Bute & Cowal Vets

Bute & Cowal Vets Veterinary Practice caring for farm & equine animals, pets and wildlife across Cowal & Bute

Consultations by appointment
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE
17 Argyle St, Rothesay Isle of Bute PA20 0AU 01700 503017
119 George Street, Dunoon Argyll PA23 8BS 01369 702532

05/07/2025

A male neutered black and white cat has been brought to our Dunoon surgery having been hit by a car on Wellington Street.

Sadly, the cat has passed away. It has a microchip, but the microchip hasn't been registered.

If you think this might be your cat, please contact Dunoon surgery on 01369 702532

Is it true that if we use cold water on heat stroke pets they will go into shock?One of the most common things we still ...
30/06/2025

Is it true that if we use cold water on heat stroke pets they will go into shock?
One of the most common things we still hear is that we can only use tepid water on a pet with heat stroke, incase they get some complications like hypothermic overshoot, peripheral vasoconstriction hindering a cooling response, and cardiogenic shock...
We have heard not to use cold water in case it causes shock... this rarely happens!
But guess what? In a recent study over 26% of dogs presented with heat stroke died, with flat faced breeds making up nearly half of heat stroke cases seen in the study.
You should:
💧Get someone to call the local veterinary practice and tell them you're going to travel down with a heat stroke patient
💧Pour, hose or if safe immerse the pet in very cold water (this should obviously be done under constant supervision, ensuring the head is fully above water and immersion should not be attempted if the animal is too large, or you are unable to do so without hurting yourself)
💧NB: If using a hose pipe, make sure it has run through until cold, as they can often contain water that is extremely hot in the tubing initially
💧Do not drape in towels and leave them in situ. Keep the cold water flowing.
💧Move to a cool, shaded area
💧Prepare to transport to vets in a cold, air conditioned car

Recent research by Vet Compass and the The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) showed correlation between human heat warning and heat stroke cases. Heatwave peak set to bring 34C to parts of UK. The UK Health Security Agency has issued heat health alerts are across England.

Is it true that if we use cold water on heat stroke pets they will go into shock?

One of the most common things we still hear is that we can only use tepid water on a pet with heat stroke, incase they get some complications like hypothermic overshoot, peripheral vasoconstriction hindering a cooling response, and cardiogenic shock...

We have heard not to use cold water in case it causes shock... this rarely happens!

But guess what? In a recent study over 26% of dogs presented with heat stroke died, with flat faced breeds making up nearly half of heat stroke cases seen in the study.

You should:

💧Get someone to call the local veterinary practice and tell them you're going to travel down with a heat stroke patient
💧Pour, hose or if safe immerse the pet in very cold water (this should obviously be done under constant supervision, ensuring the head is fully above water and immersion should not be attempted if the animal is too large, or you are unable to do so without hurting yourself)
💧NB: If using a hose pipe, make sure it has run through until cold, as they can often contain water that is extremely hot in the tubing initially
💧Do not drape in towels and leave them in situ. Keep the cold water flowing.
💧Move to a cool, shaded area
💧Prepare to transport to vets in a cold, air conditioned car

In studies they found that:

🌅International consensus from sports medicine organisations supports treating EHS with early rapid cooling by immersing the casualty in cold water.
🌅Ice-water immersion has been shown to be highly effective in exertional heat stroke, with a zero fatality rate in large case series of younger, fit patients.
🌅Hyperthermic individuals were cooled twice as fast by Cold Water Immersion as by passive recovery.
🌅No complications occurred during the treatment of three older patients with severe heat stroke were treated with cold‐water immersion.
🌅Cold water immersion (CWI) is the preferred cooling modality in EHS guidelines and the optimal method applicable to UK Service Personnel
🌅Studies suggest using either ice-water or cold-water immersion

The best intervention is PREVENTION, but if you find yourself with an animal with heat stroke, using cold water either by pouring, hosing or ideally (if safe) immersion then this may help reduce their temperature to safe levels while you transport to a veterinary practice.

Read more below with updates from Hot Dogs - canine heatstroke education for dog owners

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid

30/06/2025

*** DUNOON SURGERY 1ST JULY ***

We will be closed in the morning for staff training. The surgery will open at 2pm.

For EMERGENCIES, please call 01369 702532
For non emergencies, please leave us a message on PetsApp or email [email protected]

Congratulation to the Team at Dae It Yersel!Well done!
23/06/2025

Congratulation to the Team at Dae It Yersel!

Well done!

Meet the winner of Britain’s Best Small Business Name 2025: Dae It Yersel 🏆

This local DIY shop and timber yard didn’t need to do it themselves – as over 900 of you believed they had the best business name. Congratulations!

Revisit our previous winners here: https://bit.ly/3I7qDla

16/06/2025

🍋We have seen a worrying increase in people suggesting the use of lemon juice to use in dogs with heat stroke🍋

PetLink Magazine recently highlighted that their founder, RVNspeaks lost a bulldog to heatstroke as owners, while attempting to save their beloved pet, sadly delayed treatment while trying to use lemon juice orally (see post shared below 👇)

When dogs have heatstroke they can often pant excessively and produce lots of saliva, especially brachycephalic dogs, whose airways can quickly become obstructed, risking aspiration and asphyxiation .

People believe lemon juice will help clear this if they pour/squirt into the mouth, we don't recommend this.

When polled in the Veterinary Voices UK Facebook group, 0 of over 970 veterinary professionals would recommend giving lemon juice!

If you think your dog has heatstroke:

❌ Do not pour lemon juice into its mouth if they are producing excessive phlegm or saliva
❌ Do not attempt to force any liquid into its mouth - you risk causing aspiration
❌ Do not leave wet, cold towels stationary on them. They quickly warm and trap the heat

✅ Do...
✅ Bring your dog inside into a shady, well ventilated, cool room
✅Call your veterinary team and follow their instructions
✅Prepare yourself to promptly transfer to your practice
✅Cool them down by pouring *cold* water on them
✅ Depending on their current condition they may drink small amounts of cool water, don't allow they to lap up huge quantities at once incase they vomit
✅ Travel in a cold, air-conditioned car

➡️ According to one study into heat-induced illness in dogs, those actively cooled before arriving at the vets had a lower mortality rate than those not cooled prior to arrival.

➡️ Plan to travel to a veterinary practice as soon as you have engaged in the preliminary first aid.

More information on heatstroke and how to manage while transferring to your veterinary team?

Veterinary Voices UK article:

https://www.vetvoices.co.uk/post/cool-icy-cold-or-tepid

08/06/2025

We’re proud to be working with University of Glasgow on a major new research project focused on understanding and preventing su***de in Scotland’s farming and crofting communities.
The three-year project will be supervised by Professor Rory O’Connor (pictured), Director of the Universty’s Suicidal Behaviour Research Lab, who is one of the world’s leading experts in the field of su***de prevention.
Closing date for PhD applications: 21st July, with an autumn 2025 start
👉https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/towards-an-enhanced-understanding-of-su***de-risk-among-those-from-agricultural-backgrounds/?p185354

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with their mental health, support is available via our 24/7 Helpline 0808 1234 555 and a range of support via www.rsabi.org.uk/mental-health-support
Read more: https://www.rsabi.org.uk/new-su***de-prevention-in-agriculture-research-project-launched/ fans SAYFC Young Farmers NFU Scotland Women in Agriculture Scotland Su***de Prevention Scotland United to Prevent Su***de
***depreventions

06/06/2025

From today, you need a pet travel document to take your dog, cat, ferret or assistance dog from Great Britain into Northern Ireland.

A Northern Ireland pet travel document is free and lasts a lifetime.

Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad

03/06/2025

.co

Our Dunoon surgery has been subject to intermittent power outage all weekend.Unfortunately,  every time the power goes o...
25/05/2025

Our Dunoon surgery has been subject to intermittent power outage all weekend.

Unfortunately, every time the power goes off or on, the surge trips fuses and alarms left, right and centre.

We apologise for the disturbance caused. We receive alerts from the alarm companies and get a keyholder in every time, but unfortunately we can't completely stop it until the power supply is properly restored.

SSE engineers and operatives from Ross MacArthur contractors are currently digging up Queen Street to find and rectify the underground fault causing the problem.

11/03/2025
Update: Now removed. Thank you!Could the owner of this car kindly arrange for its removal from our Dunoon surgery carpar...
06/03/2025

Update: Now removed. Thank you!

Could the owner of this car kindly arrange for its removal from our Dunoon surgery carpark before 5pm Friday 7th March.

It has been here since Sunday 23rd February, taking up parking space needed by people bringing sick animals to the surgery.

Address

Dunoon

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