Ocean Vets

14/02/2025

When your dog steals your valentine chocs ❤️

Dogs ingesting a large amount of chocolate is a fairly common occurrence. In many cases no treatment is needed, but if they eat a lot of the wrong type of chocolate the symptoms can be serious or even fatal.

Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine which is safe for humans but toxic to dogs as they are unable to break it down effectively. Theobromine has a caffeine-like effect and can cause excitation and restlessness, diarrhoea, vomiting and tummy pain. In serious cases there can be a very rapid heart and breathing rate, twitching and seizures - this can lead to coma and death.

Symptoms normally start 2-4 hours after eating the chocolate, but can sometimes be seen up to 12 hours later.

Dark chocolate and cocoa powder have a high concentration of theobromine and can be harmful even in relatively small amounts. Milk and white chocolate contain much less, so unless a large amount has been eaten, treatment is unlikely to be needed.

Treatment of chocolate ingestion normally involves an injection to make them vomit, and administration of activated charcoal to prevent further absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes hospitalisation for intravenous fluids, blood tests and medication can be required.

There is a useful chocolate toxicity calculator available online - search 'dog chocolate toxicity Vets Now'. This allows you to work out if a potentially harmful amount may have been ingested. If the calculator advises you to, if you are unsure about amounts ingested, or if you think your pet is exhibiting symptoms, then please contact your vet without delay.

Hopefully it's not going to happen - have a great valentines 💗

07/02/2025

🦷 FREE Pet Dental Check-Up – Plus Exclusive Discounts! 🦷

Worried about your pet’s teeth? Bad breath, difficulty eating, or excessive drooling could be signs of dental disease.

For a limited time, we’re offering:
✅ A FREE dental check-up with a nurse to assess your pet’s oral health
✅ 10% off dental treatments
✅ 20% off for Ocean Paws Plan Members

Don’t wait! Regular dental care can prevent pain, infections, and costly treatments in the future.

📅 Find out more and book your free dental check-up now: https://www.oceanvets.uk/pet-dental-offer/

17/01/2025

Euthanasia - a vet's perspective. By Fiona French

When I put people's pets to sleep, the owners often say to me 'this must be the worst part of your job'. It certainly is difficult and very sad, but this would be a much more difficult job if we were not able to perform euthanasia.

Euthanasia can be defined as 'painless death to relieve suffering'. It normally involves injection of high doses of anaesthetic type drugs that cause them to just drift off to sleep and then quietly pass away.

Sometimes a catastrophic event dictates that this needs to be performed immediately to put an end to their suffering. Far more commonly though, we are faced with the pets that are gradually declining: finding less joy in the things they once loved; struggling to get up; in chronic pain; or facing increasing symptoms of organ failure. Once they start to decline, I urge owners to think about how far down that slope they will allow them to go.

Animals live in the present - they don't dream of the future or regret what they haven't done. They only care about how they feel, in the moment. Once it is clear that the worsening of their chronic symptoms cannot be halted, we must consider that prolonging the inevitable may not be in their best interests. It's far better to let them go a week or two early, than an hour too late.

Don't get me wrong - lots of conditions of older dogs and cats can be very readily treated to return to a very good quality of life - this is always what we strive to do. But if that is not possible we have to think - what is the alternative?

Hospice and palliative care is far more advanced and available for humans than in animals, but even so, they still often suffer. Death can be a long, distressing and undignified process. We, as vets, are in many ways fortunate that we are able to spare our patients this.

I know that I can offer a peaceful and dignified end to the pets entrusted to my care. It's extremely sad, and I do feel desperately sorry for their grieving owners. I try to guide them through the process, doing all I can to help them arrive at the point where they are ready to say goodbye, without guilt and confident that they have made the right decision.

So yes, putting pets to sleep is incredibly hard, but watching them suffer can be far worse. Euthanasia is the last kindness we can give our pets, and your vet is there to help guide you on that journey when the time comes. Us vets have all experienced pet loss ourselves and know how it feels. You don't have to apologise for being upset and you don't need to put on a brave face for us. We will look after you and you pet at this most difficult of times.

16/01/2025

Something for our many clients who have horses too - some fantastic informative evenings from the lovely vets at Celtic Equine.

15/01/2025

There is another planned power outage, this time affecting our Three Cross branch!

Power will be out on Thursday 16th January, from 9am - 2pm. During this period phones and any emergencies will be diverted to our Alderholt surgery.

We will reopen as normal at 2pm.

12/01/2025

One of the seven lurcher puppies stolen from Blandford 2 weeks ago, was found this morning very close to our surgery in Alderholt. We have treated him for a leg injury, and he is safely back with his mum and siblings. One puppy remains missing so please keep an eye out for him.

19/12/2024

🎄🐾 Keep Your Pets Safe This Christmas! 🐾🎄

The holiday season is full of joy, but it also comes with hidden dangers for our furry friends. From toxic foods to hazardous decorations, it’s important to be extra cautious during this festive time.

👉 Check out our latest blog post: 10 Christmas Dangers and How to Keep Your Pets Safe. We’ve listed the top hazards to watch out for and how you can protect your pets from seasonal risks.

🔗 Read the full article here! ➡️ https://www.oceanvets.uk/10-christmas-dangers-keeping-your-pets-safe-at-christmas/

📅 The holidays should be a time of celebration, not worry! Make sure your pets are safe and sound with these helpful tips.

Not all Christmas treats are appropriate for your animal companions to share. Here is a reminder of what can cause a danger to your pets.

13/12/2024

Our staff have been getting into the festive spirit by celebrating Christmas Jumper Day and taking photos of their pets. Please share your festive pet photos with us, we would love to see them.

27/11/2024

Is Your Cat at Risk of Hypertension? 🐾
High blood pressure in cats can lead to serious health problems like vision loss, seizures, or weakness. Common causes include kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, and obesity.

Regular check-ups are key for early detection and treatment.
https://www.oceanvets.uk/high-blood-pressure-hypertension-in-cats

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a common problem in cats. Find out what it is, its causes and the treatments available.

21/11/2024

* Important reminder - Alderholt surgery closed today (Thursday 21st November)*

Due to an all day scheduled power outage the Alderholt surgery is closed. Our Three Cross surgery is open and the phone lines are diverted there. Please call if you need us!

16/11/2024

*Alderholt surgery closed Thursday 21st November*

Yet again, our Alderholt surgery will be affected by an all day planned power outage, meaning we will have to close for the day.

Phone lines will be diverted to our Three Cross surgery and we will be able to see appointments there.

Collection of drugs and food will not be possible from the Alderholt surgery on Thursday so please plan for this.

15/11/2024

Novembers Antibiotic Amnesty
Our practice is proud to be supporting the safeguarding of antibiotics.
Although we always recommend completing the course of antibiotics for your pet, we realise there may have been times that this was not possible.
During November we would like pet owners to return any unused and out of date antibiotics to either practice so that we can dispose of them safely.
We can also dispose of any unused pet medicine safely for you, but are only able to accept Veterinary medicines.

08/11/2024

Ocean Vets is an Advanced Practitioner Led Practice
Both Fiona & Jeremy have certificates in surgery -hence their post nominals are PGCert SAS. (post graduate certificate in small animal surgery)
They are also Advanced Practitioners - but what does that actually mean ?
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons says ‘Advanced Practitioner’ is an official recognition of a veterinary surgeon’s particular knowledge and skills in a designated field of veterinary practice-(ours being in surgery).

Did you know that there are only 4 Advanced surgery practitioners registered as practicing Dorset? (Fiona & Jeremy being 2 of them)

The List of RCVS Advanced Practitioners provides a clear indication to the profession and the public of those veterinary surgeons who have demonstrated knowledge and experience in a particular area of veterinary practice beyond their initial primary veterinary degree.
Advanced Practitioners should demonstrate:
Advanced problem solving skills
Advanced and current knowledge and understanding in their area of expertise
Advanced professional skills and commitment to the continuing improvement of personal and professional practice
Awareness of their own limitation in their designated areas, referring to specialist where appropriate
Involvement with their subject/species community

And although Fiona & Jeremy can't see every case, you know that they are always there supporting our other vets in surgical and complex cases when needed.

25/10/2024

✨ Is your pet scared of fireworks? ✨

Bonfire Night is approaching, and while we love the sparkle, our pets often don't! 🐾 Download Ocean Vets’ FREE guide with top tips to help keep your pets calm and safe during firework season. From creating a quiet space to helpful routines, our guide covers it all.

👉 Get your guide here: https://www.oceanvets.uk/pets-and-fireworks-free-guide-top-tips-to-help-pets-scared-of-fireworks

Make this season stress-free for your pets with Ocean Vets! 💙

Around 60% of pets are scared of fireworks. Pets and Fireworks don't often go together, so find out how to help them with our FREE guide here

18/10/2024

*Pet owners - take action now before fireworks night!*

One of the best ways to help your pet deal with fireworks is to desensitise them to the noises. Download this free sound track provided by Dogs Trust https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/understanding-your-dog/sound-therapy-for-pets

Start by playing it at a low level, and gradually increase the volume as your pets become accustomed to the sounds.

More advice on dealing with firework phobia will follow, but it's important to start this NOW to have a meaningful effect before celebrations start.

02/10/2024

🛑 Is your pet’s nail care up to scratch? 🛑

Keeping your pet's nails healthy is essential, but it can be tricky! 🐾 Check out our latest article for simple, expert-backed tips on how to safely clip your pet’s nails at home.

✨ From avoiding painful cuts to reducing stress—we cover it all! Don’t wait until their next vet visit to tackle this important grooming task.

🔗 Read now: https://www.oceanvets.uk/essential-tips-for-pet-nail-clipping/

Give your pet the paw-fect care they deserve! ❤️

Learn how to safely and effectively trim your pet's nails. Discover the best tools & tips for clipping dog & cat nails, and how often to trim.