Robb Veterinary Clinic

01/07/2024

If you own an XL Bully, don't forget to apply for an exemption before 31st July. After this date the only way to get your pet exempted will be to go through the courts.

The Certificate of Exemption deadline is fast approaching for XL Bully owners in Scotland 📢

There is just one month to go to apply for your Certificate of Exemption, with 31 July as the final deadline to apply online. You can apply by post until 15 July.

Find out more here: http://pdsa.me/QQRg

[Visual description: Infographic about XL Bullies in Scotland and the Certificate of Exemption. Text is on a burgundy background and there are faint paw prints, a loud haler emoji and Scottish flag. The information reads: If you have an XL Bully, you must apply for a Certificate of Exemption by 31 July 2024. Without one, you will be breaking the law and could be convicted of a crime. To get a Certificate of Exemption for your XL Bully, you’ll need to: Ensure your dog is microchipped, have your dog neutered by 31 January 2025 or for younger dogs, within one month of them turning 18 months old, have third party liability insurance for your XL Bully and pay the application fee of £92.40. You can apply online or by post from 1 April 2024. You have until 31 July 2024 to apply online or until 15 July 2024 to apply by post. We recommend sending postal applications by recorded delivery.]

28/06/2024

The updated guidance for heatstroke in dogs (and horses and people!): get them wet then to the vet.

If you think your dog might have heatstroke, pour water on them until they are soaked- any temperature is fine, as long as it is colder than your pet - then get them to the practice in a car with air con or the windows open.

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 possible 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:

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

12/04/2024

If you own an XL Bully in Scotland, the time to get going and register your dog has arrived.

You must apply for an exemption by 31st July in order to keep your dog. You will need to have them microchipped (they should be chipped already under current legislation) and neutered (by certain dates in 2025), and have Third Party Liability insurance as a minimum.

The cost for Exemption will be £92.40.

You can check out the Scottish guidance to check if your dog is an XL Bully here:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/applying-xl-bully-breed-type-conformation-standard-scotland/pages/1/

Information about the exemption process is here:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/xl-bully-dog-rules/pages/what-you-need-to-apply-for-an-exemption/

Photo by Vecteezy: https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos/bully-dog

25/03/2024

From 1st September any bird owners of birds kept outside (including pigeons, ducks and chickens) will need to register their birds online on the Scottish Kept Bird Register, even if they are already on the GB Poultry Register. The information will need to be updated annually.

The Register is not live yet but the information can be found here:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu/pages/register-your-birds/

17/03/2024

Pet Insurance: The Basics!

Pet health insurance isn’t like most insurance people deal with regularly. You can’t shop around every year and switch to the cheapest option, as any problem your pet has had previously will be excluded from future cover. So you need to pick well when you first get a policy for your pet!

Types of policy
Pet insurance typically comes in 3 types: Lifetime Cover, Time Limited or Amount Limited. Lifetime cover is generally recommended as this will continue for the life of your pet. Time Limited policies will usually stop paying out after a certain period of time, typically a year, and Amount Limited will stop paying out once that amount has been reached. We usually advise lifetime policies as being the best, if most expensive option. The other two are better than nothing if lifetime cover is unaffordable.

Level of cover
How much cover do you need? We suggest £4000-6000 for a cat or small dog and up to £10000 for a large dog. There can be vet bills higher than this, but these levels would cover most things.

Excesses
Every policy will have an excess. Typically you pay up to the excess amount for each new condition, then the insurance will kick in for anything over this amount. Usually an excess is due per condition per year, so if your pet has a chronic condition there will be a new excess for this condition every year.

Too good to be true
When you are looking about, look at reviews both positive and negative. Generally if a policy looks much cheaper than other, check the small print - there’s usually a reason for this.

Going up every year
In contrast to e.g. car or house insurance, your pet insurance will generally rise every year. This is NORMAL and based on the fact that your pet is more likely to need veterinary attention the older they get.

Basically: you can't shop around at renewal every year, it will go up as your pet gets older, and if it looks too good to be trued then it usually is.

23/02/2024

A reminder that today the new laws about owning an XL Bully in Scotland come into force. This means that, amongst other things, your XL must be on a lead and muzzled while in public spaces. This includes your car and in the vet practice buildings.

It's also now against the law to buy, sell, rehome or give away an XL.

See the guidelines here:

Rules you must follow if you own an XL Bully dog in Scotland.

02/02/2024

New update regarding XL Bullies in Scotland. Pending parliament approval, after 23rd February all XLs must be muzzled in a public place - this includes the practice buildings and grounds.

Selling, gifting or exchanging the dogs will also be banned.

Owners will need to apply for an exemption certificate before July 31st.

The definition for what constitutes an XL bully is the same as in DEFRAs guidelines. There is a link to these on the page below.

Note it is NOT our role to tell you if your dog is an XL or not. If you think your dog may fit the DEFRA guidelines, it is up to you to follow the steps required to get an exemption.

Owners urged to prepare for changes.

23/12/2023

Happy Christmas one and all. We are now closed until Wednesday but our Emergency Vets are working all through Christmas to deal with any emergencies !

‘Twas the week before Christmas and all though the land,
Vets teams were ready to give pets a hand,
Dogs, rabbits, hamsters, horses and cats,
All often suffer with festive mishaps!

Like the greedy old doggo who ate all the mince pies,
but they are not good for their insides!
Same goes for the stollen, the cake and the pudding,
It’s raisins that can give the kidneys a drubbing!

The next festive treat that gives us a fright,
is the chocolate, so please keep your snacks locked up tight!
The dark stuff’s the one that’s the worst of them all,
if your pooch pinches a prezzie, please give us all call!

First we will make them do great smelling vomit,
then medicines to help them, don’t worry, we’re on it!
And the puss, who climbs up and then pulls down the tree?
(it looks like a giant cat toy, you see!)

Don’t panic, we’re there to put them back together!
Your vets are available, whatever the weather!
In fact all the baubles, lights, decorations,
are enough to give your vet palpitations!

They look like fun stuff, just right to play with,
but if they are eaten, cause all sorts of mischief!
And sharing the dinner seems like a great idea,
but not the next day, when they have sickness and diarrhoea!

So this festive season to keep your pets out of trouble
(and stop you from rushing to the vets on the double!)
Please keep them away from the gifts and food,
but you can certainly treat them if you’re in the mood!

With presents and stockings made just for pets,
which surely for them is as good as it gets!
So I will wish you a very happy Christmas 2023
and hope that your new year is all you wish it to be!

Happy Christmas everyone! And thank you very much to my colleagues who will be covering the on-call this year.

02/12/2023

DOG BITES: WE OWE IT TO OUR DOGS

It's approaching the holiday season and social media is filled with pictures of people's families, their kids and their pets.

Time and time again I see pictures on my timeline of kids hugging dogs, leaning on them, kissing them, even sometimes just being near them. In a lot of the photos, the dogs are not showing any stress behaviours. BUT in an alarming number of photos, I see worried and anxious pets. Often with the captions, ‘Best buddies!’ or, ‘My dog loves my kids!’

In very very few of these situations, it becomes, ‘The dog bit me/my kid. It came out of nowhere’.

PLEASE educate yourselves on signs of stress in your dog. Know when they are unhappy. It is up to you to advocate for them, so they don’t have to advocate for themselves by snapping or biting. Even if you think your dog is ‘fine’ with your kids, go back and look at photos of them interacting. Are they ‘fine’? Or are they worried and unhappy and putting up with the situation?

Let’s keep out of A&E this Christmas.

22/11/2023

Pet Insurance: Why?

With finances tight and belts being tightened across the country, it’s more important than ever to have your pet insured.

Consult fees with us are £37, amongst the lowest in Scotland - and this is paid every time you see the vet. With drugs needed to fix the problem added to this, consults average in general around £60 for a small dog to over £100 for a very large dog. If your pet has to come in for a biopsy, lump removal or wound repair you are looking at £300-£800. Referrals or problems requiring multiple visits, for example chronic ear problems or broken legs, can end up in the £1000-2000 bracket.

What most people do NOT realise is that vets are not licenced by the Financial Conduct Authority, so we are NOT ALLOWED to offer credit or payment plans to clients. So that big vet bill needs to be paid off at the time. How many people have that amount of money freely available?

Having pet insurance means that we have more choice in terms of the treatment options we can give to your pet. In some cases it may mean the difference between being able to fix your pet, and putting it to sleep.

15/09/2023

This promises to be interesting, especially given today's news.

UPDATE. THIS NOW FREE FOR ALL SIGN UPS FOLLOWING TODAYS ANNOUNCEMENTS. All existing paid slots the full proceeds will go to Cardiff Dogs Home.

Please note I have had 450 sign ups so far (as of 11am Saturday 16th September) so it may take me a while to get links out!

The Bully Issue
September 27th at 7pm.

Webinar for ALL Bully owners, people considering owning a Bully or professionals that work with Bullys in the UK.

This webinar is for anyone that owns an American Bully or a large breed that could fit the type that is currently concerned about the future of their dog. Regardless of whether your dog is reactive or not, I really feel for anyone who owns a bully and is currently scared for their dogs future.

In this webinar we will discuss:

🐾 The Law as it currently stands and the dangerous dogs act.
🐾 How to keep your dog safe.
🐾 How to handle interactions with the public.
🐾 What basic training you need to start NOW to be proactive regardless of what happens legislation wise.
🐾 Safe equipment to walk your dog in.
🐾 Why proactive training is no longer a passive thing but an immediate NECESSARY.

The webinar will be available to view after if you can’t make it live. It will be hosted on Zoom to protect your privacy.

Sign up below ⬇️

https://form.jotform.com/232326608843357

23/08/2023

On September 1st we are seeing new prescription recommendations from the RCVS - Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons come into action!

We are asking for our loyal clients' patience and understanding while veterinary practices across the country try to change their protocols to reflect the new requirements from the RCVS.

In many cases protocols will be very similar and might not impact you at all, but you may notice some slight changes to your practices protocol in prescriptions and we ask that you remain understanding while this is implemented.

One of the biggest factors that may impact you as a client is that anti-parasitics (flea, worm and tick treatment) are going to be in the same band as antimicrobials and important drugs meaning that there needs to be a physical assessment and a physical examination before the *new* prescription of an anti-parasitic. This could result in slightly more regular, in practice, checks than you are currently used to. NB 'new prescription' refers to a different drug, different dose or different frequency than your pet is currently on.

The RCVS have said that:

"We realise that there are differences in opinion within the profession regarding the inclusion of antiparasitics in this part of the guidance.

There are a range of factors set out in the guidance to be taken into consideration when prescribing POM-Vs, and we understand that the opinion of some is that these can simply be applied to antibiotics and antiparasitics to ensure responsible prescribing.

However, it is our view that these medicines should be treated differently to other POM-Vs because the risk of uncontrolled use is greater, for example, resistance and environmental impact.

As such, the change requires a physical examination in order to positively impact prescribing behaviours and change attitudes to these medicines."

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/under-care-new-guidance

From: Veterinary Voices UK Public Page

What this means in practice is that we will no longer be able to issue antibiotics in response to emails or in person without seeing the pet in person and performing a clinical exam.

29/06/2023

If someone walked right up to you and was in your face or touched you, you'd not be too impressed. Same for our dogs!

26/06/2023

Had the littlest baby bat handed in today. He didn't seem to be injured but he was quite hungry so we fed him and staff member Georgie delivered him to the Bat Conservation Trust for further care!

15/06/2023

Your annual reminder that the pavement can be hotter than 50C. Kudos to you all so far, that in the current heat we have only had one heatstroke case this year so far!

29/01/2023

I feel it is appropriate to share this again following a new wave of Irish imported puppies.

To avoid being a victim of crime when buying a puppy in the UK, PLEASE:

1) Make sure you can visit your puppy before buying it. This confirms the pup has not been bred from a bitch kept in a 4ft square cage in a shed with hundreds of others.

2) Do NOT accept delivery of your puppy, no matter how nice the sellers seem or how convenient it is. We have heard of reasons given such as, ’X family member has COVID so we can come to you’, or 'X family member is going into hospital for surgery/is on chemo so we can’t have visitors'. These are excuses to cover the fact the puppy has been smuggled across the Irish Sea in a van with 50 others to be sold.

3) The puppy MUST be microchipped AND registered to the breeder, by law, before you buy it. There are no exceptions to this. This is to keep track of breeders who are churning out litters of puppies with no regard to their welfare.

4) Ear cropping and claw amputation in cats are ILLEGAL in both the UK and most of Europe, including Romania and Bulgaria.

This is Charly, he is just one of the thousands of puppies smuggled into Great Britain illegally. Every day, people in Great Britain are duped into buying un...

29/01/2023

Little Elsie doing well!

30/12/2022

This is Kenai, a staff pet, getting his evening tablets. As you can tell, he really likes his Lik-E-Lix! (other brands exist!)

How do you get your pet to take their medications?

25/10/2022

It is important to do your research because the risks are serious if something goes wrong:

Rescuing a dog can be a really rewarding path to pet ownership and while your newest family member may the... Read More »

03/10/2022

We’re pleased to announce that our Nae Fireworks Night event is returning this year on Saturday 5th of November!
https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/whitelee-events-and-clubs

If you’re looking for somewhere quiet to get away and walk your dog(s), in the company of other like-minded owners, then Whitelee Windfarm is the place for you. The Whitelee Countryside Rangers, Whitelee Visitor Centre and ScottishPower Renewables staff will be on site to run the event and do our very best to maintain a firework-free zone - although please understand this can never be fully guaranteed! We recommend that dogs are kept on leads during the event.

Whitelee Windfarm Visitor Centre will be open to dogs, and owners, for hot drinks and cake from 6-9pm - don't forget to bring your re-usable cup to receive a discount off your hot drink and help us reduce our waste.

As always – spread the word that fireworks are not permitted at Whitelee windfarm. They pose a danger to site infrastructure, can cause peatbog fires, and cause distress to the site's wildlife and livestock, as well as visitors…so please don’t bring them.

09/09/2022

KENNEL COUGH UPDATE!

After a quiet few months, currently we are seeing 2-4 cases of kennel cough in dogs a day.

Kennel cough is not serious in most dogs. See the infographics attached for what to do when your dog develops a cough.

22/08/2022

Please be cautious when buying dogs online!

From Trading Standards Scotland - Fraudulent Puppy Adverts Online

There have been recent reports in Scotland of fraudulent adverts for puppies on online marketplaces. In one case, a woman saw an advert for a Jack Russell puppy costing £1,000 on Gumtree. She contacted the seller and paid a £100 deposit, arranging a collection date for mid-April.

A couple of weeks later, the seller asked for the rest of the money - £900 - to cover the expenses of keeping the puppy as he was struggling with the cost of living.

At this stage, the woman felt suspicious that the seller may be a scammer and asked them to return her deposit. The seller did not reply and cut off all contact with the woman.

A few days later she saw an advert for the same puppy on Gumtree, now for the price of £650. The advert has now been taken down and the seller is being investigated.

⬇️ How to Avoid ⬇️
• You can never do too much research before buying a new pet. Illegal dealers may use the same description and photo on more than one advert - try entering the text of the description and photo in a search engine to see if they have been used on any other puppy adverts;

• Research the seller - is their phone number or email address linked to different profiles? Are they advertising several different breeds of dog? Are they reluctant to answer questions about the puppies' mother or provide paperwork?

• Don't buy a puppy without seeing paperwork and certificates for vaccinations, microchipping and worming;

• Insist on seeing the puppy with its mother in the home in which it was raised - be suspicious if the seller wants to meet in a car park or public space;

• Don't pay a deposit without seeing the dog in person - be suspicious if the seller tries to rush you into handing over cash.

Find out More
• Scottish SPCA Say No To Puppy Dealers website: www.saynotopuppydealers.co.uk
• Trading Standards Scotland: www.tsscot.co.uk/priority-areas/illicit-puppy-trade

19/08/2022

While we have a phone line now, our answerphone with our out-of-hours message is still not up and running. After 6pm and in the event of an emergency, please phone Vets Now of 0141 237 7676.

We are open tomorrow for emergencies until 1130am, then we will be closed until Monday at 0900.

15/08/2022

Update: We now appear to have our normal phone number again so the mobile number has been taken offline.

If you dial 01698 269 796 you should get through to Motherwell reception. However (!) Both lines appear to be going through one phone so apologies if there is a queue.

Thank you 😺

15/07/2022

Please stay cool and safe this weekend.

31/05/2022

The next most common tick scenario is - 'I've tried to remove a tick and I think the head is left stuck in the skin!'

It's very difficult to do this if you use a tick tool correctly, but it can happen.

The advice for pets is the same as for humans. DON'T dig around in the skin to remove the remainder of the tick, as this can increase the risk of skin infections.

It is best to let nature take its course as the human body (and that of your pet) will expel the tick out naturally by itself.

Keep the area around the retained bits clean using antiseptic wipes. It is normal for there to be a slight swelling if the tick has been there for a day or two - this will clear by itself. Antibiotics are not needed unless the site develops into a sore or becomes very painful and hot.

More info: https://www.pestguides.com/what-happens-if-you-do-not-remove-a-tick-methods-of-safe-tick-removal/

31/01/2021

15/10/2020

We are approaching firework season again. Please book an appointment well in advance if you need medications for this as we are much busier than normal.

Follow the link below for advice on what you should be doing to help your dog at this time of year.

We have some simple advice to help make fireworks less stressful for dogs. Visit us now for help with keeping your dog calm.

15/10/2020

We would like to thank you all for your continued patience. We are working with reduced staff numbers and as such it is taking longer to answer all your phone calls.

There are still also problems with the supply of medications. In particular, meloxicam (Metacam, Loxicom, Meloxidyl), Pexion, levetiracetam and gabapentin liquid are subject to worldwide shortage and delays, so we are not neccessarily receiving these when we order them. Please continue to allow extra time when ordering repeat prescriptions.

27/07/2020

All available evidence suggests the cat contracted the coronavirus from its owners. The animal has since made a full recovery