PCAT Auckland by Lauren RVN

14/01/2025

This is extremely concerning that drugs for treating seizures in cats and dogs without FDA approval or veterinary prescription are being sold through social media and Amazon 🙀

There are many medical reasons for seizures that can be life threatening if not diagnosed and treated appropriately. Always seek veterinary advice before attempting to treat something yourself. 🐾❤️

Today, the FDA posted warning letters sent to six firms selling unapproved drugs that claim to treat and control seizures in dogs and cats.

14/01/2025

Lauren's old dog Boss spent the day at the vets on IV Fluids today. Which meant it was Bob's first day without him. The fact that he coped so well wasn't an accident but through training.

If you have a multi dog household it is extremely important you do things with them one on one so they do not develop separation anxiety.

Things Lauren did to facilitate this:
- one on one training sessions
- crate training
- separate walks
- independent activites (puzzle toys, scatter feeding, hide and seek, chew toys, and so on).

The sooner you start the easier it is however this can be implemented slowly at any stage. Contact us if you would like to build independence in your dog 🐕

12/01/2025

The gorgeous Serafina had a pawdicure and parasite treatment today. She gets a pawdicure every 2 to 3 months.

Before her first pawdicure with us almost a year ago she used to have to visit the vets to have it done. She would be very stressed and it was a bad experience for all involved.

Now the treatment is done at home and is over quickly. Her pawrents have noticed a huge difference and no longer dread pawdicure time.

So why are nail trims so important?

- they can grow into the paw pad causing severe pain and even infection.

- they can get caught and torn off which is extremely painful.

- overgrown nails cause them to walk differently causing pain and even arthritis.

- it can cause behavioural problems due to the pain.

- it can also be a sign of illness or injury. If they are growing quicker than usual or one foot is longer/worn down it can be a sign of injury.

We come to you and can even teach you how to do it yourself. Lauren is a fear free certified veterinary professional.

12/01/2025

What are your thoughts around dog walking regulations?

You will soon get to have your say.

We are all for the 6 dog limit and believe tighter controls are definitely needed. However legislation is only effective when it is enforced which seems to be the biggest issue here.

By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter funded by New Zealand on Air The Auckland Council will call for public feedback on proposed changes to dog management bylaws, including restrictions on the number of dogs one person can walk. At the council’s Governing Body meeting on December 12, counc...

10/01/2025

Do you ever feel guilty about leaving your pet to go to work or not giving them enough?

You are not alone, and we can confirm that even pet professionals feel this way sometimes. So we wanted to simplify what meeting your pets needs looks like. The infographic below is an adaptation from Maslows Hierarchy of Needs originally made for humans. This has been adapted for dogs but also translates to other species too.

It is also worth ponting out adult pets such as cats, dogs, and rabbits should sleep between 12 and 16 hours a day. For young and old pets, this number increases up to 20 hours 🙀
So leaving them to go to work is not neglect as long as you have met their needs prior to going and on your return. Splitting the time up, especially if you are gone for 8 or more hours, is pawesome too. This can be through one on one walks and/or other enrichment activities.

Puppies need to urinate every 2 to 6 hours. The younger they are, the more often they will need to go. Adult dogs can hold their bladder for 6 to 8 hours. Then, as they age, they may need to urinate more frequently. So it is good to keep this in mind when leaving them unattended.

Remember, no one is perfect, and there may be days you do not meet everything for one reason or another. Instead of beating yourself up about it, use it as a learning experience and think about ways you can prevent it from happening again. Be kind to yourself and enjoy the short time you have with your pet.

If you would like us to cover the hierarchy of needs in more detail and translate it into different species, please comment below.

https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/join-ppg/principles-conduct/best-practices/

Visit this link to learn more about the hierarchy of dogs' needs.

09/01/2025

So we have had some comments on recent posts saying our information is misleading because it is over simplified. So we need your opinion.

Would you like us to go more in depth or do you prefer the simplified versions we currently provide? Please comment below so we can give you what you want ❤️🐾

*Photo of Lauren's puppy Bob for attention 😍

08/01/2025

Have you heard of FIP? Here's some pawesome information from the Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialists

07/01/2025

Why my puppy Bob is not allowed to jump off furniture, run, and exercise excessively. Just look at these xrays of an 8-10 week old puppy 🙀

That's right they have no joints. Every impact causes unnecessary damage to their developing joints. Their growth plates do not close until around 12 to 18 months old, depending on the breed.

So how do you manage this?
Avoid stairs, especially when they are very young.
Avoid allowing them to jump on and off the couch, etc.
You should exercise them for 5 minutes per month of age twice daily. For example, Bob is 3 mounts old, so he should get 15 minutes twice daily.
Do not take them on long hikes or do any agility training until they have stopped growing.

You have the rest of their lives to hike, run, and jump, so be patient and protect those joints.

Keep these images in mind every time you play and exercise with your puppy.

X-ray photos from https://www.zaliamstaff.com/

07/01/2025

Now it all makes sense 🤣🐾

28/12/2024

Just as we are all about pawsitive reinforcement when training our pets, humans thrive on it too. Lauren received this pawesome feedback from Hallie and Callies pawrents. 🥹❤️

"Thank you so much for spending time with them and giving them treats! The cracker is so cute. We really appreciate your wonderful care of the girls it has made us so relaxed knowing they are looked after :) .... We’d recommend you to anyone!"

26/12/2024

Tiger is an elderly cat with diabetes. Lauren often helps out his dedicated pawrent with his injections so they have the freedom to do things like spend Christmas with their family. He is the purrfect patient. Merry Meowmas 🎄

24/12/2024

Merry Christmas!

These giant Christmas stockings were handed out to the clinics that have supported us this year. Without the referrals from these clinics, we wouldn't be where we are today.

Thank you ❤️🎄

Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialists Onewa Road Veterinary Hospital East Coast Bays Vet Clinic

22/12/2024

Lauren is staying with the terrific Tiger-Lily over the Christmas season. She has separation anxiety, which Lauren works hard to accommodate. This will be her 3rd pet sit with Lauren, so she has settled much quicker this time around.

So what do we do for anxious dogs?
She has a room that she can go in where she is left alone. This is her safe space, which Lauren respects.
They follow her usual routine as closely as possible.
She gets any extra TLC she may need, like hand feeding at dinner time, sleeping on Lauren's bed, and so on.

Every pet we care for is an individual just like with humans. We adapt to ensure they are comfortable and safe.

The most rewarding part is watching their trust build with you. ❤️🐾

22/12/2024

When viewing our reels from our private pages, we can see Facebook playing adverts on them. Does anyone else see them, too? One was for a pet insurance company that we have no affiliation with and are not being paid for them to do so. We wanted to let you all know that if there is an advert, we do not support, endorse, or are affiliated with these companies. We are very annoyed Facebook would put us in the position where our followers may be misled into thinking otherwise.

Photo of Bob 11 weeks and Boss 13 years for attention ❤️🐾

21/12/2024

Desensitization with the gorgeous 11 week old Bob involved some water play. Safe to say he loves it and will be prepared to visit rivers and the sea when he is fully vaccinated. Remember to have fun and make it fun.

Exposing your puppy to as many things as possible is important but it's also important you do it correctly. If they are nervous or anxious of something do not force it. Instead take it back few steps and try again to make it an enjoyable experience.

21/12/2024

For those of you wanting more information regarding our other post here is an article from the NZ Herald taking liability of disclosure away from us. Again our hearts go out to the pawrents and want this to be a reminder that FREE or CHEAP may only be the upfront cost of some "pet sitters" but it may cost you dearly.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/house-sitter-judith-webby-has-dog-die-in-her-care-while-owners-watch-on-cctv-from-overseas/RLPO3ZBKSFGZFIYCIUPDSYE5EU/?fbclid=IwY2xjawHUDxNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHf3eBtACBc4_R-jTmuUx8LkISZ-JLWYFzujV3LP7AjndPo2PshGm7jQVyQ_aem_r7ubwkNgOExgN3pJsK2ayA

Judith Webby has a long history of upsetting flatmates, and home- and pet-owners.

21/12/2024

We have 392 followers which is absolutely pawesome!! Thank you all for following us and supporting us as our small business grows.

Do you think we can make it to 400 before 2025? 🤔

If we do we will definitely need to do a giveaway to celebrate 🥳

20/12/2024

After a few days our client has seen a difference in sweet Suki after Lauren had a behaviour consult with them.

She needed some.confidence building after many changes and bad experiences in a short period of time. She had become such a shell of her former self that her dedicated pawrents were extremely concerned.

What we started her on straightaway was our https://pcat.nz/shop/health-products/chill-with-l-tryptophan-for-natural-mood-support/
These Chill Pills are all natural, non drowsy and made here in New Zealand with human grade ingredients. We also discussed catifying the home adding more cat furniture and litter trays. As you can see from the photo the cat tree is a big hit with her and she is spending more time with the family now she has her own space.

We do not sell products that we do not use and believe in like the Chill supplement by Gourmate Pet Treat Co. Lauren also uses the skin and joint supplements on her own pets and is enjoying her 13 year old Mastiff X running and playing again with his new 11weeks old brother Bob.

We have the most competitive price on the market for the supplements and we are selling the dog/cat Christmas Crackers now too which come with a free pet tree decoration with pick up or FREE delivery in selected areas of Auckland. At $10 each cracker it is an affordable way to include your cat or dog this Christmas.

You can order online through our website, message us, or email us [email protected]