North West Ireland Specialist Vets

01/12/2024

Just like our own, our dogs' spines have discs between the vertebrae that help cushion the impact caused by movement and allow for a wide range of motion.

Over time, these discs can suffer degenerative changes and can end up compressing the spinal cord, leading to intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). Depending on where this occurs, it can cause problems like:

👉 Signs of pain or discomfort

👉 Muscular weakness

👉 Difficulty walking

👉 Paralysis of two or more limbs

👉 Inability to control bowel movements

Even though intervertebral disc disease is more common in older dogs, chondrodystrophic breeds, such as Dachshunds, Basset Hounds, Shih Tzus, and Pekingeses, are more susceptible to it and can show clinical signs at a young age!

Get in touch with us if you spot any of these signs in your pet!

You can read more about our spinal surgery services on our website 🔗 https://www.noahvet.co.uk/spinal-surgery/

29/11/2024

26/11/2024

If your vet suspects that your pet has an orthopaedic injury, spinal disease, soft tissue damage or cancer, a CT scan might be recommended as a diagnostic method.

But what is a CT scan exactly? 🤔

A CT scan is an advanced diagnostic imaging method that provides a comprehensive assessment of your pet’s internal organs and may uncover issues that an X-ray or an ultrasound might have missed.

By providing detailed 3D images of your pet’s body, this tool allows vets to detect a range of health problems and develop effective treatment plans tailored to your pet, while enabling you to make informed decisions regarding your pet’s care. 🐈🐕

We provide CT scans at a very competitive price! You can request a quote by e-mail 📧 [email protected]

15/11/2024

🐇 “Bunny-hopping” refers to when a dog starts using both back legs at the same time. It is a common sign of hip dysplasia, along with limping, reluctance to walk and play, and avoiding high-level places.

Hip dysplasia is a condition that makes the hip less stable, leading to painful osteoarthritis over time.

Administering pain-relieving anti-inflammatories is our first line of treatment, which can be hugely successful in managing your dog’s pain.

However, this treatment doesn’t work in all dogs and surgery might be necessary.

Our team of vet surgeons is highly experienced in performing advanced surgical techniques with a high success rate, including those needed for the surgical management of hip dysplasia, such as:

🦴 Triple pelvic osteotomy (in dogs younger than 12 months),

🦴 Femoral head and neck excision,

🦴 Total hip replacement

Head over to our website to book an appointment 🔗 https://www.noahvet.co.uk/contact/

08/11/2024

In most dogs, the cranial cruciate ligament, which is part of the knee joint, is prone to rupture due to long-term degeneration. This means the fibres within the ligament weaken over time, leading to osteoarthritis and serious mobility issues. 🐕

Following a thorough arthroscopic (keyhole) joint assessment, the most successful treatment consists of a procedure called tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO).

Keyhole surgery is a minimally invasive procedure used to diagnose and treat joint problems. It involves making small incisions and inserting a tiny camera, called an arthroscope, into the joint. This camera projects images onto a screen, allowing us to see and operate inside the joint.

This procedure may sound complicated, but our highly experienced team of vet surgeons has performed it many times.

This treatment allows the joint to become stable when walking or running, ensuring your dog regains their quality of life.

You can read more about this procedure on our website 🔗 https://www.noahvet.co.uk/animal-arthroscopy/

30/08/2024

Ticks are not just a skin problem! They can transmit diseases like Lyme Disease, not just to our beloved pets, but also to people.

The best way to avoid bothersome ticks is to keep your furry friend’s parasite control up to date, especially during the hotter months, and if you like going out to parks or other places with tall grasses, don’t forget to check for ticks!

28/08/2024

Mental health is not just for people! 🧠 Our pets can also feel anxiety and stress in such a way that can have an important impact on their quality of life.

Here are some of the situations that might be hard for your pets:
🐾 Not having a place to go to and rest from having to interact with children, other pets or strangers whenever they want to;
🐾 Too few opportunities to play, go for walks or spend quality time together with you;
🐾 Routines that are consistently disrupted, such as changes in feeding time or when people are likely to be home.

If you’re worried about your pets’ stress levels, we can help! We can help you figure out the best way to help them feel better, so don’t hesitate to talk to us. 📲

27/08/2024

Did you know boarding kennels and doggy daycares have kennel cough vaccine requirements for their guests? 🏨 🐶

Kennel cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease that causes a persistent hacking cough in dogs, often sounding as if there's something stuck in their throat. While it’s not usually a deadly disease, young puppies, sick dogs and golden oldies might have a severe form of kennel cough, which is why it’s essential to try and prevent outbreaks in places with lots of dogs in close contact.

To ensure you have a relaxed holiday right from day one, don’t forget to make sure your furry friend has their kennel cough vaccine all ready to go.

If you'd like to know more about kennel cough vaccination and to make sure your dog is protected, don't hesitate to give us a call!

26/08/2024

Today is International Dog Day! While we think every day is a great day for dogs, we love any excuse to do something special for our furry friends. 🐶

Here are some ideas on how to spoil your best friend:

🐕 Bake them some dog-friendly treats

🐕 Make them a new toy

🐕 Take them for a walk on a different route

🐕 Find exciting new games to play with them

How will you be pampering your dog on this amazing day? Tell us everything in the comments below! 👇

25/08/2024

Travelling abroad with your pets is great and an increasing number of pet owners are doing it, but we urge you to not forget some exotic diseases you might bump into. 🧳🐾

Leishmaniasis is a parasite disease that can affect our pets and often shows up in the Mediterranean, an amazing vacation spot for pet owners who love the lush countryside and the summer sun. It is transmitted by the bite of a sandfly, and it causes a tough to manage and almost impossible to cure disease.

While the vaccine might be recommended if you’re spending a lot of time abroad, another way to protect your pets is by applying insect repellents (for instance, regular spot-on treatments) and avoiding places with a lot of sandfly activity.

Want to know more about this or any other issues your pet might have while on vacation? Talk to us today!

24/08/2024

Life has a way of providing us with so many lessons, and a lot of them are learned through the ones we love the most.

Pets are no exception, and they are full of important lessons for us 💖 What have you learned from them? We’ll go first… our pets have taught us the meaning of unconditional love, and we can’t thank them enough!

22/08/2024

Exercise and play are essential for pets 🥎 🐾, not only because they are great for their physical health but also because they introduce enrichment and mental stimulation into your pet’s days!

Make sure you dedicate quality time daily to playing or exercising with your pets and ensure they have toys and other things to entertain them when you are not around.

Do your furry friends have a special toy or place they enjoy going to? Let us know!

21/08/2024

Have you spotted or suspect that your pet ate something that might be dangerous? Don’t delay!

Give us a call immediately and we can help you evaluate the situation and decide if you need to bring them in 🐕🐈🐇

18/08/2024

As pet owners, our pets’ comfort and health are always on our minds, and we do everything in our ability to provide them with the best care.

But have you paused to consider what you can do to help save our wildlife as well? 🤔

Something as simple as leaving a bowl of water in the garden, now that the temperature is rising, can be vital to wild animals such as birds and hedgehogs. 🐦🦔

Do you have any suggestions? Let’s put them all together in the comment section! ⬇️

16/08/2024

X-ray and ultrasound are common diagnostic imaging modalities that we have available to help us find your pets’ problems. 🐶🐱

The development of these non-invasive, accessible and reliable techniques has allowed us to diagnose and treat a huge number of important problems such as fractures, cancer or chronic kidney disease, to name a few!

These days we can also rely on fantastic technology such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerised tomography scan (CT), advanced machines that can look at organs that are hard to see with ultrasounds or X-rays (for instance, the brain or some internal organs) with incredible precision.

While these exams can be a bit more expensive, we know they will make all the difference in your pet’s health!

15/08/2024

Did you know that foster parents can be absolutely instrumental in ensuring a dog in need finds a loving forever home? 🐶

Providing a welcoming shelter and positive contact with people can make all the difference, so we want to thank every single foster parent out there: You were there when they needed you! 🥰

13/08/2024

First meetings are so important! We want to know how this fateful meeting went 🐾 🧑 Sometimes it’s love at first sight, and sometimes, it might take a couple of times to realise they are your forever pet.

How did it go? Tell us in the comments!