Which Pet Insurance?

Posted on February 16, 2012 by admin

If you are reading this, hopefully you will have read my previous post, here, and already have a short list of recommended pet insurance companies that you think might be worth checking out. Now is the time to ring around a few … Continue reading →

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Pet Insurance: Is It Worth It?

Posted on January 15, 2012 by admin

This is a question I get asked time and time again, but one that I find impossible to answer  concisely.

There are so many things to consider.

So, I’m doing the sensible thing and writing a blog post on the topic.

First of all, pet insurance is a gamble. You  pay out money each month and you might get it back in payouts or you might not; but since 1 in 3 pets will visit their vet unexpectedly each year, there is a fighting chance of you being able to claim.

But Pet insurance is not essential. If you can find at least £400-500 in a hurry if your pet has a horrible accident, or becomes seriously ill, then you may not need it. But if this amount is out of your reach, or you’d prefer to be able to claim the money back again, then you should take out insurance. Continue reading →

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The Phone Calls.

Posted on January 1, 2012 by admin

Any vet who has ever had to man the after hours phones will be able to sympathise with the RSPCA, who have released a list of some of the stranger calls they have received over the course of 2011.

Examples include:

A caller rang to complain that a neighbour’s power shower caused their dog to go to the toilet.

A concerned resident who thought gulls were in their area were radioactive – it turned out that nearby garden lights were illuminating them and turning them green.

A lady phoned in to complain that the blackbird in her garden didn’t sing.

—One caller rang to cancel a visit as their dead tortoise had ‘come back to life’.

Another caller rang in concerned about the talking meerkats on the Compare the Market advertisement. Continue reading →

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Young James Herriot.

Posted on December 17, 2011 by admin

I’m sure a large percentage of vets in the profession today owe their career choice to James Herriot, the star of ‘All Creatures Great And Small’.

The television series was incredibly popular in the late 70′s and the 80′s, and was not-so- loosely based on the books by Alf Wright. Alf Wright, was, of course the ‘real’ James Herriot and his books were semi-biographical. Something you’d have to be very careful about doing in today’s society.

I adored these programs and have tried to indoctrinate my children into their simple charm with little success. Continue reading →

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I’m Off To The London Vet Show.

Posted on November 23, 2011 by admin

When people find out what I do for a living, they often talk about how long it takes to become a vet. 5 years! they say.  Isn’t that longer than it takes to train a doctor?

And it does seem a long slog at the time. But as with most professionals, a vet’s education doesn’t end at graduation.

All practising veterinary surgeons must maintain and continue to develop their professional knowledge and skills, in order to make continuous improvements to the standard of service they provide to their patients and clients.

Currently the recommended minimum CPD is 105 hours over three years . This is an average of 35 hours per year. Continue reading →

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Thundershirt: A Review.

Posted on November 15, 2011 by admin

I have blogged about our sound-phobic collie in the previous post, ‘About Dogs and Fireworks’, here.

The Old Boy is not severely phobic. He doesn’t destroy things, but he does follow us from room to room painting and holding his tail between his legs. When he really can’t cope, he goes upstairs and hides in the shower.

We’ve always just managed his fear by ignoring his behaviour and letting him follow us around when he wants. I’ve tried a DAP diffuser, but it didn’t seem to help, and I don’t want to try drugs as his last blood test showed he has raised liver enzymes.

His behaviour doesn’t really  impact on us, but it’s clear that he’s scared by fireworks. So when I read about Thundershirts, I thought they might be worth a go. Continue reading →

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Dogs And Fireworks.

Posted on October 20, 2011 by admin

The days are getting shorter, the leaves are tumbling from the trees and pretty soon the firework season will be upon us.

We live in Greater London and fireworks are no longer confined to one night, or even one weekend. They go off for months around here! They usually start in October, carry on through November and December and tail off after January.

We have a sound phobic collie so for him that’s 4 months of terror. Our poor old dog stays upstairs, either under our bed or in the shower(!), unless the fireworks are very close. Then he comes downstairs and sits pressed up against us and pants.  Continue reading →

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Do You Want A Baby Lurcher?

Posted on October 16, 2011 by admin

Click on text to enlarge.

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Time For A Break.

Posted on August 11, 2011 by admin

The Visiting Vet is out of the country until September. If you have an animal that requires urgent veterinary attention then please phone Medivet in Watford on 01923 243 429.

If you have a sick pet during Office hours, you can also try Stan Livy At Goddards in Eastcote, on 020 8866 1842.

If you have a non urgent query, then please feel free to leave a voice mail on 07904564713 or email me on jacq@thevisitingvet.co.uk.

Thank you.

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Myxomatosis Warning For Rabbit Owners.

Posted on July 22, 2011 by admin

Today, when I was in the woods with my dogs and children, we walked into a clearing and found a young rabbit wandering in circles.

The dogs couldn’t believe their eyes and of course jumped in, thinking it was dinner time. I managed to grab them, but this left me with a dog in each hand, and no way of attending to the poor bunny. Eventually, I got both dogs onto their leads and tied them up.

Of course the kids were hysterical by this time, and the rabbit was in a bad way. Its eyes were swollen shut and it had lumps all over its body. It had myxomatosis.

This is a horribly contagious disease that can kill up to 90% of rabbits that it infects. It is sometimes spread by contact with infected animals, or by exposure to something that has been in contact with a sick bunny. But more frequently it is spread by an insect, such as a fly or mosquito, that has landed on a rabbit with Myxomatosis. If this insect lands on your rabbit’s food or bites it, your bunny can get sick.

Sometimes rabbits with Myxomatosis will survive but most often they die, even with careful and expensive medical treatment and nursing. If a rabbit is presented with signs of this disease in summer, with no history of vaccination, then most vets will recommend euthanasia on humane grounds.

If you have a pet rabbit, please make sure it is vaccinated against Myxomatosis. Some vaccinated bunnies still get ill but it’s a much milder form of the disease and they rarely die.

Using Advantage or Xeno100 on your rabbits will help prevent flea infestations and bites from mosquitoes.

And if you live near a lake or pond, then mosquito control is more important and it is wise to use a mosquito net to cover the hutch during  summer evenings. Dry bedding also discourages mosquitoes, so make sure you  keep your rabbit’s home clean and dry.

We were walking in Bayhurst Woods, which are part of Ruislip Woods in Hillingdon. If you live nearby and your rabbit hasn’t been vaccinated in the last 6 months, you should contact your vet and arrange an appointment now.

If you live elsewhere, there is also a good chance that a wild rabbit colony near you is harbouring Myxomatosis. Don’t hedge your bets when it comes to your family pet, get them vaccinated against this fatal disease.

 

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