Tag Archives: vets

What to do if your pet goes missing.

 

What to do if your pet goes missing.

 

  Did you know

It is a legal requirement for all dogs over the age of 8 weeks old to be micro-chipped. Here at Young Vets we always recommend micro-chipping your cat too, as it is the most reliable form of identification and cannot be lost unlike a collar or harness. Should your dog disappear whilst out on a walk or your cat hasn’t turned up at breakfast time, firstly don’t panic, have a read through our vets advice below. Hopefully you will never need it but its good to know.

 

Missing cats.

The first thing to do if your cat is missing is triple check your home. Cats are extremely good at hide and seek so make sure you search all areas, If you are sure your feline is not at home we recommend knocking on your neighbours doors and posting flyers in letterboxes. Curious cats often get shut in garages and sheds by accident so ask around where you live.

 

Missing dogs.

If your dog has left the park without you or sneaked out of your front door, walk an extra lap of the park, or around the area where you live calling their name and rustling a treat packet. If you have a usual ‘toilet spot’ area check there. If you are at the park use your mobile to call home, your dog may of taken himself home and be waiting on the doorstep.

 

Remember do not panic. Contact all local vets, dog wardens and animal charities in the area. They will ask you for additional including:

A description of your pet – colour, sex, breed, age.

Their microchip number.

What area they are all missing from.

Your contact information. 

 

Contact your pets microchip company.

Inform them of your missing pet and ensure they have your up to date contact details – You may even want to do this today so should the event ever happen, you pet will be reunited quicker if your details are correct.

 

Pet Insurance.

Your insurance company may be able to help you with the search of your pet. The small print of your policy may also require the company to be notified of lost pets in-case it results in a claim.

 

Social media.

Like it or hate it – In the event of a missing pet the power of social media can be very handy. In a matter of hours hundreds of people can be aware of your missing pet and help spread the word.

 

Social media can be a useful tool when you’ve lost a pet.

 

Everyone loves a selfie! Take lots of pictures of your pet so in the event of an emergency you have recent pictures to use on a missing poster or social media post.

 

Neutering your pet.

This can reduce your cats need to stray too far from home and will minimise your cat wanting to fight with others. Castrating your male dog will reduce testosterone levels and a need to mate. In females, neutering can reduce unwanted male dog attention which can panic your dog causing them to bolt.

 

Some Top Tips :

If your dog or puppy has unreliable recall – work with a dog trainer to improve this but if you have to let your dog off lead for exercise ensure they are in an enclosed area. Attach a long line to their harness, this will make catching them a lot easier.

Top Vet Tip : When practicing recall no matter how long it takes, when your dog comes back to you make a big fuss and give them a treat. If you tell them off they are even less likely to come back next time!

 

Microchip your pet and ensure that your details are up to date.

 

When letting your cat or kitten out either for the first time or if you move house, try to keep them in for around 2 weeks.  Following this period they should be feel settled and understand where home is. When you let them out, do it when you are not in a rush and before you feed them so they are hungry so they are less likely to stray.

If your pet isn’t yet micro-chipped, don’t delay, contact one of our 4 West London surgeries to arrange this for your pet. Microchips can be implanted in a routine consultation with one of our experienced veterinary surgeons.

 

Has your older cat developed an ‘Attitude’ recently?

 

   Has your older cat developed an ‘Attitude’ recently? Or perhaps had a few accidents around the home?

 

   Hyperthyroidism is a common disease in teenage cats, sadly sometimes, their symptoms are missed and referred to as just ‘old age’. Overactive thyroid gland (another name for the condition) is something we see quite regularly in older cats, the good news is diagnosis is fairly simple and there are different treatment options available to suit the individual patient.

Signs to watch out for :

Weight loss – but often eating well, if not more than usual

Vomiting

Dull coat

Change in attitude

Increased thirst

Urinating more and having accidents around your home.

 

 

   The thyroid glands are found in your cats neck, either side of the wind pipe. The glands produce a hormone which controls the body’s metabolism, which is why owners commonly report weight loss as one of the first symptom’s they notice.

 

   If your cat is showing some or all of the above signs – Don’t Panic. The first thing to do is book an appointment with your local vets. The vet will be able to give your cat an all over health and weight check. To diagnose an over active thyroid gland we recommend a blood test, results are prompt and usually back from the lab the next working day.

Results day. 

   Once the diagnosis has been confirmed there are 2 types of treatment that we offer here at Young Vets :

 

  • A daily dose of medication given at home, (usually tablets) to stop the overproduction of the hormone. If choosing the medication from home option, the owner will need to ensure the cat is receiving the specified dose at regular intervals (the same time each day).

 

 

 

 

  • An operation to remove either one or both thyroid glands. We would often recommend 14 days of medication prior to surgery to help stabilize the hormones but following on from the surgery medication would cease. A speedy recovery is usually followed and the patient can go home either the same or following day.

 

 

Hyperthyroidism in cats

 

  • If left untreated it can lead to blindness, heart conditions and in extreme cases even death.

 

Following either treatment option, your cats progress will need to be monitored regularly by yourself and your vet but there is no reason that your cat should not live a happy, healthy life.

 

If you have concerns about your teenage cat, don’t hesitate to contact your local Young Veterinary Partnership to discuss your cats case with our of our friendly, experienced team members.

Young Veterinary Partnership have four surgeries based across West London. We have been treating pets in the area since 1950 and we understand that each pet is an individual, we will listen closely to any worries that you may have. Why not contact our friendly team today and visit a vet who is passionate about your pet.

 

Heat stroke

 

Heat stroke is caused by a drastic increase in body temperature, usually from periods of exercise in the sun. Sadly, most dogs do not know when to stop and will keep chasing balls despite becoming over-heated. Guinea pigs and rabbits also need to be kept cool, in a shaded area of your garden or house. If in direct sunlight they struggle to lose heat and can quickly succumb to heat stroke.

 

Ticker trouble – is my pet affected? 

Heart disease can develop in both cats and dogs. Some pets are born with heart defects and others develop over time and age. With around 1 in 7 cats of all ages affected, it is important to know the signs to watch out for. If you are concerned your pet is showing signs of heart disease, please do not delay come and see us for a check up.

 

Should you neuter your pet? 

We understand that neutering your pet is a family decision and the thought of surgery can cause some concerns with owners so we’ve included some of the top reasons to neuter your pets, this summer. The benefits can be applied to most species from cats and dogs to rabbits too! Besides the obvious – pregnancy, did you know neutering your pet can dramatically reduce the risks of some cancers? If you want to know more about neutering or arrange this for your pet, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team today!

 

 

We hope you enjoy reading our Summer News. Please don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube for more FREE pet advice.

Our 2018 Spring Newsletter has arrived!

 

Our Spring 2018 newsletter has arrived – its filled with advice on how to keep your pet happy and healthy in 2018. Read it here.

 

Below is a few snippets of what’s included in this seasons newsletter. Including some top tips to keep your pets happy and healthy in 2018.

 

Parasite alert! 

 

As the weather warms up, parasites become more and more of an issue. The key amongst these are fleas and ticks! Fleas love the warm weather and eggs from last year will rapidly hatch out into adult fleas, hopping on to passing pets and hitching a ride into your home. This is why year round flea protection is so important. Don’t forget if you want to spread the cost of parasite protection join our pet healthcare club. To understand the other parasites that could be lurking read our newsletter here.

 

 

Kennel Cough – is your dog protected? 

 

The condition can involve several infectious agents including viruses and a bacteria. Read our newsletter to understand why some dogs are more vulnerable than others. Also explained are the common symptoms to look out for in your dog. To reduce the risk of your dog developing the disease contact our surgery to arrange your dogs kennel cough intranasal vaccine.

 

Thyroid problems – are surprisingly common in pets.

 

 

The Thyroid glands consist of two lobes, located either side of your pets wind pipe. Two conditions which can effect the glands are Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism – to understand they difference and learn the signs to watch out for in your pet, read our newsletter here.

 

What should you feed your Guinea Pig?

 

 

Guinea Pigs are sociable animals and should be kept in pairs or groups. Our Newsletter will help you decide where is best to put your hutch and run. Owners should also provide branches for gnawing on, this is really important to keep dental disease at bay. Understand more about a guinea pigs diet here.

 

We hope you enjoy reading our newsletter, if you have any questions on any of the articles don’t hesitate to contact our team.

Fatal cat disease confirmed in kittens

Our vets have recently seen 2 unvaccinated kittens from West London, which were being rescued, which  developed diarrhoea, and dehydration.  Both kittens died rapidly. This was due to a viral infection called Feline infectious enteritis.  There is no specific treatment available for this virus, and many cases will die despite supportive treatment with antibiotics and fluids, with severe bloody diarrhoea and vomiting.  The virus (called a parvovirus) is highly contagious, is resistant to many disinfectants, and can persist in the environment for long periods, possibly years in some cases.  If infected cats survive they can continue to be infectious for at least  6 weeks, excreting the virus into the environment, and so spreading the disease.

There is a similar virus (parvovirus) that can affects dogs, with very similar symptoms, which is also usually rapidly fatal.  Each virus is species specific, so the cat virus will not infect dogs and vice versa. The canine parvovirus can also persist for long periods in the environment, and is resistant to many disinfectants.

Vaccination will protect against both fatal diseases, and we recommend all dogs and cats are vaccinated regularly (even indoor cats), to keep them safe.  With more unwanted, unvaccinated and potentially infectious cats on the streets we are concerned we may see more of this fatal but preventable disease.

Abandoned kittens get a new home

This summer our vets have seen an increased number of abandoned cats and kittens, compared to normal. The RSPCA do a great job in caring for abandoned or neglected cats and kittens, but they can sometimes be overwhelmed with numbers. We currently have some kittens and young adult cats that need good homes. Please contact our Ealing Young Veterinary Partnership surgery on 0208 5670711 for further information.

We have recently rehomed two of our abandoned kittens.  Have a look at these cute videos of them, including one escapologist !

Dental care month JUNE 2011


Four out of five dogs over the age of three years have teeth problems and suffer from dental disease so Young Veterinary Partnership has teamed up with Pedigree Pet Food to offer a free dental check up during Dental Care Month in June 2011.

For the whole of the month of June you can bring your pet along to our surgeries in Hounslow and Brentford for a free dental exam with one of our vets. We can give you advice on cleaning your pets’ teeth and diets and chews that can help keep teeth and gums healthy. Areas of concern that may require further treatment can be brought to your attention. This examination is free of charge during June.

Dental care is extremely important to the well being of your pets. Animal teeth need just as much care and attention as human teeth. If neglected, your pets’ teeth, like your own can suffer from infection, pain, cavaties and eventually tooth loss/decay. Unfortunately we cannot yet fit doggy/cat dentures! Therefore it is important to have your pets’ teeth regularly checked (every six months). When problems start they are better treated straight away as they will only get worse over time causing chronic pain and bad breath (halitosis).

Simply phone and book your free dental check appointment during June. Plus you can take home a free pack of Pedigree ® Dentastix ® for your dog as a reward for being good at the dentist!