We hope everyone is having a lovely Good Friday and living their best life like nurse Sarah's rabbit Mikey! We don't think many rabbits can say they have their own castle!
Humphrey was recently at PAWS for his juvenile check. He was an enquisitive boy and was delighted when our nurse Sam turned on the taps and let him play.
It's lovely when we can make these trips to the vet stress-free and fun for our patients. Thanks to his owner for permission to share this short vide
We love this video that nurse Sam recently took of her placing an intravenous catheter to give her dog Skye fluids. We know not every dog will sit as patiently and still as Skye, but it gives a great insight into what placing a catheter entails for each of our patients.
After fluids and medications, Skye is doing well. Thank you to Sam for permission to share the video.
Happy Bank-Holiday
Here's Nurse Sam's cat "Simba" showing off during a recent visit to PAWS. We hope Simba and everyone else has a lovely, relaxed bank holiday!
Vet Chloe has recently filmed this short video with tips on how to introduce dogs to toothbrushing. It's great to see toothbrushing in action, and her advice is spot on!
Chloe certainly makes it look easy, but remember patience is key and it takes every pet a different amount of time to get used to the idea!
"Quick, get inside the fireworks will be starting soon"
Most small furries, even those inside will be worried by the loud bangs from fireworks.
For those inside:
~You could ensure they are away from the windows (where it will be quieter) and maybe put the radio on to try and drown out the noise.
~ Provide extra bedding for hiding in.
~ Depending on the individual pet, it may be best to leave them in their cage while the fireworks are on, just in case they get startled and jump out of your arms.
For those outside:
~Ensure they are safely secured in their accommodation, before dark.
~Provide extra bedding, ie hay, so they have somewhere to snuggle and hide if they are feeling worried.
~Think about if there are ways to provide some sound proofing to the accommodation, ie covering the hutch with a duvet to muffle sounds.
~When you check on them, ensure they can’t/ don’t make a bolt for the door if scared.
~You might want to consider whether their accommodation could be moved temporarily into a shed or garage.
If you have any concerns regarding the health of you pet following firework display then please contact your vet for advice.
Tomorrow is 'Canine Enrichment Day' which draws attention to the fact that dogs need a huge amount of entertainment as part of their daily routine, and that ensuring that they are properly stimulated can be key to diminishing or preventing behavioural problems.
One of our nurses, Rachel has shared this great video of her dog playing with a plant pot, showing that it doesn't have to be an obvious object to provide entertainment!
Rufflesnuffle has a handy guide to canine enrichment that can provide a whole host of good ideas. We'd also love to see how your pets pass the time to keep them as happy and as healthy as can be.
https://www.rufflesnuffle.co.uk/the-ultimate-beginners-guide-to-canine-enrichment/
Separation Anxiety
With 'normal life' supposedly due to return in the coming months, we thought it would be useful to talk about 'separation anxiety' in pets.
Dogs in particular may have become accustomed to their owners spending more time at home, and this can be particularly affecting for young dogs or new puppies who haven't known anything different.
This video from Boehringer Ingelheim has a number of simple tips for how to ensure your dog adjusts to you not being around as much, and to ensure that separation anxiety does not build and grow.
If you have any concerns, then please get in touch to discuss what can be done, and we will be more than happy to help.
How long should I walk my dog?
Owners often ask vets and nurses how long they should walk their dogs for. Obviously this varies for every animal, but this video from Boehringer Ingelheim gives some broad guidelines for both puppies and adult dogs.
We hope it provides a good reference for owners to work from, particularly at this difficult time when exercise allowances are so important to all of us.
Separation Anxiety
We have recently uploaded this great advice video to our waiting room TV channel. However, we thought it would be good to share it on Facebook too to give as many people access to it as possible.
There's no sound to go along with it, but we hope it's still interesting and informative!
Mitral Valve Disease
Heart disease can be a difficult subject to discuss, as the detection of a heart murmur in a consultation can be a very emotional discovery.
However, not all heart murmurs are the same, and our vets will explain to owners what exactly they have heard and what it means for their pet.
Understandibly, owners will often be worried about what a heart murmur might indicate, and for some it can be difficult to ask the questions that may come to mind.
Therefore we thought we would share this excellent video from Boehringer Ingelheim (one of the leading veterinary pharmaceutical companies), to shed some light on what a heart murmur can mean for your pet.
By sharing this, we hope we can answer some questions in advance, and prepare owners in case we ever detect a heart murmur in your pet. Equally, if it generates any further questions, we pride ourselves on taking the time to explain and hopefully putting your mind at rest, so please get in touch and speak to one of our team.
PAWS is a small animal veterinary practice providing pet healthcare to Nuneaton & North Warwickshire.
