Ticks come in lots of different colours and sizes; from grey, pink, red, brown and black, and right through from the size of a pin-head to a big fat juicy rice-crispy. They are carried on things like sheep and deer and drop off into the grass and undergrowth so that when an animal passes through, […]
Fits and Seizures occur when brain cells malfunction and abnormal nerve signals spread throughout part of the brain in an uncontrolled way. The most common cause of fits/seizures/convulsions in dogs: EPILEPSY This is the most common cause. The first fit normally occurs before age 3 if true epilepsy is the cause. Fits in young dogs may often […]
Eclampsia (often known as milk fever) is a serious disease caused by calcium deficiency which may occur in late pregnancy or, more usually, after the puppies are born, when the milk production is at its peak. It is more common amongst smaller bitches who are nursing large litters or bitches who are feeding big, healthy, […]
Vet Wrap – In an ideal world, I would love for every single one of you have a well stocked first aid box. . Obviously, its not normal to carry everything but the kitchen sink around with us on our walks though, so if you only have ONE piece of first aid equipment, make it a […]
Lungworms – I was just sitting having my breakfast and saw an advert on the TV about treatment for lungworm and I wondered just how many “ordinary” pet owners actually know anything about it. So, here goes … Lungworm infestation can be acquired from slugs or snails as intermediate hosts, through sniffing or licking them, […]
Bee & Wasp Stings – In the summer and early autumn, stings from bees and wasps are an occupational hazard for a dog. Because they like to roam about investigating the undergrowth and hedgerows whenever they can, I suppose it’s inevitable that they’ll come across the odd sting or two. Maybe you might notice […]
Positions to Practice – I was asked on one of our canine courses recently about the best position to be in when you check inside your dog’s mouth. One of my main suggestions is that you should practice the various positions you intend to use to examine your dog to get him used to it and thus preventing him […]
Checking your dog’s mouth – For most first aid procedures we need to do, we need to be able to examine our dog thoroughly and there’s a good chance that he may be in pain, frightened or disorientated. For this reason, it’s a good idea to teach your dog to acceptance a muzzle, just in case you ever need to […]
Locating an Emergency Vet – NOW!!! It’s vital to have your usual vet’s telephone number in your ‘phone so it’s right at your finger tips if you need it. Check with your vet to make sure they have provision for accidents or emergencies that occur out of usual office hours. If your vet DOES NOT […]
Snakebites – The Common Adder, or Viper, is the only venomous snake in the British Isles. Most Adder encounters happen during their active season which is between March and October. They have a dark “zig-zag” stripe along the back and their background colour varies from grey or white in the male, right through to shades of brown or […]
Poisoning First Aid Treatment for Poisoning by Toads & Caterpillars Some species of toad secrete a toxic substance on their skin. This passes into the mouth of any dog that picks up the toad to play with it. Certain types of longhaired caterpillar can also produce similar irritants and even anaphylactic reactions in severe cases […]
Snagged Broken Nails – Because dogs like to tear around when they play, they do sometimes catch the odd claw on the ground or on loose surfaces – particularly their dew claws. This can be really very painful indeed and even though you may THINK you’re helping, if ever there was a time you are likely […]
Nails – (if you are on Facebook, check out the group Nail Maintenance for Dogs for some brilliant advice) Have you ever looked closely at a doggy toe nail? It’s got the shiny outer shell bit and running along the inside cavity of the nail is the blood supply called the kwik. The ideal length […]
If you have a breed with a lovely long, waggy tail, you may well have encountered the nightmare that is a split tail tip or “Happy Tail”. Usually, as a result of some seriously exuberent wagging, the tail may come into contact with a stationary object such as the door frame or wall and […]
Bleeding Ear Tips – This morning while on our walk I was wondering what I would put in today’s blog. Axl, my trustee Rhodesian Ridgeback side-kick, must have been reading my thoughts because no sooner had the thought crossed my mind, than he came up with the answer for me. Now that he’s an “agility […]
By about the age of 7 months, most dogs should have their full set of permanent (adult) teeth. In some smaller breeds it is quite common for dogs to retain some of the primary (milk) teeth but, if this causes problems for the dog with overcrowding for example, these should be removed by your vet. […]
Hypoglycaemic Collapse – Insulin is produced naturally in the body to control and regulate the amount of sugar in the blood. Dogs who suffer with diabetes AND those dogs who are worked very hard such as gundogs, working huskies, agility and flyball competitors etc, use up their calorific reserves quickly and if not replenished, this can result in […]
Heatstroke Hyperthermic Collapse – Hyper is latin and means high, above or over. It is not to be confused with conditions who’s names start with Hypo (Hypo means exactly the opposite, ie low, below or under) Today’s tip is about Hyperthermic Collapse (collapse due to the dog having a very high temperature or being subjected atmospherically […]
A prolapse of the eyeball can occur in breeds such as the Pekinese and the Chihuahua with large protruding eyes. As a result of injury the eye may displace forward and the eyelids partly close behind it. An injury of this nature usually occurs after a fight with a larger dog but it can occur […]
Severe Injury to the eye – Again, with such a serious eye injury it is vitally important that we access professional veterinary help as soon as possible. Please be aware that the dog will be in severe discomfort so application of a muzzle may well be appropriate. If the object that has hit the dog […]