Cat The Vet

13/01/2025

I was asked by the wonderful people at Justice for Reggie to help them allay some concerns their followers have about the L4 dog vaccine.

Of course, I was very happy to help.

Please don't listen to vaccine scaremongering on the internet, if you have any questions or worries, please speak directly to the teams at your veterinary practice.

This vaccine is safe and protects our dogs from an awful, and often fatal, disease.

🐕 Some of our followers have contacted us with concerns relating to leptospirosis. Unfortunately the Justice for Reggie team are not qualified vets, although we always speak with our veterinary contact Cat The Vet if anyone contacts us for veterinary advice.

This is the response from Cat relating to the vaccine👇

I can understand concerns about the L4 vaccine, there is a great deal of negative commentary about it online but it is important to remember that things are very often blown out of proportion and many of the main proponents that I see perpetuating myths about it do have a strong 'anti-vax' and alternative opinion already. So we have to realise their opinions and statements are going to contain a significant amount of bias.

Firstly, the L2 vaccine is being phased out in the UK mainly because there is far less call for it now as the vast majority of practices are using L4, which should indicate how much confidence the profession has in the vaccine and how few problems are seen in real life.

This article, which was updated in December 2023, discusses the reported incidence rate in the L4 vaccine, which you can see is extremely low and not particularly different from L2;
(Link in comments)👇
There are sometimes criticisms of the reporting system and it is true that many adverse reactions are not reported. However, the severe ones generally are and the reports are proportional to the reactions. So even knowing that all are not reported, we would see a spike if there was a genuine problem and the system will react strongly to small increases because they likely indicate a larger problem. So, again, we have no signs of L4 having significantly more or worse reactions than any other vaccine.

(All vaccines can have adverse effects, we can't get away from that, but they are overwhelmingly mild and very small in number and far outweighed by the advantage of protecting our pets)

I have personally vaccinated thousands of dogs with the L4 vaccine over the years since it has been released, and that number rises exponentially when we consider the ones done by my colleagues with in my clinic. We have never knowingly seen a single significant reaction to the vaccine. Thankfully I practice in an area where Leptospirosis the disease is not common but it is regularly reported by colleagues in other areas of the country and anecdotally cases appear to be rising. Likely fuelled in some part by the stoking of concerns about the vaccine. And this is not a condition that can be easily treated with antibiotics, as I have seen some people state. It is very serious, makes dogs very sick and usually requires days of hospitalisation and intensive care to treat and, sadly, it is not always possible to save the dog's life.

Finally, if we are going to take pages as evidence of a problem (which obviously we shouldn't but I can see why people do), then I would encourage people to also join this one, to read positive stories and also ask any questions, the team who run it are vets and very good at addressing concerns. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1634206260056214

I hope this helps,
Cat

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

11/01/2025

Have you heard?! Nominations for the Petplan UK and Association of Dogs & Cats Homes Animal Charity Awards are open!

It can be difficult to know how to thank the incredible people that work in the animal charity sector.

The work they do and the care they give is phenomenal and we are fantastically fortunate to have them.

One way to ensure they realise just how much they are appreciated, is to nominate them for these awards!

It takes just a couple of minutes and every single nominee receives a certificate, so even if they don’t reach the final, they know their efforts are seen and valued.

The categories are;

• Animal Charity Team of the Year
• Animal Charity Employee of the Year
• Animal Charity Volunteer of the Year

Click here to make someone’s day! 👉🏻🙌🏻 https://awards.petplan.co.uk/

10/01/2025

Jeremy Vine took aim at vets this afternoon on BBC Radio 2 over our charges for when pets reach the end of their lives.

It is an awful time for owners and hugely emotional, with conflicting feelings of grief, sadness and guilt and we understand that having to pay a fee to a vet as well adds to that turmoil.

And while my colleagues and I are very used to the process and take huge pride in giving pets a peaceful, compassionate passing, it is also challenging for us and our teams. Particularly when a pet owner's distress causes them to lash out.

And honestly Jeremy, you aren't helping.

Some of your listeners had reasonable points over the fees, but the place to air grievances is not on national radio, aided and abetted by your opinions that the charges were 'shocking' and you 'couldn't understand' them. It is to the clinics themselves, so they can improve in areas they need to and explain the cost breakdown to the person who paid that bill.

You did make a point of saying you appreciated vets and the work we do, which I am grateful for, but the tone of this piece was extremely combative and adds to the already exhausting narrative that we are simply driven by money.

And please remember the individual staff in the clinic are likely to have absolutely no influence over the charges, and in the vast majority of cases will go out of their way to make the euthanasia process calm, unrushed and kind for the pet and their family.

Maybe next time you could consider having a representative from one of the practices involved, or their overseeing company, that would likely be a much more fruitful debate.

But this is a good opportunity for me to ask a question of pet owners;

Saying goodbye is always going to be incredibly sad and upsetting but how can my colleagues and I support you through the process? How can we make it better and easier for you?

Have you had a good experience? Please share it if you feel comfortable, so we can learn. Was it less than ideal? How could it have been improved?

It is something we work very hard on but it can be challenging to ask pet owners in the moment or canvass opinions because it is so difficult to bring up.

So, please take this opportunity and let us know!

Thank you!

07/01/2025

The U.K. Brachycephalic Working Group have declared that flat faced dogs who breathe with noise at rest or after light exercise are suffering with severe respiratory disease and should NEVER be considered normal or healthy.

They also say that these dogs should never be described as ‘healthy’ if they are promoted, bred from, sold, shown or rehomed.

Which is strong stuff, particularly considering this group includes breed clubs and rescue organisations.

These breeds are wonderful animals and companions, and they deserve equally wonderful, long and healthy lives but at the moment too many are suffering simply because of the way they look and how they have been bred.

The heartbreak this causes to their families and the veterinary profession should not be underestimated either.

If we want them to continue to exist, and we should, then we must demand that only healthy individuals are bred from and we move away from their extreme confirmation and are open to outcrossing.

And if they are given up to rescue, they do absolutely deserve to be found loving new homes but it is important to be realistic about their health challenges, the degree of care they need and their quality of life.

Read the statement here;https://www.ukbwg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/241106-BWG-Noisy-breathing-in-brachycephalic-flat-faced-dogs-at-rest-or-light-exercise-is-never-normal.pdf

Read their infographic here;https://www.ukbwg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/241118-Noisy-breathing-in-brachycephalic-flat-faced-dogs-at-rest-or-light-exercise-is-never-normal.pdf

06/01/2025

I think Sally at The Canine Dietitian is great and her journey through the pet nutrition world has been fascinating, and I am honoured to have been a part of it.

She is absolutely right in this blog when she says that her sector is completely unregulated and many of the courses available, as she herself experienced, are highly biased and poorly taught.

And, of course, social media keeps us in our bubbles!

I can definitely recommend reading it and following her pages, and I would love to know if anyone else has had a similar experiences.

👇🏻🙌🏻👇🏻

https://www.thecaninecode.co.uk/blog/being-a-dog-nutritionist

01/01/2025

Ins and Outs for 2025!

Let's head into 2025 demanding integrity and respectful behaviour from marketing in the pet space, and listening to and trusting qualified professionals over 'pet influencers' or Facebook groups.

No genuine expert or company would ever scaremonger about a medication, product or competitor and they will always be happy to answer questions, discuss concerns and guide you to make the best choice for you and your animals.

And the time is DEFINITELY up for judging pet foods on ingredient lists! We can absolutely leave that behind now!

01/01/2025

If you know, you know!

I hope this year is everything you wish it to be!

31/12/2024

Have you heard of Doddie Aid?

It is a team building and exercise based challenge running through January that raises vital funds for Motor Neurone Disease.

And now there is an official veterinary division; DoddieVet 2025 🐾 💛💙

Starting on the 1st, your team needs to accrue as many miles as possible. This could be any way you choose; cycling, walking, running, swimming, horse riding, paddle boarding and more!

There will be games and prizes along the way! The most important part is having fun, enjoying the outdoors while raising money for this incredible cause.

If you are interested please don’t hesitate to join Doddie Vet and sign up!
🐾 💛💙

Please spread the word 💛💙

Thank you ☺️

Www.doddieaid.com

26/12/2024

Who cares for the carers? We do!

Working in animal charities and rescues is hard work, often voluntary and the need never ends.

I have endless amounts of admiration and respect for those who do it but it can be hard to know how to adequately thank them for the work that they do.

But one way you can, is to nominate them for Petplan UK and ADCH Animal Charity Awards!

It is quick and easy to do, all the nominees receive a certificate so they know they have been appreciated and the finalists are invited to an awards ceremony to properly celebrate their achievements!

The categories are;

• Animal Charity Team of the Year
• Animal Charity Employee of the Year
• Animal Charity Volunteer of the Year

Click here to make someone’s day! 👉🏻🙌🏻👉🏻https://awards.petplan.co.uk/

24/12/2024

Santa’s E.L.V.E.S are you checking in?

We need to be ready and on standby in case the reindeer need us!

I’m available in the north of the U.K.! What area are you covering ?

You can monitor Santa’s progress here; https://www.noradsanta.org/en/map

And learn more about the E.L.V.E.S here; https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/yourvet/even-santas-reindeer-need-veterinarian

23/12/2024

This comment was on a dog food advert that just appeared on my feed.

And it breaks my heart.

Guilt tripping, negative and scaremongering adverts do nothing but shame pet owners.

Why on earth would any brand claiming to care about animals and its customers act like this?

I honestly think it is appalling behaviour. I will never feed a diet or support a company that does this and it is time our industry stood up to condemn it and protect pet owners and pets.

This brand is being told, in public, how upsetting their marketing is and not only are they totally ignoring that, they are also continuing to run these ads. It honestly blows my mind.

22/12/2024

Are you ready for Christmas?!

You’ve got the decorations up! ✅🎄

You’ve bought all the presents! ✅🎁

The food is in the fridge! ✅😋

The cat has a tick! 😱✅🤢

Christmas is busy, you’ve got a LOT of things to remember and get sorted and the last thing you need is a pet with parasites.

It isn’t uncommon to find fleas on our animals at this time of year, they love our centrally heated homes! And although traditionally we haven’t seen ticks in the depths of winter, the changes in temperatures and humidity these days means they are becoming more of an all-year-round concern.

One option for protecting our pets against both of these unwanted guests them is a Seresto UK Flea and Tick Control Collar.

It fits just like a normal collar and once in place, provides 7-8 months of protection against both fleas and ticks.

You could say it is your Christmas gift to your pet, but we all know they are going to have a pile of gifts under the tree, just as big as anyone else’s!

17/12/2024

Misinformation is absolutely rampant in the pet space and it is harming animals and confusing and frightening owners.

So I am delighted the issue has been highlighted in this week's edition of the Vet Record and to be quoted on the subject.

Tackling misinformation is not easy, it's proponents are generally extremely confident in their views, not shy about sharing them and often the people they have taken in are very vocal in disagreeing with any different opinions, particularly online.

However, I do think it is very important that those of us knowledgeable and qualified in this field do continue to share the science because otherwise we are letting pet owners down.

And we must also engage with those who question us . Explaining the science may not alter that individual's perspective (or it might!) but remember many more people read than comment and by replying and expanding on our points, we help to inform far more than just that one poster we are talking to.

However, you don't have to comment directly on misinformation, I understand very well the kickback you can recieve if you do, but please follow, share and interact with pages who are evidence based to help increase their readership.

Also, don't forget that the 'report' button is anonymous and even if a post doesn't get taken down, enough concern will often limit it's reach, and therefore the damage it does.

14/12/2024

Why not ‘Buy Some Balls’ for the person you love this Christmas?!

09/12/2024

I’m excited to share some tips for a cat-friendly festive season with the help of my friends at Ever Clean UK! 🎄🐾

They’re truly passionate about creating the perfect home environment for your cat.

Is your house ready for Christmas? Share your favourite cat-friendly holiday tips and ideas in the comments!

This is a post but all advice is my own!

08/12/2024

The replies on this post are heartening.

For too long self-styled ‘pet nutritionists’ have been able to misinterpret and misrepresent nutrition unchallenged in the online space.

They confuse and frighten pet owners and consistently seek to undermine the veterinary profession and some of the world’s leading brands of pet food.

Which is why I am delighted to see the firm, but fair, pushback this post is receiving.

Royal Canin is a demonstrably excellent company; employing hundreds of nutritionists, scientists and animal experts, conducting extensive feeding trials and producing diets to the highest possible manufacturing and nutritional standards.

You don’t have to feed it but I would absolutely counsel against taking the advice of anyone who clearly does not understand this, or pet nutrition, to any significant degree.

You can see this post here; https://www.facebook.com/share/18HkGacxrW/?mibextid=WC7FNe

And thank you to my friends at Veterinary Voices UK who drew my attention to this post and made their own, excellent, rebuttal;

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GmDviNogk/?mibextid=WC7FNe

08/12/2024

Did you know there is strong evidence that having a message with a number to call for help at places where people may be at risk of harming themselves, reduces deaths and crisis incidents?

And that you can order these stickers for your veterinary clinic completely FREE from Vetlife?

Get yours here; https://www.vetlife.org.uk/product/vetlife-sticker/

And while you are there, check out all their other merch! https://www.vetlife.org.uk/shop/