Little Dolittle - Small Animal Boarding & Home Visits

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Little Dolittle - Small Animal Boarding & Home Visits Always having a passion for animals and their welfare.

Small animal boarding/home visits/guinea pig grooming/rabbit nail trimming
🐹 Level 3 Animal Management qualified staff
📄 Fully insured & DBS checked
📌 Based in Tibshelf, Derbyshire Established in 2018, based on the outskirts of the Peak District and close to the Five Pits Trail in Tibshelf, Little Dolittle provides a boarding retreat and home visit service for small animals, as well as a well-bein

g check/weight check and grooming service for guinea pigs and rabbits. Little Dolittle has numerous qualifications and experience to give you peace of mind that your pet(s) are being well cared for. Level 3 Animal Management

PDSA Pet First Aid Course

Pet Sitting Diploma

Rabbit Welfare Certificate

If you require any information, please head to our website:

https://littledolittle1.wixsite.com/littledolittle

11/07/2025

Recent research by Vet Compass and the The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) showed correlation between human heat warning and heat stroke cases.

Yellow heat health alerts are now in force with temperatures expected to hit 34C (93F) in parts of the UK this weekend.

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

More beautiful animals we've had the pleasure of looking after over the last few weeks.
10/07/2025

More beautiful animals we've had the pleasure of looking after over the last few weeks.

Alice, one of our more elderly boarders,  had a relaxing stay with us this week — and surprised her owners by laying egg...
10/07/2025

Alice, one of our more elderly boarders, had a relaxing stay with us this week — and surprised her owners by laying eggs shortly after returning home!

Tortoises are reptiles, which means they lay eggs just like turtles, snakes, and lizards. Even without a male present, females can still lay unfertilised eggs. A fascinating glimpse into reptile biology! 🐢🥚

Well done, Alice ♥️

☀️ Summer Availability Update ☀️A big thank you to all our lovely customers for keeping us so busy this summer – it’s al...
10/07/2025

☀️ Summer Availability Update ☀️

A big thank you to all our lovely customers for keeping us so busy this summer – it’s always a pleasure to care for your small pets! 🐾

Here’s a quick update on current availability:

🔸 Boarding is now fully booked for the weeks starting 28th July and 4th August
🔸 We still have some availability for boarding from 12th August onwards
🔸 Home visits are fully booked from 2nd to 16th August

If you’re planning time away and haven’t booked yet, please do get in touch soon – we’d hate for anyone to miss out.

📩 Drop us a message to check availability or use our online booking form – we’ll always do our best to help!

https://littledolittle1.wixsite.com/littledolittle/copy-of-pet-boarding

🌞 Another hot weather tip for Guinea Pigs & Tortoises 🐹🐢Soak cucumber and romaine lettuce in cold water before feeding f...
30/06/2025

🌞 Another hot weather tip for Guinea Pigs & Tortoises 🐹🐢

Soak cucumber and romaine lettuce in cold water before feeding for a quick, hydrating, and cooling treat! 🥒💦

Great for keeping your pets refreshed and helping them stay cool during hot weather. Don’t forget to remove uneaten food and always provide fresh water.

30/06/2025

This is how slugs are kept under control in a garden. DON'T USE CHEMICALS, use nature. If your garden is not attracting predators, it is out of balance with nature, and that is why you have a slug problem. (UK Post)

🌞🐹 Cool Tip for Hot Weather! 🐹🌞Guinea pigs can really struggle in the heat, but ceramic or marble tiles can help keep th...
29/06/2025

🌞🐹 Cool Tip for Hot Weather! 🐹🌞

Guinea pigs can really struggle in the heat, but ceramic or marble tiles can help keep them cool! Tiles stay naturally cold and give your piggies a comfy spot to chill out.

💡 Try placing a tile in the shade or pop one in the fridge for extra coolness. Always let them choose whether to sit on it.

A simple, affordable way to help your piggies beat the heat! 🧊❤️

Here is Harley, one of our resident piggies who has been sitting on the tile today, now camera shy!

With vet bills on the rise—something the BBC recently highlighted—many pet owners are facing tough choices. It’s heartbr...
27/06/2025

With vet bills on the rise—something the BBC recently highlighted—many pet owners are facing tough choices. It’s heartbreaking, and often avoidable with early checks and good preventative care.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce9xjmz70m5o

That’s why I’ve always included a free well-being check for guinea pigs, hamsters, and tortoises during their boarding stay with me. 🐹🐢🐭

✔️ These gentle, stress-free checks can help spot early signs of issues—before they become potentially expensive vet visits.
✔️ It’s included in your pet’s stay at no extra cost.
✔️ I also offer free nail trimming for guinea pigs during their visit.

What’s covered in the check?
• Overall condition and hydration
• Fur/shell, skin, and teeth
• Movement, appetite, and behaviour
• Nail health (plus trimming for guinea pigs!)

This isn’t a vet service—but with years of experience caring for small pets, I can often pick up on early signs of problems, helping you take action before things get worse.

📩 Send me a message to book your pet’s stay or ask any questions.
Please share if you know someone with a guinea pig, hamster, or tortoise who might benefit!

Let’s keep our small pets happy, healthy, and out of the vets unless they really need to be there. 🩺❤️

🐢☀️ Think tortoises only need heat? Think again! 🌿❄️Keeping tortoises healthy means finding the right balance—they need ...
26/06/2025

🐢☀️ Think tortoises only need heat? Think again! 🌿❄️

Keeping tortoises healthy means finding the right balance—they need warmth, but also ways to cool down when it gets too hot. 🐢💦
In my latest blog post, I dive into why temperature regulation is crucial for tortoise wellbeing—and share easy, practical tips you can use to help!

👉 Read more here: https://littledolittle1.wixsite.com/littledolittle/post/tortoises-need-heat-but-also-cooling-options-and-how-you-can-help

🐢 Why Tortoises Love Heat:Body temperature regulation: They need warmth to raise their internal temperature.Digestion: Warmth helps them digest food efficiently.Mobility: They’re sluggish when too cold and need warmth to stay active.Immune function: A warmer tortoise is better able to fight inf...

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