Here's a scary sight on Halloween 😱
This chunky vampire was removed by vet Jenny from one of the hedgehogs we admitted to the hospital today.
It was almost 1cm big and causing our prickly friend some issues by stealing his blood 😬.
Tick infestations can affect many animals including our pets. They can cause anaemia due to blood loss, cause bite reactions and also transmit infectious diseases.
If you find a tick, it is best to get it removed ASAP! We use special tick removers to get them off (pictured here) to avoid leaving their mouthparts behind 🤢.
For pets at risk of ticks, there are parasite treatments that can repel them or treat infestations that are worth discussing with us as part of their parasite prevention plan.
Happy Howl-o-ween 🎃
This little ghost has been spied this week 👻
Please comment with your pet's Halloween pictures as we'd love to see them!
An unexpected reunion 🥰
Idris and Bryn, who were from the same litter, came in for their second vaccinations yesterday.
Their new owners had booked their appointments in separately and just happened to cross paths at our Bridgend hospital which was a lovely surprise for everyone.
As you can see, they were very excited to spot each other 🥹.
When you buy a puppy, it is recommended to wait until they are at least 8 weeks before collecting them to go to their new home. The breeder should have already started their vaccination course and provide you with their vaccination certificate and date they require the next vaccination.
Idris and Bryn will soon be able to go out and about safe and protected. Maybe they'll even come across each other again on a walk?!
Happy National Veterinary Receptionist Day! 🥳🥳
At Shepherds the Vets we have a team of 17 amazing receptionists across all four sites.
Without our receptionists, we wouldn’t be able to open our doors daily and allow our vets and nurses to provide the care our customers need for their pets.
We know some days can be tough; from shedding a tear with a customer for the loss of their animal, to getting excited when they have a new one. But we couldn’t be prouder.
Thank you 😊
🎆🎇Fireworks preparation and sedatives🎇🎆
It won't be long before bonfire night sneaks up on us.
Making preparations well in advance saves a lot of stress to both you and your pet.
Starting fireworks desensitisation even now can really help animals who are anxious or have never experienced fireworks before. Watch this video to learn more!
https://youtu.be/P2oYXs47a0s
If your pet has a known noise phobia and even with desensitisation and other techniques, fireworks are likely to significantly affect their well-being, prescription sedatives may be appropriate for them.
We may be able to prescribe sedatives for your pet without them being seen for an appointment if:
🎆 Your pet has a known anxiety/nervousness/phobia that has already been discussed with the vet, especially if this has been managed successfully with sedatives before.
🎆 They have been recently physically assessed by us and deemed to be in good physical health with no identified risks to using sedatives. The annual health check performed at vaccinations usually satisfies this requirement.
🎆 We have a recent weight reading taken at the practice and their weight is expected to have remained stable since then.
These can be requested via our online repeat prescription service or over the phone with our reception team. If deemed necessary after assessing your request, the vet may request you bring your pet in for an appointment to discuss further before prescribing. https://www.shepherdsthevets.co.uk/Order-Repeat-Prescriptions1515.html
If your pet does not fall into the above, we advise you to book an appointment well in advance of bonfire night to discuss a sedative plan with the vet.
Here is Morty doing some desensitising to fireworks with treats on the go. You can ask Alexa to play 'firework sounds' and start off on a low volume.
LickiMat!
How can you use food and toys to help your dog's behaviour?
Food can be a great positive reinforcer or distraction technique for dogs that are driven by their belly.
Traditionally, treats are used to train dogs very successfully. Dogs will very closely associate any behaviour they do prior to receiving food/treats as being something you wish to reward, so will then continue to do this. But do be careful that you don't accidentally reward bad behaviour!
Giving food/treats alongside a situation you want your dog to associate with being positive can help them to become comfortable with it, for example crate training, muzzle training and having their feet touched for nail clipping.
Additionally, toys like puzzle feeders, LickiMats and Kongs can help provide mental stimulation by making it more challenging for your dog to get the food. This can be great for dogs that easily get bored or who suffer from separation anxiety when left alone.
We can also use food as a distraction for when something bad is happening that we can't avoid doing. For instance, when dogs are in for their vaccines, treats can help make the experience less worrying.
Here is Mortimer spending some time with his LickiMat in the run up to having his vaccines done soon (he doesn't like needles). His latest stint was 90 minutes for trying to get all the cheese paste off 😋.
Thank you!
**CAT VACCINES**
What are we doing to ensure continuing protection?
Due to a combination of coronavirus restrictions and a huge surge in cat ownership across the world, there is currently a global shortage of cat vaccines compared to the demand for vaccinations.
We currently have enough supply to address the needs of our registered patients and the predicted number of new kittens over the coming months. However, with the ongoing uncertainty on supplies, to ensure the health and welfare of our feline patients going forwards, we are taking some proactive steps.
In order that we are able to continue to protect the most vulnerable animals, we will be prioritising kitten vaccines and first boosters (the vaccine received at around 15 months old) for our supply.
Booster vaccinations for cats that have previously received regular vaccinations, can be safely delayed for 3 months from the due date where this is necessary to do so. As a result, when you receive your reminder for your cat's annual vaccinations and book their appointment, we may book this on or within the close period after their due date.
In addition, in order to facilitate the incredibly high demand for vaccinations most effectively, we are still continuing to carry out annual health check and vaccine appointments in our branch practices.
We thank you in advance for your understanding; these precautions will help prioritise the resources we currently have and ensure the overall health and welfare of our feline patients is protected until the situation stabilises.
