Winter 2003/4

What a glorious summer we have enjoyed. At times it was a little too much for pets and their owners more used a to temperate climate. Luckily we only had a couple of cases of heatstroke, and most pets seem to have coped very well. Now we need to hunker down for the winter.

Don’t forget that winter doesn’t mean that fleas go into hibernation. On the contrary, fleas love central heating. In many years November is the month when we see most fleas. When the heating goes on, dormant eggs and larvae come to life with a vengeance. We covered ticks in the last newsletter, so we will give a potted life history of the flea in this issue.

Safety in the gloom

With dark evenings being a bit of a hazard when walking dogs, why not try one of our B’Seen tags, which clip onto a collar and produce a piercing light, increasing visibility and safety. They are also useful for locating your dog – a black Labrador on a dark night will disappear very effectively. With a B’Seen tag, you will know just where your dog is.

The tags are also useful to attach to children’s clothing or rucksacks, and for walkers.

Pets in the news

There have a been a few newspaper features recently which have pointed out the benefits of pet ownership (as if we didn’t already know!). Studies have shown that young children with pets in the family are less likely to suffer allergies and asthma, for instance.

An article in the Daily Telegraph on October 3rd described many ways in which pet ownership can be good for you. These range from the calming effects of watching fish in a tank, to the 4000 daily visits made by pets to children’s wards, nursing and residential homes, hospices and secure units for the mentally ill. Pets greatly help those who are recovering from surgery or major illness, or who have been bereaved. There are 100 dogs in Britain trained to detect an epilepsy seizure 45 minutes before it occurs. One of our patients here can tell his owner (a diabetic) if he is hypoglycaemic long before he himself is aware of a problem. This is not to mention the many dogs trained to help the disabled, hearing dogs and guide dogs for the blind. Our charity event in September 2003 was in aid of the Guide Dogs for the Blind.

• Pet owners have lower cholesterol and blood fat levels than non-owners
• Pet ownership leads to a reduction in headaches, colds and even hay fever, according to a study at Cambridge University
• Those owners who take their dogs to work show a lowering in marginally raised blood pressure. Research suggests that the benefit is similar to that gained by eating a low salt diet or cutting back on alcohol.
• Walking a dog leads to an upbeat mood and increased fitness.
• Those heart attack victims who own pets have a better chance of surviving a year, according to an American report.
• Children who own pets have more empathy and social skills than non-owners, while those with autism are more sociable and less self-absorbed.
• Pets enhance the pleasure and mental robustness of the elderly. Their presence encourages conversation and reminiscences and helps to avoid loneliness. Yet many care homes refuse to allow residents to take a pet with them.
• Australian research 4 years ago found that pet owners make fewer visits to their doctors, sleep better and are less likely to take medicine for a heart condition.

Coniston Challenge

	Many thanks to all who sponsored our team in the Coniston Challenge in September. We were pleased to be able to raise over £3,000 for the Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Canine accessories

From the New Year dog owners will be able to indulge their pets with the latest fashion in sunglasses! A company called Dog-Goes will be marketing the specs. They are Munich based and apparently sell the glasses in Germany, the USA, Singapore and New Zealand. It is claimed that most owners don’t buy them for fashion reasons, but to protect their dogs’ eyes from sun, grit, wind and snow blindness. We will let you decide whether or not this one is for you…….

Shed the pounds for Christmas

If you would like us to help your pet get in shape for Christmas, ask for an appointment with our official weight watching nurse, Imogen Morris. She will guide and counsel you until your dog, or cat, reaches its ideal weight.

Identichip

We have a new lower price for microchip implantation, while stocks last. For £17.50 your pet can be permanently identified in a safe and invisible fashion. If your dog or cat is due for a vaccination, or coming in for neutering or other surgery, why not ask to have a microchip implanted at the same time?

Parasites

	Flea eggs

In the last issue we had some close up views of ticks. As a reminder that fleas are active all year round, and love central heating, here are some lovely flea images. Those flea eggs and larvae are the reason that it may not be sufficient just to treat your pet once you have found evidence of fleas. By the time you find a flea, there will be many more eggs and larvae waiting to develop and take their turn.

	Flea larva emerging from its egg

Female fleas can lay 20 eggs a day, and up to 600 in a lifetime. This means that just killing the fleas on your pet may not be sufficient to control an infestation. If you have found fleas and are not just treating as a preventative, you should use an environmental control agent – Acclaim spray.

	Flea larvae feeding on flea dirt

Larvae feed on dried blood (flea droppings) skin flakes and hair. They then secrete a silk cocoon to rest until a source of a meal turns up. They are sensitive to heat, vibrations and carbon dioxide. Ten fleas could lead to an infestation of 250,000 in just one month!

	Head of the adult cat flea

This winter we have a special offer on Frontline spot-on. Buy a pack of six pipettes and receive an extra free pipette.

Books available

We are delighted to offer a range of excellent pet care books for sale at the clinic. Don't be put off by the dodgy titles. The content of the books is first class.

Titles available are:

The Catlopaedia The Doglopaedia The Rabbitlopaedia The Guineapiglopaedia The Hamsterlopaedia The Parrotlopaedia The Tropicalfishlopaedia

Also available are the Book of the Bitch and The Ageing Dog (by our own in house author!), and booklets on behavioural care and training for puppies and dogs. Ask at reception to see these.

Wounds – urgent or not?

Our dogs and cats will often suffer minor traumas, resulting in cuts and abrasions. Many owners of pets are unsure when medical treatment for wounds is required, and when they can safely be treated at home.

Always feel free to pick up the phone and speak to one of our staff. The nurses and vets are only too happy to advise you, and if the injury can be safely treated at home, they will give you guidance.

These are some guidelines to wounds and their need for care: