorbents bind to any toxin left in the stomach and prevent any further digestion. If the toxin was on your pet’s skin we may instruct you to wash your pet with some warm mild shampoo.

Depending on how much toxin your pet has ingested we may do blood tests and keep your pet with us overnight on a drip. This helps to support the vital organs whilst the toxin is being broken down. We may also need to monitor your pet intensively for a few days whilst the toxin clears.

We hope this dispels some of the myths around poisons and explains how we can help. We have extensive experience in dealing with cases of poison in pets.

How to stop cats and kittens scratching furniture

Picture supplied by holidogtimes.com

People often think that when a cat scratches furniture it is doing so to sharpen its claws. In actual fact they are scenting the furniture using scent glands in their pads, as well as leaving a visual mark that they have been there. This is a normal cat behaviour, and would usually be done on trees in an outdoor situation. When they are kept indoors they tend to go through the same process, but unfortunately they may pick your best furniture to do so !

It is always easier to teach good habits when they are young, so we suggest starting teaching them good habits as early as possible. If your older cat already has a problem then we have a few tips to try to help improve the situation.

How to stop kittens scratching furniture

Place a few scratching posts in the areas of the house that they use most, particularly in areas they like to sleep and play.

Encourage them to use the scratching post by using dangle toys near the post or using catnip to scent the post. You can also use praise and cat treats when they use the scratching post.

Don’t force them to use the post as this may have the opposite effect.

How to stop cats with a habit of scratching furniture

Put a scratching post next to the damaged furniture. Make sure it is of a texture that the cat likes- some prefer loose weaved material, some prefer knobbly textures.

Cover or move the damaged furniture, so the cat can’t get to it. If covering you could use thick plastic, or another material that your cat won’t like the feel of.

Make sure that scratching posts are in prominent areas that the cat likes to be in.

Feliway is a cat pheromone (scent) spray that may help reduce scratching particularly in multi-cat households where stress may be a factor. You can purchase this from the surgery, and spray it onto the furniture daily for a month.

Getting a Rabbit- what do I need to know ?

Getting a Rabbit:

Rabbits are becoming increasingly popular as pets for both children and adults in the UK. They are very sociable animals and should be kept in pairs if possible. Animals from the same litter will normally get on well, but any pair that are newly introduced must be monitored closely. Females will tolerate each other, but un-castrated males will fight. It is not recommended to keep rabbits and guinea pigs together, as both have very different requirements.
The average bunny will live for 5 – 10 years, so they are a big commitment.

What to feed your new bunny:

The most important part of a rabbit’s diet is hay, alongside fresh grass. Rabbits should be allowed to eat as much hay and grass as they like. Their teeth grow continuously throughout their life, and so hay is vitally important to keep them worn down. Rabbits that are not fed enough hay will often encounter painful problems with overgrown teeth later in life, which can be very difficult to resolve.

You should also feed green leafy foods and vegetables, such as cabbage, chard, parsley, watercress, broccoli, basil, carrot, brambles, and dandelions. All of these foods should be washed before feeding to your pet. Fruits should be avoided as they are very sugary.

Rabbits can also be fed a pre-packaged food in the form of pellets or muesli. This is the least important part of the diet, and only a small handful should be given daily. Pelleted rabbit foods are better than mueslies, as they cannot pick and choose what to eat out of the bowl!

Always ensure fresh water is available.

Neutering your rabbit:

Rabbits can be neutered from 4 months of age. In female rabbits, this prevents uterine tumours and can greatly reduce the chances of mammary tumours developing. It also stops any unwanted pregnancies. In male rabbits, castration prevents aggressive behaviour and inappropriate mounting of objects.

Does my rabbit need vaccinations:

Rabbits should be vaccinated against myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD). Even rabbits who live indoors should be vaccinated, as the viruses can be spread via contact with flies, and biting insects. Rabbits can be vaccinated from 5 weeks of age. Vaccinations should be repeated annually to ensure protection is maintained.

The signs to look out for to avoid Flystrike:

Rabbits will naturally eat some of their faeces (called caecotrophs) daily. These are the soft pellets that are normally passed at night so you may not see them. However, if a rabbit suffers from certain conditions such as obesity, arthritis, etc, it will be unable to reach around to it’s rear end to collect them. This can lead to a build up of sticky faeces, which will attract flies. If the flies lay eggs onto the rabbit’s coat, the developing maggots will eat away at the rabbit’s skin. This is an extremely painful condition called flystrike and needs prompt treatment from your vet. It is therefore important to check a rabbit’s rear end everyday for faeces and to bathe away anything that becomes stuck.

We recommend protecting rabbits from flystrike by using an insecticide twice yearly, which can be picked up from the surgery in May and July.

TB in cats

You may have seen the recent articles about TB (tuberculosis) in cats, and people.This is a very rare occurrence, and the recent reports relate to an outbreak last year in 9 cats in Newbury, Berkshire. The symptoms in the cats were varied, but included weeping infected wounds, pneumonia, loss of appetite and enlarged lymph glands. It is thought that the cats became infected from wildlife carrying the disease. TB is spread by a bacteria (Mycobacterium bovis), which mainly affects cattle and badgers, which is why all milk is now pasteurised to remove the possibility of picking up TB from cow’s milk. It appears that in this outbreak people became infected from their cats which makes it a zoonotic disease (a zoonosis is a disease passed from an animal to a person), which is very unusual.

The risk of your cat being infected by TB is extremely low, but if your cat has non healing wounds, skin nodules or has lost their appetite, contact our friendly team and we will be able to arrange a health check for your cat.

Click here for a BBC article about the outbreak.

How to train your kitten to play without biting

Kittens and adult cats are much less likely to bite and scratch us if they have been socialised and handled well when young. When you bring your kitten home from the start make sure you and your family handle the kitten on a regular basis, so he or she gets used to being held and handled by a variety of people. To help with the handling process gently run through touching your kittens feet and claws (encase you need to clip their nails in the future) looking at their eyes and into their ears and generally feeling them all over.

Socialisation:

Kittens have two very important periods of socialisation when they learn normal behaviour, towards other cats and people. The first period is 2-7 weeks of age when handling by various people in a positive manner will increase the likelyhood of them having a friendly approach in future interactions with people. Always make sure you are gentle with your kitten and that any young children at supervised when they are around your kitten.

Kittens continue to learn by social play from the age of 7 weeks, and this peaks at around 9-14 weeks of age, and so when most people first take home their new kitten around 8 weeks of age, they are still in this important socialization period.

The Do’s and Don’ts:

You should not play with your kitten using your hands or feet, and you should not use rough play, whatever the age of the kitten. Instead we recommend the use of a “fishing rod” toy or something similar that induces chasing behaviour e.g. a ping-pong ball. If your kitten displays pouncing, chasing or biting of human fingers and toes, then they should be ignored. Kittens like attention so will realise they have done something wrong if you ignore them. If you are holding your kitten when they bite or scratch you, then put them down immediately and ignore them. A few moments later a toy can be provided. Once your kitten has finished playing and is tired out, you can then stroke and make a fuss of them.

How to care for your new puppy

Red Cavalier puppy.

How to care for your puppy:

Make sure that you have suitable transport for your new family member. Puppies may be put in a collapsible cage in your car, which ensures they are safe during a journey. Be sure to have them on a lead/harness so that they can’t run away. Before first vaccinations it is imperative that your puppy does not touch the floor outside (other than your garden) and is only introduced to dogs that are vaccinated.

Night Time:

Your puppy may whine about being left alone for the first few nights. Soft toys can be good company. If you are planning to train them to use a crate you can cover the crate to make them feel more secure. Leaving a radio station on (eg. Classic FM) quietly in the background can also help them to feel more secure. Sometimes a ticking clock could provide some company. A covered hot water bottle may also be a very warm friend.

Training:

Make sure to train and handle your puppy from an early age. Plenty of handling will make them comfortable with human contact. Reinforcing good play behaviours with treats is also recommended. When doing any training always give verbal praise first, and immediately after give a little treat. Eventually you will be able to give verbal praise alone. Get your new dog used to being checked over (like at the vets). Lift and handle the ears, try getting a doggie toothpaste and brushing their teeth, with a finger brush. Lift and handle the paws and nails. Be sure to expose your puppy to a number of things whilst it is developing. This can include a person in uniform (eg. A postman), someone wearing a hat, someone with a beard even, farm animals, traffic – these are all things that puppies can find scary. Socialisation classes are a great way to introduce them to training and other puppies, will help to teach yours how to behave in social situations.
1^stVaccinations: This can be done on the first vet check between 8-10weeks of age. The 2^ndvaccination is 2-4weeks after. Until a week after the 2^ndvaccination it is imperative that you keep the puppy away from unvaccinated dogs and do not place him/her on the floor in public spaces where viruses could be on the ground.
Worming and parasite control:

Puppies will need to be wormed as most will have picked up worms from their mother. This can be done with either tablets, or with a spot on treatment, which will treat other parasites such as fleas and lungworm.
Exercise:

Puppies do not need long walks – they only have little legs! They aren’t considered fully grown until 6-18 months of age (larger breeds mature more slowly). It is then that a good exercise plan can be implemented. Larger breeds especially may be prone to bone and joint problems, and should not be over exercised, when growing.

Food:

Little and often. A puppy’s tummy is very small and so their food intake needs to be split between 3-4 meal times. Find out what routine the breeder’s had and try to maintain that for continuity. If your puppy has diarrhoea, give them boiled chicken and rice. Introduce any new foods gradually over 5 days, as a sudden change in food will often cause a digestive upset.
Play:

Puppies like to chew a lot especially during teething between the ages of 3 and 6 months, when they will lose all of their milk teeth. Provide rubber Kongs or rope chews. Avoid bones as they can crack their milk teeth on these. Play is an important way of learning for your new puppy and can be a lot of fun too!

Finally enjoy your new family member and take lots of pictures – as they grow up too fast !

A case of Tetanus in a puppy