The London Vet Behaviour Clinic

31/08/2023

16/08/2023

Dental disease & Cats Part III 🐈‍⬛🦷

20/07/2023

🦷 Dental Pain in Cats 🦷 Did you know that dental pain can affect your cat’s behaviour ?

03/07/2023

Feline Behaviour & Dental Disease. Part 1. Created & Designed by Rubie Leslie

15/06/2023

Part 3 - How to manage your pet to reduce stress if they are corticosteroids.

25/05/2023

Part 2. Of Behavioural link between corticosteroids & behaviour. Slides designed by Ruby Leslie.

19/05/2023

Is your pet on corticosteroids (“preds”, “steroids”). This post looks at the possible side effects that can be seen. Slides created by Ruby Leslie

11/05/2023

Could medical treatment be causing your dog’s behaviour to change?

Many of the medications used to treat medical conditions in dogs can lead to or cause behavioural problems.

Any medication that affects the body may cause changes in a dog's long-term or short-term behaviour.

So, it's important to discuss with your veterinarian if you need to be aware of any potential changes and discuss if there are alternative options. (Designed for The LVBC by Ruby Leslie)

02/02/2023

In a study by Zhi Zhang et al (2022) they were able to provoke chronic pain in mice. Ten days later, these mice were eating less frequently and for shorter periods of time compared with control mice that had been injected with saline. When the first group of mice were later given pain medication, they ate normally, the researchers wrote in a paper published in Nature Metabolism.

This study is the first of its kind examining pain & appetite in a laboratory species (mice) and has been hypothesised the same neurological pathways would be the same in other mammals (including humans)

If your pet has as sudden loss of appetite, the first step is to contact your GP vet for a clinical exam as there are many causes of this medical symptom.

Nature Metabolism, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-022-00688-5

11/05/2022

Consent is imperative for all interactions with any animal. If they don’t consent then that’s their choice and you should respect that they don’t wish to interact for whatever reason that could be. Always be the advocate for your pet they need. The number of times I’ve heard “oh don’t worry I’ve got dogs”, “animals love me” these are the people who your animal needs you to avoid most ironically…

08/04/2022

Every Action Has A Consequence. Make sure it’s a good one, or be aware that you may have to pick up the pieces if it’s not. Make sure your dog can look to you for guidance and trust you won’t put them in situations that they will struggle to cope in.

15/03/2022

Great to see that a cat language book will be released next year! If you haven’t already read or got Doggie Language by Lili Chin this is a must have for all dog owners.

NEW! For cat lovers:
Download from doggiedrawings.net/freeposters (Sorry, I am not sure why it looks so blurry on FB)

14/12/2021

The holiday season is a fantastic time to see loved ones and overindulge in delicious foods. However, it can be a very stressful time for our pets as the holiday season can mean large changes to their lives. Due to lockdowns and restrictions, for many pets this will be their first year with the festivities in full swing in a very long time. Equally, for many younger dogs and cats, this will be their first time experiencing the holiday season.

Preparing your pet for the holiday season is incredibly important. Unfortunately, the majority of dog bites occur around the holiday season, likely due to high stress from the dog being put into unusual or stressful situations. Our blog will talk you through how to best guide your pet through the holiday season for as stress free a day as possible

https://www.thelondonvet.com/post/tips-to-manage-your-pet-around-the-holiday-season

The most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is a fantastic time to see loved ones and overindulge in delicious foods. However, it can be a very stressful time for our pets as the holiday season can mean large changes to their lives. Due to lockdowns and restrictions, for many pets this w...

14/10/2021

Creating a cosy den for your dog will help them feel safe during 🎆

🐾 Use their crate, or a table and chairs, covered in blankets in a calm area of the house
🐾Fill the den with their bed, blankets or cushions
🐾Include their favourite toys, chews or a puzzle feeder to keep them occupied
🐾Make sure they have easy access to drinking water
🐾Don't disturb them, explain to children that this is the dogs safe space.
🐾Plug in an Adaptil Calm Home Diffuser nearby


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22/07/2021

BIG BIG BIG announcement ....

The long awaited children's book is now available!

Written with the intention to reduce misinterpretation of canine behaviour and to avoid dogs being "labelled" and even rehomed or euthanased due to unexpected behaviour change/ aggressive like behaviour due to underlying but unidentified pain.

I have been a vet for nearly 20 years and have put to sleep a fair share of dogs that families no longer trusted because they had unexpectedly lashed out. I suspect many of these dogs had underlying conditions explaining their actions, but sadly it was too late to investigate as the family had made up their mind. Broke and still breaks my heart that when our dogs need us to listen we fail to hear them!

The book is beautifully illustrated by an amazing man called Phil Knibs who did it for CAM at no charge because he LOVES dogs and what they bring us!

It is available in the CAM online shop here -
https://www.camonlineshop.com/why-dont-you-listen-book/

At £8.99 I really feel it is a book that should be in every family home.

My daydream is a big company like a pharmaceutical company will see merit in it and supply it with every prescription of pain relieving medication.... but till then....I hope you guys will get behind it and buy one or many!!!

Please support CAM changing lives ###

27/05/2021

Calling all vet nurses can you help out with this interesting study into Cat friendly clinics?

Calling all UK based veterinary nurses!

Do you work with cats in the UK? Are you passionate about improving cat welfare? If so, we need your help!

In the leadup to the 10-year anniversary of our Cat Friendly Clinic programme, we’re looking for veterinary nurses to take part in a study to gain insight into the way cats are cared for within the veterinary clinic. As a vet nurse, we would hugely value your input into this study as we know that you have a great deal of interaction with the cats you care for each day and we would really value your feedback on your experiences.

The study is being conducted by Laura Conroy, a vet with a strong interest in behaviour, working closely with Dr Sarah Ellis, Head of Cat Advocacy at International Cat Care, and the ISFM team. The results will be published in a journal and will be used in future development and promotion of the CFC programme.

If you’d like to be involved, you’ll be asked to complete a short questionnaire at the end of each workday for 2 weeks, between 7th – 20th June, using the intuitive, user friendly Task app. This should only take a few minutes and could have a huge impact on cat welfare and help ISFM to develop the tools to support the vet profession in being as cat friendly as possible.

All participants will also be in with a chance to win a ticket to our 2022 virtual congress, as well as other International Cat Care merchandise!

If you’d like to be involved, please visit http://bit.ly/3bIOjJS to join the TASK app, learn more about the study and sign up to participate.

27/03/2021

Thinking of getting a puppy?

Why every prospective owner should know about the puppy contract

The puppy contract is a free resource for both owners and breeders to download created by the AWF and RSPCA.

It has been developed to empower puppy buyers and help them to avoid the problems that can arise from buying a puppy from an irresponsible breeder.

It contains information provided by the breeder or seller that buyers can use to make a decision on whether to buy the puppy they have seen. 

For breeders the contract is a record of the thought and attention they have devoted to their puppies’ breeding and care.

If your breeder is unwilling to sign a puppy contract- walk away! Any responsible breeder should want to place their puppies into the best possible home and this contract should be a must do for all

24/03/2021

Taking your time to write detailed notes on fearful dogs at the vets will be beneficial to that dog, and all of the vet team, in the future.

Identifying what the triggers are for the behaviour will mean future examinations can avoid those triggers and set the dog up for success.

Include information on how the dog was whilst waiting for the vets (would they be better waiting in the car?); what consult room might be better for them; what area of their body they didn't like being touched; if they take food from you; what food they like; were they better with a slower approach; are men or women better tolerated etc??

Thanks to Charlie at The London Vet Behaviour Clinic

26/02/2021

Puppy dog eyes

Dogs are unique from wolves in having a facial muscle that can be interpreted as “puppy dog eyes”

This muscle is the levator anguli oculi medialis, a muscle responsible for raising the inner eyebrow intensely, is uniformly present in dogs but not in wolves.

Dogs produce the eyebrow movement significantly more often and with higher intensity than wolves do, with highest-intensity movements produced exclusively by dogs

Interestingly, this movement increases paedomorphism and resembles an expression that humans produce when sad, so its production in dogs may trigger a nurturing response in humans.

Kaminski et al (2019) hypothesised that dogs with expressive eyebrows had a selection advantage and that "puppy dog eyes" are the result of selection based on humans' preferences.

Juliane Kaminski et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019.

13/02/2021

If a dog feels anxious about an upcoming vet visit, the best way forward is to make a plan in advance between the owner and the vet team. Understanding what a dog needs - and what it is that makes them feel anxious - will make the visit less stressful for al individuals involved.

Thanks to The London Vet Behaviour Clinic Charlie Edmonds at our most recent Ask The Expert.

12/02/2021

Koch’s algorithm for Handling patients

The key to having a good consultation is to be prepared before consults and have good honest communication with the owners.

This algorithm helps to guide you in handling a dog in practice.

The first stage is entering the clinic:

❌ Do they struggle with waiting in the waiting room?
❌ Do they not get on with other dogs?
❌ Will they settle in a car to wait?
❌ Would they settle best if brought straight into the consult room?

When in the consult:

▪️Do they prefer to be handled on the table or floor?
🌟 Handy tip - never put them onto slippy surfaces this can cause stress. Always use a towel if placing them onto a scales or rubber matting on the floor.
🌟 Go at their pace don’t rush!

Restraint:

🐺 How much restraint is appropriate & will the animal tolerate?
🐺 Is less more and safer?
🐺What do you need to vs would be nice to do ?

ASSESS THE DOGS BODY LANGUAGE IS IT SAFE TO CONTINUE ?

A good test is to see whether they will take a treat or play with a toy. Always get owners to bring treats or food their dog loves!

If they aren’t taking food or are showing any aversive or agonistic behaviours then stop and follow the algorithm to see whether desensitisation and counterconditioning are suitable or whether anxiolytic or behaviour medications or a GA is indicated.

For more detail on this topic please check out the APBCs Facebook live session with Charlie & Sophie discussing this topic in more depth.

12/02/2021

If you work in clinical practice and fancy some tips on dealing with dogs in the clinic, take a look at the video Sophie & I did for the APBC.

22/01/2021

Why do some dogs struggle to read brachycephalic (short-faced dogs)?

16/01/2021

This post discusses the RISK of hard chews. Some dogs may never have any issues with hard chews however, the risk is increased by giving these to them. When giving your pet a chew it is always important to supervise them as you would with any toy.

References


1. Dental Vets UK. https://www.dentalvets.co.uk/common-cases/fractured-teeth?fbclid=IwAR15pMPehe7LFOqJEIJyeAJbGUOUYVaJxBJPwnJihLUmx6LxO3wtput3of8
2. What wolves' broken teeth reveal about their lives (2019). University of California, Los Angeles https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190924143158.htm?fbclid=IwAR24tjixIoBYlwzs4j0fO1-SY7Kv0XczQ9aQYAU4H7KSs4bCaRE2rR-5CPU
3. Van Valkenburgh B et al. 2019. Tooth fracture frequency in gray wolves reflects prey availability. eLife Sciences Journal. https://elifesciences.org/articles/48628?fbclid=IwAR2XixBsuPQyQxPZX-5_VAVBq581Ax_DaYGhWTV1Jdmnr4wdVOU4cY-DdLk

18/11/2020

Fear Free Certification

Fear Free Certification is an online course designed to help veterinary professionals eliminate fear, anxiety, and stress and create a more rewarding veterinary experience for all involved.

This is something as a veterinary behaviourist and as a GP vet I feel that all clinical staff should have some knowledge on to help improve vet visits for all parties. If you are a veterinary professional and think your practice would benefit from some in-house CPD please get in touch via [email protected]

17/11/2020

Thinking about getting a kitten? Check out The Kitten Checklist that helps provide information on what to look out for when getting a new kitty.

http://www.thecatgroup.org.uk/pdfs/The-Kitten-Checklist.pdf

16/11/2020

Flexible leads have proven a popular choice of lead for an owner who wants to allow their dog to roam whilst still having control over them.

The issue with flexible leads is that pulling on the lead is self-reinforcing for the dog the more they pull the more lead they will be given. This is an unconscious process by the owner to try and stop them from pulling that inadvertently reinforces it instead.

When training a dog to walk to heal make sure to use a fix length lead, holding the lead in the opposite hand to the side of the dog. This is so that you can provide reinforcement (treats) on the side of the dog rather than having to reach over constantly.

04/11/2020

Decompression walks

What are they?

Decompression walks allow a dog to not have to worry about the constraints & triggers of a normal daily walk. These walks are great to allow your dog enjoy their surrounding through their visual and olfactory senses and (where safe to do so) go off-lead.

Where to go?

Choose a place that is quiet with no known triggers for your dog, go initially when it’s very early or late when few people are around. Woodland walks or beach walks are great for this.

Which dog would benefit from them?

In short- all dogs! However, dogs that are fearful or/and have high arousal levels can benefit from these walks in particular.

Decompression walks not only help the dog but also the owner in allowing them to relax a little in a safe environment where they don’t have to manage their pet as tightly.

** If a dog shows inter-or intra-specific aggression (towards dogs or people) these dogs should remain on a long-line and be muzzled at all times.