Do You Want A Baby Lurcher?

Posted on October 16, 2011 by admin

Click on text to enlarge.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

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.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

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.

 

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted in Rabbits, vaccinations | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Cats On Roads: What Can You Do?

Posted on July 19, 2011 by admin

Many thousands of cats get hit by vehicles on our roads every year in the UK. In the last weeks I’ve heard about a Road Traffic Accident (RTA) on an online forum I frequent, and also had one of my clients contact me to take their now deceased pet off my books.

At least 4 cats owned by either me, or my family while I was growing up, were killed by cars and another three were badly injured but survived. But that was in NZ, here in the UK RTA’s do seem to occur less frequently.

About half of cats hit by cars will die from their injuries; many more survive but are permanently damaged having lost a leg, hip or tail. A few lucky felines recover completely from their injuries but most RTA survivors  become very wary of vehicles and roads for the rest of their lives. Of course, there are always exceptions.

It’s true that once you let your cat out of the house you have no control of where it goes but there are a number of things you can do to reduce the chances of your pet being run over or hit by a car.

1/ Consider keeping your cat as a house cat. A house cat never gets to go outside, and as such is not at risk of being run over. The downside to having an inside cat is that you do need to work a bit harder to look after your pet. You will have to change litter trays and make sure your cat gets enough exercise and doesn’t get bored. And if a house cat ever escapes outside, they will not be very streetwise so are probably in greater danger of being hit by a car than a cat allowed to roam freely.

Variations on the theme of keeping a cat indoors permanently include

a/allowing them outdoors only on harness and lead a few times a day

b/Building them a cat run so they can get outside but not roam free.

2/ Keep your cat in overnight. Most RTA’s happen at night so if you keep your cat in from dusk to dawn, you reduce the chances of your cat becoming a statistic. There is a very clever cat door that can sense when it’s night and when it’s day and locks itself at night!

3/ Have your cat neutered. Neutered cats roam less so are less likely to get run over.

4/If you move house, consider the road your potential house is on. A very busy road is less of a danger than one where traffic moves along it intermittently. Cats see a constant traffic flow as a kind of wall to be avoided, whereas a quiet road is seen as safe place to cross. Just because you have a large garden out the back doesn’t mean cats will never go out the front.

5/ Don’t allow your cat to lie or climb on stationary cars. Use a water pistol to train them not to sleep under cars or walk near them. If you come home and find your cat sitting in your driveway, shoo it away before you drive towards it. Putting the car in neutral so it can’t move, flashing lights and revving your engine can help persuade your cat that cars are scary, and should be avoided.

If you think your cat has been hit by a car, even if it seems fine, you should visit your vet for a check up.

And if you run over someone else’s cat, please stop and see if you can find the owner. A lot of cats manage to get themselves off the road when they are hit, and run for a short period of time but will collapse nearby. These cats will probably die without urgent veterinary attention so it’s probably more important to get them to a surgery than find an owner.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted in Cats, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Desperate Housepets. And The Winner Is…

Posted on July 10, 2011 by admin

Number 2.

Suzie Cantlay.

Please contact me with your details, so I can get your prize to you.

 

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted in Competition | Leave a comment

We Need To Talk About French Heartworm.

Posted on July 2, 2011 by admin

It used to be that some worming tablets every 3 months, and Frontline or Advantage drops on the back of the neck every month was considered enough to keep the beasties that would live on or in our dogs, away.

But now there is Angiostrongylus vasorum (also known as French Heartworm) . The adult worm lives in the heart and lung’s blood vessels of infected dogs where it can cause a worryingly diverse range of symptoms.

This parasite has only became a serious problem in the South West over the last decade but now, if you live anywhere in the UK, and own a dog, you should be aware of it. Infected dogs have been found as far north as Scotland and cases in the Midlands are not unknown. A warmer climate has been cited as a reason for this spread.

Whatever the reason, it’s time dog owners took a good look at whether their parasite control is up to the job.

Angiostrongylus vasorum is passed onto dogs when they eat slugs or snails infected with the larval stages of this parasite. The lungworm larvae travel through your dog’s body and eventually end up in the heart and arteries of the lung. If the infection is left untreated, adult lungworms develop, causing a range of signs that can include breathing difficulties, lethargy and coughing. Infected dogs will infect local slugs and snails by contaminating the environment with their faeces, and the life cycle begins again.

At this point you may be thinking ‘My dog doesn’t eat slugs or snails, so he’ll be ok.’ Perhaps he will. It is true a large percentage of dogs that are infected were known slug-or-snail eaters. But others weren’t.

Maybe your dog eats grass, or drinks from ponds or chews on toys that are left outside in the garden overnight? It’s quite possible a dog could ingest an infected mollusc this way. And some dogs  have become infected through eating frogs, which can carry the lungworm.

Most infected dogs make a good recovery with the right treatment if given early enough, so any coughing dog should be checked out by a vet sooner, rather than later. Other signs to watch out for are weight loss, lethargy or breathing difficulties.

If left untreated, A.vasorum can cause more serious signs of ill-health including bleeding internally, or even into the brain. French Lungworm can kill.

As always, prevention is best. Your usual flea or worm treatment probably does not protect against lungworm.

Advocate is a spot-on treatment that is applied monthly and is effective against fleas, heartworm, gastrointestinal worms (hookworm, roundworm and whipworm), sarcoptic mange, demodicosis and ear mites. It is a Prescription-only medicine is available from your vet.

 

 

 

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted in flea treatment, parasites | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Win a Copy Of ‘Desperate Housepets’.

Posted on June 20, 2011 by admin

Annaliese Morgan worked as a veterinary Nurse for 15 years before she opened Fuchsia Pet Health Spa in July 2008.  She has written many articles, and 4 veterinary nursing text books over her years in the veterinary profession, and now has a book out that is aimed at pet owners.

Desperate Housepets sports a tagline on the cover that states it is ‘The Single Person’s Guide to Healthy Pets’. I have no idea why it is being marketed for single people, as the information inside it is equally as useful for people that are in a relationship, engaged, married, divorced or otherwise!

There is a wealth of information in this book but you’ll have to work reasonably hard to get at it. Mrs Morgan’s experience in writing textbooks comes through in her writing and some of the more technical chapters will be skimmed over by pet owners who don’t require a diploma-level knowledge of animal nutrition or parasitology. However, should you seek this level of understanding of these aspects of pet care, the details can be found between these pages.

There is a good chapter on ears, and another on teeth which should help any pet owner keep their pets body parts in good order. A special mention must go to the detailed explanation of the flea life cycle that every pet owner should be forced to read before taking their furry little bundle home, and the chapter on emergencies ( Call 999!) is also a must, in my opinion. There are also a number of Appendices that will prove invaluable to the majority of pet owners at some point.

This is a handy little volume which contains all those tips that vets really want their clients to know, but never have time to divulge. It retails at £12.99 and is available from Amazon.

I was sent a copy of ‘Desperate Housepets‘  to review and have another copy to give away. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning this very useful book, reply to this post telling me who wrote this book before noon on the 8th July.

You’ll also get an extra entry if you follow me at @thevisitingvet so mention it if you do when you reply.

I will draw the winner at random in the afternoon of the 8th July and their name will be posted on my blog.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted in Book review | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Paul Walker: Pet Photographer

Posted on June 11, 2011 by admin

Paul Walker FMPA is one of the UK’s best pet photographers and author of the internationally selling book “Pet Photography Now”. He has extensive experience of photographing pets and animals with many different temperaments, from rescue dogs through to highly trained dogs at Crufts. His bespoke pet imagery and attitude to pet photography is well regarded, as are his crazy “animal wizardry tricks”. These have been learned and refined over many years, guaranteeing the personality of the pet will be more than just captured with a resulting set of professional images to treasure for a lifetime.

The Visiting Vet was lucky enough to get him to answer a number of questions about how to get the best  possible home photos of your pet.

1/ How do I get my pet to sit still?

Either obedience training, or food treats are the main two methods, though I always prefer the former method if the owner has put the work in.  For cats, it may well be food treats or perhaps after exercise a dog will be that bit more compliant.

2/ How do I get my pet to look at the camera ?

You need to entertain the pet’s senses, whether it be sound or smell (food).  I have a large repertoire of different sound makers together with other noises, its about arousing the pets curiosity.

3/ What’s the easiest way to get a good action shot?

Have another person throw an object that interests the pet from left to right in front of your line, so that the pet is running perpendicular to you.  Cameras often focus easier when the pet is running from left to right or right to left rather than straight at the camera.

4/ How do you photograph a black animal?

It really is all about the light and where it is falling on to the pet subject.  Black dogs and white dogs can be hard because you need to get the detail showing in the fur of the pet.  Sometimes you can have black and white pets and in such cases I’d opt to have the detail retained in the white fur.  The key is in setting the correct exposure with your camera and having the light in the direction that shows the level of detail required.

5/ How do you photograph a white animal?

Very similar to that of the black pet – get the correct exposure so the detail is retained in the white fur.  With a very high midday sun, sometimes positioning the white pet in an area with top shade can help reduce the harsh light that is falling from above.

6/ What’s the best way to get a good picture of a ‘small furry’ or reptile.

Often food is the main way of directing such pets, so observe the light and background and position the food in any area that will tempt the pet into such places.

7/ Is there anything I can do for a nervous or camera shy pet?

yes, take your time, be patient and gentle, do not move around too abruptly or make too loud a noise, build the session up gently and get the respect and trust of the pet.  Involve yourself in some of the pet’s favourite activities.

8/ How to get a good photo of a child and their pet?

Don’t they say “never work with children and animals” – think of ways that they could interact whether it be a child throwing a ball, running together etc..ensure that safety and welfare is key and that there are enough handlers to help out.

9/ Whats the best way to photograph fish in a tank?

Unless you are going to use an underwater camera, fish can be tricky, ensure the flash is turned off and ensure that the tank is illuminated or positioned next to an area of great light.  Fish often do not stay still for long periods but some great images can be taken around feeding time, you can easily position certain types of food in the best places in terms of light or backgrounds.  Tubifex worms are a great sight to see in the open mouth of a goldfish as it tussles with the food cube.

Paul takes photographs his subjects on location. He is based in Scotland but travels down to London 4 times a year.

Follow him on Facebook and Twitter or enquire about booking a session with him by clicking here.


Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted in Cats, dogs, Photography | Leave a comment

How Not To Be A Good Dog Owner.

Posted on June 6, 2011 by admin

I’ve just been to the park to walk the dogs while it’s not raining.

While there I met up with a lady who owns a one eyed lurcher and we had a chat because her dog is now a one-eyed, 3-legged lurcher. The dog developed bone cancer in one of her hind legs and although has had it amputated, she’s doing really well. She’s now a very distinctive dog and I doubt her owner gets far on their walks before someone asks about her pet.

This lovely lady took one look at The Lurcher and said, ‘Oh, she’s been in the wars too’.
At first I couldn’t work out what she was talking about and then I realised she was pointing to the 2 remaining staples in the almost-healed wound on her side. This not the wound she got from jumping into a tree, but the one that was inflicted by The Old Boy, about a week later.

The Lurcher likes to tease our older dog but is sometimes just that bit slow about getting out of the way, and The  Old Boy’s teeth are still sharp enough to do some damage. It hadn’t been a very big hole, so I left it for a couple of days before I decided I did probably did need to intervene. So The Lurcher had a light sedation, and I cleaned and stapled her up on one side, and removed the staples from the other side at the same time.

The first ‘bad-owner’ thing I did, was not leave an Elizabethan Collar, or ‘lampshade’ on her for long enough. The Lurcher is devastating with one of these one, marking furniture, knocking down children and damaging shins as she goes. So I took it off after a couple of hours and as a result she ate 3 of the staples out herself.

The second was leaving the staples in for too long. I should have removed them about a week ago but was distracted by half term. The remaining 2 staples were firmly embedded in the skin and one had turned back to front as a result of her harassment. They were more difficult to remove than they should have been

But it was all okay in the end despite my ‘bad owner’ tendencies. But I’m a vet and can fix things if it all goes wrong. I’d advise you to listen to your vet when it comes to Elizabethan collars and suture/ staple removal..

The other example of a Bad Dog Owner I want to bring to you today, isn’t me.

On the way home I spotted a big, white dog ambling along the footpath, who then strolled out into the middle of the road and stood there. I parked the car and he walked back onto the pavement. A lady with a couple of small, toy breeds came out of the park entrance and I asked her if she’d seen anyone looking for a dog.

There was no one obviously looking for a dog in the park, but it seemed to be hanging around a particular house on the street, so I knocked on the door. There was no reply so I got a lead onto its choke chain so it couldn’t wander off again.

He was a big, handsome boxer/ mastiff type dog and seemed quite young. I didn’t quite trust him though, he was an unneutered male and was nervous, which can turn to aggression when a dog feels threatened.

The lady with the small dogs lived nearby, so she dropped her pets home and came back with some friends, one of whom offered to walk the dog down to the closest vet clinic where it could be scanned to see if it had a microchip. The dog was not keen on getting into my car, and there was no way we were going to be able to force him!

I drove down ahead of them, and about 10 mins later the guy turned up with my lead, but no dog! It seems the owner met them as he was walking back from the shops and was hugely aggressive about the fact that some stranger had his dog. Luckily our good Samaritan was okay about being abused for his attempt at a good deed but it certainly makes me wary about trying to help in this situation again.

But lessons to be learnt from this are : make sure your dog can’t get out of the garden, make sure your dog has a collar with a name tag on and make sure it’s microchipped.

I would lay money on the fact this dog wasn’t chipped, which means it would have been picked up by the dog warden  from the vet clinic, and probably ended up in Battersea by the end of the day. If the owner was keen to get it back, he would have found him in the end but it would have cost him a bit of time and some money as well.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted in bad owners, dogs | 1 Comment

It’s Rabbit Awareness Week.

Posted on May 23, 2011 by admin

Years ago, rabbits were childrens’ pets. No one thought twice about sentencing them to a dreary life at the bottom of the garden in a tiny cage, because no one knew any better.
Most vets had no idea what to do with a rabbit and treated them as small dogs or as cats.Animal behaviourists considered them stupid and boring, and beneath their notice.
Now all that has changed.


We now know that rabbits are very different from cats and dogs. They are prey animals rather than predators and as such have very specific behavioural and environmental needs. They are herbivores, not carnivores and they need lots of exercise and lots of fibre. And they need company, preferably in the form of another rabbit.


 Rabbits come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be kept indoors and outdoors. This versatility has made them the 3rd most popular pet in the UK, behind cats and dogs. Britons keep 2 million rabbits as pets and one recent study estimates that 75% of these are not having their basic welfare needs met by their owners. 


As a bunny owner, there are 5 areas you must meet your pets requirements for. If you have a rabbit as a pet, or are considering getting one, please read on to see if you are really giving your pet all it deserves.


Environment
In the wild, rabbits have a large territory and exercise and feed in. This keeps them happy and healthy. 
Rabbits require a hutch for warmth and shelter, but should never be confined to it 24/7. They need a run attached to their hutch; this should be tall enough to allow the rabbits to stretch up to full height and they should be able to run, rather than just hop. A suggested minimum size of run for most rabbits is 8ft x 4ft x 2ft high.


Behaviour
Rabbits are intelligent and social animals, but have only been recently domesticated so their needs are very close to those of their wild relatives. They need a large enclosure and opportunities to run, dig and jump. They need to be able to hide if scared, and a change of scenery every so often. Regularly rotating their toys, and introducing new ones regularly will help prevent boredom.

Company
Rabbits are happiest with the company of their bonded bunny or a small friendly group. The best combination is a neutered male/female pair or two neutered females. Un-neutered does often go on to develop uterine cancer, and can be very grumpy so it’s best for everyone if they are spayed.
Rabbits shouldn’t be kept with guinea pigs, as they often bully them and have different dietary needs.
Humans shouldn’t replace another bunny for companionship but often provide a welcome supplement.

Health
As for most pets, there is a long list of things that can cause a rabbit to be unwell. Most vets these days have  some idea of how to treat common bunny diseases but it’s always worthwhile asking around to see if there is  a vet who is especially interested in rabbits near you.
Treatment can be involved and expensive.Some pet insurance companies do offer policies for rabbits, and you might want to consider taking some out.

Rabbits are fragile and flighty, and can break bones very easily, so if your pet suddenly seems lame or reluctant to move, you need to see a vet pretty quickly. Many rabbits hurt themselves leaping out of their owner’s arms after being picked up, so it’s wiser to leave them on the ground. If you have to cuddle them, sit on the ground and let them come to you.
A rabbit that isn’t eating is in serious trouble and should get medical attention as soon as possible. If they don’t have food coming in to their stomach, their gut stops moving and they can quickly die.
A lot of rabbits have teeth problems which cause them pain and illness. Bad breeding is a common cause of dental dysfunction as is a poor diet with not enough fibre in it.
Keep an eye on their poos. You should see round, hard individual pellets but if you see long strings of pellets stuck together or watery faeces then, again, see your vet.
All bunnies should be checked around their rear ends at least daily, as fly strike can develop within hours; but if you have a rabbit with diarrhoea or open sores, they need to be kept clean and checked twice a day. You can get fly repellent which can be applied to bunnies and will help keep them fly-larvae free, and fly netting around their cages can also be useful.
All bunnies should be micro chipped, in case they escape and vaccinated against Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic Disease, which are spread through flying insects.

Diet
70% of a wild rabbit’s time above ground is spent foraging for high fiber foods, such as grass and plant. The continual chewing helps grind down the rabbit’s constantly growing teeth and keeps their gut healthy.
Good quality grass and hay should make up the majority of your rabbit’s diet. The remainder should be small amounts of extruded pellets and a few bits of fresh vegetable.

If you want more detailed information on any of these welfare areas, then check out the Rabbit Awareness Week website. You will find lots of information on all aspects of Bunny care, as well as details of Rabbit Awareness Week events near you.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment