Meet Thumper🐰🤎
Thumper is owned by our deputy head nurse Jelisa. Jelisa noticed Thumper was losing weight and brought him for a check up with vet Tamsin. Tamsin found that Thumper had some sharp overgrown teeth that were likely preventing him from eating properly. After a blood test to check for any other problems, and some pain relief to make him feel better, Thumper underwent a general anaesthetic. He had x-rays and the sharp teeth were rasped smooth. He recovered very well, here he is enjoying his recovery food shortly after surgery! It's really important to minimise stress in our bunny patients and so his two girlfriends accompanied him for his stay in hospital (we think they were grateful for the fuss and treats from the team!).
As a prey species, rabbits will often hide pain. They may continue to eat even when they're very poorly or painful. If you notice any reduction in appetite or weight loss in your rabbit, please contact us for an appointment with one of our vets.
If your pet struggles with all the noises that come with bonfire night, Halloween and New Years then now is the time to start taking action.
🔊Noise anxiety is very common in dogs with around 50% reacting fearfully/anxiously to certain noises.
Although there are things you can do to help your dog if there’s unexpected loud noises, desensitising your pet and introducing positive associations now may help your pet cope better when firework season comes around.
🔊Once you’ve identified noises that trigger a fear/anxiety response in your dog you can begin to help them ignore this stimulus using repetition and gradual increase of volume. This will build their confidence until higher levels of stimulus are able to be ignored.
🔊This takes time, patience and persistence but positive reinforcements such as rewarding your dog with a high value treat/toy when they show signs of relaxation will help.
Despite training, some pets do still struggle and may benefit from veterinary input. There is also a recognised link between noise sensitivity and pain. If you are concerned about your pet's noise fear and think they may need more support, please contact the practice.
For a more in depth guide on what noise phobia is and how you can help your pet overcome this please visit the website attached.
https://www.petdialog.co.uk/noise.aspx?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1yyScPb5b86tB9lSxtpYrYSzJjdnguFM4dauaST8G_9JfmmKSH4yh3Rj4_aem_TPXU4ZVcB4S93GdlPbWIIg
