Vickithevet

What to expect from the behaviour assessment process.

Fear free certified: Why is this so important? Fear free consults are something that we as vets try to do inherently. However time constraints, client expectation, and lack of alternative options means that it can be difficult to always practice in this way. Fear free means we place the emotional well-being of our patients at the core of the exam. We read their body language, try to establish how well they will tolerate an exam, and where best to perform it. With this information we can make a plan for how best to work with the patient and their owner. This process needs to start way before any veterinary visit begins, and there is a lot of preparation that can be done at home and during transport to ensure a visit to the vets can be as relaxed as possible. My next few posts will focus on a few things that we can do to make veterinary visits as stress free as possible 😊 #fearfreepets #petemotions #vetvisits #animalbehaviourandwelfare #happypet #happyvet

Really excited to be talking with the wonderful Lisa from @albanypetservices about weight management in our pets and the potential problems that can arise from them being a little bit on the podgy side! The pandemic has meant that vets aren’t able to spend as much time helping our clients with these concerns, especially surrounding matters that aren’t having a direct, immediate impact on the welfare of the animal. Many vet practices are only able to offer a limited service at the minute so I’m hoping this podcast might help answer some of your concerns!!! It’s my first one so please be kind! Xx😘 #petobesity #petlife #petsofinstagram #petcaretips

The human-animal bond My Grandad was a wonderful man: kind, funny and totally in love with his beloved dog Leo – a Lancashire Heeler who was an incredible friend to both my grandparents. When Leo passed away the void was obvious and when my Grandad lost my Gran shortly after, the loneliness he bore was too much and he passed away 6 weeks after my Gran’s funeral at 92. Whilst incredibly sad for our family, I take great comfort in the fact that there was very little suffering and the bond that my grandparents had with their little dog (who would nip your heals if he got the chance!) was life giving to both of them and brought them so much joy. Indeed, it is this love for our pets that has led me to want to learn more about animal behaviour and understand how these bonds form. Hopefully by learning about their emotional psyche we can understand our pets’ needs, just as they seemingly and intuitively understand ours. 🙌 if you’ve witnessed these bonds in action!! #doglife #petsemotion #petsfriends #dogsofinstagram #dogslife

Cost of pets over their lifetime!⁠ ⁠ The PDSA Paw report has a clear breakdown of how much cats and dogs cost over their lifetime highlighting where the big costs are, including set up costs and ongoing vet costs, as well as preparing for the unexpected. ⁠ ⁠ A dog can cost anywhere between £4,500 and £13,000 over their lifetime depending on their breed and a cat can cost well over £13,000 over their lifetime.⁠ This is just for the basics!! Check out @teampdsa website for their section on cost of owning a 🐕/ 🐈. ⁠ Things to consider:⁠ ⁠ • The initial costs are often obvious but it is the ongoing costs that are ALWAYS overlooked⁠ • Budget monthly for food – remember your cute Labrador pup will become a 25kg- 30kg dog and their food requirements increase as they grow! ⁠ • Consider Pet Insurance (check they provide lifelong cover and NOT only per condition) or put money aside each month so that you have a fund should an emergency arise or they develop a medical condition that needs lifelong treatment ⁠ • Ask your vets about their pet health schemes – these are often hugely beneficial – they cover the preventative care that we need to provide for our pets, like vaccinations, parasitic treatment, and often have practice specific discounts and you can spread the costs over the year with monthly ⁠payments • Think about where your pet will go when you are on holiday!⁠ • Are you able to walk the dog regularly enough while you are at work or will you need a dog walker? ⁠ ⁠ Budgeting for your pet will help avoid unnecessary surprises on your journey together and allow you to provide the best possible start for your new 🐕 or🐈💕 #dogownerslife #catowner #doglife #catlife #petadvice #lovepets❤️

Superpets have super senses: Smell Sense of smell has to be the truest superpower of our 🐕 s and 🐈 s. Some dog breeds can have up to 300 million olfactory sensors located in their nose! Cats have over 200 million olfactory sensors compared with just 5 million in the human nose. Both cats and dogs rely more heavily on their sense of smell rather than sight to interpret the environment they are in. They also have the vomer-nasal organ that detect pheromone signatures. These pheromones are hugely important for processing social, mating and territorial information and synthetic analogues of these products are available to help promote emotional stability in our pets. (talk to your vets about these!) Service and medical scent dogs detect bombs, missing people, drugs, chemical molecules, pathogens and cancer! Working tirelessly, and selflessly with their handlers these remarkable beings, protect, alert and guide us in a world we would otherwise be oblivious to. #petadvice #petwellness #petfeelings #petsense #pettips #understandingpets

Is your pup fireworks ready? Tip 5! Relaxation shirts and calming nutraceuticals! Thunder shirts, and calming beds are all relatively new concepts in how to alleviate anxiety in our pets. There is SO much research being conducted in this field, and it is a topic that is continuing to grow. It’s quite like swaddling a baby! We know that touch is a sense that we as humans, and dogs need! When pups are born - they can’t see or hear - it is contact and touch that they seek from their mother and they rely on this along with their sense of smell for the first two weeks of life! If you are going to introduce a coat/ bed, do it after your pup has exercised, and is in a natural relaxed state. Introduce it for short burst initially, and reward them positively with lots of treats and reassurance. I know I always feel a lot better curled up under a lovely cosy blanket! And finally - nutraceuticals!!! You need to get these from your vets, and you give them 1-2 hours before the desired effect. They are fast acting, natural calming supplements that contain amino acids and neurotransmitters that are needed by the body to reduce stress and relax the nervous system. I hope these tips have helped! Let me know what you think!

Is your pup ready for fireworks? Tip 4 Your local vets, veterinary nurses and amazing reception teams will have so much information for you! Navigating Covid restrictions can make communication and appointments difficult, but please give them a call and talk about whether or not your dog may need some additional help. We have several pharmacological choices , but your vet will need to have seen your pup - and take into account any additional health conditions and concurrent medication that they are on. Final tip tomorrow!! #Vets#caringforyourpets#petsofinstagram#lovepets#doglovers

Is your pup ready for fireworks? Tip 3 What can we do as owners? Take them for a lovely long walk during the day, make sure they are fed, watered and toileted before the anticipated event. Don’t tell your pup off - zero negativity! Reward calm behaviour and stay calm yourself. If your pup wants contact then be available, but try not to overload them. Just like with children - distraction is key! Provide alternative, fun activities like snuffle mats, lick mats and food puzzles. If your pup takes themselves off to their safe haven, and they are settled, let them be, they are letting you know that they are coping. These tips are to help get through the next couple of weeks and help manage their fears in the short term. Long term we need to look at desensitisation and counter conditioning to try and alleviate their fears - but that needs quite a bit of time and commitment! More on this to follow!

Is your pup ready for fireworks night? Tip 2! Synthetic pheromones can really help! They come in collars or diffusers that you can plug in. The appeasing hormone is something that your pup’s mother would have used to send comforting messages when they were first born. It is odourless to us, but super comforting to dogs of all ages!. Our Molly is 11 years old and loves the comforting effects of Adaptil!