Cat The Vet

01/09/2025

September is Animal Pain Awareness Month

Pain is common in our pets but they are so good at living with it, we can easily miss the subtle signs that they are struggling.

And for vet professionals, the resources we have for learning about and treating chronic pain are growing all the time.

Here are some of my favourite places to go to learn about pain, feel free to add your own in the comments!

WSAVA - World Small Animal Veterinary Association, particularly the Pain Guidelines; https://wsava.org/global-guidelines/pain-guidelines/

The Zero Pain Philosophy These guys are brilliant!

Canine Arthritis Management If you have a dog struggling with arthritis or stiffness, I cannot recommend CAM, their website and their group Holly's Army enough.

International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management https://www.ivapm.org/ This website has a huge amount of learning for vet professionals and material to share with pet owners to raise the awareness of pain in our pets

31/08/2025

Would you know if your cat had fleas?

You might think so and while some cats are allergic to their bites and will lick themselves bald and may even cause open sores, especially over their hindquarters, and tummies, most will show hardly any signs at all.

Often when it comes to fleas and their itchy bites we expect our cats to scratch at themselves, but when cats are irritated they lick, they rarely scratch, and they are such good groomers anyway, it can be easy to miss the fact they are doing it a little bit more than normal.

You can keep an eye out for flea dirt and fleas in their coats with regular combing but if you find these things, it generally means there is already a significant number of fleas and quite possibly an infestation in your home.

Sometimes humans can get bitten but, again, it is often a sign there is a big problem we haven’t yet noticed.

In my opinion it is far better to prevent fleas than deal with trying to get rid of them and one way to do this is the Seresto Flea and Tick Control Collar for cats. To find out more about it click here Seresto.co.uk or speak to the vets at your local practice.

30/08/2025

I am very proud to be a patron of the Association of Pet Bereavement Counsellors

The grief we feel when we lose a pet is very real and for many people counselling can be incredibly supportive at a very difficult time.

If you feel like you might benefit from their help, get in touch with one of their members, they really are wonderful.

💜 Who is the Association of Pet Bereavement Counsellors (APBC)?

We're a community of compassionate professionals - counsellors, specialists, and veterinary teams, who support grieving pet guardians with understanding, care and guidance.

Founded to unite counsellors under one umbrella, the APBC works to raise awareness, set standards, and provide resources for both members and pet owners. Together, we honour the bond between humans and animals and ensure no one has to face pet loss alone.

📩Would you like to learn more or become a member? Email [email protected] or visit our website.

29/08/2025

I am diluting 5% Thiopentone, Aludex baths and developing x-rays in the dark room with the machine old.

But I am not puffy paws Saffan, Nuvan Top and dipping the x-ray films old!

22/08/2025

Melena……

😬😬😬

(Also, Catheter)

21/08/2025

Senior dogs are still puppies at heart! But age can catch up with them and start to slow them down.

So here are my four tips for making sure they are able to keep living their best lives

1) Joint Supplements

Joint supplements are something we can use to support our dog’s joints natural function but there are so many on the market, how can we pick a good one?

I always look for a well-known company with a good reputation who is strongly backed by science and evidence, where you can be confident that the product actually contains the ingredients it says it does on the label – which isn’t always the case!

Which is why I am so pleased to see that Royal Canin has brought out a supplement range, that includes joint, digestion and skin versions, because they are exactly that brand that I know I can trust.

2) Weight loss

We do not want those joints carrying any more weight than they need to!

Often the treats are the culprit for our pets being a bit broad about the beam, so do pay attention to all those extras!

But if they are starting to get properly cubby, have a chat to your vet about getting them on an effective weight loss diet

3) Sensible exercise

Here the one thing I would love for you to do if you have one is to fling your ball flinger in the bin!

I know dogs love them and they make playtime easy for us but they go so far and so fast and they make it so easy for us to throw them over and over again, they put joints of any age under huge strain.

If your dog loves the ball or you struggle physically to play with them, then make sure you roll the ball, not throw it, and don’t let your dog chase it until it has come to a stop

4) Regular vet checks!

Regular check-ups are absolutely vital for our golden oldies, particularly as often the changes in them happen very gradually and it’s not always easy to notice when we see them everyday.

It also gives you a chance to pick our brains about all the ways you can help them to live their best lives!

Do you have a senior canine citizen in your life? How do you make sure they are enjoying their golden years to the full?

You can find out more about the whole of the new Royal Canin supplement range and where to buy them here; https://www.royalcanin.com/uk/supplements

20/08/2025

Anyone live near the The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and have some large cuddly toys they no longer need?

I presume they are going to use them for things like bandaging practice, so long limbs, tails and ears are likely to be particularly appreciated!

Large animal cuddly toys wanted!

We’re seeking donations for any large animal cuddly toys to help with our community outreach activities. Last year, Community Relations met over 12,800 people, including pupils from more than 50 local primary schools and 25 secondary schools, teaching young people about veterinary skills - and our current collection of toys could do with some new additions!

If you have any you’d like to donate, please drop them off at Boltons Park Farm during office hours (10am - 4pm, Monday - Friday), or contact us at [email protected] to discuss.

20/08/2025

Hannah is great and has been a fantastic help with many of my patients who have needed behavioural support.

So I can definitely recommend this free course for you and the whole team!

https://donovanvetbehaviour.com/behaviourbasics/

Donovan Veterinary Behaviour Practice

17/08/2025

Seresto UK Flea and Tick Control collars are a great option to keep your pets continually protected against fleas and ticks but only if you use them properly!

Which isn’t difficult but I do see some common mistakes which are easy to avoid when you know about them! 😊

The first is putting the collar on too loosely.

To work effectively it is important that it has close contact with the coat and skin, so we don’t want it too baggy! Make sure it is comfortable for your pet by checking you can fit two fingers underneath but no more.

The second is removing it before the 7-8 months timeframe is up or taking it on and off your pet.

For the best results from your Seresto collar and for it to provide that continual protection, it does need to be continually on your pet!

And finally, forgetting to replace it.

Which is easily done with a busy life, and 7-8 months can pass in a flash! So, I always set a reminder on my phone to order a new collar, because otherwise I would definitely be making this mistake!

To find out more about Seresto Flea and Tick Control Collars you can check out their website, https://bit.ly/SerestoFleaAndTickCollar or speak to your vet.

16/08/2025

All thee episodes of House Of Cats are now live and available to watch!

You can see them on Youtube and on Channel 4 online, links are below

Thank you to Ever Clean UK for sponsoring the show and making it possible!

Channel 4 Online; https://www.channel4.com/programmes/house-of-cats

Youtube; https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=house+of+cats

15/08/2025

Yesterday I posted about A-Levels results day and asked my colleagues to share the story of their less conventional approaches into the veterinary profession, to support students who might not have got the grades but don’t want to give up on their dreams.

And the replies were so good I didn’t want them to get lost in the comments section, so here is them all in a post!

Thank you so much to those of who joined in, I really appreciate it and know you will have helped many future vets and vet nurses to believe in themselves!