BLOB’S STORY 🐱🌱
Blob attended the practice back in August after her owners returned from work and noticed her retching.
On clinical exam Blob was presenting with intermittent retching, open mouth breathing and distress.
No abnormalities could be seen on a conscious oral exam so Blob was anaesthetised. Once under anaesthetic an 18cm blade of grass was located in the pharynx going down into the oesophagus.
Once removed, Blob was recovered by our nursing team and discharged with some pain relief / anti inflammatory medication 💙.
Grass seed season has well and truly started! 🌾
In the past few weeks we have seen an increasing number of dogs presenting with grass seed injuries.
Grass seed injuries are an extremely common seasonal problem, with long haired breeds being more at risk. The seeds resemble tiny arrowheads making them easy to attach to the animals fur and burrow into the skin.
The two most common places for dogs to present with a grass seed are the foot and the ear. Symptoms include, swelling between the digits, licking of the paw(s) and shaking of the head.
Although the ears and paws are the most common, grass seeds can also end up in any location, including the eyes and nose.
Rudy (shown in the video below) presented with a sudden onset of irritation to the left eye whilst out on a walk. Sedation was required to locate a large grass seed from inside the third eyelid.
It is recommended to keep your dog away from long grass during summer months, and to keep the hair around the ears and paws short to minimise the risk of grass seeds attaching. Inspecting your dog after a walk and removing any visible grass seeds will also help to reduce the likelihood of any penetrating the skin.
If you are concerned that your dog might have a grass seed injury, then please contact the surgery on 01255 422150.
Explore an eye with us 👁️
This sweet girl is Chrystal, a 2 year old crossbreed.
Chrystal was admitted for sedation on Friday following an appointment with our Vet Kim. Chrystal had been holding her left eye fully shut and rubbing at her face.
Following sedation we was able to apply some topical local anaesthetic and fluorescein.
Fluorescein is a special stain that is used to detect corneal ulcers. A drop is placed on the cornea and the dye will turn green and adhere to areas of ulceration.
No foreign body was found during Chrystal’s examination but a large ulcer was present on the lateral aspect of the eye (see last part of video).
Chrystal has started on topical eye drops and pain relief and will be rechecked this week to monitor her progress.
Meet Pearl 🤍 A very sweet 15 week old Domestic Shorthair cat, who came to see us yesterday for her second vaccinations. Pearl was very inquisitive and would not sit still for a photo (even with the temptation of treats)! We had to settle for a little video instead! 😻
BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING 👩⚕️
Just like us humans, pets can also suffer with hypertension (high blood pressure).
This sweet boy is Indi, a Tonkinese who was recently diagnosed with hypertension.
Indi was started on daily medication in tablet form and was back last week for his repeat blood pressure monitoring with our nurses.
Blood pressure monitoring is a non invasive procedure where a small cuff is placed on the patient's leg or tail. As you can see Indi is not phased by having his blood pressure monitored and quite enjoys all the fuss he receives from our nursing team when having it done.
Since starting his treatment, Indi’s blood pressure has returned to within normal limits. We will continue to check his reading every 3-6 months whilst on treatment!
Well done Indi! 💙
We want to help you keep your feline friend safe! If the unthinkable happens and they get lost, injured or stolen, a microchip is the best way to increase the chance of you being reunited.
Speak to a member of our team about having your cat microchipped ahead of the new compulsory microchipping law 🐱.
LickiMat fun with Wasabi 🐱
LickiMat comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and patterns.
They can help to reduce
* ANXIETY
* BOREDOM
* DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR
The LickiMat works by helping to release endorphins through the motion of licking.
Can be used for:
* Distraction aid for grooming and vet examinations
* Slower feeding
* Distraction for thunderstorms and fireworks
* Improved oral health - Increased salvia production that further cleans the tongue, teeth and gums.
Come discover our Lickimat range, plus plenty of other stimulating toys and treats at our Clacton surgery 🧸⚽️
