Cats and Dogs on Bonfire Night

Again a slightly hurried post.. will expand for New Years Fireworks post.  Some tips from my local vet Parkhill Vets on keeping your pets calm.

10 Tips to Help Keep Your Pets Happy During the Firework season

What you can do.......

 

1. Walk your dog early before the fireworks start.

2. Ensure windows, doors and cat flaps remain closed to prevent a frightened pet escaping.

3. Draw curtains and put on the TV or radio to mask the noise.

4. Provide a den or hiding place for your pet whilst the fireworks are going off. Cats feel more comfortable at a higher level.

5. Provide a litter tray for your cat.

6. Try not to leave your pets alone.

7. Ignore fearful behaviour, dogs may pick up on their owners' anxiety making the problem worse.

8. Provide distractions in the form of new toys and chews. Do NOT punish your pet! This will only make your pet more distressed.

9. For worried pets use an Adaptil Diffuser or Collar (for dogs) or Feliway Diffuser for Cats. Have these plugged in close to their 'Den' or hiding place, or where your pet spends most of its time.

10. Feed  Calmex for dogs 30-60 minutes before the desired effect is required. Calmex for cats is fed twice daily.

 

I would add to this by reinforcing the point of keep all gates and exits to your house locked.  Bonfire night is very very very prone to making dogs or cats run away because they get so scared they bolt in whatever direction to get away from the fireworks and stops them from thinking rationally, also make sure your dog/cat is identifiable with a tag so they can be returned if lost.

And some other good tips:

Horses on Bonfire Night (November the 5th)

All across the UK pet owners are dreading tomorrow night. The night when stress is very high among the animal kingdom with even the most "bombproof" of horses being affected.  Many horses have died through injury sustained on November 5th or died of stress directly as a result of it so please take these guidelines to try and prevent as much damage as possible and always contact your local vet if you think your horse may be particularly susceptible to injury and/or stress and get medication to help.

 
 Sorry for the posts being so last minute but been very busy as usual! (please await a blog post sometime soon on my adventures this half term just gone).

Some great advice I stumbled across from Rowena Cook:

* Ask locally if anyone is intending to release fireworks so that you can be prepared.

* If you have a horse that is sensitive to noise then give some sedation, or put ear plugs in.

* Provide plenty of hay or haylage to keep the horse occupied.

* Remain on hand so that any rugs can be removed or reduced in number, as some horses may sweat up and that in itself can cause distress.

* Your presence will also have a resassuring effect.

* For a horse that is fractious, do not go into the stable to try to calm him down unless past experience has shown that this does work, otherwise you risk injury to yourself. Better to close the top door and let the horse deal with the situation and then attend to him once the fireworks are over.

* If possible, leave some lighting on rather than the yard being in darkness; this has the effect of the "flashing" not seeming to sudden and bright.

* Leave a radio on throughout.

* Opinion varies as to whether horses that are usually out should be brought in but if not used to being in, then this can cause more upset than being left out. If you are concerned, a little sedation will ease the situation.

* For horses that are out, double check your field for any potential causes of injury should they run about and make sure all fencing is as secure as possible.

* Remain on hand if possible, or at least carry out checks through the evening.

* If your horse is colic-prone, be sure to have appropriate medication to hand so that you can take action prior to the arrival of your vet (if warranted).

and from World Horse Welfare:

Stable Care
 

• Make sure you have sand and water nearby in case of a fire around the stables.
   
• If you keep your horse at livery you should be familiar with the fire drills – make sure you know where you should go with your horse.
   

Field Care
 

• In the morning check your field for any stray fireworks which might have landed there. It’s not uncommon for people to use fireworks to mark other occasions such as New Year or a wedding, so keep an eye out for public notices of such events.

- See more at: http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/Fireworks#sthash.k1Al9XKc.dpuf

World Rabies Day

Well my last post was well timed as I have just found out today is World Rabies Day 2013.

 What is Rabies?

Rabies is a horrendous disease that is viral and transmitted through the saliva or tissues of an infected mammal to another mammal. The rabies virus affects the central nervous symptoms so causing very distressing neurological symptoms before the victim is to die.

Rabies is the deadliest disease on earth with a 99.9% fatality rate.

 Each year around the world, rabies results in more than 55,000 deaths – approximately one death every 10 minutes. Most deaths are reported from Africa and Asia with almost 50% of the victims being children under the age of 15.

 If you find yourself bitten by a rabid animal, you must:

• Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes. 
•  Apply ethanol or a similar antiseptic to prevent secondary infection.
• Seek urgent medical attention. You need to start post-exposure prophylaxis within 3 days or as soon as possible.
  - See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.gKPk6Hdx.dpuf

If you are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal, you must

1. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes.
2. Apply ethanol or a similar antiseptic to prevent secondary infection.
3. Seek urgent medical attention. You need to start post-exposure prophylaxis within 3 days or as soon as possible.

If you have already had pre-exposure prophylaxis, you still need to seek further treatment.
Modern vaccines are the only way to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Traditional remedies, such as jackfruit gum and chilli powder do not stop the rabies virus.
Please treat any potential exposure to rabies seriously. Once clinical symptoms appear, death is inevitable.
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.eF82SK91.dpuf

 If you have already had pre-exposure prophylaxis, you still need to seek further treatment.

Modern vaccines are the only way to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Traditional remedies, such as jackfruit gum and chilli powder do not stop the rabies virus.
Please treat any potential exposure to rabies seriously. Once clinical symptoms appear, death is inevitable.
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.gKPk6Hdx.dpuf

1. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes.
2. Apply ethanol or a similar antiseptic to prevent secondary infection.
3. Seek urgent medical attention. You need to start post-exposure prophylaxis within 3 days or as soon as possible.

If you have already had pre-exposure prophylaxis, you still need to seek further treatment.
Modern vaccines are the only way to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Traditional remedies, such as jackfruit gum and chilli powder do not stop the rabies virus.
Please treat any potential exposure to rabies seriously. Once clinical symptoms appear, death is inevitable.
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.gKPk6Hdx.dpuf

If you are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal, you must

1. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes.
2. Apply ethanol or a similar antiseptic to prevent secondary infection.
3. Seek urgent medical attention. You need to start post-exposure prophylaxis within 3 days or as soon as possible.

If you have already had pre-exposure prophylaxis, you still need to seek further treatment.
Modern vaccines are the only way to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Traditional remedies, such as jackfruit gum and chilli powder do not stop the rabies virus.
Please treat any potential exposure to rabies seriously. Once clinical symptoms appear, death is inevitable.
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.eF82SK91.dpuf

 Modern vaccines are the only way to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Traditional remedies, such as jackfruit gum and chilli powder do not stop the rabies virus.

Please treat any potential exposure to rabies seriously. Once clinical symptoms appear, death is inevitable.

Please stay away from any unknown dogs and cats, any wildlife and any dead animals.

For more information please visit: www.worldrabiesday.org

- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.eF82SK91.dpuf

aliva or tissues from the nervous system from an infected mammal to another mammal. - See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/what-is-rabies-and-frequently-asked-questions/what-is-rabies/#sthash.4FFwaR0F.dpuf

aliva or tissues from the nervous system from an infected mammal to another mammal. - See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/what-is-rabies-and-frequently-asked-questions/what-is-rabies/#sthash.4FFwaR0F.dpuf

What is rabies?

Rabies is a viral disease that is transmitted through the saliva or tissues from the nervous system from an infected mammal to another mammal.
Rabies is a zoonotic disease. Zoonotic diseases can pass between species. Bird flu and swine flu are other zoonotic diseases.
The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system causing severely distressing neurological symptoms before causing the victim to die.
Rabies is the deadliest disease on earth with a 99.9% fatality rate.

Is rabies always fatal?

Yes, it is always fatal once clinical symptoms appear.
However, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) stops the virus before clinical symptoms appear, if given immediately after exposure (from a bite or scratch of a rabid animal).
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/what-is-rabies-and-frequently-asked-questions/what-is-rabies/#sthash.4FFwaR0F.dpuf

What is rabies?

Rabies is a viral disease that is transmitted through the saliva or tissues from the nervous system from an infected mammal to another mammal.
Rabies is a zoonotic disease. Zoonotic diseases can pass between species. Bird flu and swine flu are other zoonotic diseases.
The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system causing severely distressing neurological symptoms before causing the victim to die.
Rabies is the deadliest disease on earth with a 99.9% fatality rate.

Is rabies always fatal?

Yes, it is always fatal once clinical symptoms appear.
However, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) stops the virus before clinical symptoms appear, if given immediately after exposure (from a bite or scratch of a rabid animal).
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/what-is-rabies-and-frequently-asked-questions/what-is-rabies/#sthash.4FFwaR0F.dpuf

Dangers of Pets Abroad

Last year when I went to a talk at the local vets about lungworm, the representative mentioned that she believed that the diseases in the UK would change dramatically due to a new law that was introduced on the 1^st January 2012.

This law is in affect to save pet owners hassle and money.  But what effect will it have on the population on the UK’s pets?

The law before the 1^st January 2012 was:

UK Pet Travel Scheme allows cats and dogs to enter the UK from an EU member state or a ‘listed’ 3rd country provided that they are microchipped, have been vaccinated against rabies, have had a blood test to confirm an adequate serological response, and have waited for 6 months after the blood test before entry into the UK. Animals must be treated against ticks and tapeworms 24-48 hours before entry into the UK. All treatments must be recorded in a pet passport or 3rd country veterinary health certificate. Pets from ‘unlisted*’ 3rd countries are required to spend 6 months in quarantine.

*An ‘unlisted’ country is any country not included in the list of EU and non-EU countries that is considered high risk for diseases such as rabies.

The law now:

Dogs, cats and ferrets entering the UK from an EU member state or a ‘listed’ 3rd country will still need to be microchipped and to be vaccinated against rabies. However, a blood test will no longer be required, and the waiting period after vaccination will be reduced to 21 days. Tick treatment will not be required. Dogs entering the UK must have been treated by a veterinary surgeon against tapeworm one to five days previously.

Dogs, cats and ferrets entering the UK from an unlisted 3rd country will no longer be required to spend 6 months in quarantine provided they enter the UK through an approved route and meet the EU entry requirements (microchip, rabies vaccination, blood sample at least 30 days after vaccination, and a wait of 3 months after the blood sample). Tapeworm treatment is required as above.

The advantages to the new law:

• ·         It will make going on holiday much more accessible to people who rely on animals for assistance.

• ·         It will also be easier for people who have two houses in different countries to be able travel without the hassle of quarantine.

So what effect will this have to the wider population?

The decrease in cost and hassle of being able to take your pet on holiday with you will invariably encourage many owners to take their pet away with them, which will lead to an increased chance of diseases not currently in the UK to be brought in from other countries.

This will have a serious effect on not only the health of the animals, but also human health.  The vets are struggling as it is to keep up with the mutations of parasites and diseases currently in the UK without new problems coming in from other countries. 

For example; at the moment the UK are trying to stay free from dog tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) which is known to occur in the following countries of Central Europe: Belgium, Luxembourg,  France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany and Poland. “Although [the tapeworm is] relatively benign in dogs, the resulting disease in humans – alveolar echinococcosis – is an invasive, cancer-like cystic stage of the parasite, and is invariably fatal if not treated.”

These are some of the more common diseases that your pet may pick up abroad (and what they are spread by):

• Leishmaniosis (Sandflies)
• Heartworm (Mosquitoes)
• Babesiosis (Ticks)
• Ehrlichiosis (Ticks)
• Echinococcus multilocaris - Tapeworm (small rodents if eaten)
• Rabies (bite/saliva from another infected animal)

  Those of you who follow my blog will remember my post on Schmallenburg in livestock and the devastation that caused in many parts of the UK, that disease is also transferred by mosquitoes so we already know that mosquitoes have the potential to bring disease from Germany to the UK.

And with the law removing the need to have tick treatment to re-enter the UK there is also the potential for babesiosis and ehrlichiosis to be brought in.

 So what is my view?

 My view is that unless it is 100% necessary to take your pet abroad, leave them at home.  It is not worth the risk to your animals health and human health.  Please consult your vet if you have any concerns or queries about travelling abroad with your pet.

for more information on the requirements to take your pet abroad visit: 
https://www.gov.uk/pet-travel-information-for-pet-owners

I have referenced the BSAVA, ESCCAP and DEFRA websites in producing this post.

Alternative to Pet Insurance

I was speaking to someone in my village when I was walking my dog and they were telling me about how they went about paying for their pets' vet bills.  They have a massive leonberger dog and had 3 cats and it was impossible for them to find anyone that would insure their dog at a reasonable price.

As nothing is 100% guaranteed to go wrong with one pet but 101 things may go wrong with another, insurance can sometimes lose or save you money and it usually comes with an excess (you have to pay a certain amount before the insurance company will pay out. eg. excess of £100, bill of £500 you pay £100 and they pay £400) and sometimes the condition your pet has might be in a sneaky clause that says the insurance will not cover you for x,y, or z.

The way they put aside money for the dreaded vet bills was that they had a bank account that they put however much it would cost to insure the cats each month into this bank account and if anything was to go wrong with the pets they would use the money specifically for the pets in the bank account.  This paid off because although unfortunately the cats had to be put to sleep (the condition was not such that the cats could recover) - they both had strokes - age 2 and 12.  As euthanasia is relatively cheap compared to any operation they still had money left over which came in useful when their dog a few months later had a £900 operation on her foot to remove a tumour - which if they had not put the money away, the operation would not have been possible.  In this particular case they would have been paying out for the cats (for which would have not been helpful) and had no money set aside for their dog.

This is just something to make you think and NOT telling you to do this or not to do this.  Whichever you pick it is a risk as both ways have the potential to save you a fortune or lose you a fortune as it is a risk due to the cost of insurance that may or may not be necessary and if you don't insure then the cost may be more than you have had chance to save by putting away the cost of insurance each month.  My dog is insured for £14 a month and so far *fingers crossed* she has had nothing that we needed to claim on the insurance for, however, my grandma has just claimed a lot (don't know exact figures) for tumours around the eyes that needed removing.  But as shown above this way benefited for this family.  Please see my Pet Insurance post for more information on that.

But which ever method you decide to use to put aside money for operations etc it is your decision and I am sure there are even more options depending on your circumstances.  But I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you definitely put money away/insure in case something does go wrong.  People think it doesn't happen to them but it does.  At my time on work experience I have seen multiple animals having to be sent to cat or doggy heaven because the owners simply cannot pay.  For example just the other week a 2yo cat that needed surgery to either fix or amputate. Fix - very expensive.  Amputate - about £600.  Euthanasia - £60.  However, the next day a cat that had been hit by a car needing a slightly different operation - displacement of hock - that needed drilling and tying the bones back together had the option of surgery as it was insured.  Things do go wrong so make sure you are prepared! It may just happen to you!

Laminitis

The 8th June was Laminitis Awareness Day.

Laminitis is too common in horses, ponies and donkeys. According to vets it is the second biggest killer of horses after colic in the UK. 

So what is laminitis? 

 We have all heard lots about laminitis and usually associate it with fat ponies like the ones in the Thelwell cartoons who have eaten too much spring grass. However, any type, shape or breed can get laminitis and horses with hormone disorders - such as Cushing's disease and Equine Metabolic Syndrome - can get laminitis without being overweight. 90% of horses with laminitis have an underlying hormonal disease. Also although laminitis is considered to be a disease that occurs in spring it actually occurs all year round!

Laminitis is an inflammation of the laminae, the sensitive tissue that attaches the pedal bone to the hoof wall.  This inflammation contributes to the pain that causes the horse or pony to be unable to stand.  In some cases, the delicate bonds that hold the pedal bone in place can fail and the pedal bone sinks and/or rotates inside the hoof capsule. Horse&Hound

This picture shows the rotation of the pedal bone

or simply for the non-horsey: inflammation of a horse's feet, caused by eating too much rich grass.

The most common cause is excessive fat deposits, which creates a toxic reservoir in the horse's body.  This produces anti-inflammatory proteins and these circulate in the body causing havoc and 'priming' the animal to develop laminitis. Your Horse

 Is your horse at risk? Is your horse...

• Overweight?
• In a poor routine, or made vulnerable by a change of routine or environment?
• Living in a stressful environment? (excess travelling, competing or separation anxiety?)
• Receiving poor or irregular foot care?
• On medication? (some drugs can cause laminitis, notably corticosteroids- a type of anti-inflammatory)
• Heavily competed on poor ground?
• If a mare, is she hormonal or in-foal?

 Symptoms:

 Reluctance to walk and bear weight, heat in feet, bounding digital pulse around the fetlock, rocking back on heels.

If you see the above symptoms - CALL THE VET URGENTLY.

Recovery:

Corrective farriery will be needed and dependent on the severity of the laminitis the horse may be able to return to work provided there is no pedal bone rotation or sinking.  After the amount of box rest prescribed by your vet you will be able to walk in hand and build up work very gradually so that the laminae recover and get used to the amount of work.  If you work your horse too hard when the laminae are too weak you will have to return to step 1.  Your vet will advise you on the amount of exercise you should be giving your horse on an individual case basis.  You should always stick to soft surfaces and your vet will also advise you on when you can begin to turnout again and how much turnout to allow.  If the pedal bone has rotated or sunk remedial farriery will be necessary and a much longer amount of box rest will be needed.

Remedial shoeing may include: Imprint shoeing, Natural Balance shoes, Heart Bar shoes and Steward Clogs.

Animals with a history of laminitis are 4X more likely to get it again

Prevention:

• Restricted grazing- either using a grazing muzzle, strip grazing (only giving them a very small amount of grass), or turning him out at night when there are fewer fructans in the grass (but make sure the paddock is secure and thief proof as there will be less people around at night to keep an eye on him).  Reducing the amount of time grazing will not help as they can consume a large proportion of their daily intake with just an hour at grass.
• Don't turnout on frosty pastures, especially in bright sunlight.
• Get your horse tested for a hormonal condition and treat if necessary.
• Ensure your horse is a healthy weight.  (There is a difference between fat and muscle)
• Feed low starch, low sugar diet according to workload.  Laminitis can be due to excessive starch or a high intake of fructan sugars, however, make sure your horse gets all the vitamins and minerals it needs.
• Watch grass growth-fructans are highest when grass is growing - especially warm damp spells.
• Soak hay to further reduce its fructan and calorie content then feed 2.5% of his body weight in 2-3 small holed haynets will slow him down eating it.
• All treats and hard food should be avoided.
• Exercise! It helps the horses metabolism which reduces the risk of obesity.
• Keep an eye on weight gain/loss and body score him regularly.  Horses naturally lose weight in winter and gain weight again in spring so do not go over the top in winter with his weight to stop him losing it (not too much, if you are worried about excessive weight loss contact your vet), make the most of being able to lose the weight he put on last summer.

My Crazy Summer!

Sorry for the absence of posts lately.  Before June I was busy preparing for my GCSE's - which was worth it because I found out a couple of days ago that I got 8A*s and 2Bs! A*s in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, History, French, Latin and PE and Bs in English Literature and English Language :) I am very happy and am over the minimum grades to apply for veterinary medicine at university.

With the pullets

And from June till now I have literally not had a spare moment!  First I had an amazing time at a chicken and dairy farm and learnt so much from invaluable experience there from numerous people with a wealth of knowledge and I also now have a new love of chickens :)


 Then I went to America for 2 weeks, while I was there I visited Busch Gardens and spent most of the day in the animal care center watching Pixie Frogs, Uromastyx, Blue-tongued Skinks and a variety of other animals undergo veterinary treatment.

One of the calves

Then I spent a week on the North Yorkshire Moors at a stables, riding and doing general horse care.

Lemur attack!

After that I spent 2 weeks at Blackpool Zoo and it was an amazing experience! We had theory sessions and practical sessions.  The practical sessions were very informative and I learnt loads of new things! Such as a snail is an ectothermic thigmatherm! It also encouraged me to want to do a few blog posts on more exotic animals as a huge amount of animals in the wild are under threat of potential extinction!

With a wallaby at Blackpool Zoo.

The practical sessions involved getting up close and interacting with a variety of animals and learning about their day to day care and potential health problems and their management in captivity.  For example: the camels at the zoo had saggy humps.  In the wild this would indicate a health problem, but, in captivity where they have access to water daily they have no need to store the fat in their humps so their humps become saggy.  The management of animals in captivity is also interesting and they employ researchers to sit and watch the animals and monitor their behaviour in response to different stimuli.

After that I did a week at a local vets and it was very good experience - lots of cleaning - but that can be expected if you are wanting work experience in a vet practice because as a reward I was given invaluable experience and allowed to listen to patients hearts and lungs and watch really interesting operations!  Like a lumpectomy where the lump was about as big as a melon!


So to conclude what has been a very busy summer I have a few days off before school starts on Thursday to post as many blog posts as I can - including the promised post on laminitis - and get everything sorted for school - and maybe even a rest!

Laminitis Awareness Day

Just to inform you today is Laminitis Awareness Day.  Slightly busy at the moment with GCSE's, however, a post will follow shortly!