WORKING TOGETHER FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE SUMMER 2017

smalltalkKeeping

ParrotsTips to keep them

happy and healthy

MicrochippingWhat you need to knowfor your pet

Dry EyeSigns and symptomsof this condition

Taking your pet onholiday abroad...

LungwormThe increasing spread of this parasite

Inside...

Pet Health Schemes

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Here at Larkmead Vets our pethealth scheme goes under thename of Lifetime Care Club. It’snot pet insurance, althoughthat’s also very important tohelp ensure your pet gets thebest care available, but it helpsto pay for all the routine, day-to-day treatments that your cator dog needs to stay healthy.

There are two levels of the plan(Lark and Kite), with the Kite plangiving a further discount off consultations and procedures.

So what are the benefitsof all this?

Besides it being the most costeffective way of keeping yourpet healthy, there are a numberof benefits to being signed up to a practice health scheme:

The six month health checksmay detect clinical problems atan early stage and they give you a chance to ask about any

concerns you may have. Regularvisits to the vet help you to keep up with the small (butimportant) things like your pet’sweight and make it easier tokeep track of when vaccinationsand anti-parasite treatments aredue - things that we all forget inour busy lives!

Many insurance companies lookfor being part of your practicehealth scheme as a sign ofresponsible pet ownership, someeven giving cheaper premiums ifthey know that this is the case.

With the summer weatheralready on its way we all love totake our furry four-legged friendsout for a long walk in the woods,but it’s important to considerwhether they are properly protected before you do. Fleasand ticks are not just a nuisancein themselves; they can causedistress and irritation to bothyour pets and the rest of thefamily. They also spread a number of diseases and otherparasites. With climates changingfor the warmer and more petstravelling abroad and back, weare seeing rising numbers ofmore exotic tick species and thedifferent diseases they carry.

A discussion with your vet canhelp you to find a safe andeffective regime of parasite prevention that suits you andyour pet.

Contact your practice to find out more about your practicehealth scheme.

Pet Health Schemes- the benefits

Our Lifetime Care Club is a monthly direct debit paymentthat covers:

If you’ve ever heard anyonesay ‘a stitch in time savesnine’ or ‘prevention is betterthan cure’ then that’s exactly the idea behind pethealth schemes.

Erica Softley BVetMed MRCVS Larkmead Veterinary Group

l Vaccinationsl Discounted neuteringl 12 month’s supply of

preventative healthcare(against fleas, ticks andworms)

l A 6 month health checkwith a vet

l Discounts on other stockfrom the practice - suchas food - to ensure yourpet is getting a highquality nutritionally balanced diet or the dietbest for their medicalissues

Pet Identification

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Since April 2016 it has been a legalrequirement for all dogs over 8 weeks of age to have a microchip. We stronglyrecommend that all cats and rabbits are also microchipped.

Microchipping- what you need to knowBy Tim Chapman MA VetMB MRCVS Hart Veterinary Ltd

Microchipping provides a safe, simple and permanent way to

identify your pet. If you areever unlucky enough to loseyour pet, microchipping givesyou the best chance of beingreunited. We regularly havelost-dogs and cats brought in to our surgery and we can often reunite owners with theirpets within hours because theyhave a microchip.

Microchips can be inserted by a vet, nurse or other suitablyqualified person. The microchipis very small - about the samesize as a grain of rice. Theprocess is very quick and mostpets hardly react when amicrochip is implanted. Weoften implant microchips in cats when they are underanaesthetic being neutered -

that way they do not feel anything at all. Dogs are usually distracted easily withsome tasty food!

Once your pet is microchippedyour contact details are storedon a large database togetherwith the microchip’s 15 digitcode. It is very important thatyour contact details are kept up to date on the database.The microchip database is not linked to your veterinarypractice so if your detailschange you will need to informthe microchip database as wellas your vet. Dog owners shouldbe aware that under currentlegislation if their contactdetails are not kept up-to-datethey could be fined up to £500.

If you are getting a new puppy,breeders are now required by

law to microchip and register all puppies to themselvesbefore they go to their newhomes. New owners are obliged by law to update themicrochip database with theirdetails - there is usually a smallfee for doing this.

by Niall Kenny BSc MAPhD VetMB MRCVS Clyde Vet Group

Unfortunately it is common for dogs to eat slugs and snails

when rummaging throughundergrowth or drinking frompuddles, and cats that areallowed to roam outdoors, andhunt, are especially at risk.Infected pets can, in their turn,spread the parasite back intothe environment, whichincreases the chances of othersbecoming infected.

Unfortunately it is clear thatlungworm is becoming morecommon, as it spreads out ofthe traditional ‘hotspots’ ofSouthern England and Wales,and into Northern England and

Lungworms are acquired througheating infected snails or slugs (orfrom rodent and birds), but foxesare the main wildlife reservoir.

Lungworm

Scotland. This may reflect the recent explosion in thenumbers of slugs and snails,and the rising urban fox population.

This increasing incidence is significant, as lungworm has the potential to cause life-threatening disease in cats and dogs, so it is important to recognise thesigns of infection as early aspossible and consider whetherroutine treatment is indicated.Fortunately, unlike other parasites of dogs and cats, lungworms do not infect people.

A mild lungworm infection in adog may go unnoticed, as itproduces vague non-specificsigns, but heavier infectionsmay be associated with a persistent cough, breathing difficulties, an inability to exercise, and even death.Young dogs and small breedsseem to be at particular risk.Dog lungworm is especiallydangerous as it can causeblood-clotting problems

(e.g. nose bleeds, skin bruising),heart failure and seizures.Fortunately the most severeproblems are rare in cats.

Diagnosis of infection has traditionally been done byanalysis of a faecal sample(and this is still the main meansin cats), but more recently a blood test has become available to test dogs.

There are a number of medicines available for lungworm infections in catsand dogs, and it is importantyou discuss with your vetwhat the most appropriate treatment may be for your pet, especially if you suspectthey may be eating slugs and snails.

Parasite Awareness

Going on holiday with your pets can be a stress-free experience if you prepare in advance and follow the guidelines laid out by the PETS (Pet Travel Scheme).

Taking your pet on

holidayabroad

Pet Travel

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You may take your cat, dog or ferret on holiday abroad

(any animal must be over 12 weeks old). No more than 5 pets per owner!

The requirements vary depending upon which countries you intend on visiting.The PETS scheme includes allEU countries and lists the non-EU countries that you areable to visit and return fromwith your pets (with the correct documentation). Youcan check that the country you are visiting is covered bythe PETS scheme at:

www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad/listed-and-unlisted-countries

It is also important to realisethat in other countries your pet may be exposed to parasites and diseases that are not encountered in the UK. Always get advice from your vet to ensure you have up-to-date protection for yourpet when travelling abroad.

Plan your journeys well, takinginto account the climate ofother countries (heat stroke is common in dogs on long car journeys) and ensuringappropriate stops along the way.

Please remember that if youintend on travelling to an unlisted country further testingwill be required.

By Karen McWhirter BVSc MRCVS Dunmuir Veterinary Group

Always plan well in advance and discuss requirements with your vet at the earliest opportunity.“ “

Items that are required in order to travel abroad:3 Your pet must be

microchipped3 Routine vaccinations

should be up to date3 Rabies vaccination must

be given at least 21 daysbefore your departuredate (check with yourpractice which vets areauthorised to do this)

3 A passport must be completed by your vet to show details ofmicrochip, vaccinationsand other details. Youmust confirm your detailsand sign the passport

3 You may require a healthcertificate from your vetbefore travelling, especially if you are using public transport

3 You must visit a vetbetween 2 and 5 daysprior to your returnjourney for them toadminister treatmentagainst continental tapeworms

Dog Ophthalmology

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This can lead to repeatedepisodes of inflammation,

conjunctivitis, damage to theclear cornea at the front of theeyes and, in the worse cases ifnot treated, blindness. It iscaused by the dog’s ownimmune system destroying thetear-producing glands in theeye and is quite a commoncondition with up to 1 in 20dogs affected. Some breeds are affected more than others,such as the Cocker Spaniel,West Highland White-Terrier,Cavalier King Charles Spanieland Shih-tzu.

Dry eye is a condition affecting dogs where there is a reduction or absence of tear production

and hence a ‘dry eye’.

Tears have several importantfunctions in the eye including:helping to protect againstinfection, lubrication andcleaning the eye, and carryingnutrients and oxygen to thecornea.

If the vet thinks your dog may have dry eye then a simple test can be carried out to confirm the diagnosis. A special strip of paper isplaced in the eye, this will soak up the tears and gives

a measure of their production.If the test shows low tear production, and the clinicalsigns are present, treatmentshould be started.

The main treatment used is an ointment containing thedrug ciclosporin which will help control destruction of the tear glands, increase tearproduction and reduce inflammation. It may take several weeks for improvementto be seen and some form ofartificial tears may also berequired during this period. Acourse of antibiotic ointmentmay also be required if there issignificant infection.

It is important to realise thatdry eye cannot be cured andaffected dogs will need long-term treatment to control the symptoms.

By Andrew Hooker BVetMed MRCVS Friars Moor Vets

Possible signs a dog may have dry eye include:l Red and inflamed eyesl Discharge from the eyesl Eyes that look dryl Frequent episodes of

conjunctivitisl Sore eyes so dog blinks

or rubs eyes a lot

By Vicki Temple BVMS CertAVP(ZM) MRCVS RCVS Advanced Practitioner in ZoologicalMedicine. Millcroft Veterinary Group

Oral TumoursWhether yourfeatheredfriend is a

budgie, a cockatiel, anAfrican grey, a macawor any of the myriadof species in-between,these tips will helpkeep them happy andhealthy:l Fresh water and a good

diet. Did you know that aseed diet doesn’t containeverything your parrot

needs? Seed diets (includingthe tropical mixes with driedfruits and nuts) are high infat but low in vitamins andminerals. Even giving extrafresh fruit and vegetablesisn’t enough. All birds shouldhave some part of their dietas a complete, pelleted dietlike Harrisons or a pelletenriched complete food likeNutriberries. Fresh fruit andveggies should still be givento keep your parrot busy.Sunflower seeds andpeanuts* should only beused as treats or for training.

Very occasional tit-bits ofhuman food can be givenbut NEVER feed your parrotanything fatty (like chips,crisps or cheese), avocado,chocolate or anything salty.

(* beware - only ever give human-grademonkey nuts as any other types can contain the fungus responsible for deadly Aspergillosis in parrots).

l Flying. Just like we shoulddo some exercise each day to get our heart rate up and make us a little out of breath, your birdshould be allowed to have some period of

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Keeping

Exotic Pet Care

time flying every day eitherin a safe area in the house orin an aviary. Like with us, thiskeeps them fit and healthyboth in body and mind.

l Enrichment. In the wild,parrots spend a lot of timeforaging for food. When weprovide it for them as ameal in a bowl, it givesthem more time to spendon other behaviours such asgrooming which over timecan lead to feather plucking.

There are lots of simplethings we can do to enrichtheir lives: from hiding foodin different places aroundthe house so they have tosearch for it to making toysthey have to destroy to getto the food. Of course thereare some great toys outthere but you can oftenmake your own.

l Ultraviolet light. As well as the colours we see, ourbirds can see in ultraviolet.Providing access to unfiltered ultraviolet light byallowing them time outsidein a secure cage or aviary orby using a specialist birdlamp helps keep vital calcium levels normal andhelps prevent behaviouralproblems. For more information see;

www.arcadia-bird.com

If you have any questionsabout your parrot’s care, or if you think they might beunwell, speak to your vet assoon as possible. Don’t worryabout asking anything toobasic or too complex, they willbe able to help you or quicklypass you on to someone who can.

See www.foragingforparrots.com for more ideason how to make your own parrot toys!

smalltalkLATEST NEWS

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Always collect and remove your dogs’ faeces during walks!Taken from an article inCountry Magazine News30.10.14

Dog faeces left in farmer'sfields aren't just unpleasant -the diseases they carry can alsopose a serious risk to livestockand other dogs.

Dogs walking on farmland canbecome infected with Neosporaafter eating the afterbirth of aninfected cow. The eggs, thatare shed in their faeces and leftin fields, are infectious for up to six months. Cattle then

consume these eggs in pastureland or in feed and water.

A report by FAI farms hasrevealed that the disease is themost commonly diagnosedcause of abortion in cattle inthe UK, with 17% of dairy cattle demonstrating exposureto the parasite in England and90% of dairy herds in thesouth-west of England showingevidence of previous infection.

So remember;l Always collect and remove

your dogs’ faeces on walks.

l Regularly worm your dogwith a suitable treatment asrecommended by your vet.

l Be aware that feeding abone and raw food (BARF)diet to your dog can presentdisease risks to both your dogand livestock. Discuss otherdietary options with your vetand ensure that any meatand offal is thoroughlycooked before feeding it toyour pets.