Hot and Bothered

We’ve been having some lovely weather recently and are expecting more to come, so we’re taking this opportunity to go over how to safely enjoy this weather with your pets.

Pets die in hot cars, so you should NEVER leave your pet alone in the car, for ANY reason, whether a window is open or not. When it’s 22C outside it can get up to 47C inside the car within 60mins. Try and plan journeys in advance so that there would be no reason for your pet to be in your car unattended.

The sun is shining and this is a lovely time to be out and about walking your dogs. Be careful what time of day you are exercising your dogs and what type of exercise they are doing. We would advise that dogs are not exercised during the hottest parts of the day and gentle exercise is encouraged. Try to refrain from playing games with balls etc as dogs can get too hot and be unable to control it. Allowing dogs to paddle in pools, streams, lakes and the sea (safely) is a great way to keep them cool whilst allowing them to exercise. It is particularly important to keep dogs with heart or respiratory problems calm and quiet in this weather; they are best kept indoors with a fan nearby to keep them cool.

Heat stroke can be fatal in pets and most commonly occurs when the animal has been allowed to get too hot and the animal cannot bring their temperature down themselves. They usually pant uncontrollably, are quiet and lethargic and reluctant to move. This condition is an emergency and it is vital to cool them down as fast as possible. One of the best ways to help cool them down at home is putting them in a lukewarm shower. If you are concerned your pet has heat stroke contact us immediately so we can advise you on the best next steps.

To keep dogs cool in this hot weather you can soak them with water. This is especially important for dogs with thick coats like Leonbergers, German Shepherds, Huskys etc. Make sure when you soak your dog that they are completely wet all the way down to the skin. It is also necessary to make sure your pet has access to shaded areas and water at all times.

White cats are also prone to sunburn. If you have a white cat you can try using a child’s sunblock on areas like the ears which have less fur covering and are more likely to burn. It would be best to test the lotion on a small patch of skin before using on the entirety of the ears in case they have a reaction. Ideally keeping these cats indoors/in shade is best, but cats usually do what they want regardless of what’s best!

We hope that this advice helps everyone to enjoy the lovely weather safely with their pets. If you have any concerns or queries about any of the issues brought up in this small blog then don’t hesitate to contact us at the practice on 01792 879 822. 

Ticks: Can you spot them?

It is important to be able to recognise a tick as they come in various shapes and sizes. If you don’t know what a tick looks like you won’t be able to find them on your pet.

The size of ticks at various stages in their lifecycle compared to an adult nail

The most common tick in the UK affecting our pets is the sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus) and this tick can transmit Lyme disease, which affects humans, dogs and cats. It is only the females that attach to the skin and feed from one location, filling themselves up with blood (which takes about 9 days).

 

A female Ixodes ricinus tick full with blood

 

Lyme disease is normally passed on from an infected tick to your pet around 48hrs after the start of feeding. By the time you notice a tick full of blood it would have already been feeding for 5-7 days. It is therefore vital to remove ticks as soon as possible in the right way. The easiest way to do this is by using a specially designed tick remover the O’tom Tick Twister (sold at the practice for £3.79 incl. VAT).

Ticks are mainly active in the UK in Spring and Autumn, as they like damp, warm weather. To find out the predicted risk of ticks and fleas outside in your area (or an area you will be visiting) go to:

FleaTickRisk.com

There are various products that can be used to try and reduce the risk of ticks to our pets. We sell Frontline Combo, which kills ticks 48hrs after biting if being used regularly every month. Due to the way the spot on works you may still find a dead tick attached to your pet, as they don’t always remove their mouthparts before dying. You may bring your pet to us here at the practice or remove it yourself at home with a tick remover.

Ticks are extremely important to consider if you are travelling abroad with your pet. Despite tick treatment no longer being compulsory we would highly recommend you use a product that repels, expels or kills ticks whilst abroad.
If you would like more information regarding the importance of ticks both home and abroad as well as advice on the spot on treatments we offer, contact us at the practice on 01792 879822 or make an appointment with one of our vets.

Neutering Dogs

As a follow up to our previous post on neutering cats we’re going to go into some more information on why you should neuter your dogs.

If you are not intending to use your dog for breeding it is best to have it neutered.

Unlike cats it is best to allow female dogs to have one season before spaying. This is because female dogs can develop urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI) later in life and by spaying them after they have had a season it decreases the risk of this developing. USMI causes urinary incontinence in older bitches and means they will leak urine quite commonly whilst lying down. If they are spayed before their second season they also have a reduced chance of developing mammary tumours later on in life. By spaying bitches you are preventing them developing a pyometra (a pus filled uterus) which is a serious condition and can prove fatal if left untreated. We do spay some dogs before their 1^st season, but this would be unwise for certain breeds.

Male dogs can be neutered at any time from about 6months old. By castrating dogs you eliminate the chance of them developing testicular cancer and suffering from prostate disease later in life. 80% of entire male dogs over the age of 5 years old suffer from prostate problems. Unfortunately castration will not guarantee to resolve any behavioural problems associated with testosterone, but the chances of these developing in the first place are reduced if castrated at a younger age.

Both dog castration and bitch spays are routine procedures that we perform regularly here at Gibson and Jones, prices vary according to the weight of the dog. All dogs that come into our practice for neutering go home with canine painkillers to keep them comfortable during their recovery. If you would like to discuss having your dog neutered in further detail please phone us at the practice on (01792) 879822 and make an appointment with one of the vets.

Tali, at home and comfortable last night after having been spayed earlier in the day

Neutering Cats

According to the PDSA Well Being report 2012, there was an estimated 11.9million cats in the UK. That’s a staggering number of cats and will grow uncontrollably if cats are left un-neutered.

Female cats can get pregnant from as young as 4months old! There is no benefit to allowing a cat to have a litter before neutering; it will only result in more kittens looking for homes. Most rescue centres including the Cats Protection are currently over flowing due to the large number of strays and unwanted cats and kittens in the country.

Male cats left un-neutered will roam and as a result are more likely to get knocked over by cars or get in fights with other cats. Fighting other cats can result in infections such as FIV and FeLV as well as developing abscesses.

At Gibson and Jones we recommend neutering cats from 5months old as long as they are otherwise healthy. Female cats are most likely to start coming into season around February/March (as their ovulation is linked to the seasons) so it is advised that any cat older than 5 months old is neutered.

Both cat spays and cat castrates are routine procedures undertaken under general anaesthetic.

To book your cat in for neutering or to enquire about pricing please contact us at our Gowerton branch (01792 879822). Don’t forget that we offer 25% discount on microchips that are implanted whilst under anaesthetic.

Evie and Dory relaxing post-spay when they were younger.